University of Stuttgart

About: University of Stuttgart is a education organization based out in Stuttgart, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Finite element method. The organization has 27715 authors who have published 56370 publications receiving 1363382 citations. The organization is also known as: Universität Stuttgart.

Coping with complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity in risk governance: a synthesis.

Abstract: The term governance describes the multitude of actors and processes that lead to collectively binding decisions. The term risk governance translates the core principles of governance to the context of risk-related policy making. We aim to delineate some basic lessons from the insights of the other articles in this special issue for our understanding of risk governance. Risk governance provides a conceptual as well as normative basis for how to cope with uncertain, complex and/or ambiguous risks. We propose to synthesize the breadth of the articles in this special issue by suggesting some changes to the risk governance framework proposed by the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) and adding some insights to its analytical and normative implications.

The Molpro quantum chemistry package.

Abstract: Molpro is a general purpose quantum chemistry software package with a long development history. It was originally focused on accurate wavefunction calculations for small molecules but now has many additional distinctive capabilities that include, inter alia, local correlation approximations combined with explicit correlation, highly efficient implementations of single-reference correlation methods, robust and efficient multireference methods for large molecules, projection embedding, and anharmonic vibrational spectra. In addition to conventional input-file specification of calculations, Molpro calculations can now be specified and analyzed via a new graphical user interface and through a Python framework.

Analysis of solid state phase transformation kinetics: models and recipes

Abstract: The progress of solid-state phase transformations can generally be subdivided into three overlapping mechanisms: nucleation, growth and impingement. These can be modelled separately if hard impingement prevails. On that basis, an overview has been given of recent numerical and analytical methods for determination of the kinetic parameters of a transformation. The treatment focuses on both isothermally and isochronally conducted transformations. To extend the range of transformations that can be described analytically, a number of more or less empirical submodels, which are compatible with experimental results, has been included in the discussion. It has been shown that powerful, flexible, analytical models are possible, once the concept of time or temperature dependent growth exponent and effective activation energy, in agreement with the existing experimental observations, has been adopted. An explicit (numerical) procedure to deduce the operating kinetic processes from experimental transformation-rate data, on the basis of different nucleation, growth and hard impingement mechanisms, has been demonstrated. Without recourse to any specific kinetic model, simple recipes have been given for the determination of the growth exponent and the effective activation energy from the experimental transformation-rate data.

Contact shape controls adhesion of bioinspired fibrillar surfaces

Abstract: Following a recent bioinspired paradigm, patterned surfaces can exhibit better adhesion than flat contacts. Previous studies have verified that finer contact structures give rise to higher adhesion forces. In this study, we report on the effect of the tip shape, which was varied systematically in fibrillar PDMS surfaces, produced by lithographic and soft-molding methods. For fiber radii between 2.5 and 25 μm, it is found that shape exerts a stronger effect on adhesion than size. The highest adhesion is measured for mushroom-like and spatular terminals, which attain adhesion values 30 times in excess of the flat controls and similar to a gecko toe. These results explain the shapes commonly found in biological systems, and help in the exploration of the parameter space for artificial attachment systems.