Coordinators:
F2M: Boris Desmorat
M&MoCS: Leopoldo Greco, Massimo Cuomo 

Main topics: 
Numerical models for higher order continua based on Isogeometric interpolations. 
– Material and structural optimization algorithms. 
– Direct simulation of wave propagation in metamaterials.
– Numerical design and simulation of active elements composed by complex materials. 

The objective of this research group is to establish solid theoretical and computational foundations for the development of efficient methods of analysis for the systems that arise from the design and optimization of new materials and devices with complex microstructure. According to the possibility of relying on scale separation, and to degree of accuracy needed, non classical homogenized models or multiscale analysis is adopted. The formers commonly lead to higher order or non-local formulations for which there is still need of a sound com- prehensive framework for the development of numerical methods. The necessity of guaran- teeing high continuity to the discretized fields, and the very important issue of ductile tools for geometrically modeling complex shapes and of combining several different reduced order models, as may occur in optimization analysis, are among the most important challenges that are currently a very active field of research. The development of rigorous variationally based tools for the numerical analysis of these problems will be one of the focus of the activities of COMECH. In addition, the numerical treatment of non-linear damage models, accounting for the development of the micro-scale, can be efficiently treated by non local approaches, as recently demonstrated. In the latter context, the development of new and robust damage models for materials with internal structure will be one of the objectives. The work of the group will span from the mathematical analysis of simplified model-problems to the numerical implementation in finite element and other numerical codes for the solution of engineering applications.