Contact

Aachen Institute for Advanced Study in Computational Engineering Science (AICES)
RWTH Aachen University
Schinkelstrasse 2
52056 Aachen
Germany

Phone: +49 241 80 99129
Fax: +49 241 80 628498
Email: sauer (AT) aices (DOT) rwth-aachen (DOT) de

Education

PhD in Computational Mechanics, University of California at Berkeley, USA, 2006
MSc in Computational Mechanics, University of California at Berkeley, USA, 2003
Dipl.-Ing. in Civil Engineering, University of Karlsruhe, Germany, 2002
Exchange student at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 1998/99

Professional Career

since Jan 2012: Member of the Junges Kolleg, NRW Academy of the Sciences and Arts
since Jan 2010: Young research group leader at AICES, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
since Oct 2009: Funded by the Emmy Noether program of the DFG
2008 - 2009: Young research group leader at the Institute for Continuum Mechanics, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
2007 - 2008: Post Doc. at the Institute of Mechanics and Computational Mechanics, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
2002 - 2006: Research and teaching assistant at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, USA

Research Interests

Nonlinear continuum mechanics, advanced finite element methods, multiscale methods, contact mechanics, biomechanical adhesion and self-cleaning surface mechanisms
Research group website: Computational Contact and Adhesion Mechanics

Teaching

WS 2010/11: Computational Contact Mechanics
WS 2011/12: Computational Contact Mechanics
SS 2012: Nonlinear Finite Element Methods for Solids
WS 2012/13: Computational Contact Mechanics: scheduled in 115 Rogowski on Tuesdays from 10am - 12:30pm, starting from Oct. 23rd
SS 2013: Nonlinear Finite Element Methods for Solids; offered as a compact course in the week 21.-24.5 from 9am to 5pm in 115 Rogowski. Lecture notes and exercises will be posted on L2P.

Publications: Book Chapters

			Sauer, R.A.: "Computational contact formulations for soft body adhesion", In Li, S. and Sun, B., editors, Advances in Soft Matter Mechanics, pp. 55-93, Springer, 2012, pdf
			Sauer, R.A.: "Challenges in computational nanoscale contact mechanics", In Mueller-Hoeppe, D., Loehnert, S. and Reese, S., editors, Recent Developments and Innovative Applications in Computational Mechanics, pp. 39-46, Springer, 2011, pdf

Refereed Journal Publications

2013
			Corbett, C.J., Sauer, R.A.: "NURBS-enriched contact finite elements", submitted, 2013
			Mergel, J.C., Sauer, R.A., Saxena, A.: "Computational optimization of adhesive microstructures based on a nonlinear beam formulation", submitted, 2013
			Sauer, R.A., Mergel, J.C.: "A geometrically exact finite beam element formulation for thin film adhesion and debonding", submitted, 2013
			Sauer, R.A., De Lorenzis, L.: "An unbiased computational contact formulation for 3D friction", submitted, 2013
			Sauer, R.A., Duong, X.T, Corbett, C.J.: "A computational formulation for constrained solid and liquid membranes considering isogeometric finite elements", submitted, 2012, preprint
			Gautam, S.S., Sauer, R.A.: "An energy-momentum-conserving temporal discretization scheme for adhesive contact problems", Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng. 93(10), pp. 1057-1081, 2013, pdf
			Sauer, R.A.: "Local finite element enrichment strategies for 2D contact computations and a corresponding post-processing scheme", Comput. Mech., in press, 2013, pdf
			Sauer, R.A., De Lorenzis, L.: "A computational contact formulation based on surface potentials", Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 253, pp. 369-395, 2013, pdf
			Saxena, A., Sauer, R.A.: "Combined gradient-stochastic optimization with negative circular masks for large deformation topologies", Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng. 93(6), pp. 635-663, 2013, pdf

2012
			Sauer, R.A.: "Advances in the computational modeling of the gecko adhesion mechanism", J. Adhes. Sci. Technol., Special Issue on Bio-inspired Adhesion, published online, 2012, pdf
			Sauer, R.A., Holl, M.: "A detailed 3D finite element analysis of the peeling behavior of a gecko spatula", Comp. Meth. Biomech. Biomed. Engrg., published online, 2012, pdf

2011
			Sauer, R.A.: "The peeling behavior of thin films with finite bending stiffness and the implications on gecko adhesion", J. Adhesion 87 (7-8), pp. 624-643, 2011, pdf
			Sauer, R.A.: "Enriched contact finite elements for stable peeling computations", Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng. 87, pp. 593-616, 2011, pdf

2010
			Sauer, R.A.: "A computational model for nanoscale adhesion between deformable solids and its application to gecko adhesion", J. Adhes. Sci. Technol. 24, pp. 1807-1818, 2010, pdf

2009
			Sauer, R.A., Wriggers, P.: "Formulation and analysis of a 3D finite element implementation for adhesive contact at the nanoscale", Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 198, pp. 3871-3883, 2009, pdf
			Sauer, R.A.: "Multiscale modeling and simulation of the deformation and adhesion of a single gecko seta", Comp. Meth. Biomech. Biomed. Engng. 12(6), pp. 627-640, 2009, pdf

2008
			Sauer, R.A., Li, S.: "An atomistically enriched continuum model for nanoscale contact mechanics and its application to contact scaling", J. Nanosci. Nanotech. 8(7), pp. 3757-3773, 2008, pdf
			Sauer, R.A., Li, S.: "The composite Eshelby Tensors and their application to homogenization", Acta Mech. 197, pp. 63-96, 2008

2007
			Sauer, R.A., Li, S.: "An atomic interaction-based continuum model for adhesive contact mechanics", Finite Elem. Anal. Des. 43(5), pp. 384-396, 2007, pdf
			Sauer, R.A., Li, S.: "A contact mechanics model for quasi-continua", Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engrg. 71(8), pp. 931-962, 2007, pdf
			Li, S., Wang, G., Sauer, R.A.: "The Eshelby Tensors in a finite spherical domain: II. Applications in homogenization", J. Appl. Mech. 74(4), pp. 784-797, 2007
			Li, S., Sauer, R.A., Wang, G.: "The Eshelby Tensors in a finite spherical domain: I. Theoretical formulations", J. Appl. Mech. 74(4), pp. 770-783, 2007

2005
			Wang, G., Li, S., Sauer, R.: "A circular inclusion in a finite domain: II. The Neumann-Eshelby problem", Acta. Mech. 179(1-2) pp. 91-110, 2005
			Li, S., Sauer, R., Wang, G.: "A circular inclusion in a finite domain: I. The Dirichlet-Eshelby problem", Acta. Mech. 179(1-2) pp. 67-90, 2005

Other Publications

2013
			Osman, M., Rasool, R., Sauer, R.A.: "Computational aspects of self-cleaning surface mechanisms", in "Advances in Contact Angle, Wettability and Adhesion, Vol. 1", Edited by K.L. Mittal, in press, 2013

2012
			Rasool, R., Sauer, R.A., Osman, M.: "Internal flow analysis for slow moving small droplets in contact with hydrophobic surfaces", Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 12, pp. 489-490, 2012

2011
			Osman, M., Sauer, R.A.: "A two-dimensional computational droplet contact model", Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 11, pp. 103-104, 2011

2010
			Osman, M., Sauer, R.A.: "Mechanical modeling of particle-droplet interaction motivated by the study of self-cleaning mechanisms", Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 10(1), pp. 85-86, 2010

2009
			Sauer, R.A.: "A computational contact model for nanoscale rubber adhesion", Constitutive Models for Rubber VI, G. Heinrich et al. (Eds.), pp. 47-52, 2009, pdf
			Sauer, R.A.: "A three-dimensional multiscale finite element model describing the adhesion of a gecko seta", Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 9, pp. 157-158, 2009

2008
			Sauer, R.A.: "A finite element seta model for studying gecko adhesion", ASME Conf. Proc., IMECE2008-67193, pp. 149-150, 2008
			Sauer, R.A.: "An atomic interaction-based rod formulation for modeling gecko adhesion", Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 8, pp. 10193-10194, 2008

2007
			Sauer, R.A., Li, S.: "An atomic interaction-based continuum model for computational multiscale contact mechanics", Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 7, pp. 4080029-4080030, 2007

2006
			Sauer, R.A.: "An atomic interaction-based continuum model for computational multiscale contact mechanics", Dissertation, University of California at Berkeley, 2006

2003
			Sauer, R.A.: "The 2D finite Eshelby tensor for a circular inclusion", Master thesis, University of California at Berkeley, 2003

2002
			Sauer, R.A.: "Development and numerical implementation of a three-dimensional elastoplastic model for the computation of concrete structures", Diplomarbeit, University of Karlsruhe, Germany, 2002