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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Mesomechanics: new insights from granular materials down to the nanoscale

Objective

The goal of this project is to develop theoretical and computational techniques and models for the mechanics of materials and systems in which mesoscale effects are important. The basic premise is that mesoscale properties and fields can be used as a unifying concept for modeling a wide class of systems, which includes granular matter, glasses, foams, dense colloids, nanoscale solids and micro/nanofluids.

Common features include the lack of scale separation between the microscopic (particle) scale and the macroscale, the prominence of fluctuations and inhomogeneities, metastability and history dependence. The project will focus on granular matter as a paradigm for mesoscale systems. Granular materials, composed of solid macroscopic particles, are ubiquitous in Nature, industry and the environment.

Their modeling is of enormous practical importance, but existing continuum models are quite limited. The advantage of granular materials is their macroscopic constituents, which makes particle scale dynamics accessible to direct experimental studies, as performed in the host group. Insights gained will be applied to other systems as mentioned above. This multidisciplinary project will combine analytical techniques, numerical simulations, and analysis of experimental data.

The methodology is based on a systematic coarse graining technique, which relies on spatial (and temporal) averaging, which cannot, for these systems, be assumed a-priori to be equivalent to ensemble averaging. This approach emphasizes the scale (resolution) dependence of the pertinent fields, of crucial importance in such systems, and will enable a quantitative evaluation and modeling of fluctuations and inhomogeneities.

For the applicant, the project will enable a close collaboration with experimentalists, expansion of his research to new areas and acquisition of new skills, by interacting with experts in the host institute, and establishment of contacts with leading scientists in Europe.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Call for proposal

FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call

Coordinator

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
EU contribution
No data