Mechanics and Geometry of Complex Structures: A pathway towards functions of forms
by
Marcelo Dias(Aalto Science Institute, Nordita)
→
Europe/Stockholm
122:026
122:026
Description
Over the past few decades, experiments in mechanics of soft and thin materials have stimulated new approaches to technological applications as well as brought to light many fundamental questions in our understanding of biological systems. Thin plates and shells have the characteristic that one of their physical dimensions, thickness, is much smaller compared to the other two. This reduction in dimensionality allows these objects to be manufactured to occupy less physical space, keep enough strength in order to sustain loads, and gain new soft modes of deformation. There exist many circumstances in engineering, architecture, and other technological applications, where these structural properties become extremely useful. These properties can be found in construction columns, domes, plastic bottles, airplane wings, polymer fibers, steel reinforcing rods, paper, etc. Yet another source of great inspiration to study mechanics of soft and thin materials is found in the natural world. The study of the morphology of living organisms has long been a source of inspiration in mechanics of soft materials as well as a subject that provides rich scenarios to explore thin and slender bodies in many different length-scales, forms, and manifestations of patterns of the object of study such as wrinkles, folds, and singular creases.
In order to pave the way to understand what functionality roles these structures may play through their deep connection with geometry and mechanics, in this talk I will discuss two different mechanisms of pattern formation in thin elastic sheets, namely isotropic differential growth coupled with internal orientational order and folded structures. The former is found in the subject of nematic liquid crystal elastomers undergoing prescribed macroscopic shape changes, while the latter is related to the mechanics of origami-inspired structures.
