The Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics AS CR, v. v. i
(ITAM AS CR, v. v. i.)
The principal research and development activity of the Institute falls into seven domains:
- Mechanics of materials
- Dynamics and stochastic mechanics of systems in interaction with the environment
- Mechanics of plate and shell structures under the action of repeated loading
- Analysis and modelling of particular and cemented materials and environments
- Biomechanics of the human musculo-skeletal system
- Experimental methods in material and structural mechanics
- Diagnostics and sustainability of historical structures, materials and sites
Domain 1:
Mechanics of materials
- Fracture mechanics, computational mechanics, software development, theory of finite deformations.
- Mesomechanics, thermomechanical behavior of shape memory materials.
- Mechanics of polymer composites.
Application of high-performance materials is a trend worldwide. Nowadays these materials are used in astronautics, aeronautics, industry and medicine, and the number of applications and the fields of application continue to increase. Among the most important representatives of this group of materials are materials with shape memory. The phenomenon of shape memory can be detected in many materials, but only those materials can be practically used, where the extent of shape memory is expressive.
There are two groups of such materials: (i) binary and ternary metallic alloys, and (ii) shape memory polymers. The advantage of metallic alloys lies in the high recovery stresses they are able to exhibit (up to 300MPa), while the advantage of polymers in their high recoverable deformation (up to 400%).
Mathematical modelling of the complicated thermomechanical
properties of these materials is a difficult problem. The
difficulty lies in the substantial dependence of these
properties on temperature and in the strong hysteresis they
exhibit. Up to now mathematical modelling has usually been based
on broad thermodynamic considerations followed by
phenomenological assumptions. Our specific approach - aimed at
metallic shape memory materials - is based on a description of
heterogeneity on the atomic scale that is characteristic for
metallic materials exhibiting significant shape memory.
The other important representatives of the group are polymeric composites. Studies of the rheonomic behaviour of polymer composites form the main part of research activity in the field. Attention is paid to experimental methods to define their mechanical characteristics, constitutive equations, ageing, dependence of structural and mechanical properties, and assessment of their rheonomic behaviour.
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