Biography: Dr. Mohammad M. Aghdam is a distinguished professor in the field of Computational Solid Mechanics at Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT). He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Sharif University in 1987 and subsequently obtained his Master of Science from AUT in 1991. Dr. Aghdam began his academic career as a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department at AUT before pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Bristol, which was completed in 1999. He returned to AUT as an Assistant Professor in early 2000s, advancing to Associate Professor in 2005 and full professorship in 2013. Throughout his career, Aghdam has held several administrative roles, including Deputy Dean for Educational Affairs (2001-2002), Director of International and Scientific Cooperation (2002-2006), Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department (2010-2014), and Director of the Research Department at AUT (2014-2019). As a researcher, Aghdam has authored/co-authored over 400 scholarly works, including approximately 250 peer-reviewed articles, more than 120 conference presentations, one book, and 14 book chapters. His contributions to the field have earned him recognition as a top 1% highly cited author since 2017 (ESI list) and a top 2% highly cited scientist on Scopus data (Elsevier) since 2019.

Topic: Homogenization Methods: From Classical Models to Advanced Multiscale Techniques

Homogenization techniques are fundamental approaches to predict the macroscopic behavior of heterogeneous materials based on their constituent properties and microscopic structures. These techniques primarily aim to derive overall material and structural properties from the characteristics of individual constituents. In most multiscale modeling frameworks, however, simultaneous interactions between various levels of materials is considered in the computational models.In this presentation, a brief review of the relatively extensive history of the homogenization theories from early models of simple Voigt (1928) and Reuss (1929) to more advanced formulations, including the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds (1963) and asymptotic homogenization (1978) will be discussed. While these methods effectively address periodic or presumed periodic media, stochastic homogenization (1979) has broadened the scope to include random materials.  Furthermore, nonlinear homogenization also addresses complex behavior of materials such as plastic deformation and damage in which multiscale modeling would be necessary. In this area, with the rise of computational methods, the multiscale FEM (1997) and the generalized multiscale FEM (2009) offered more efficient multiscale tools. Recently, machine learning techniques have also been integrated into the homogenization to accelerate multiscale computations (2020) and predict effective material properties directly from data (2023). An overview of the possible future directions in the homogenization methods to further advancements in nonlinear, multiphysics systems through AI-driven approaches will be discussed.

Biography: Prof. Schmauder was educated in Stuttgart/Germany where he received his Diploma in Mathematics in 1981 at the University and where he finished his PhD in Materials Science in 1988 at the Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research. Prof. Schmauder then did Postdocs at the University of Tokyo from 1989-1990 and at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) from 1990-1991. He returned back to Stuttgart where he became a group leader in Structural Mechanics at the Max-Planck-Institute from 1991-1994. He was nominated as full Professor for Strength of Materials and Materials Techniques in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart in 1994. He has published 9 books and more than 500 scientific papers. Since 1991 he is the organizer of the annual international workshop on Computational Mechanics of Materials. The next one will take place Dubrovnik in September 2019. For more than 10 years he was co-editor of the Journal Computational Materials Science (CMS). His main research field is multiscale materials modelling from atoms to components. He is a guest professor in Tomsk (Russia) and Tokyo (Japan) and in 2017 he received an honorary doctorate from the Ovidius University in Constanca/Romania for his achievements in multiscale materials modelling.

Topic:  Multiscale Modelling of Fatigue of Metals

Recently, Multiscale Materials Modelling (MMM) has grown in importance and simultaneously became a central idea in understanding present days’ complex and advanced materials. As a part of MMM, considerable emphasis has been put at our institute in developing numerical models for predicting also fatigue lifetime of metallic materials. At the microstructural level, the physically-based Tanaka-Mura model (TMM) has been extended to elevated temperature conditions and microstructural characteristics such as porosities, and proves to be a very promising model to estimate the number of cycles for a fatigue crack to be initiated. One of the parameters of the model is the critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) on a slip plane, which is of particular interest since it can be obtained by means of micro-pillar tests or alternatively by Molecular Dynamics simulations on the nano scale. Concerning the macro scale and long crack growth predictions, there exist numerous established models that produce acceptable results, e.g. the wellknown Paris law and its numerical realization. The present work comprises several fatigue problems of metals for which the modelling framework has been successfully applied, including the numerical determination of fatigue life (S-N, Wöhler) curves for materials and for components as well as elucidating the influence of the CRSS on these curves. This physically based multiscale approach presents a breakthrough in the field of fatigue research and opens the door to fast and inexpensive virtual materials development as well as fatigue resistant component design for fatigue application, e.g., under large deformation conditions.

Biography: Prof.Holger Steeb got his Dr.-Ing. in 2002 from the University of Stuttgart, Germany, where he worked for one additional years as a postdoc in the SFB 404 at the Institute of Mechanics. In 2002 he joined the Saarland University, Germany, where he worked as a researcher and lecturer. In 2008 he obtained his habilitation im "Mechanics" (venia legendi) from the Saarland University. In 2008, he joined the University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands as an Assistant Professor for Multi Scale Mechanics. In 2009, he moved to the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, working as a full Professor of Continuum Mechanics. Since 2016, Holger is Professor for Continuum Mechanics at the University of Stuttgart, Germany in the faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and fellow of the Stuttgart Centre for Simulation Sciences (SimTech). Since 2023 he is the director of the Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science (SC SimTech) and since 2024 Spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center CRC 1313 "Interface-Driven Multi-Field Processes in Porous Media – Flow, Transport and Deformation". Holgers' research interests are about continuum mechanics, multi-scale mechanics and coupled problems in porous media, which he studies theoretically numerically and experimentally. Holger is editor of the Springer book series Advances in Geophysical and Environmental Mechanics and Mathematics - AGEM2 and member of the Editorial Board of the Scientific Journals "Applied and Computational Mechanics" (since 2014), "GAMM Mitteilungen" (since 2019), "Frontiers in Materials" (since 2022), and "Scientific Reports" (since 2022). Furthermore, he is one of the founding editors of the new overlay journal of Data- and Knowledge-integrated Simulation Science ”JoDaKISS".

Topic: Porous Media - From Imaging to Physical Characterization

Effective material properties of porous media like concrete , natural rock and further porous materials strongly depend on the properties of morphology of the porous structure. Unfortunately, we are not able to classify the 3-dim pore space as those materials are in general intransparent. Therefore, we are using X-Ray Computed Tomography (XRCT) to make concrete "transparent" and to characterize the pore space. Within our in-house developed XRCT device, we are able to combine "imaging" and "physical" experiments, like (multi-axial) mechanical testing or multi-phase flow tests. Additionally, the high-resolution 3D CT-scans are for us the image-based sources for further and subsequent numerical investigations, i.e. multi-scale simulations for the determination of effective physical properties of porous media. Within this talk, results of those investigations of porous materials with inherent (fluid-saturated) fractures and fracture networks will be discussed. It will be shown how fractures can be visualized and how effective dispersive properties can be obatined. Furthermore, a hybrid-dimensional framework for deformable fractures in porous media will be discussed.

Biography: Dr. Mostafa Baghani has been a Professor at the University of Tehran's School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering since 2023. In 2016, he became the director of the University of Tehran's Smart Materials and Structures Lab. In 2018, he was named the top young researcher at the University of Tehran, out of almost 300 professors under the age of 40. In the framework of continuum mechanics, his research focuses on smart material production, design, and constitutive modeling. He has also focused on computer modeling of proposed constitutive models, which are frequently developed using the nonlinear finite element method. He has over 260 journal papers to his credit and has served as a reviewer for over 30 international journals.

Topic: 4D printing of shape memory polymers through materials extrusion additive manufacturing

4D printing is a new emerging advance in the 3D printing area. The excess dimension refers to the intelligent function of the 4D printed part that can alter its shape over time by its dynamic capability. 3D printing can be combined with Smart Materials (SMs) specially Shape Memory Materials (SMMs) to make 4D printing for advanced applications such as self-assembly, self-adaptation, sensing, and actuating complex geometries and multi-material structures.  In fact, 3D printing, smart materials and stimulation are the three main wings of 4D printing. Fused deposition modeling (FDM), which is used for printing thermoplastic polymers, is one of the easiest, most efficient, and cost-effective approaches. The most important advantage of the 3D printing technique is in removing the limitations of the design and construction of complex structures, as well as the production of personalized equipment, especially in the medical field. Smart materials (SM) refer to the class of materials that respond to the changes in their surroundings and environment. In general, they are categorized into seven classes in which the SMMs are the most widely used and considered. Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have been studied extensively as the most applicable group of SMMs due to their ease of process-ability and wide application. The most remarkable features can be included as low density, high strain records, fast recovery speed, adaptable properties (transition temperature), the programmability and controllability of recovery behavior, low cost, easy processing, and the ability to achieve biodegradability. Heat-activated SMPs are the most widely used and well-regarded subgroup of SMs, capable of recovering the original (permanent) shape from a deformed state as a temporary shape by heating stimulation. This ability, known as the shape memory effect (SME), is not an inherent property of polymers and often results from the combination of three major factors: morphology, molecular architecture, and deformation history.Programming includes three main stages of heating/loading, cooling/unloading and recovery, where the two main parameters of shape fixity and shape recovery are measured at the end of the loading and recovery stages. Programming and stimuli are the third wing of 4D printing, which will be possible with the addition of magnetic and electric fillers for indirect stimulation and activation. Magnetic-sensitive (magneto response) shape-memory composites have attracted the attention of many researchers in various fields, including medical applications, due to outstanding features such as remote activation capability. Iron oxide nanoparticles Fe3O4 are one of the most common nanoparticles that react to magnetic fields.Therefore, in order to use and expand 4D structures in industrial applications, the three sections of structure design, design of shape memory material, and programming and stimuli should be strengthened and a balance and harmony should be created between them.

Biography: Dr. Majid Baniassadi is a Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran. He got a Habilitation from the University of Strasbourg in 2023 and holds a PhD in Mechanics of Materials from the University of Strasbourg (2011). He received his Master's degree from the University of Tehran (2007) and his undergraduate degree from Isfahan University of Technology (2004) in Mechanical Engineering. His research interests include materials design, multiscale analysis and micromechanics of heterogeneous materials, and numerical methods with application to mechanics of materials. Dr Baniassadi also collaborates with the ICube laboratory in Strasbourg, conducting activities in biomaterials, biological materials, and metamaterials. Thus far, he has published over 150 international scientific journal papers, three international books, and one internal book. He is also the reviewer and associate editor of more than 20 international scientific journals. Recognized for his outstanding contributions, Dr Baniassadi was honored as the top young researcher at the University of Tehran in 2019, surpassing nearly 300 professors under 40.

Topic: Design and Manufacturing Thermo-Mechanical Metamaterial

Mechanical metamaterials, also known as engineered materials or metamaterials with tailored mechanical properties, have emerged as an attractive field of research in materials science and engineering due to their ability to exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties not found in nature. Inspired by intricate natural structures, these materials are meticulously designed to possess counterintuitive mechanical characteristics, such as negative Poisson's ratio, tunable stiffness, and high strength-to-weight ratio not found in nature.We have developed a variety of thermo-mechanical metamaterial that demonstrate outstanding responses to both thermal and mechanical stimuli. During this presentation, we will discuss the fundamental principles underlying the design and manufacturing of metamaterial, as well as the experimental and numerical characterization of these structures. We will also explore the state-of-the-art techniques and technologies that allow us to push the limits of what is achievable in metamaterial development. Our primary focus is designing and developing an additive manufacturing approach to produce these advanced materials. We have developed different devices for the characterization of metamaterials.

Biography: Professor S. Mohammad Reza Khalili received his Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India in the year 1992. His research thesis centered on the impact response on fiber composite plates. In 1987, he received his MTech. in Materials Technology from Banaras Hindu University in Banaras, India. He earned his B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mysore in Mysore, India in the year 1985. Post his Ph.D., Professor S. Mohammad Reza Khalili has had extensive and varied professional experience spanning several years. He has been a prominent member of the academic and research community, holding positions at K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Professor Khalili has held positions at different levels, including Associate Professor from 2001 to 2006 and Assistant Professor from 1993 to 2001. Additionally, he has been actively involved in various committees and boards, such as the Research Committee and the Senate Committee. Professor Khalili has also taken on leadership roles, such as serving as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs from 2013 to 2015 and as the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering from 2003 to 2005. His research expertise in solid mechanics is evident from his roles as the Director of the Solid Mechanics Group for several years as well as being the Head of the Composites Research Laboratory since 2002. Furthermore, he has held international positions, including being a Visiting Professor and Adjunct Professor at the Applied Mechanics Department of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India, from 2022 to 2023 and 2015 to 2018 respectively, and at the Faculty of Engineering, Kingston University, London, UK, from 2008 to 2013. Professor Khalili's dedication to research and knowledge dissemination is evident from his editorial board memberships in various journals and his active participation in conferences and scientific committees. Professor S. Mohammad Reza Khalili’s extensive Research experience has contributed significantly to the fields of Composite Materials, Fracture Mechanics, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Mechanical Metallurgy, Metal Forming, Impact Mechanics Impact on Sandwich Panels, Mechanics of Advanced and Smart Materials and Structures, and Structural Mechanics of Lightweight Engineering. Professor S. Mohammad Reza Khalili has amassed an impressive collection of awards and accolades that underscore their exceptional contributions and expertise in the field of research and academia. In 1999, He received the 3rd Winner in Invention award at the esteemed Khwarazmi International Award in Iran, recognizing his innovative and impactful work. His achievements are also extended internationally, as he was honored with the Winner of the International Federation of Invention Associations (IFIA) Award and Medal in Geneva, a testament to his global recognition. His exceptional performance continued to be acknowledged in subsequent years. He was repeatedly recognized as the Best Research Scientist of the University at K. N. Toosi University of Technology in Tehran, Iran, receiving this prestigious honor in 2001, 2003, and 2004. In 2002 and 2013, He was granted the title of Distinguished Research Scientist of the University at K. N. Toosi University of Technology, further cementing their reputation as a leading figure in his field. Moreover, his mentorship and guidance were highly regarded, as evidenced by his receipt of the Botan Award for Best Supervisor in Mechanical Ph.D. Thesis in Iran by ISME in 2006 and the Award for Best Supervisor in Ph.D. Thesis in the field of acoustic and vibration in Iran by ISAV in 2012. These awards underscore his commitment to nurturing and supporting the next generation of scholars and researchers. He published more than 220 international peer reviewed papers and his H index is 46 in Google Scholar and 35 by Scopus. Also, recently, he recognized as the Top 2 Percent of the World’s Most Highly Cited Scientists Based o Standford University document during the last 25 years.

Topic: Impact Behaviour of Lightweight Smart Composites

With the knowledge of composite materials from the last half century and its various applications in the industry from the last three decades, the science of these materials and structures in the construction of light weight structures and increasing the safe design capability for engineers due to the possibility of simultaneous design of materials and structures has gone gradually increased in such a way that scientists have gone towards the use of these light materials in special applications such as impact loading. With the understanding of smart materials and their unique features and the ability to make and use them in composite structures, practically new attitudes have been formed in the design, mechanics and also the behavior of these structures in different loads and their use in important applications. In this review research work, the behavior of smart composite lightweight structures under impact loading is investigated. In this research, after introducing composite materials and smart materials and how to combine these two together to achieve lightweight smart composite structures, the effect of various parameters on the behavior of these structures is investigated and discussed. Studying the integrity of the structure and their resistance against these loadings, as well as examining their failure behavior, helps to make the design of such structures more acceptable, reliable, operational, and practical for design engineers. In this research, the effect of one of the smart materials, i.e. shape memory alloys, has been used to improve the properties of laminated fiber composites under impact conditions. Also, on improving the behavior of the structure in impact, other smart technology is used with the name of self-healing composites. In this presentation, the processes, the materials, the tests, and the results and behavior of such structures will be examined.

Biography: Behzad Pourabbas, Ph.D., (born in 1966) is Full Professor in Department of Polymer Engineering at Sahand University of Technology (Iran) since 1996. During his academic activity, he founded, Nanostructured Materials Research Center, Roham Cell Teb (a knowledge base international Bio-medical Device Producer) and recently, Innovative Behzad Part Co. (Additive Manufacturing).  He was taking duties including the dean of the Dept. and the University Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology. He is the member of international and national scientific societies: American Chemical Society, American Nanotechnology society, Polymer Processing Society, Iranian Nanotechnology Society and Iran Polymer Science and Technology Society.He has been the author of more than 80 national and international peer reviewed articles and 250 scientific conference papers, one book translation, and one book editorship. He has also been taking charge for scientific chair of several national and international conferences and exhibitions.His main research fields are now on Additive Manufacturing Technologies, Bio-compatible and Bio-synthesized Polymers Bio-Materials, Surface Coating and Modifications, Nano-micro Fabrication, Microchannel Devices and Conducting Polymers.

Topic: Additive Manufacturing: your Permission to Catch the Future through 3D Printing

For decades, it has been like a dream in technology trend to reach out to development millstone of touching real 3D printed objects directly from the computer screens, the CAD models, instead of just getting satisfied by having only the dramatic phantoms on a paper sheet. Now, the dream is in reality world, for years, and is rising fast being considered a mature technology. One may comment on the statement that such technologies, Selective Laser Sintering SLS methods for instance, have been available for many years and nothing would be considered as an exciting matter with this. To response yes, 3D printing techniques have been developing during the years however, it is available in quiet wide range of accessibilities, in moderate to cheap cost and advanced technological specifications. Nowadays, selection list of 3D printers is in commercial products that can provide high output printing rate in very low resolution (< 20 micron) and using standard or functional materials which are emerging everyday by different producers all around the world. Among the other names DLP and mSLA printing technologies, due to versatility, rate of printing and lower cost of printing in addition to other economic aspects, have been developed widely and is being used for many different applications in research and industrial centers. Though, polymeric materials are definitely the major reason for diversity of 3D Printing technologies however, they have been and are being considered as the most practically important part of the successful printing in mSLA and DLP. The latter techniques build the 3D printed object directly from photosensitive mixture of polymeric materials or resins. By changing the resin properties, one can have 3D printed objects with different functionalities of desired application. High strength, high modulus, chemically resistive, high temperature, transparent, biocompatible, electrically conductive, high resolution, investable, flexible, transparent and many other properties are only examples of the properties that a printing can result in. The aim of the talk will be all around the mSLA and DLP printing techniques with cons and pros around the techniques and current applications in addition to prospects that are now open for scientists and engineers to define target research projects.

Biography: Prof. Roham RAFIEE has received his PhD in 2010 in mechanical engineering focusing on nanocomposites from Iran University of Science and Technology. He has completed his MSc and BSc studies both in the general field of composite materials and structures. He began his industrial experience in different sectors including wind turbines, composite pipes, strategic planning and technology transfer projects since 1999. He joined the University of Tehran in 2011 and founded the Composites Research Laboratory. His research interests can be summarized as multi-scale modelling of nanocomposites, mechanics of composite materials, design and analysis of composite structures, fatigue modelling of composite structures, finite element modelling and analysis. He is also senior consultant of different companies and industrial groups. He has been involved in 25 different applied research and industrial projects from 2008 at both national and international levels. He is a member of several graduate student thesis advisory committees and also collaborating with universities worldwide. Prof. Rafiee, has published 101 papers indexed by WOS, 81 international conference papers and five book chapters in Woodhead publishing, Springer, Taylor & Francis and World academic publishing. He is also editor of a book entitled as "Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Polymers: From Nano to Macro" in Elsevier Science & Technology Books. He has also registered three patents in the field of nanocomposites and composite structures. Recently he has registered a US patent in the field of nanocomposites. He was selected as the Young Distinguished Research in University of Tehran in 2015. He was also selected as the Distinguished Teacher in University of Tehran in 2017. The research project of Prof. Rafiee entitled “Modeling Creep in Composite Pipes” has been selected as the Distinguished Fundamental Research Plan in the 26th Research Festival at University of Tehran in 2017. COMRESLAB has been also selected as the distinguished research laboratory in the 31st Research Festival at University of Tehran in 2022. Prof. Rafiee has been selected as one of the distinguished professors with high level of international activities in the International Festival of University of Tehran in 2024. The master’s and PhD’s theses of his students have been selected as the best theses on the national level by different scientific associations seven times. He was included in the list of highly cited researchers in the discipline of Materials according to the released report by Stanford University in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Topic: On the long-term behavior of composite pipes

Dictated by international rules and regulations, composite pipes are supposed to sustain their missions for 50 years as the service lifetime of the infrastructure industry. Therefore, composite pipes are required to be designed in accordance with the long-term design constraints as the most challenging design requirements. The long-term performance of a composite pipe is examined under two different expensive and cumbersome experimental programs for a period of more than two years. These experimental programs should be carried out for any new layup configuration as the approval of the pipe design configuration. The very long duration of the costly certification procedure is hindering industrial producers from developing new products. Thus, it is vital to predict the long-term behavior of composite pipes at early design stages and prior to mass production. Two computational modeling procedures are developed to predict the remaining properties of composite pipes for two different load cases of internal pressure and compressive transverse loading after 50 years. The developed modeling procedures require limited experimental data through short-term tests. Validated through an extensive experimental program on industrial-scale composite pipes, the developed modeling techniques are able to estimate the remaining properties of the pipes on a long-term basis with a very high level of accuracy. Moreover, the modeling procedure is extended to take into account the influence of water absorption, fulfilling the requirements of the normative standard for analyzing the long-term behavior under wet conditions. Despite the development of the sophisticated computational methods for estimating the long-term response of composite pipes, the conducting of qualification tests cannot be waived. Consequently, an alternative testing program is proposed to reduce the duration of the experimental program to three months as the final step.