Latvian Academy of Sciences

INSTITUTE OF POLYMER MECHANICS

Aizkraukles iela 23, Riga, LV 1006
Tel.: (371) 7551145, (371) 7552348. Fax: Fax: (371) 7820467
E-mail:polmech@edzi.lza.lv

Director Dr. sc. ing. J. JANSONS , Cor. mem. LAS
Chair of the Scientific Council Dr. habil. sc. ing. V. TAMUZS, Full mem. LAS

The Institute was founded in 1963. The main results of scientific research of the Institute have been published in more than 70 monographs and collections of articles and 2000 scientific articles. Since 1965 the Institute publishes a journal Mechanics of Composite Materials (up to 1979 named as Mechanics of Polymers). The journal is translated into English and published in New York (the USA). The Institute organizes regular international scientific conferences on the mechanics of polymers and composite materials.

Main Areas of Research

• Theoretical and experimental studies of deformation and fracture of materials (V. Tamuzs, Full mem. LAS; A. Lagzdins, and J. Andersons).
• Mechanics of composite structures, numerical estimation methods and optimization (J. Tarnopolskis, Full mem. LAS; and G. Teters, Full mem. LAS).
• Prediction of long-term deformation and strength of materials; effect of environmental factors on their exploitation properties (R. Maksimovs, Cor. mem. LAS; and J. Jansons).
• Non-destructive methods for testing materials' physical and mechanical properties (I. Matiss, Full mem. LAS; and V. Strauss).
• Rheology of filled and reinforced polymer composite materials; study of physical and mechanical properties (L. Faitelsons).

Main Research Results in 1996

New results have been obtained in the mechanics of material failure. The problem of fracture and defect interaction was solved, taking into account fracture sealing under complex tension and thermal loads (V. Tamuzs).

A method for specifying the orientation distribution function of internal structure elements for heterogenous anisotropic solids has been developed using the Fourier partial sums transformed into an appropriate tensorial form (A. Lagzdins and V. Tamuzs).

Calculation methods for effective properties of composite materials with complex grid, and structural elements with spatial and non-uniform grid have been developed. These methods can be used in calculations of vessel screw-propellers, wind-generator blades, cylinder-type springs, flywheels, and thick-walled cylinders (J. Tarnopolskis, G. Portnovs, A. Beils, and V. Kulakovs).

Technique for thermoelastic and heat-conducting property determination of spatially reinforced composites has been evolved that enables to use the obtained results in practical multi-purpose optimization tasks (G. Teters and A.Kregers).

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Last update: 01-12-2005 18:53:58