Resources
Sumit Basu, PhD (IISc Bangalore)
- Details
- Category: Mechanical Engineering
- Published Date
- Written by Super User
- Hits: 5985
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Computational Micromechanics, Fracture Mechanics, Modelling of Materials across length scales, Finite deformation theories and Non-linear FEM.
Email: sbasu[AT]iitk.ac.in
Ph: +91-512-259-7506 (O)
Website: http://home.iitk.ac.in/~sbasu
We work in the broad area of computational materials science. This involves understanding the deformation and fracture behaviour of different classes of materials or material combinations under practically relevant loading situations. We use simulation tools ranging from non-linear Finite Element methods and meshfree techniques to classical Molecular Dynamics.A large part of our efforts are directed towards identifying links between the molecular architecture of amorphous glassy polymers and polymer blends to their macroscopic mechanical and thermal properties, ageing behaviour as well as fracture micromechanisms like crazing. We have recently started on in-situ electron microscopic studies (in collaboration with Dr P Venkitanarayanan's group) of fracture in polymers with a view to better understand the micromechanics of their failure. In collaboration with Dr N Nair (of Chemistry, IITK) we are in the process of devising techniques to better inform our classical MD codes with architectural details of the polymers we are studying. We also work on polymer matrix nanocomposites and treat them as systems within which many of the idealised 'toy' simulation situations like polymers confined between rigid walls, interactions between polymer chains and an inorganic substrate etc. shed their 'academic' garb and attain important practical significance. These include polymer nanocomposites with surface modified nano-spheres as well as nanotubes. Defect controlled yielding and plasticity in metals, enriched continuum models embedding experimentally calibrated interface behaviour and interactions between electrostatic fields and soft solids and simulation of fracture (basically shattering) of solids under ultra-high strain rates are the other areas where we are working actively with various other groups (Dr S Sangal MME IITK, Dr M S Bobji, ME IISc Bangalore, Dr N Gupta, EE, IITK, Dr J Sarkar, ChE, IITD). The group presently has 9 PhD students and collaborates actively both within and outside IITK. Several projects centred around the topics mentioned above have been completed and are being pursued. Industries like Danone, GE Research and Boeing have worked with us actively. We work with the broad philosophy that better understanding of the multi-faceted physics of deformation and fracture at various scales may obviate the need to perform huge, expensive simulations. Also, understanding at various length and time scales may not always fit with each other seamlessly but merely provide pointers that inform and provide better parametrisation of models at higher scales. In other words, parametric models ('glorified curve fits') are here to stay; the parameters however, need flesh and blood.