Many materials have a network of fibers as their main structural component and are classified as ‘network materials.’ This class includes all biological connective tissue, the extracellular matrix, the cytoskeleton, paper and cellulose networks, nonwoven textiles and various molecular networks. This talk reviews the relation between the structure of the network and mechanical properties of the material, focusing on the common ground uniting these very diverse material systems. Properties of interest include the stiffness, the Poisson contraction, strength, and toughness. Differences between the behavior of network materials and that of continua will be emphasized. The importance of specific aspects of the mechanical behavior in selected applications will be discussed. The talk provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanics of this broad class of materials.
Prof. Catalin Picu received his Ph.D. degree from Dartmouth College and spent two years as Research Associate at Brown University. He joined the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1998, where he is now Professor and Associate Head. He is the author of a book on Network Materials, the co-author of two other books, 20 book chapters and over 200 journal articles. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and Doctor Honoris Causa of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Romania.