Research areas
Polymers and composites are currently the largest and fastest-growing class of materials used in engineering and structural applications. Our research group focuses on developing computational and experimental tools for the design, optimization, selection, and evaluation of polymeric materials in these applications. Our activities are centered on identifying the morphological, geometric, and processing conditions that govern the in-service performance of polymers. To achieve this, we employ advanced experimental techniques to assess the mechanical behavior of polymeric materials under multiaxial stress states and various loading conditions.
Structural integrity of plastic pipes for water, gas, and oil
Slow crack growth (SCG), rapid crack propagation (RCP), buckling collapse in thermoplastic liners, liner installation parameters, and more.
Injection molding
Study of the injection molding process for thermoplastic polymers and composites through computational simulation, experimental characterization, and numerical modeling.
Constitutive and damage modelling under multiaxial stress conditions, experimental mechanics, calibration algorithms, fracture mechanics, damage indicators, auxetic structures, quasi-static and impact loadings, among others.
Mechanical properties of polymers.
