DR. ELIOT FANG

Manager of the Solid Mechanics

SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES

ABSTRACT:

Advanced computational modeling, high performance computing, and extensive knowledge of simulation and analysis is a powerful and unique set of capabilities that Sandia National Laboratories has. It enables the Lab to conduct essential research, develop novel technologies, and create state-of-the-art engineering systems to meet its mission of ensuring the security of the nation. Scientists at Sandia use computational models routinely to evaluate the performance of complicated engineering systems. Additionally, the models are utilized to predict the complex behavior of materials in multiphysics environments across a wide range of length and time scales relevant to national security applications. In the past three decades Sandia has made significant progress on the development of simulation tools and computational models. Modeling and simulation has been applied successfully to address technical challenges in a large number of engineering science activities. Examples include providing insight of non-linear material response in complex loading environments, examining the integrity of engineering structure when test data are insufficient, modeling microstructure and its linkage to material property, and predicting aging and material property change during service. The progress has been highly encouraging so far, but it is recognized that many challenges in theory and numerical algorithm developments still must be addressed. In this presentation, years of efforts at Sandia to advance the capability of computational solid mechanics and materials modeling for national security and industry applications will be reviewed, highlighting their successes and challenges. Lessons learned from bridging physics at different length scales and coupling different simulation codes will also be shared. Strategies, including effective and ineffective ones, of developing model credibility will be discussed.

Dr. Eliot Fang is the Manager of the Solid Mechanics Department at Sandia National Laboratories. He received his B.S. degree from the National Central University in Taiwan and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara, all in mechanical engineering. Dr. Fang’s research interest is to apply modeling approaches and high performance computing to elucidate mechanisms of material behaviors and to predict material behaviors at various length scales in different environments. He has over 60 publications and 70 invited presentations reporting his technical accomplishments and contributions to materials modeling and simulations. Dr. Fang is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a recipient of the 2006 Asian American Engineer of the Year Award.