Research Areas

1. Inelastic Analysis of Materials and Structures

Formulation and application of constitutive models for inelastic material behaviour with emphasis on cyclic, creep, and damage effects. In particular a multi-surface model of anisotropic hardening was proposed with account for memory effects in cyclic loading programs. A modified versions of this models were used in analysis of creep or creep-plasticity interaction problems. Various model of this type are actually being used in computer systems of inelastic analysis of structures. Similarly, for soils, the description of deformation processes was proposed and applied to simulate cyclic behaviour of soils, including liquefaction effect. The material damage theory applied to rock materials was used in description of rock burst phenomena accounting for rate-dependent damage accumulation.

2. Optimal Design and Sensitivity Analysis of Structures

Uniform variational approach was developed for both sensitivity analysis and optimal design problems with numerical algorithms based on optimality criteria. A wide class of optimal design problems was treated including material, shape, support, loading, and size variables.
 The non-linear structure response due to physical effects and large displacements was considered in regular and critical states and the relevant design method was developed accounting for the admissible imperfection level. Topology, shape and material design methods were developed using the concept of sensitivity forces driving the design process to proper optimal solutions.

3. Models of friction, slip and wear at contact interfaces.

The slip, wear and friction rules at material interfaces were analyzed accounting for dilatancy, anisotropy, and two scale asperity interaction. The memory rules for progressive and reverse slip events were incorporated by following the multi-surface plasticity concepts. Both damage and fracture accompanied by friction were considered. The constitutive models can be applied to interfaces in elastic regime and in plastic regime when plastic flow of asperities occurs combined with adhesive and abrasive effects, typical for metalworking processes. The progressive damage of thin layers was analyzed accounting for cracking and frictional slip at contact for both monotonic and cyclic loading.

Publications

About 400 technical papers in international or national journals and conference proceedings. Authorship or co-authorship of 11 books and 10 unpublished research reports.