MULTI-SCALE MODELLING IN ENGINEERING PRACTICE AND MATERIALS RESEARCH - A VEHICLE FOR PROGRESS

摘要

In traditional structural design engineers cover length scales from tens of millimetres to hundreds of meters, about 6 orders of magnitude. Behind the engineers' design work we can discover, in essence, a long tradition of multi-scale modelling! In this contribution the implicit multi-scale structure in the traditional engineering design work is demonstrated. Against the background of that analysis, and the successes of the traditional engineering practice, the potential of multi-scale modelling is outlined and the step to develop models dealing with increasingly smaller scales is discussed. The relevance of micro- and nano-scale Inodels is emphasised, particularly in view of the design of new materials and for predictions of long-term performance of materials and structures. The status and potential of currently used microstructrural models will be outlined and their potential use in future nano-scale research will be discussed. Challenges and constraints of small-scale models for engineering purposes will be addressed.