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Professor Murakami is interested in the development of advanced continuum models for heterogeneous materials including aerospace, biological, and civil composite materials; constitutive modeling of failure and damage evolution of materials; nonlinear finite-element analysis and mechanical characterization of tensegrity structures; physically-based virtual reality utilizing large scale finite element analyses; and vehicle mobility analyses with emphasis on soil-vehicle interaction. With regards to tensegrity structures, they are a class of truss structures with tension in cables and compression in bars. In cell physics, some biologists utilize tensegrity models for cells to investigate the mechanotransduction involving cytoskeleton. Tensegrity structures self-assemble under pre-stress and exhibit mechanisms without pins and gears. Murakami is studying the rules for self-assembly as well as the mechanism and pre-stress modes. In order to develop advanced mathematical tools for static and dynamic analyses of tensegrity structures, Murakami works with Professor Emeritus Theodore Frankel utilizing algebraic topology and differential geometry.

Capsule Bio:

Hidenori Murakami received his Ph.D. in applied mechanics from UCSD in 1978; he joined the faculty in 1982. His research has been concerned with 1) the development of advanced continuum models for heterogeneous materials including aerospace, civil, and biological composite materials, 2) constitutive modeling of failure and damage evolution of materials, 3) physically-based virtual reality utilizing large scale finite- element analyses, 4) vehicle mobility analyses with emphasis on soil-vehicle interaction, and 5) statics and dynamics of tensegrity structures.