In lecture 8 we have formulated the condition of static equilibrium of bodies and structures by studying a small change (variation) of the total potential energy. The system was said to be in equilibrium if the first variation of the total potential energy vanishes. The analysis did not say anything about the stability of equilibrium. The present lecture will give an answer to that question by ...

Graphene is an ultimate membrane that mixes both flexibility and mechanical strength, together with many other remarkable properties. A good knowledge of the elastic properties of graphene is prerequisite to any practical application of it in nanoscopic devices. Although this two-dimensional material is only one atom thick, continuous-medium elasticity can be applied as long as the deformations...

A dynamic cutting force and vibration model of the microendmilling process that accounts for the dynamics of the microendmill, influences of the stable built-up-edge, and the effects of minimum chip thickness, elastic recovery, and the elastic-plastic nature in ploughing/rubbing has been developed. Experimental validation has been performed, and the model is shown to predict the cutting force a...

It is well documented that directed motion of cells is influenced by substrate stiffness. When cells are cultured on a substrate of graded stiffness, they tend to move from softer to stiffer regions--a process known as durotaxis. In this study, we propose a mathematical model of durotaxis described as an elastic stability phenomenon. We model the cytoskeleton (CSK) as a planar system of prestre...