Topology-Informed Multiscale Modeling of Fracture in Porous Media

Link for meeting: Lecture by Prof. Pania Newell “Topology-Informed Multiscale Modeling of Fracture in Porous Media” | Microsoft Teams

Porous materials are integral to modern life, playing a pivotal role across a wide range of scientific and engineering fields. Despite their presence in both natural and engineered systems, the complex physics that govern these materials, particularly their fracture behavior, remain poorly understood. How these materials fail under stress, influenced by their complex internal structures, directly impacts their performance. and long-term durability. The question, however, is to what extent we should account for the underlying porous structures when our primary focus is on the macroscopic fracture response of the material. In this talk, I will begin with a brief overview of porous materials, emphasizing how heterogeneity and pore architecture influence their mechanical behavior. I will then present our recent work on the topological characterization of pore structures and its connection to mechanical and fracture properties at the molecular scale. Next, I will discuss how we bridge nano- to macroscale behavior using phase-field fracture models. I will also examine how micropores and structural heterogeneity affect macroscopic fracture, using asymptotic homogenization combined with phase-field modeling. I will conclude by discussing how these insights can guide the design of new porous materials with improved mechanical performance.

Short Bio: Pania Newell is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and an elected affiliate of Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute at the University of Utah (UoU). Before joining the UoU, she was a senior member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories. Her research interest lies at the interface of mechanics and material sciences. In particular, she is interested in multiscale, multiphysics processes in heterogeneous porous materials, combining numerical and experimental approaches, and more recently exploring the integration of quantum and classical computing. She is also a co-host of a podcast called “This Academic Life”.