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Barenblatt died, age 90
Sat, 2018-06-23 09:09 - adminSEAS
Grigory Isaakovich Barenblatt passed away on 21 June 2018 in Moscow. He pioneered the cohesive-zone model of fracture, and made lasting contributions to the mechanics of solids and fluids. We are deeply sorry for the passing of a giant. Here is the text of his speech on receiving the Timoshenko Medal. Attached are his two papers on the cohesive-zone model.
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What he offered was
What he offered was tantamount to removing the singularity at the crack-tip.
Thanks for showing us a way (and for loving mechanics, just the way we do), and R.I.P.
Best regards,
--Ajit
You see a random microstructure.
<p>43 years ago I took a special course (for 10-12 students) of Continuum Mechanics taught by Professor Barenblatt in Moscow State University. The course was structured more as a collection of problems united by his charisma and scientific interests, rather than a classical systematic course. Up to now I remember in details his facial expression, gestures, voice, and glance when he demonstrated an album of reproductions of van Gogh (it was a first album of van Gogh’s reproductions which I saw). Grigory Isaakovich explained the essence of material microstructure by the words “Look on these reproductions of van Gogh in my hands. And now look at the same pictures in your hands. You see a random microstructure.” It was a performance of the theater of one genius actor. I was shocked, impressed and encouraged. I did not could not estimate enough at that time who was Barenblatt, but I felt the God’s thoughts.</p>
<p>Only in a few years after graduation I began to work in micromechanics. From that time at each moment when I consider heterogeneous material a trigger is switched on in my mind “I see the random microstructure. It is myne.” The next paper is ready.</p>
<p>The ideas of Grigory Barenblatt, his creativity, vision of similarity of different problems and their generalization, and his ability (that is most important) to generate absolutely unexpected points of view on any classical problem are with us forever.</p>
<p>Valeriy Buryachenko</p>
You see a random microstructure.
43 years ago I took a special course (for 10-12 students) of Continuum Mechanics taught by Professor Barenblatt in Moscow State University. The course was structured more as a collection of problems united by his charisma and scientific interests, rather than a classical systematic course. Up to now I remember in details his facial expression, gestures, voice, and glance when he demonstrated an album of reproductions of van Gogh (it was a first album of van Gogh’s reproductions which I saw). Grigory Isaakovich explained the essence of material microstructure by the words “Look on these reproductions of van Gogh in my hands. And now look at the same pictures in your hands. You see a random microstructure.” It was a performance of the theater of one genius actor. I was shocked, impressed and encouraged. I did not could not estimate enough at that time who was Barenblatt, but I felt the God’s thoughts.
Only in a few years after graduation I began to work in micromechanics. From that time at each moment when I consider heterogeneous material a trigger is switched on in my mind “I see the random microstructure. It is myne.” The next paper is ready.
The ideas of Grigory Barenblatt, his creativity, vision of similarity of different problems and their generalization, and his ability (that is most important) to generate absolutely unexpected points of view on any classical problem are with us forever.
Valeriy Buryachenko