OUR TEAM
PUBLICATIONS
NEWS
Funding Source
Our research project is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the program PRIN-PNRR sponsored by the Italian Ministry of University and Researchresearch project funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the program PRIN-PNRR sponsored by the Italian Ministry of University and Research
Research Activities
We work towards a new theoretical, experimental, and computational ground to conceptualize and optimize sustainable-by-design interfaces for industrial applications. Our goal is to seek long-lasting superior performance of tribological pairs in terms of energy efficiency and functionality. This will lead to a breakthrough in the prediction of the tribological behavior of real interfaces, with tangible environmental and societal impact in the automotive, robotic, aerospace, biomedical sectors across Italy and the EU.
MODELING NONLINEAR CONTACT MECHANICS
TRIBOSCORE research activity focuses on the physical description of the tribological behavior of contact interfaces in industrial contexts, providing a novel theoretical-numerical formulation for the multiscale prediction of contact mechanics of rough surfaces in the presence of tangential (e.g., friction) and normal (e.g., adhesion) force interaction, finite-dimension effects (i.e., thickness), and weak nonlinear rheological behavior.
EXPERIMENTAL TESTING
The TRIBOSCORE consortium aims to make important theoretical and experimental breakthroughs in the understanding of the micro- to macro-scale mechanisms underpinning the interaction between real industrial interfaces in the presence of 3D surface interactions; their dissipative and functional behavior will be designed owing to develop tribopairs accordingly to specific performance rating. This will be taken all the way to the experimental validation, with examples of potential new design for dynamic seals and micro-grippers being explicitly targeted as proofs of concept.
OPEN SOURCE CODE
Under construction
SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA
The improved theoretical formulation will allow to predict with greater accuracy the mechanical behavior of real interfaces, hence improving their performance assessment in terms of energy efficiency and engineering functionality. This will significantly affect the sustainability of several devices; some examples are robotic joints (both micro and macro), socket bearings, seals for biomedical syringes, soldi-solid and electrode-electrolyte contacts in batteries, road-tire interactions. TRIBOSCORE will allow the development of sustainable contact interfaces with desired tribological behavior, enabling the potential development of novel devices or the upgrade of classical components, both specialized for a more sustainable use of raw materials.
Our Team
Valentina Ndou
Tenured Researcher, Università del Salento
Assistant Professor, Politecnico di Bari
PUBLICATIONS
“Mandriota, C., Menga, N., & Carbone, G. (2024). Adhesive contact mechanics of viscoelastic materials. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 290, 112685.” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2024.112685 Link to Article
“Violano, G., Dibitonto, S., & Afferrante, L. (2024). Adhesive contact mechanics of bio-inspired pillars: Exploring hysteresis and detachment modes. International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, 134, 103768.” Link to Article
“Cheng, A., Sun, L., Menga, N., Yang, W., & Zhang, X. (2024). Interfacial performance evolution of ceramics-in-polymer composite electrolyte in solid-state lithium metal batteries. International Journal of Engineering Science, 204, 104137.” Link to Article
“Mandriota, C., Menga, N., & Carbone, G. (2024). Enhancement of adhesion strength in viscoelastic unsteady contacts. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids , 192, 105826.” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2024.105826 Link to Article
“Violano, G., Dibitonto, S., & Afferrante, L. (2024). Role of viscoelasticity in the adhesion of mushroom-shaped pillars. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 19, 066006.” https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/ad839d Link to Article
“Li, Y., Pan, B., Tian,Y., Ma, L., Menga, N. , & Zhang, X. (2024). Frictional Adhesive Contact of Multiferroic Coatings Based on the Hybrid Element Method. Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica.” https://doi.org/10.1007/s10338-024-00526-z Link to Article
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
CMIS2024 – Contact Mechanics International Symposium (https://cmis2024.sciencesconf.org/)
ITS-IFToMM 2024 – International Tribology Symposium of IFToMM (https://www.iftommits2024.it/) New Trends In Fatigue And Fracture (https://www.poliba.it/it/nt2f24)