US-France Cooperative Research: Field Fluctuations, Microstructure Evolution and Coupled Phenomena in Random Heterogeneous Materials

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

0231867 Ponte Castaneda This three-year award for US-France collaboration in materials engineering involves researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, California Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, the French National Center for Scientific Research, Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Normale Superieure. Pedro Ponte Castaneda in the US and Pierre Suquet in France lead a cooperative project on computation and measurement of nonlinear behavior of model composite materials. They will study problems of homogenization, including nonlinear properties, field fluctuations, microstructure evolution and coupled physical phenomena in different materials systems. The research is motived by several applications of technological questions. These include creep and forming operations of metal polycrystal systems, studies of porous elastomers, high-temperature behavior of metal-matrix composites and smart/active materials (including shape-memory alloys and ferroelectrics). The goal is to predict the behavior of macroscopic composite materials by investigating the components. The US investigators have theoretical expertise. This is complemented by the French investigators' experimental and numerical expertise. This award represents the US side of parallel proposals to the NSF and the CNRS. NSF will cover travel funds and living expenses for the US investigator and his students. The CNRS will support visits by French researchers and students to the United States.