Engineering Science
Computational Multiscale & Multiphysics Lab
Our major interests are investigating various multiscale and multiphysics problems, including: establishing an integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach for desired mechanical properties and failure performances of the final product; first principles-based computational predictions of material behaviors in atomistic, quasi-continuum and continuum length scales; and computational predictions of material deterioration processes across different length scales subjected to multiphysics phenomena. We are also interested in developing new computational methods, including the extended finite element method (XFEM), the extended element-free Galerkin method (XEFGM), the extended particle difference method (EPDM), and computational model reduction techniques.
Data-driven Mechanics Laboratory
The overarching theme of our research is to develop systematic data-driven technologies for design and characterization of advanced materials and energy systems.
Current projects include:
Multiphysical Geomechanics Research Group
Our research resides at the interface between continuum mechanics, physics, and thermodynamics. We study the physical-chemical-mechanical processes occurring at the molecular, pore, grain, and meso scales to understand the emergent macro-scale behavior of porous and granular materials.
Current projects include:
Neupauer Lab
Dr. Neupauer's research focuses on development and application of novel mathematical tools for the investigation of water, solute, and energy movement in unfrozen and partially frozen subsurface materials.
Current projects include:
Odor 2 Action
The Odor2Action Network seeks to understand how the brain uses olfactory stimuli to generate adaptive natural behaviors. We are brining together international scientists to solve classic, unresolved questions in neuroscience. Using the olfactory circuit, we aim to achieve an end-to-end understanding of how brains organize and process information from odors to guide adaptive behaviors. Through highly synergistic and inclusive team science, Odor2Action strives to create a model of open data and technology sharing that accelerates discoveries across the scientific community.
Pak Lab
Dr. Pak's research focuses on dynamic soil-structure interaction, continuum mechanics, wave propagation, soil and structural dynamics, geotechnical earthquake engineering, impact & blast loading, foundations, geomechanics, constitutive modeling, poroelasticity, computational methods, mathematical geophysics, experimental modeling.
Current projects include:
Regueiro Research Group
Dr. Regueiro's research focuses on computational multiscale multiphysics materials modeling for simulating inelastic deformation and failure in heterogeneous porous media, including saturated and partially saturated soils and rock, unbonded particulate materials, bonded particulate materials, soft biological tissues, and thin deformable porous materials and membranes.
Scales of interest range from the microstructural/histological to the continuum. Accounting for microstructural features and response at the pore/particle/grain scale is critical to understanding and modeling predictively a material's inelastic deformation and transition to failure at the continuum scale (engineering scale of interest). Accounting for histological features and response at the cellular/extracellular matrix (ECM) scale likewise is critical to understanding and modeling predictively a biological tissue's range of response under physiological and surgical influences as well as those encountered in the presence of prosthetic materials.
Saouma Lab
Dr. Saouma's research straddles Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics. His work has encompassed: