MULTI-SCALE MODELLING IN ENGINEERING PRACTICE AND MATERIALS RESEARCH - A VEHICLE FOR PROGRESS

: ABSTRACT In traditional structural design engineers cover length scales from tens of millimetres to hundreds of meters, about 6 orders of magnitude. Behind the engineers' design work we can discover, in essence, a long tradition of multi-scale modelling! In this contribution the implicit multi-scale structure in the traditional engineering design work is demonstrated. Against the background of that analysis, and the successes of the traditional engineering practice, the potential of multi-scale modelling is outlined and the step to develop models dealing with increasingly smaller scales is discussed. The relevance of micro- and nano-scale models is emphasised, particularly in view of the design of new materials and for predictions of long-term performance of materials and structures. The status and potential of currently used microstructrural models will be outlined and their potential use in future nanoscale research will be discussed. Challenges and constraints of small-scale models for engineering purposes will be addressed. ABSTRACT Keywords INTRODUCTION MULTI-SCALE MODELLING: APPROVED CONCEPT IN CIVIL ENGINEERING MODELLING: A SYNTHETISATION ACTIVITY PITFALLS AND CHALLENGES CONCLUDING COMMENTS AND PROSPECTS REFERENCES