Hans van Dommelen

Hans van Dommelen is Associate Professor of Micromechanics at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he leads the Group Van Dommelen. His research couples microstructure to mechanical and functional behaviour of materials spanning nuclear fusion, additive manufacturing, polymers, and biomechanics.

Education

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, TU/e (2003) – Micromechanics of particle-modified semicrystalline polymers
• Visiting researcher, MIT (1999–2000), University of Virginia (2003–2004), and Cambridge University (2010–2012)

Research Interests

Van Dommelen’s work focuses on multi-scale mechanics and structure–property relationships. Using microstructural modelling and homogenization techniques, he links phenomena at the microscale to macroscopic response in:

• Crystalline and heterogeneous materials
• Nuclear fusion reactor materials (tungsten, liquid-metal shields)
• Additive manufacturing (wire-arc, selective laser sintering, vat photopolymerization)
• Semi-crystalline polymers and short-fiber composites
• Traumatic brain injury biomechanics

Scientific Output

He has authored over 230 peer-reviewed publications (h-index > 40) in leading journals such as Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, Nuclear Fusion, and Additive Manufacturing. Recent trends include viscoelastic-viscoplastic metamaterials, anisotropic food printing, recrystallization kinetics of tungsten under fusion loads, and multiscale fracture of additively manufactured metals.

Teaching & Supervision

Van Dommelen coordinates and lectures in:

• Structure and Properties of Materials
• Computational and Experimental Micro-mechanics
• Fusion Reactor Materials and Plasma-Wall Interaction

He has supervised >85 MSc and PhD theses to date.

Laboratory & Collaborations

He heads the Group Van Dommelen within the Mechanics of Materials section, maintaining strong collaborations with DIFFER, ITER, and international partners on liquid-metal technologies for fusion blankets and advanced additive manufacturing processes.