Speaker: Frank Baginski, George Washington University
Title: Structural Analysis of Thin Compliant Pneumatic Envelopes

Abstract: Large super-light structural systems that for functional reasons require large surfaces are composed at least in part of structural membranes. The underconstrained nature of such structural membranes poses analytical difficulties, and leads to challenging mathematical problems in modeling, analysis, and numerical simulation. In this talk, we will present a mathematical model that is appropriate for the analysis of these types of structures. We are motivated by the problem of modeling the shape of high altitude large scientific balloons that are flown by NASA to carry out research in the stratosphere, but other applications will be discussed. Using direct methods in the calculus of variations, we can establish rigorous existence theorems for equilibria of such systems. The variational approach leads to effective methods for the computation of numerical solutions which will also be discussed.

Time: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Place: Science and Tech I, Room 242

Department of Mathematical Sciences
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MS 3F2
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
http://math.gmu.edu/
Tel. 703-993-1460, Fax. 703-993-1491