Abstract submission open for symposium "Advanced modelling techniques: Higher-order continua" at the 19th European Mechanics of Materials Conference (EMMC19), Madrid, Spain, 29-31 May 2024, http://emmc19.org/index.html

"S15: Advanced modelling techniques: Higher-order continua" organised by Samuel Forest (Mines ParisTech CNRS) and Lorenzo Bardella (University of Brescia) http://emmc19.org/symposium-s15.html  

Abstract submission deadline: December 22nd, 2023, http://emmc19.org/submissions.html

Nowadays, problems involving more physics and more length and time scales have become very relevant in engineering applications. Theoretical frameworks limited to conventional continua are often inadequate to model such problems. This has motivated the introduction of higher-order continua (within the framework of, e.g., nonlocal, strain gradient, micromorphic, and stress gradient theories) to efficiently incorporate the effect of fine-scale processes into the overall material response. Some of these continuum models typically rely on assuming that the internal energy depends on additional (higher-order) fields with respect to the conventional continuum.

The goal of this mini-symposium is to bring together contributions concerned with the most recent advances in higher-order continuum theories. Topics include, but are not limited to:

1) Theoretical and numerical approaches for higher-order continua, with focus on both the characterisation and the role of the unconventional material parameters, possibly through scale-bridging techniques;

2) Strain and stress gradient extensions of both crystal and phenomenological plasticity theories to model the small-scale behaviour of metals, with focus on the underlying dislocation mechanics;

3) Multi-scale methods, such as theoretical and computational homogenisation for heterogeneous materials, leveraging on higher-order continua;

4) Engineering applications of higher-order continua dealing with complex material behaviours, such as, size-dependent response, damage and fracture, localisation of deformation, wave propagation in composites materials and structures.