Multiple Scale Behaviors in Thin Elastic Sheet
by
Shankar Venkataramani
University of Chicago

The multiple scale behaviors of thin sheets are relevant in a variety of contexts ranging from the blistering to thin films, the complex patterns in a crumpled sheet, and the shapes of leaves. All these patterns arise from a variational problem of minizing an appropriate elastic energy for the sheet. Using these problems as an example, I will talk about some (at the moment heuristic, and not rigorously proven) ideas for understanding the patterns and multiple scale structures that result from energy minimization.

Date received: October 7, 2003