Thermo-Electromechanical Meta-Dampers with Physics-Informed Reinforcement Learning for High-Rate Impact Energy Dissipation

High-rate impact events pose significant challenges to conventional damping systems due to the rapid energy influx and multi-physics interactions (mechanical, thermal, and electrical) that occur during shock loading. This paper introduces thermo-electromechanical meta-dampers, a new class of metamaterial-based dampers designed for extreme energy dissipation under high strain-rate impacts. The meta-damper consists of architected cellular materials with embedded energy conversion mechanisms (e.g., piezoelectric and frictional elements) that transform mechanical shock energy into heat and electric charge, thereby broadening the energy dissipation pathways. To optimize the damper’s performance, we employ physics-informed reinforcement learning (RL), which integrates first-principles physical modeling into the RL agent’s training process. A custom environment simulates high-rate impacts on the metadamper, capturing nonlinear thermo-mechanical behavior and electromechanical coupling. The RL agent learns control policies (e.g., tuning of adaptive material parameters or real-time control of embedded actuators) that maximize energy absorption and minimize peak transmitted force. By incorporating physics domain knowledge (such as conservation laws and material constitutive models) into the learning algorithm, the agent converges to effective solutions with improved sample efficiency. Simulation results show that the meta-damper, with RL-optimized adaptive control, dissipates up to 75% more impact energy compared to a passive baseline, and reduces peak impact force transmission by over 40%. The meta-damper’s internal temperature rise and electrical energy output during impacts validate the intended thermoelectromechanical energy conversion. This research demonstrates a novel synergy of metamaterial design, multiphysics damping, and AI-based control, opening new avenues for protective systems in automotive crashes, aerospace landing systems, and civil infrastructure under blast or impact loads.