Research

The constitutive models express the emotions of a material when subjected to an excitation. However, to harness the benefits of such models, we need to use a numerical method, e.g. finite element method so that a boundary value problem can be solved. We try to determine a computational strategy for implementing a constitutive model in a general purpose finite element code so that the emotions expressed by a constitutive model can be translated and adopted in a real day analysis situation.

In case of rubber, the challenge lies with the dealing of not only the nonlinearities but also the incompressibility feature that does exist in every rubberlike material. In a complex situation, how do you think about simulating the response when the structure is subjected to a stochastic excitation, e.g. an earthquake or the flow of blood within the shape-memory polymer stent implanted in the heart? We attempt to take the challenge.