Dr Elena Pasternak
Education
- PhD (Geomechanics), UWA, 2002 (admitted to the degree 2003)
- MSc (Mechanics and Applied Mathematics) with distinction, Dnepropetrovsk State University, 1995
Research Interests
Mechanics of Solids (Applications in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Geomechanics, Geology, and Petroleum Engineering)
- Cosserat Continuum theory
- Non-standard continuum theories
- Large deformations modelling
- Homogenisation methods for materials with microstructure
- Mechanics of topologically interlocking structures and fragmented bodies
- Cracks of higher modes
- Propagation and detection of hydraulic fractures in particulate geomaterials
- Anisotropic Elasticity
Materials Science
- Hybrid materials and materials with internally engineered architecture
Distinctions and Awards
- Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship (APD), Australian Research Council, 2003-2006
- Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung / Foundation, Germany, 2002-2003
- OPRS (Overseas Postgraduate Research Scholarship), UWA, 1998-2002
- F S Shaw Memorial Postgraduate Scholarship in Applied Mechanics, UWA, 2001
Competitive Funding
- ARC Discovery 2007-2009 “Negative Poisson’s Ratio and Negative Stiffness: Rational Approach to Hybrid Materials with Internally Engineered Architecture” ($280K)
- APD Fellowship and ARC Discovery 2003-2006 “Rotational Degrees of Freedom in Modelling of Materials with Intrinsic Length Scale” ($245K)
- Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Road Safety Research and Strategy Section 2004, “Road Safety Barriers Made from Interlocking Blocks of Special Geometry” with A.V. Dyskin and C. Khor ($22,018)
- UWA Research Grant 2005, “Engineered Materials with Negative Poisson's Ratios”, $18,100
- Western Australia Geothermal Centre of Excellence 2008-2010, CSIRO Exploration & Mining, UWA, Curtin, (collaborative investigator in a project led by K. Regenauer-Lieb) $2,3 Mil.
Representative Publications
Pasternak, E., Dyskin, A.V. and Mühlhaus, H.-B. (2006) Cracks of higher modes in Cosserat continua, International Journal of Fracture, 140, 189-199.
Pasternak, E., Dyskin, A.V. and Estrin, Y. (2006) Deformations in transform faults with rotating crustal blocks, Pure Appl. Geophys., 163, 2011-2030.
Pasternak, E., Mühlhaus, H.-B. and Dyskin, A.V. (2006) Finite deformation model of simple shear of fault with microrotations: Apparent strain localisation and en-echelon fracture pattern, Philosophical Magazine, 86, Nos 21-22, 21 July – 1 August, 3339-3371.
Pasternak, E. and Mühlhaus, H.-B. (2005) Generalised homogenisation procedures for granular materials, Eng Math, 52, Number 1, 199-229.
Dyskin, A.V., Estrin, Y., Pasternak, E., Khor, H.C., Kanel-Belov, A.J. (2005) The principle of topological interlocking in extraterrestrial construction, Acta Astronautica 57 (1), 10-21.
Pasternak, E., Mühlhaus, H.-B. and Dyskin, A.V. (2004) On the possibility of elastic strain localisation in a fault, Pure Appl. Geophys., 161, 2309-2326.
Pasternak, E., Mühlhaus, H.-B. and Dyskin, A.V. (2003) Apparent strain localization and shear wave dispersion in elastic fault gouge with microrotations, International Conference on Computational Science ICCS 2003, Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Mühlhaus, H.-B. and Weatherley, D.K., Eds), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, LNCS Volume 2659, 873-882.
Estrin, Y., Dyskin, A.V., Pasternak, E., Schaare, S., Stanchits, S., Kanel-Belov, A. J. (2003) Negative stiffness of a layer with topologically interlocked elements, Scripta Materialia, 50, Issue 2, 291-294.
Mühlhaus, H.-B. and Pasternak, E. (2002) Path-independent integrals for Cosserat Continuum, International Journal of Fracture 113 (4): L21-L26.
Estrin, J., Müller, N., Trenke, D., Dyskin, A., Pasternak, E. (2005) Structure composed of elements and method for its production, US Patent 6,884,486.
Estrin, Y., Müller, N., Dyskin, A., Trenke, D., Pasternak, E. (2003) Aus Elementen zusammengesetzte Struktur und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung, Deutsche Patentanmeldung 102 23 796.4.