Final Exam – May 13, 2026

Final Exam – PhD Programme in Design, Modeling, and Simulation in Engineering

h 9.00 – Advanced isogeometric methods for the simulation of complex structures: A focus on geometrically exact beams and laminated composite plates – Dr. Sajad Jangravi

This research developed advanced, computationally efficient numerical frameworks using Isogeometric Analysis (IGA) to simulate complex structural behaviors. The work introduces a novel locking-free Isogeometric Collocation (IGA-C) method combined with an intrinsic formulation for the large-deflection analysis of geometrically exact beams, including spatially curved and twisted structures. Additionally, it presents a highly accurate equilibrium-based 3D stress recovery approach for laminated composite plates, including thin anisotropic, thick, and variable stiffness composites. Overall, these methods successfully overcome traditional finite element limitations like numerical locking, offering significant improvements in prediction accuracy and computational efficiency.

h 10.00 – Uncertainty-Aware Surrogate Modeling and Bayesian Inverse Design for Process-Structure-Property Optimization – Dr. Mihaela Chiappetta

Process–structure–property relationships play a central role in predictive modeling and design across engineering systems, although their characterization remains challenging due to multiscale phenomena, limited data, and uncertainty. The present doctoral thesis investigates three complementary research directions: uncertainty quantification, uncertainty-aware inverse design, and topology optimization. The developed methodologies are applied to thermomechanical modeling in additive manufacturing, inverse design of spinodoid architected materials, and representative benchmark problems in structural optimization.