Computational Contact and Adhesion Mechanics, Prof. Roger A. Sauer
Prof. Roger A. Sauer leads a research group within the AICES Graduate School. The group develops mechanical models and computational algorithms for adhesive contact problems based on the framework of nonlinear continuum mechanics, homogenization, i.e. coarse-graining, and finite element modeling. The challenges in this research area lie in the formulation of constitutive interface laws, complex surface microstructures, multiscale and multi-field aspects, and numerical issues like efficiency, accuracy and stability. The initial research of Prof. Sauer considered adhesive contact between nanoscale solids; new considerations include contact algorithms, advanced surface discretization techniques, adhesion at liquid interfaces, contact optimization and scale-bridging techniques for contact.
The research interests of the group are:
- Adhesion at different length scales
- Biomechanical contact and adhesion
- Cohesive zone modeling
- Contact mechanics
- Constitutive interface laws
- Debonding and delamination
- Finite element methods for contact
- Friction and wear
- Multi-field modeling of contact
- Multiscale methods for contact
- Optimization of contact mechanisms
- Self-cleaning surfaces
- Surface characterization and tailoring
- Surface energy driven systems
- Surface wetting
- Time-integration schemes for adhesion
Current group members:
Former group members:
- Dr. Callum Corbett, now at Constellium, France
- Prof. Sachin S. Gautam, now at IIT Guwahati, India
- Dr. Tobias Luginsland, now at Daimler, Germany
- Dr. Janine C. Mergel, now at IGEL PS, Germany
- Dr. Muhammad Osman, now at Magna Steyr, Austria
- Dr. Raheel Rasool, now at Bundeswehr University Munich, Germany
- Dr. Farshad Roohbakhshan, now at BAM, Germany
- Dr. Marcus Schmidt, now at EOS, Germany
A list of publications can be found here.
Research Gallery
Peeling behavior of flexible beams: influence of the bending stiffness (Sauer, 2011)
Peeling between defomable bodies using NURBS-enriched contact elements (Corbett and Sauer, 2015)
NURBS-based surface enrichment (Corbett and Sauer, 2015)
Unbiased Contact Algorithms
The two-half-pass contact algorithm compared to classical full-pass approches (Sauer and De Lorenzis, 2013)
Frictional sliding contact computed with the two-half-pass-contact algorithm (Sauer and De Lorenzis, 2015)
Frictional twisting contact computed with the two-half-pass contact algorithm (Sauer and De Lorenzis, 2015)
MD-based Surrogate Contact Models
Indentation of a self-assembled polymer layer: Comparison between molecular dynamics and surrogate continuum model (Schmidt et al., 2014)
Contact deformation of a carbon-nanotube: Comparison between molecular dynamics and surrogate beam model (Schmidt et al., 2015)
Pinched shell (Duong et al., 2016)
Shell bending: Continuity between NURBS patches (Duong et al., 2016)
Wetting deformation caused by a liquid droplet (Sauer, 2016a)
Sliding contact of a liquid droplet (Sauer, 2016b)
Viscous budding of a spherical vesicle (Sauer et al., 2016)
Graphene Structures
Bending of a carbon-nanotube
