Roger Fosdick
Professor

Research

Singularities in Elasticity (with Adair R. Aguiar)
Singularities predicted by the physical theories of continuum mechanics for solids are of great interest because they usually associate with the behavior of materials under intense loading conditions--conditions which are encountered in modern applications. The shape of bodies and how their boundaries are loaded are equally important factors in the development of singularities. While singularities are the basis for damage, they can possibly trigger self-induced phase transitions which strengthen and toughen materials.

The Bonded-Punch Problem
In elasticity theory is a problem which exhibits a strange singularity. The linear theory (and the nonlinear theory within a certain constitutive class) predicts that the material will self-intersect in the neighborhood of the characterizing singularity. This self-intersection places grave doubt on the current understanding of this classical problem.

This research topic is part of a broader program of research in the area of phase transformations and coexistent phase structures in solids. More information

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Last Modified: Wednesday, 02-Jan-2008 05:59:04 CST