Damiano Pasini

Our expertise lies in solid mechanics, structural optimization, and fabrication of architected materials. Some of these materials, often named mechanical metamaterials, exhibit extreme mechanical properties, at times beyond those of existing solids. Through a combined approach of experiments, theory, and simulations, we study their mechanical response across the spectrum of length scale, their physical and multifunctional properties as well as the impact of manufacturing induced defects. We also study the role of cellular architecture in plant tissues, in particular in response to water stimuli. The outcome of these investigations serves as a springboard that we often exploit to develop advanced materials and technology with unprecedented properties that are of practical use, particularly for aerospace and medicine. Our current interests are:
 

-architected materials, in particular lattices, made of hard and soft solids,
-hierarchical structures, surface patterns, functionally graded materials, and fiber steered laminates with variable stiffness,
-graded cellular architecture in plant tissues, with current emphasis on water actuation in Resurrection plants,
-structural (topology, shape and size) optimization, multiobjective optimization, and robust optimization accounting for manufacturing uncertainties and process-induced defects.