Fields of Research

Computational modeling coupling Computational Mechanics and Computational Materials Science, with emphasis on multi-scale structure-materials modeling and simulations, multi-physics modeling and simulation of multi-functional materials, materials characterization, process modeling, emerging fields like Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME). 

Specific areas of activity include:

  • Multi-physics modeling of coupled mechanical-electro-magnetic, piezo-electric phenomena, for antenna    sensor, energy harvesting applications
  • Multi-scale (spatial and temporal) modeling of polycrystalline metals and alloys
  • Multi-scale (spatial and temporal) modeling of composite materials
  • Multi-scale material characterization and virtual image simulation
  • Fatigue and life prediction of metals and composites with experimental integration
  • Brittle and ductile failure of heterogeneous materials
  • Molecular dynamics simulations of polymeric and metallic materials
  • Uncertainty quantification and Probabilistic methods in multi-scale modeling
  • Additive manufacturing, metal forming and materials processing simulation and design
  • Instabilities in thermal barrier coatings
  • Novel finite element model development
  • Biomaterials and design of bio-implant and prosthetics

A few of the notable contributions are:

The Voronoi Cell Finite Element Model (VCFEM)
CMRL has created the internationally recognized, Voronoi Cell Finite Element Method (VCFEM) for image-based micromechanical modeling of non-uniform heterogeneous microstructures like composite and porous materials.
Multi-Scale Modeling of Heterogeneous Materials for Failure Analysis
CMRL’s research on adaptive multi-scale (hierarchical and concurrent) modeling with VCFEM to predict the evolution of brittle and ductile damage and failure in heterogeneous materials across scales is regarded as a pioneering innovation in this field. He has coupled the multi-scale models with multi-scale image-characterization for failure and fatigue analysis.

3D Material Characterization and Statistically Equivalent RVE
CMRL’s work on the creation of 3D statistically equivalent microstructures of polycrystalline & polyphase materials, combining image analysis, statistical methods and 3D microstructure builders, is recognized as one of the foremost in Computational Materials Science. He is the original contributor of the world-wide used software DREAM.3D for developing synthetic microstructures from image data.
Deformation, Fatigue & Failure Modeling of Polycrystalline Metals and Alloys
CMRL is one of the leaders in multi-scale crystal plasticity finite element modeling (CPFEM) of metals and alloys, e.g. Ti, Mg and Al alloys, Ni-based superalloys, and HSLA steels. He has made pioneering advances in computational studies on deformation, failure and fatigue. He is coupling CPFEM with phase-field modeling for failure analysis.
WATMUS: Game-Changer in Multi-Time Scaling
The wavelet transformation induced multi time-scaling or WATMUS is a truly game-changing innovation in computational modeling of fatigue and multi-physics problems. It has overcome severe bottlenecks in modeling large cycles to fatigue failure, as well as coupled multi-physics (electro-magnetic-dynamics, piezo-electro-dynamics) problems with large frequency differences.

Parametrically Homogenized Constitutive Models (PHCMs)
PHCMs are thermodynamically consistent, reduced order continuum models with explicit representation of morphological distributions. They can overcome the limitations of prohibitive computational overhead associated with other homogenization methods. They are many orders of magnitude more efficient than pure micromechanical analyses, but with comparable accuracy. Dr. Ghosh is currently transferring this knowledge-base and codes to various companies like Pratt & Whitney, GE and the Air Force.

Atomistic-Continuum Modeling for Polymers and Metallic Materials
CMRL developed MD models for polymeric materials in nano-scale drug delivery systems. Recently, he is developing novel crack-propagation models in crystalline materials, using concurrent multi-scale modeling involving atomistic and continuum domains. He has also developed accelerated time-scale models for molecular dynamics.

Multi-Physics Problems for Multi-functional Applications
CMRL has developed advanced computational models for load bearing antenna, piezo-electric damage sensors and energy harvesting devices by coupling finite deformation dynamics with transient electro-magnetics. His treatment of the coupled physics with spatio-temporal multi-scaling is gaining attention from various industries.