Research Areas

Solid mechanicians focus on the deformation and failure of materials with a defined rest shape - for example, the solid parts of Earth, the human-built environment, and biological matter such as the human body. An over-arching theme is to study the physics of a solid body’s reaction to diverse influences - stress, deformation, temperature changes, electromagnetic fields, fluid flow and how it fails. This is addressed on a range of length scales, from a cluster of atoms to tectonic plates, using experimental, theoretical, and computational methods. It also involves behaviors happening at highly diverse timescales, from picoseconds all the way to geologic timescales. Professor Michael Ortiz, describes his Solid Mechanics group at Caltech as covering the “entire waterfront of solid mechanics.” He explains, “Solid mechanicians act as a bridge between fundamental science and industry. We at Caltech take a broad view: In a sense, we take the baton all the way to the finish line. We are involved in real-world applications, engineering, and testing. We are needed, and that’s why we’re still in business.” He sees himself as primarily an engineer. “Others come to the field from physics or applied math and may have a different emphasis,” he explains. “As an engineer, I envision the end application. We start with an application and do whatever we need to solve the problem or make progress in an area - we may use applied mathematics, computational mechanics, or another approach, but our research and our papers are always applications driven.” (Exerpted from: ENGENIOUS)

Recent Papers

Conti, S. and Müller, S. and Ortiz, M. (2019) Symmetric Div-Quasiconvexity and the Relaxation of Static Problems. Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis . ISSN 0003-9527. (In Press)http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190805-150303687

Stainier, Laurent and Leygue, Adrien and Ortiz, Michael (2019) Model-free data-driven methods in mechanics: material data identification and solvers. Computational Mechanics, 64 (2). pp. 381-393. ISSN 0178-7675. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190604-153039944

Arca, Francisco and Mendez, Juan Pedro and Ortiz, Michael et al. (2019) Steric Interference in Bilayer Graphene with Point Dislocations. Nanomaterials, 9 (7). Art. No. 1012. ISSN 2079-4991. PMCID PMC6669646. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190716-082655936

Eggersmann, R. and Kirchdoerfer, T. and Reese, S. et al. (2019) Model-Free Data-Driven inelasticity. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 350 . pp. 81-99. ISSN 0045-7825. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190304-093042764