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Research area(s)

I am interested in modelling the behaviour of materials, solids and structures within and, more often, beyond their elastic limit, combining experimental methods with nonlinear numerical modelling. The latter include but is not limited to the development of nonlinear finite-element analysis. The applications have been quite wide-ranging and included the study of plasticity in metals, nonlinear behaviour of concrete and reinforced concrete, buckling of metal structures, composite delamination, debonding of adhesive joints, multi-scale analysis of flexible risers among others. On the other hand, the recurrent theme of my work is the application of fundamental principles and methods to study elastic and inelastic behaviour of solids and structures within a rigorous thermodynamic framework, accounting directly or indirectly for their behaviour and their hierarchical architecture at different scales.

In the first decade or so of my research career, I was normally trying to answer the following type of research question: what is the the best way to find the solution of (well-posed) mathematical models that had already been developed by other researchers? At some point though, I realised that I am much more interested in this other type of question: what is the best mathematical model for a given problem? The latter requires interaction with the real world, understanding of the underlying physics, experimental testing and validation. Nevertheless, the former question cannot be avoided, because in order to test and validate a mathematical model one needs to make sure that the model is well posed and a solution can be found. This can be quite challenging and, like many other aspects of my research, it often requires a great amount collaboration with other colleagues.  

One area where I gained a certain recognition is the development of cohesive-zone models, which are a method to study crack formation and growth in solid or along structural interfaces. I started working in this field as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at Imperial College, studying the analysis of delamination of laminated composites under the supervision of late Prof. Mike Crisfield. I started using an existing model, developed by Prof Crisfield and his previous co-workers, which I only slightly modified and recast in the framework of damage mechanics. My main initial challenge was to get the implicit incremental solution procedure to converge. Since then, together with several collaborators I have developed other cohesive models that accounted for elasticity, damage, plasticity, viscoelasticity, viscoplasticity, friction, dilatancy and fatigue. 

My more recent interests include revisiting the methods of fracture mechanics applied to the case of ductile materials and nonlinear modelling of geomechanics problems. 

Research Interests

Current interests include:

• Damage mechanics, fracture mechanics and cohesive-zone models, accounting for friction, plasticity, visco-elasticity, visco-plasticity and fatigue 
• Rate-dependent failure of adhesive joints
• Composite delamination
• Nonlinear geomechanics
• Nonlinear modelling of concrete and reinforced concrete
• Multi-scale analysis of materials and structures

Past interests include:

• Multi-scale numerical analysis of flexible risers
• Plastic buckling of metal structures
• Numerical and experimental analysis of lined pipes

Grants