Multiscale Science and Engineering Center

School of Engineering

Ph.D., Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy
Structural Engineering

M.S., Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy
Structural Engineering

B.S., Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy
Structural Engineering

Computational Solid Mechanics

Solid Mechanics

The long term goal of the activity of Gianluca Cusatis’ research group is to develop effective computational technologies for the simulation of concrete mechanical behavior. Cusatis aims at formulating constitutive models and numerical methods with real predictive capability that will enable new generations of engineers to design safer, more reliable, and more durable reinforced concrete structures.

In particular, the research group is currently involved in various research projects that deal with the development of new theories and algorithms for the prediction of the performance of concrete and reinforced concrete structures under high impulsive loadings, such as blasts and penetrations. Reliable computer simulations of failure under these types of loadings require an accurate description of various fracture phenomena including crack initiation, propagation along complex three-dimensional paths, interaction and coalescence of distributed multi-cracks into localized continuous cracks, temperature and humidity effects, loading rate effects, effect of confining pressure, interaction between damaged and undamaged material, etc.

The classical continuous (tensor based) representation of solids, although it has been used traditionally to address some of these aspects, is inherently incapable of modeling the loss of continuity associated with damage and fracture. For this reason Cusatis uses a “discrete approach” based on an “a priori” discretization of the solids of interest into particles whose interaction is governed by vectorial constitutive laws. Typically he links such a discretization to the features of the internal structure of the material by defining size and position of the particles according to the size and position of the main material heterogeneities (aggregate pieces in concrete). This approach has already demonstrated its potentialities in a wide variety of applications and his group is certain that it will become dominant for dynamic applications.

At the moment his research activity is mainly related to concrete mechanics. However, the scientific relevance of his developments is much broader. A wide variety of other materials, including cementitious composites, macromolecular based polymers, biomaterials, nanomaterials, sea-ice, cohesive soils, wood, toughened ceramics, and other engineered materials, share with concrete many aspects of their behavior. An example is the quasi-brittle character shown by many new and engineered materials at the micro- and nano-scale. Many recent studies show that, at these scales, micro- and nano-size heterogeneities play the same role, and induce the same effects, of aggregate pieces in concrete at macro-scale.

Industry Stipend of Excellence Award. This award is sponsored by Lafarge Group and Electricite de France. Evaluation Committee: Prof. F.H. Wittmann, Dr. P. Acker and Dr. B. Gerrard. ConCreep6@MIT, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. Aug. 2001.