Towards Optimal Designs of Non-Smooth Mechanical Systems

 

This symposium addresses recent progress on computational methods for the characterisation, analysis, design, and optimisation of non-smooth mechanical systems. These topics include (but are not limited to) the analysis of vibrations of mechanical systems subject to structural contact constraints, impacts, friction or cracking. Such analyses may be carried out through a variety of numerical methods among which are frequency-domain techniques, time integration procedures, and numerical continuation. Recent developments focusing on the intrinsic vibratory signature of non-smooth systems through weaker formalism such as linear complementarity problems or variational inequalities techniques also fall into the scope of this symposium. Research aiming at comparing experimental observations and numerical predictions, with an emphasis on real-life engineering applications, are welcome. Investigations carried out on industrial applications such as (1) brake systems, (2) oil-well drilling, (3) vibration and fretting of fuel rods in steam generators or nuclear reactors or, (4) the vibration of turbine blades are particularly encouraged.