Welcome to Soft Solids

Our research is centred on mechanical modelling and characterisation of Soft Solids. These are highly complex materials which might have one or more of the following: (i) an inherent complex rheological behaviour (e.g. non linear viscoelasticity), (ii) complex geometries in their microstructure (e.g. foams), (iii) more than one phase (e.g. composite materials). We have investigated a very wide range of materials so far including foods, paints/coatings and pressure sensitive adhesives.

For the paints and adhesives, a link between the rheology and adhesion is sought as well as the effect of the environment (changes in humidity/temperature) on the integrity and lifetime of the interface.

In the food work, we have investigated doughs, gels, wafers, cheese, chocolate and wafers. The driving force behind this research is the need to be able to predict how such materials behave during large scale industrial processing but also during ‘oral’ processing, i.e. while they are being consumed by humans. ‘Problems’ in manufacturing processes mainly concern wastage during cutting/separating, optimising current mould filling processes and prediction of shape and hence product volume after forming (e.g. rolling, extrusion).

We specialise in the research of texture/mechanical properties and have extensive experience in the rheology and fracture mechanics of food materials. Indeed, we are one of the few research groups in the world that use the latest developments in computer modelling techniques for investigating texture.

Another part of our research focuses on composite materials and the development of micromechanics models for predicting global deformation and fracture response. The aim of this work is to be able to determine the effect of the detailed microstructure, the properties of the constituents and their interface on the mechanical response of the composite material for example during processing. We have investigated filled polymers as well as aerated, foamed materials. Numerical models have been developed which can ‘read’ microstructure images from Scanning Electron Microscope or x-ray Micro Tomography and import them into Finite Element Analysis software.

The theme of our research is to develop solutions to meet the industry's needs for precise control and optimisation of food processing as well as improvement of product quality.

FEA of crack growth in ATH composite

 FEA model of wafer in compression