Constitutive Modeling in Nonlinear Elasticity: History, Pitfalls, and Perspectives

IAS Residential Fellow Professor Giuseppe Saccomandi delivers a seminar on their research -

We present a critical overview of constitutive modeling in nonlinear elasticity, with particular emphasis on isotropic incompressible materials. Starting from the historical foundations and the seminal contributions of Rivlin, the talk revisits the motivations behind invariant-based strain-energy functions and their experimental interpretation. The widespread proliferation of constitutive models is discussed in relation to several recurring pitfalls, including over-parameterization, identifiability issues, and an excessive reliance on analyticity. Special attention is devoted to Ogden-type models, whose remarkable descriptive capabilities are contrasted with their well-known limitations in predictive reliability. By reconsidering classical experimental data and multiscale arguments, alternative modeling perspectives are outlined, with the aim of clarifying the principles that should guide constitutive choices in nonlinear elasticity and their applications to soft materials, biomechanics, and wave propagation issues.

Arrivals from 11:45 am for a 12:00 noon start. For those joining in-person, lunch will be served after the seminar from 1:00pm.

This event is hybrid format, please use the required booking button at the bottom of the page to choose either in-person or online attendance.
(Please note that in-person spaces are limited and booking is required, so we can manage numbers for catering and also the space in the seminar room)

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