Surface Mechanics

ABOUT THE RESEARCH GROUP

Surface Mechanics Group (SMG) investigates mechanics and physics of material surface phenomena at different length scales ranging from the atomic to macroscopic scales. Our research activities cover a wide range of phenomena including tribology (e.g. friction, wear, lubrication), manufacturing (e.g. machining and cutting processes), and interfacial thermal transport. The group conducts state of the art multi-scale numerical simulations and experiments to translate scientific understanding into predictive engineering models.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Multi-scale modeling of materials failure
Computational tribology (Friction, wear and lubrication)
Machining/cutting processes of metals and composites
Dislocation and crystal plasticity
Fracture mechanics and damage mechanisms
Contact mechanics
Finite elements method
Molecular dynamics/atomic simulations

Faculty

Ramin Aghababaei

Head of section of Mechanics and Materials, associate professor

M ra@mpe.au.dk
H 5126, 238
P +4593508956
P +4593508956

Key Publications

Aghababaei R., Brink T. and Molinari J-F. (2018) Asperity-level origins of transition from mild to severe wear, Physical Review Letters.
Aghababaei R., Warner D. H. and Molinari J-F. (2017) On the debris-level origins of adhesive wear, PNAS (see also EPFL News, Tribonet).
Aghababaei R., Warner D. H. and Molinari J-F. (2016) Critical length scale controls adhesive wear mechanisms, Nature Communications (see also EPFL News, Cornell News, Phys.org, Tribonet).

Research project

Machining of metals and composites

Machining, the process of cutting materials into a desired shape and size by controlled material-removal processes, is one of the oldest yet most challenging problem in most industries. The process emerges from a rich variety of phenomena involving mechanics and physics, chemistry and material science at disparate time and length scales. Using advanced computer simulations, we aim to understand, predict and optimize the machining process of metallic and composite materials.

Group Member

Courses

Plasticity: theory and modeling (fall 2018)

Research project

Origins of materials wear

This project investigates the microscopic origins of material loss from contacting surfaces. We developed a new course-grained numerical technique that allows to conduct atomistic simulations that capture the fracture-induced debris formation during the adhesive collision between surface asperities.

Revised 19.12.2023

Ramin Aghababaei