Event
George Dieter Distinguished Lecture Series
Friday, April 15, 2022
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
1101 A. James Clark Hall (Zupnik Forum)
Ellen McDaniel
emcdanie@umd.edu
go.umd.edu/shellstability
Register today at go.umd.edu/shellstability.
The George Dieter Distinguished Lecture Series in partnership with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Materials Science & Engineering presents
New Developments in Shell Stability
John W. Hutchinson
Abbott and James Lawrence Research Professor of Engineering
Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Mechanics
Professor Emeritus
Harvard University
Reception
A. James Clark Hall
11:00 AM-12:00 PM EST
Lecture
In person: 1101 A. James Clark Hall
Virtual: Zoom
12:00-1:00 PM EST
Abstract
The stability of structures continues to be scientifically fascinating and technically important. Shell buckling emerged as one of the most challenging nonlinear problems in mechanics sixty years ago when it was first intensively studied. The subject has returned to life motivated not only by structural applications but also by developments in the life sciences concerning soft materials. Recent work by the speaker and his collaborators on spherical shells subject to external pressure will be used to illustrate some of the new developments in shell stability. The talk will introduce basic shell buckling behavior and go on to address imperfections, energy barriers, and probing schemes for exploring stability. Every attempt will be made to make the subject accessible and interesting to a broad engineering audience.
Guest Speaker
John W. Hutchinson received his undergraduate education in engineering mechanics at Lehigh University and his graduate education in mechanical engineering at Harvard University. He joined the Harvard faculty in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 1964 and is currently the Abbott and James Lawrence Professor of Engineering Emeritus. Hutchinson and his collaborators work on problems in solid mechanics concerned with engineering materials and structures. Buckling, structural stability, elasticity, plasticity, fracture and micro-mechanics are all central in their research.