Profile

Education

• Ph.D., University of Metz, France, 1995
• M.S.M.E., University of Metz, France, 1991

Research Areas and Descriptors

• Mechanics of Materials and Micro and Nano Engineering: Micro and nanomechanics, multiscale transition methods, crystal plasticity, behavior of materials with high strength and ductility, phase transformation, and smart materials

Background

Dr. Cherkaoui began as a Professor at the Georgia Tech Lorraine Program in Metz, France in February 2005. Prior he was a Professor at the University of Metz.

Research

Dr. Cherkaoui's main research interests are in the area of multiscale modeling of the behavior of heterogeneous materials, in particular, the ones with complex microstructures. He developed new concepts accounting for the effect of a stationary interface on the overall behavior of composite materials (coated inclusion problem, extension of the Eshelby solution). He extended these concepts to the case of moving interfaces (ellipsoidal inclusion problem with a moving boundary) governing typically the behavior of materials with a good compromise between ductility and strength. This research is conducted in collaboration with a French steel industry. Efforts have continuously made to improve existing materials and to develop new ones which are stronger, lighter, and more resistant to aggressive environments. In recent years, polycrystalline materials such as nonconventional steels and alloys with fine grains have shown promising new and exciting properties. Their high hardness, improved toughness, and their superior physical properties have found increasing applications. The emergence of this new class of materials creates a great need for modeling and large-scale simulations to bridge the gap between the information given at the atomic level and the bulk properties of these materials when used to build industrial structures. As an example, it is still not clear whether the description of the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline material requires new models or can be derived by adapting the rules valid for conventional materials to nanoscales. Due to lack of better knowledge from systematic experimental procedures, some fundamental features of nonconventional materials with a possible interest for industrial applications can be explained by multiscale modeling framework with a good descriptive and predictive capabilities.