The Bari workshop on the deformation and failure of geomaterials will expose young researchers to recent developments in the mechanics of granular materials that are relevant to the behavior of geomaterials. Daily classes on modeling, simulation, and experiment will be complimented by invited lectures given by distinguished researchers. The practical problem of interest is the stability of rocky slopes and the possible prediction of landslide initiation. Consequently, the focus of the workshop will be on the deformation and failure of geological materials. Topics to be addressed include the derivation of continuum theories based on particle interactions, the use discrete element simulations of particles in developing continuum theory, the implementation of continuum theories in finite element simulations, and the interpretation of experimental results. The workshop will be held between Sunday, June 14 and June 19, 2009 in a country hotel located in Puglia, Italy. Researchers with backgrounds in engineering, mathematics, physics, and geology are being encouraged to apply. The daily courses, each lasting a total of six hours during the week, will be led by Boris Jeremic (University of California, Davis), Cino Viggiani (Universite Joseph Fourier, France), Julia Morgan (Rice University), and Jean-Noël Roux (Institut Navier, France). The invited lectures will be given by Antonio Gens (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain), James Jenkins (Cornell University), David Muir-Wood (Bristol University, UK), and James Rice (Harvard University). This award will support the participation in the workshop of up to eight young U.S. researchers. The support will include both travel and local expenses. The intellectual merit of the proposed activity to the researchers who are supported is the direct benefit derived from the course material and the distinguished lectures. The broader impact of their participation will be their introduction to and interaction with European peers who share their interest in the mechanics of geomaterials and the incorporation of this knowledge into research and teaching materials.
