The Centre

The Centre for Micro- and Nanomechanics (CEMINACS) is an international scientific organisation with membership open to academic and industrial institutions and their representatives.

The Centre aims at bringing together researchers interested in various aspects of micro- and nanomechanics, including solid mechanics (stability theory, wave propagation), mechanical engineering (structural mechanics) and material sciences (composite and nano-materials). The current members of the Centre have international reputation in modelling the behaviour of heterogeneous materials at different length scales.

The work of the Centre is relevant to a wide range of key industrial sectors including aerospace, space, marine, automotive, electronic, defence, security and medicine, leading to improvements in design and reductions of fabrication and manufacturing costs.

In recent years, the members of the Centre attracted over £1,300,000 of external grants. Current financial support comes from The Royal Society, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, EPSRC, The Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Council, the Technology Strategy Board, The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Balmoral Sectional Tanks Ltd., and Ziebel UK Ltd., the University of Aberdeen and the Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics. Further funding is actively sought from European and US agencies and from industrial sponsorship.

History

In order to create a critical mass of highly qualified experts for tackling the modern challenges in solid mechanics, mechanical engineering and material sciences, the inter-disciplinary Centre for Micro- and Nanomechanics is established jointly by the College of Physical Sciences of the University of Aberdeen and Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics (TIM), Kiev, Ukraine.

The Collaboration Agreement between the University of Aberdeen and TIM, made on 24 May 2004, declared that the Parties wish to enter into a multi disciplinary collaboration in the field of Mechanics to promote cross-disciplinary convergence and strengthening the UK and Ukraine international standard in the field.

Members of the Centre

Professor I Guz (Sixth Century Chair  in Solid Mechanics,  Head of the Centre)	Professor RM McMeeking (Sixth Century Chair  in Engineering Materials)	Professor RW Ogden, FRS (Sixth Century Chair  in Solid Mechanics)	Professor AA Rodger (Vice Principal)	Professor AN Guz (Honorary Professor)

Dr AR Akisanya (Reader)	Dr M Kashtalyan (Reader)	Dr O Menshykov (Lecturer)	Dr C Sands (Lecturer)	Dr S Sriramula (Lecturer)
Prof JJ Rushchitsky (Honorary Lecturer)	Prof Y Zhuk (Senior Research Fellow)	Prof S Lurie (Honorary Research Fellow)	Dr M Menshykova (Research Fellow)	Dr B Winiarski (Honorary Research Fellow)
Mrs V Mikucka (PhD Student)	Mrs I Mykhailova (PhD Student)	Mr B Woodward (PhD Student)	Mr N Kauppinen (PhD Student)	Miss M Heidari (PhD Student)

International Advisory Board

• Prof D Gross (Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany)

• Prof KP Herrmann (University of Paderborn, Germany)

• Prof R Kienzler (University of Bremen, Germany)

• Prof G Maugin (Director of the Laboratory of Mechanical Modelling, Pierre & Marie Curie University, France)

• Prof RW Ogden, FRS (University of Aberdeen, UK)

• Prof FG Rammerstorfer (Vienna University of Technology, Austria)

• Prof C Soutis (Head of Aerospace Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK)

Mission

Manage an integrated research and post-graduate education in order to generate fundamental knowledge on mechanical phenomena in materials with pronounced micro- and nano-scale heterogeneities.

Strategy

The research topics are selected to be of fundamental long-term interest and of industrial relevance. The scientific innovation in the outcome of the Centre will be beyond the state-of-the-art in this field and it will further understanding of the potential application of composites and nanomaterials.

The Centre is actively involved in making contact with the investment community regarding the potential of nanotechnology through various awareness-raising events with the aim of paving the way to informed investment and thus accelerating a return on research funding.

Objectives

• Provide a forum for researchers from different countries in the area of micro- and nanomechanics.

• Identify, study and elucidate the fundamental problems related to the specifics of mechanical behaviour of composites and nanomaterials.

• Become the world reference for quality research in micro- and nanomechanics.

• Promote collaborative research and stimulate closer interaction with British industry and the best international researchers.

• Enable technological breakthroughs by providing a source of expertise on micro- and nanomechanics to industry.

• Generate knowledge required to develop new materials and significantly improve existing materials.

• Educate young engineers and train researchers in the area of micro- and nanomechanics.

• Provide office and laboratory space, computer facilities and a seminar room as a focus for the Centre's activities.

• Invite the distinguished international visitors for short or extended periods.

• Organise international workshops and conferences on the subject.

• Inform the international academic community about the activities of the Centre by publicizing them during major conferences, in the journal papers and in the regular issues of International Applied Mechanics (Impact Factor 1.740 in 2005) which is the official medium of the Centre.

Publications

Since the foundation of CEMINACS in May 2004, the members of the Centre have published more than 250 journal papers and presented at more than 60 major international meetings. 
[The list of publications]

Projects

Multi-scale modelling of compressive behaviour of materials with pronounced internal microstructure

The Effect of Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Coupling and Non-linearities on Dynamic Processes in Inelastic Layered Structures

3-D elastodynamics of cracks in homogeneous materials

Interfacial cracks under low-frequency harmonic loadings

Use of functionally graded interlayer to improve bonding in coated plates

Elastic flexural behaviour of functionally graded composite structures

Analysis of fibre-reinforced composites fatigue damage mechanisms

Instability of Periodic Laminated Materials (general solution)

Bounds for critical loads in laminated materials with interfacial deffects