In this video Pankaj describes his research which aims to computationally simulate the mechanical behaviour of complex materials and structures using a technique called the finite element method.
 
Background:

My principal expertise has been in the area of nonlinear computational structural and solid mechanics using finite element (FE) techniques. I have developed new constitutive models and FE algorithms. One of the major successful application areas of my expertise is computational biomechanics. Numerical simulation of the behaviour of reinforced concrete at elevated temperatures and structures subjected to dynamic (particularly seismic) loads are other ongoing areas of my research.

I have led the development of orthopaedic biomechanics group which currently comprises a dozen researchers, from medicine and engineering. The research includes bone micro-mechanics as well as whole bone mechanics. Changes in bone microstructure with age and their consequent load carrying capacity are of great interest to us. We have shown, for the first time, that bone becomes anisotropic with age and developed new algorithms to model its failure. We have used this information to show why some fracture fixation devices used by clinicians work well and others don’t in older patients. Research aims to develop guidance to help surgeons select optimum fixation method for a wide range of clinical scenarios using computer modelling and simulations. We developed one of the most biofidelic numerical models of the human pelvis and showed that the stresses in the pelvis are much more uniformly distributed than those predicted by previous models. This work won the best medical engineering PhD award from the IMechE. Ongoing research is also examining implants used for hip and knee replacements.

Constitutive modelling of plain and reinforced concrete at elevated temperatures is another area of my research interest with two PhD students working in this area. One specific application of this work is simulating the response of nuclear containment structures under extreme pressure and temperature loading due to a loss of coolant accident. Another application is to examine the behaviour of earthquake damaged structures in fire which often follows a major seismic event. I am also interested earthquake engineering and structural dynamics research.

In addition to the above applications based research, I actively involved in the development of closed-form solutions, numerical algorithms and benchmark tests in elastoplasticity. The salient activities are: development of strain-based plasticity algorithms (commercial codes normally only have stress-based criteria); micro-cracking simulation in porous materials; development of benchmarks in plasticity; and multi-surface plasticity.

Find out more:

• Dr Pankaj's Edinburgh Research Explorer profile: http://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/pankaj
  
• Dr Pankaj's School of Engineering profile: http://www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-pankaj-pankaj