Our research has several thrusts:
- Unraveling material heterogeneities and deformation mechanisms with multi-modal X-ray probes.
- Studying material impact physics across time and length scales.
- Developing and using mesoscale “digital twin” modeling to complement experimental measurements and study experimentally-challenging fields to measure (e.g., temperature).
A brief description of each thrust is provided below. See Publications for more detail.
1. Unraveling material heterogeneities and deformation mechanisms with multi-modal X-ray probes
We leverage multi-modal X-ray measurements (tomography, near-field, far-field, and point-focused high energy diffraction microscopy) to study heterogeneous structure and deformation mechanisms in granular materials, rocks, and concrete. We are driven by a deep interest in unraveling how macroscopic behaviors arise from microscopic processes such as grain breakage, energy dissipation, fracture, and rearrangements.
This work has been funded by the NSF (CBET, CMMI), DOE (BES), and JHU (Catalyst Award).
2. Studying impact physics across time and length scales
We leverage and develop new techniques and facilities to study micro mechanical processes governing the impact physics of geologic and engineered materials across time and length scales. We are interested in the connection between microscopic processes and macroscopic phenomena (penetration depth, cratering, ejecta). We employ multi-modal laboratory-based measurements include rapid X-ray imaging, high-speed imaging, and laser-sheet ejecta tracking.
This work has been funded by the ARL, AFOSR, and DTRA.
3. Mesoscale “digital twin” modeling
We have developed digital twins for concrete, granular, rock, and engineered lattice microstructures in an effort to understand mechanical or physical processes which cannot be directly measured on time scales of interest. We also address fundamental questions in this domain such as “what is needed in a digital twin to reproduce physics of interest?”
This work has been funded by NSF (CMMI) and AFOSR.