Related papers: Nonlinear amplification of adhesion forces in inte…

We examine the fracture mechanics of tearing graphene. We present a molecular dynamics simulation of the propagation of cracks in clamped, free-standing graphene as a function of the out-of-plane force. The geometry is motivated by…

We study the average separation between an elastic solid and a hard solid with a nominal flat but randomly rough surface, as a function of the squeezing pressure. We present experimental results for a silicon rubber (PDMS) block with a flat…

This study focused on the expansion in polydisperse granular materials owing to mechanical annealing, which involved compression and decompression. Following minor annealing, the polydisperse systems exhibited compaction as well as the…

A sponge subjected to an increase of the outside fluid pressure expands its volume but nearly mantains its true density and thus gives way to an increase of the interstitial volume. This behaviour, not yet properly described by solid-fluid…

Changes in the mechanical properties of granular materials, induced by variations in the intrinsic compressibility of the particles, are investigated by means of numerical simulations based on the combination of the Finite Element and…

The constitutive relation of the quasi-static deformation on two dimensional packed samples of polygons is calculated using molecular dynamic simulations. The stress values at which the system remains stable are bounded by a failure…

A thin film at a liquid interface responds to uniaxial confinement by wrinkling and then by folding; its shape and energy have been computed exactly before self contact. Here, we address the mechanics of large folds, i.e. folds that absorb…

Inspired by recent experiments demonstrating that vibrating elastic sheets can function as seemingly contactless suction cups, we investigate the elastohydrodynamic hovering of a thin elastic sheet vibrating near a rigid substrate. Previous…

Everyday experience shows that cellular sheets are stiffened by the presence of a pressurized gas: from bicycle inner tubes to bubble wrap, the presence of an internal pressure increases the stiffness of otherwise floppy structures. The…

The force of adhesion of a rotationally symmetric indenter and an elastic half-space is analyzed analytically and numerically using an extension of the method of dimensionality reduction (MDR) for superimposed normal/tangential adhesive…

The buckling of thin elastic sheets is a classic mechanical instability that occurs over a wide range of scales. In the extreme limit of atomically thin membranes like graphene, thermal fluctuations can dramatically modify such mechanical…

We analyze the response of molecular adhesion complexes to increasing pulling forces (dynamic force spectroscopy) when dissociation can occur along either one of two alternative trajectories in the underlying multidimensional energy…

The delicate interfacial conditions and behaviors play critical roles in determining the valuable physical properties of two-dimensional materials and their heterostructures on substrates. However, directly probing these complex interface…

We investigate the crumpling of a sheet as it is repeatedly crushed onto itself by rolling it into a cylinder and twisting it axially while allowing the end-to-end length to evolve freely. As deduced from its plastic deformations, the sheet…

Large-scale simulations of thermal welding of polymers are performed to investigate the rise of mechanical strength at the polymer-polymer interface with the welding time. The welding process is in the core of integrating polymeric elements…

We perform numerical simulations of a two-dimensional frictional granular system under oscillatory shear confined by constant pressure. We found that the system undergoes dilatancy as the strain increases. We confirmed that compaction also…

We develop two new continuum contact models for coupled adhesion and friction, and discuss them in the context of existing models proposed in the literature. Our new models are able to describe sliding friction even under tensile normal…

We compare three different setups for measuring cell-cell adhesion. We show that the measured strength depends on the type of setup that is used. For identical cells different assays measure different detachment forces. This can be…

Insects, pick-and-place manufacturing, engineered adhesives, and soft robots employ soft materials to stick to surfaces even in the presence of roughness. Experiments show that the force required for making contact is lower than for…

The friction force observed at macroscale is the result of interactions at various lower length scales that are difficult to model in a combined manner. For this reason, simplified approaches are required, depending on the specific aspect…