K. Ravi-Chandar

Dr. K. Ravi-Chandar is a Professor and the M.C. (Bud) and Mary Beth Baird Endowed Chair at the University of Texas at Austin, affiliated with the Cockrell School of Engineering and Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. He joined UT Austin in 2000 after serving as a Professor at the University of Houston since 1983. His roles include Associate Director of the Center for Mechanics of Solids, Structures, and Materials (CMSSM) and Editor of the International Journal of Fracture.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Aeronautical Engineering (Madras Institute of Technology, 1976)
• M.S. (1977) and Ph.D. (1982) in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology

Research Focus: Mechanical behavior of materials at high strain rates, fracture mechanisms in brittle materials, shear banding in polymers, and phase transformations in shape memory alloys. His work bridges experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to understand material failure under extreme conditions.

Key Achievements:

• Recipient of prestigious awards including the Takeo Yokobori Gold Medal (2023), William Prager Medal (2020), and ASME Daniel C. Drucker Medal (2015).
• Leader in dynamic fracture mechanics, with contributions to phase-field modeling, hydrogel fracture, and elastomer damage.

Advising & Grants: Active in guiding research in fracture mechanics and materials science, with funding supporting studies on additive manufacturing, polymer coatings, and biomechanical systems.

Labs/Teams: Central to the Center for Mechanics of Solids, Structures, and Materials (CMSSM) and collaborates with the Texas Materials Institute (TMI).