GSS2011 - GRIDS Summer School on Fracture and Damage Mechanics in Engineering Applications

Date: August 29 - September 2, 2011

Venue: Dept. Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Web: http://grids.web.ua.pt/grids_ev_GSS2011.html

Scope

The occurrence of some structural failures in the beginning of the twentieth century led to the birth of Fracture Mechanics and, since the work of Griffith (1921), it has matured into what nowadays is an established discipline. At the present time, Fracture Mechanics is a broad area of knowledge covering several disciplines, being taught at graduate and senior undergraduate levels in most universities with an engineering program.

In general, the typical audience for a course in Fracture and Damage Mechanics comes from several disciplines such as mechanical, civil, aerospace and materials backgrounds. Furthermore, over the years, Meshless Methods, Natural Element Methods (NEM) and the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM), along with the Generalized Finite Element Method (GFEM), have emerged as novel numerical methods to solve various problems in different areas of engineering and sciences such as solid mechanics (e.g., crack propagation, complex microstructures, contact, composite materials, large deformations) and multiphysics (e.g., fluid-structure interaction, bioengineering, thermomechanics, solidification).

In this context, the GSS2011 aims to introduce both the basic theoretical principles and the emerging numerical methods to students, scientists and engineers so that they can be equipped to solve various problems in engineering, sciences and industries. The GSS2011 also aims to provide a practical understanding of both calculation and simulation of fracture and damage phenomena. Specific emphasis will be given to the theoretical coverage of both Fracture and Damage Mechanics, and their computational application, as well as their practical application, to the analysis of structures in the context of Solid Mechanics. The sessions will be headed by top researchers in the field, and it is the purpose of this initiative to provide an open forum of discussion among the participants.

The official language of the GRIDS Summer School 2011 is English.

Main goals of the GRIDS Summer School 2011

1. -To provide the participants with the underlying assumptions and limitations of Fracture and Damage Mechanics;
   

2. -To promote a better understanding of the selection of materials for fracture and fatigue resistance;
   

3. -To understand and dominate the concepts of Fracture and Damage Mechanics in solving engineering problems;
   

4. -To learn how to perform simple to moderately complex simulations and calculations involving Fracture and Damage Mechanics;
   

5. -To provide the participants with the most up-to-date theories, procedures and computational tools available.
   

Target audience

The GSS2011 is aimed at engineers and other professionals in all sort of fields who wish to learn more about the current state-of-the-art of Fracture and Damage Mechanics, and their computational application in solving complex engineering problems. The initiative is also tailored not only for researchers and developers in the field, but particularly for engineering students with some background on continuum mechanics and numerical simulation techniques.

Organisation

The GSS2011 is organised by the GRIDS Research Group (http://grids.web.ua.pt/), a research group dedicated to the study and development of numerical methods and simulation techniques in engineering, integrated in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (www.ua.pt), Portugal. 

GRIDS is composed by more than 40 members, ranging from senior professors, assistant professors, research assistants, graduate and undergraduate research scholars. The GSS2011 initiative is driven by the Division of Fracture and Advanced Computational Techniques (DiFrACT) of GRIDS.

Main topics to be covered

1. 1.Fundamental aspects of the formulations and applications of Fracture and Damage Mechanics to engineering problems;
   

2. 2.Numerical modelling issues and experimental validation on Fracture Mechanics, and fatigue crack growth and closure phenomena;
   

3. 3.Fracture and damage models and their applications in aerospace structures and design;
   

4. 4.Discontinuity finite elements and their software implementation for fracture modelling of composite materials;
   

5. 5.Fracture and Damage Mechanics applications in plastic metal forming;
   

6. 6.XFEM , Meshless Methods and Natural Element Methods on solid mechanics numerical simulation on fracture, damage and discontinuities;
   

7. 7.Fracture/damage and its interaction with fatigue in industrial applications;
   

8. 8.New trends and applications of damage formulations in metal forming.
   

Lecturers (in alphabetical order)

1. •Alfredo Balacó de Morais (University of Aveiro, Portugal)
   

2. •Anne-Marie Habraken (University of Liège, Belgium)
   

3. •Elias Cueto (University of Zaragoza, Spain)
   

4. •Fernando Antunes (University of Coimbra, Portugal)
   

5. •Francisco Novo (Structures Section, TEC-MSS, European Space Agency, AOES Group BV, Noordwijk, The Netherlands)
   

6. •Francisco Pires (University of Porto, Portugal)
   

7. •Joaquim Alexandre Pinho da Cruz (University of Aveiro, Portugal)
   

8. •Luís Filipe Borrego (Coimbra Institute of Engineering, Portugal)
   

9. •Luís Galrão dos Reis (Technical University Lisbon, Portugal)
   

10. •Nicolas Moës (Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France)
    

11. •Rui Fernando Martins (New University of Lisbon, Portugal)

    
    

    Registration fees and important dates

    The fees for the GRIDS Summer School 2011 are:

    800 € (without accommodation);

    900 € (including accommodation in students’ residence halls).

    
    

    Registration fees include all the course documentation, participation in all sessions, lunches and coffee breaks, welcome reception, social programme and banquet. Lunches and coffee breaks

    will be arranged for all registered participants, and will be held at the University of Aveiro.

    
    

    Registration deadline: July 15th, 2011

    Online registration form: http://grids.web.ua.pt/grids_ev_GSS2011_reg.html

    
    

    Registration must be carried out by bank transfer, using the procedure and information that is posted on the online registration page.

    In the meanwhile, if you are interested in participating or need any further information, please send an e-mail to gss2011@ua.pt at your earliest convenience.