Keywords: mechanics, stress analysis, thin film, adhesive contact, delamination
Recommendation: This program is suitable for students interested in mechanical engineering/solid mechanics/structural design/soft materials
Abstract
From the aeroplane to cellphones, machines made of hard materials have revolutionized human life throughout history. However, as most biological tissues are soft, hard machines are intrinsically unable to mimic the performance of biological tissues, thus facing great limitation in biomedical applications, in human-machine-interface, and in biomimetics. As a result, more and more research is devoted to the development of soft machines such as thin film devices, soft electronics, etc.
Distinct from conventional hard structures and materials, soft materials or soft structures enabled by rational patterns exhibits numerous advantages such as enhanced stretchability, reversibility, rough-surface conformability, and bio-tissue compatibility. The constitutive models for soft materials such as hydrogels and polymers intrinsically differ from hard materials like steel and rocks.
In this program, students will acquire (1) fundamental mechanics such as stress-strain relationship of soft materials/structures; (2) rational design of serpentine-shaped soft structures that immunizes the stress concentration upon stretching; (3) adhesive contact/delamination to a 3-dimensional rough surface based on energy minimization criterion. These three aspects, not limited to thin and soft structure, are the foundations of engineering mechanics in our daily life.
Course Features
- Lectures 1
- Quizzes 1
- Duration 10 weeks
- Skill level All levels
- Language English
- Students 2
- Assessments Yes
