About

Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei is a faculty member in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department at NC State University. Her research interests include processing and characterization of advanced materials, such as metal foams, coatings, and composites. She focuses on solving complex materials problems aimed at improving health, safety, and environmental conditions by creating new materials and enhancing the properties and performance of existing ones through alterations in manufacturing techniques and micro-structural and mechanical analysis. Dr. Rabiei teaches courses on advanced materials, statics, solid mechanics, and strength of mechanical components, enriching her teaching with discussions on environmental and physical properties of materials and their real-life applications. She also supervises undergraduate research projects, often involving collaboration with professionals outside of her department and international groups. Her work has led to numerous publications in the field of advanced engineering materials.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Composite material
• Nuclear engineering
• Meteorology
• Structural engineering
• Geology
• Environmental science
• Metallurgy
• Engineering

Selected publications

• Numerical Modeling of Tank Cars Carrying Hazardous Materials With and Without Composite Metal Foam

  Advanced Engineering Materials · 2026-04-08

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Large‐scale numerical puncture models are solved for indenter impact on carbon–steel with and without steel–steel composite metal foam (S–S CMF), positioned between indenter and carbon–steel. Metallic matrix of S–S CMF occupies interstitial spaces between hollow steel spheres filled with air, which enhance impact energy absorption and thermal insulation. Numerical models evaluate puncture prevention performance of S–S CMF under large‐scale puncture test simulating impact on pressurized tank car carrying hazardous materials (HAZMATs). S–S CMF is modeled using simplified homogeneous and complex nonhomogeneous fluid cavity approach. Included S–S CMF prevents puncture in carbon–steel plate for parametric analyses involving simulated tank car pressure and S–S CMF thickness. The addition of S–S CMF to carbon–steel plate limits stress triaxiality transformation from dominant tensile to mixed‐mode stress state during impact. CMF prevents puncture by absorbing impact energy and ensuring moderate triaxiality in carbon–steel plate such that void growth and coalescence counteract shear banding. The study reports that 10.91–13.33 mm thick S–S CMF prevents puncture at an indenter velocity of 5.81 m s −1 and an internal tank car pressure of 689.5 kPa, which otherwise would puncture without the inclusion of CMF. The study indicates the importance of adding CMF layer to tank car structures to improve safety for HAZMAT transportation.

  PublisherDOI

• Nondestructive Testing of Welded Composite Metal Foams

  Advanced Engineering Materials · 2026-05-14

  articleSenior author

  Steel–steel composite metal foams (S–S CMFs) are advanced cellular materials with hollow stainless‐steel spheres within a stainless‐steel matrix, noted for low density, high specific strength, and exceptional energy absorption. This study investigates X‐ray computed tomography (CT) as a nondestructive testing method to evaluate welded CMF joints produced via induction welding, diffusion bonding, and brazing using Cu and BNi‐2 fillers. CT scans are used to evaluate number of through‐thickness voids and spatial void distribution at the bonded interface. Δ Void metric is defined to quantify difference between postweld spatial void distribution and comparable preweld baseline to evaluate the influence of welding on mechanical performance and failure within samples. Substantial variation in Δ Void of welded CMFs indicates near‐joint failure, while minimal variation in Δ Void for welded CMFs informs away‐from‐joint failure. Δ Void between −2.43% and + 0.41% indicates away‐from‐joint failure, while those beyond this range report near‐joint failure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations also corroborate that matrix porosities and void percentage influence joint mechanical performance. Results demonstrate the importance of combining CT and SEM techniques to understand microstructural characteristics affecting S–S CMF weld performance. CT enables detection and analysis of internal defects without compromising structure, ensuring safety, and regulatory compliance.

  PublisherDOI

• Numerical Model and Experimental Validation of Composite Metal Foam in Protecting Carbon Steel Against Puncture

  Advanced Engineering Materials · 2026-01-01

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Composite Metal Foam Entrapped air inside the airtight porosities of composite metal foam provides lightweightness and cushion-ability. This could boost the safety of a tank car upon impact, thereby protecting the environment from HAZMAT spillage and fire. More information about the results of both experimental and numerical approaches can be found in the Research Article by Afsaneh Rabiei and Aman Kaushik (10.1002/adem.202501605).

  PublisherDOI

• A Study on Thermal Expansion and Thermomechanical Behavior of Composite Metal Foams

  Advanced Engineering Materials · 2025-06-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Composite Metal Foams Composite metal foams (CMF) are lightweight materials made from hollow metal spheres embedded within a metallic matrix produced using a powder metallurgy technique. CMF exhibits low thermal expansion and excellent mechanical stability maintaining high energy absorption capabilities at temperatures up to 600 °C. In article number 2402871, Afsaneh Rabiei, Zubin Chacko, and Nigel Amoafo Yeboah report that this combination of low density, thermal resistance, and high energy absorption makes CMF highly suitable for various multifunctional structural applications across several industries, including transportation, aerospace, defense, automotive, and energy systems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Study on Thermal Expansion and Thermomechanical Behavior of Composite Metal Foams

  Advanced Engineering Materials · 2025-04-13 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Composite metal foams (CMFs) are promising materials for applications requiring high strength and impact resistance, yet their high‐temperature mechanical behavior remains underexplored. This study examines the mechanical performance and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of steel–steel (S‐S) CMFs at temperatures up to 1000 °C. CTE measurements indicate reduced expansion relative to bulk 316L stainless steel, with stable values between 100 and 400 °C, followed by a linear increase up to 1000 °C, indicating S‐S CMF's enhanced thermal stability compared to bulk 316L stainless steel. Quasi‐static compression tests show that S‐S CMFs maintain excellent mechanical performance up to 600 °C, beyond which strength degradation accelerates due to thermal softening, oxidation, and plastic buckling. At 800 °C, the structural integrity of S‐S CMF is significantly compromised, with lateral expansion and energy absorption capacity reduced by over 80%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) links the mechanical changes to microstructural evolution, including grain boundary void formation and oxidation at high temperatures. These findings provide the first comprehensive assessment of the thermomechanical behavior of S‐S CMFs, bridging a critical knowledge gap and establishing their operational limits for high‐temperature structural applications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Thermo-Mechanical Performance of Composite Metal Foams

  ˜The œminerals, metals & materials series · 2025-01-01 · 1 citations

  book-chapterSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Evaluating elastic modulus and energy absorption efficiency of composite metal foam using computational and experimental approaches

  Journal of Materials Science · 2025-05-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract This study evaluates the mechanical performance of steel composite metal foams (CMFs) under various temperatures to assess their potential for use in thermally demanding environments. Steel CMFs, composed of hollow steel spheres embedded in a stainless steel matrix, were subjected to quasi-static compression tests at 23 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, 700 °C, and 800 °C. The primary objectives were to assess the temperature-dependent changes in elastic modulus, plateau strength, energy absorption efficiency, and structural integrity under compression. Experimental results revealed characteristic stress–strain behavior comprising linear elastic, plateau, and densification regions, with significant mechanical degradation observed at temperatures beyond 600 °C. To account for the volumetric changes in steel CMF, a correction factor ( K ) related to porosity ( ϕ ) was introduced, relating true and engineering stress. Curve fitting at room temperature yielded K = 0.6, closely matching the CMF porosity ( ϕ = 0.6), highlighting porosity’s dual physical and mathematical significance in governing the compressive response of CMFs. Finite element simulations in ABAQUS were used to complement experimental findings, incorporating a crushable foam plasticity model and temperature-dependent material properties. The model accurately predicted the mechanical behavior of steel CMF up to the densification phase, with discrepancies remaining below 4% compared to experimental results. Computational analysis also validated the assumption of a constant Poisson’s ratio at elevated temperatures. Results indicate that steel CMFs maintain substantial energy absorption and mechanical stability up to 600 °C, making them suitable for applications such as crash absorbers and thermal shields. However, performance deteriorates significantly at 700 °C and 800 °C due to thermal softening and oxidation, ultimately leading to structural disintegration. This study underscores the promise of steel CMFs in thermally demanding applications while identifying key areas for future research, including the refinement of computational damage models and the experimental validation of temperature-dependent material parameters.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Solid-State Bonding of Composite Metal Foam

  ˜The œminerals, metals & materials series · 2025-01-01

  book-chapterSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Performance of composite metal foams under cyclic loading at elevated temperatures

  Journal of Materials Science · 2025-09-30 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract This study investigates the fatigue behavior of steel-steel composite metal foams (S–S CMFs) subjected to uniaxial compression–compression cyclic loading at 23, 400, and 600 °C to identify temperature-dependent deformation mechanisms and endurance thresholds. The S–S CMFs consist of stainless-steel hollow spheres embedded within a 316 L stainless-steel matrix, designed to provide lightweight strength and thermal resistance for extreme environments. Fatigue tests of S–S CMF demonstrated a three-stage strain evolution pattern including the initial gradual strain accumulation, extended strain stability, and abrupt failure. Notably, the longest fatigue life was observed at 400 °C, where specimens remained in Stage II for over 1.3 million cycles at 60% of plateau strength ( S pl ), a phenomenon primarily attributed to dynamic strain aging (DSA), evidenced by serrated flow. At 600 °C, similar DSA-driven serrations occurred; however, thermal softening, dynamic recovery, and oxidation-induced damage significantly reduced fatigue life above a critical stress threshold. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the matrix porosity collapse and associated structural rearrangements played a critical role in fatigue deformation at all temperatures, contributing to the serrated features observed. Additionally, twinning observed at 600 °C suggests a thermally assisted cyclic hardening mechanism. In contrast, room-temperature fatigue was dominated by slip-driven deformation and structural porosity collapse, with smoother strain evolution. These findings highlight the complex interplay between structural (matrix porosity collapse) and dislocation-based mechanisms (DSA) in governing the fatigue response of S–S CMFs, underscoring their temperature-dependent deformation mechanisms and defining a practical endurance boundary around 50% of plateau strength.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Explicit Finite Element Model of Composite Metal Foam’s Mechanical Response During Quasi-static and Dynamic Compression

  ˜The œminerals, metals & materials series · 2025-01-01

  book-chapterSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• CAREER: Processing and Development of a New Ultra-Light High-Strength Material

  NSF · $458k · 2003–2010

• Processing and Characterization of Coatings for Polymeric Implants

  NIH · $379k · 2012–2015

• Processing and Characterization of Functionally Graded Coatings for Bio-Medical Implants

  NSF · $276k · 2006–2011

Frequent coauthors

• Lakshmi Vendra

  Baker Hughes (United States)

  12 shared

• M. A. Portanova

  United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command

  12 shared

• Jacob Marx

  12 shared

• P. Bowen

  University of Birmingham

  10 shared

• Brian Neville

  North Carolina State University

  7 shared

• Xiao Bai

  Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics

  6 shared

• Rengen Ding

  Xi'an Technological University

  6 shared

• Amrita Lall

  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

  6 shared

Labs

• Advanced Materials Analytical LabPI

Education

• PhD, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology

  University of Tokyo

  1997