Thomas M. Michelitsch, Dr. rer. nat.

Lecturer
The University of Sheffield
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building
Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD
United Kingdom

Tel. +44 (0) 114 222 5765

Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 5700
Email: t.michelitsch@sheffield.ac.uk
http://www.shef.ac.uk/civil/staff/academic/tmm.html

PERSONAL DATA

Date of birth: 14th December, 1963

Languages: English, French (basic, learning), German (native)

Citizenship: German

EDUCATION

1984-1990 Study of Physics, University of Stuttgart, Germany

9/1990 Diplom (corresponding MSc) Physics, University of Stuttgart

2/1994 Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) Physics, Max Planck Institute/Univ. Stgt.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

1994-1995 Software developer, local company in Stuttgart, Germany

1996-1997 Postdoc, Max Planck Research Unit

. “Mechanics of Heterogeneous Solids”, Dresden, Germany

1997-1998 Scientist, Institute for Theoretical Physics I, Univ. Stgt.

1999-2001 Scientist, Institute of Applied Mechanics, Univ. Stgt.

8/2001-4/2004 Scientist, Leading Smart Materials Group

. Department Theory Mesoscopic Phenomena
. Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Stgt.

5/2004- Lecturer, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering

. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Other Functions at Dept of Civil & Structural Engineering:

Mathematics Liaison Person and Erasmus Tutor

VISITING APPOINTMENTS

Visiting Scientist, 7-8/1997, Dept. of Mechanics, Petrozavodsk State Uni-

versity, Petrozavodsk (Russia) (Scientific guest of Prof. V.M. Levin)

Visiting Scientist, 4/2002 Dept. of Mech. Engineering, New Mexico State

University, Las Cruces (USA) (Scientific guest of Prof. I. Sevostianov)

Guest professorship, 9/2004, Dept. of Engineering Mechanics, University

Tec de Monterrey (Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Estado de Mexico),
Mexico City, Mexico (Scientific guest of Prof. S. Kanaun)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2004-2007 Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of

Sheffield: Mathematical Methods of Engineering/Applied Mathematics:

• Mathematical Methods in Dynamics (for MSc Course students):

Syllabus includes Theory of Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations,
Eigenvalue Problems, Function Spaces, Linear Operators, Operator- and Ma-
trix Functions, Integral Transforms, Initial Value- and Boundary Value Prob-
lems of statics and dynamics.

• Engineering Mathematics (for year 3 students):

Syllabus includes:
Partial Differential Equations, Boundary Value Problems (Examples from
Beam Theory, Vibrations, Wave propagation), Linear Operators, Sturm-
Liouville-Eigenvalue Problems, Integral Equations, Green’s Functions

• Computational Analysis (for year 4 students):

Syllabus includes:
Finite Difference Approach, Partial Differential Equations, Finite Elements

• Mathematics of “Coastal Engineering” (for year 4 students): Syllabus

includes:
Fourier Series, wave propagation phenomena, statistical analysis of water
waves.

All courses include delivering of the lecture, development of exercises (tu-

torials) and exam questions including supervision of students in the tutorial
groups.
• 1989-1990 Teaching related experience at the Institute for Theoretical
Physics I, University of Stuttgart, supervision and tutorialships to the fol-
lowing courses of Theoretical Physics:

Classical Mechanics
Electrodynamics
Quantum Mechanics
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Tutorialships included the supervision of students in tutorial groups, the

development of exercise questions and the evaluation of exams.

• 1990 Teacher for Employee Training in Mathematics/Statistics

(1 month summer course), IBM Werk Sindelfingen, Germany

MEMBERSHIPS

Société Mathématique de France (SMF)

Mathematical Society of Switzerland

European Mathematical Society

HONORS AND AWARDS

Doctoral graduate grant (Landesgraduierten Stipendium) of the state Baden-

Württemberg, Germany
MAIN PEER REVIEW ACTIVITIES

• Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A

• Quarterly Journal of Mechanics and Applied Mathematics

• International Journal of Solids and Structures

• Journal of Applied Mechanics

• Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids

• European Journal of Mechanics

• Journal of Physics D

• International Journal of Engineering Science

• International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences

• Physica Status Solidi

• Communications in Numerical Methods and Engineering

• Nanotechnology

• Ultrasonics
PUBLICATIONS IN REFEREED JOURNALS

References
[1] Rahman M, Michelitsch T.M. 2006, “A Note on the Formula for the
Rayleigh wave speed”, Wave Motion 43, 272-276.
[2] Michelitsch T.M., Wang J., Gao H., Levin V.M. 2005, On the retarded
potentials of inhomogeneous ellipsoids and sources of arbitrary shapes
in the three-dimensional infinite space, International Journal of
Solids and Structures, Vol. 42, pp. 51-67.
[3] Wang J., Michelitsch T.M., Gao H. and Levin V.M. 2005, On the so-
lution of the dynamic Eshelb problem for inclusions of various shapes,
International Journal of Solids and Structures, Microme-
chanics of Materials, Special Issue, M. Kachanov, guest ed.,
Vol. 42(2), pp. 353-363.
[4] Michelitsch T.M., Gao H., Levin V.M., 2003. Dynamic Eshelby Tensors
and Potentials for Ellipsoidal Inclusions, Proceedings of the Royal
Society of London A, 459, 863-890.
[5] Michelitsch T.M., V.M. Levin and H. Gao, 2002. Dynamic Green’s
Functions of a Quasiplane Piezoelectric Medium With Inclusion. Pro-
ceedings of the Royal Society of London A, 458, 2393-2415.
[6] Michelitsch T.M. Gao, H. Levin V.M. 2003, On the Dynamic Potentials
of Ellipsoidal Shells Quarterly J. Mech. Appl. Math. 56(4), 629-
648.
[7] Levin VM, Michelitsch TM, Gao H, 2002. Propagation of electroacous-
tic waves in the transversely isotropic piezoelectric medium reinforced
by randomly distributed cylindrical inhomogeneities, Int. J. Solids
Structures, 39 pp. 5013-5015.
[8] Wang J., Michelitsch T.M., Gao H. 2003. Dynamic Fiber Inclusions
with Ellipsoidal and Arbitrary Cross-Sections and Related Retarded
Potentials in a Quasi-Plane Piezoelectric Medium. Int. J. Solids
Structures, 40, 6307-6333.
 [9] Kuhn R, Michelitsch T, Levin VM, Vakulenko AA 2002. The analogue
of the Eshelby tensor for a piezoelectric spheroidal inclusion in the
hexagonal electroelastic medium. Z Angew. Math. Phys. 53 pp.
584-602.

[10] Michelitsch, T. M., Gao, H., 2003. Dynamic Eshelby Inclusion Problem
of a Quasiplane Transversely Isotropic Piezoelectric Medium, to appear
in: Chin. J. Mech. A 19 (1) (Birthday Volume in honor of the 70th
birthday of Prof. T.C.T. Ting), pp 113-118.

[11] Michelitsch T, Levin VM, 2001. Green’s function for the infinite two-
dimensional orthotropic medium Int. J Fracture 107 (2): L33-L38.

[12] Levin VM, Michelitsch T, 2001. Scattering of acoustoelectric waves

on a cylindrical inhomogeneity in a transversely isotropic piezoelectric
medium. Mech. Compos. Mater . 37 (1): 47-54.

[13] Diebels S., Ehlers W., and Michelitsch T., 2001. Particle simulation as
a microscopic approach to a Cosserat continuum. J. Phys. IV , 11,
5203-5210.

[14] Ehlers W., Diebels S., Michelitsch T., 2001. Microscopic investigation
of cosserat continua. Z. Angew. Math. Mech. 81, 335-336.

[15] Levin VM, Michelitsch T, Sevostianov I, 2000. Spheroidal inhomo-

geneity in a transversely isotropic piezoelectric medium Arch. Appl.
Mech. 70 (10): 673-693.

[16] Michelitsch T, Levin VM, 2000. Inclusions and inhomogeneities in elec-

troelastic media with hexagonal symmetry Eur. Phys J B 14 (3):
527-533.

[17] Michelitsch T, Levin VM, 1999. Inclusion and inhomogeneity problems

in the hexagonal electroelastic medium. Phys. Stat. Sol. B 215 (2):
R13-R14.

[18] Michelitsch T, Kreher WS, 1998. A simple model for the nonlinear
material behavior of ferroelectrics Acta Mater . 46 (14): 5085-5094.
[19] Michelitsch T, 1997. Calculation of the electroelastic Green’s function
of the hexagonal infinite medium Z. Physik B 104 (3): 497-503.

[20] Michelitsch T 1997. Theory of small-angle x-ray scattering caused by

incompatibilities in elastic anisotropic media and the application to
dislocations in H.C.P. crystals. Phys. Stat. Sol. B 203 (1): 3-16

[21] Michelitsch T, Wunderlin A. 1996.Fundamental solution of the incom-

patibility problem in in three- dimensional infinite anisotropic elasticity
theory Acta Mech. 119: 25-34.

[22] Michelitsch T, Wunderlin A. 1996. On the theory of Huang X-ray scat-

tering caused by point defects in hexagonal crystals Phys. Stat. Sol .
B 198 (2): 615-620.

[23] Michelitsch T, Wunderlin A 1996. Continuum theory of the volume

effect caused by point defects in hexagonal media Z. Physik B 101
(1): 61-72.

[24] Michelitsch T, Wunderlin A. 1996. Solution of the incompatibility prob-

lem in linear three- dimensional anisotropic media for an isotropic in-
compatibility tensor. Phys. Stat. Sol B 195, 119-122.

[25] Michelitsch T, Wunderlin A 1996. Stress functions and internal stresses

in linear three-dimensional anisotropic elasticity. Z. Physik B 100
(1), 53-56.

[26] Michelitsch T., Michelitsch M. 1992. A Novel Mandelbrot Set and Its
Julia Sets. Machine GRAPHICS & VISION 1 (4), 635-634.

[27] Michelitsch T. 1994. A Quasi Julia-Set generated by a nonanalytic

Trigonometric Function. Machine GRAPHICS & VISION 3(4),
677-679.

[28] Michelitsch T., Michelitsch M. 1995. A Mandelbrot set of the tran-

scendental mapping c cos z wit special initial conditions. Machine
GRAPHICS & VISION 4 (1/2), 125-130.
 REFEREED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

[29] Michelitsch T.M. Allan L., A.F.L. Hyde, 2006. Macroscopic Balance
Equations For Granular Materials. TC35 Conference, Geome-
chanics and Geotechnics of Particulate Media, Yamaguchi
University, Yamaguchi, Japan, September 12-14, 2006.

[30] Askes H., Gitman I.M., Michelitsch T.M., 2006. ”Critical Wave Lengths
and Instabilities in Gradient Enriched Continuum Theories”, Prceed-
ings, The Fourth International Conference on Mathematical Modeling
and Computer Simulation of Materials Technologies, MMT-2006, Ariel,
Israel, September 11 - 15, 2006.

[31] Michelitsch T.M., Askes H., Wang J., Levin V.M., 2005. “Solutions
of dynamic Variants of Eshelby Inclusion problem”, in: Vibration
Problems in Physics ICOVP 2005, Series: Springer Proceedings in
Physics, Inan, Esin; Kiris Ahmed (Eds.), ISBN-10: 1-4020-5400-9.

[32] Wang J. Michelitsch T.M., Gao H. On the Solution of the Dynamic

Eshelby Problem for Inclusions with Ellipsoidal and Arbitrary Shapes.
Int. J. Solids and Structure, special volume on the Inter-
national Conference on the Behaviour of Materials (ICM9)
Geneva May 25-29, 2003

[33] Michelitsch T.M., Wang J., Gao H., Levin V.M., 2003. Solution of the
inhomogeneous Helmholtz- and Wave Equation for Ellipsoidal Sources.
Continuum models an discrete systems. Proceedings of the
NATO Advanced. Research Workshop, Shoresh, Israel, 3 – 4
July, 2003

[34] Michelitsch T. M., Gao H. Levin V.M. 2003. Solution of the inhomo-
geneous Helmholtz equation for an ellipsoidal source region. Interna-
tional Conference on the Mechanical Behaviour o Materials
(ICM9), Geneva May 25-29, 2003, Proceedings.

[35] V.M. Levin, T.M. Michelitsch, H.Gao 2002. Modelling of the Effective
Dynamic Characteristics of Reinforced Transversely Isotropic Piezo-
electric Materials. Proceedings of the SPIE, Smart Structure and
 Materials San Diego 2002 Active Materials (C. Lynch Ed.) Paper no.
4699-14.

[36] Ehlers W, Diebels S., Michelitsch T. 2001. Microscopic modelling of

granular materials taking into account particle rotations, In P. A. Ver-
meer et al. (eds.): Continous and Discontinous Modelling of
Cohesive-Frictional Materials – Lectur Notes in Physics,
Springer-Verlag, pp. 259-274.

[37] Diebels S., Ehlers W., and Michelitsch T. 2001. From discontinuous to
continuous modelling of materials. In N. Bicanic, Editor, Proceeding
of ICADD-4 , pp. 251-260. University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK,
2001.

[38] Levin, V.M., Michelitsch T. 2001. Scattering of Accoustoelectric Waves

on a Cylindrical Inhomogeneity in the Transversely Isotropic Piezoelec-
tric Medium. Proceedings of SPIE , Smart Structures and Materi-
als, Newport Beach 2001. Active Materials (C. Lynch Ed.) Paper no.
4333-51.

[39] Michelitsch T, Levin V.M. 2000. Construction of the Electroelastic

Green’s Function of the Hexagonal Infinite Medium and Its Applica-
tion to Inclusion Problems. Proceedings of SPIE , Smart Structures
and Materials Newport Beach 2000. Active Materials (C. Lynch Ed.)
3992, 341-352.

[40] Levin, V.M., Michelitsch T. 1999, Scattering of acoustoelectric waves

on a cylindrical inhomoneity in the transversely in the transversely
isotropic piezoelectric medium. Annuaire de L’universite d Sofia
”St. Kliment Ohridski” Faculte de Mathematiques et Informatique
93, 127-155.

ACCEPTED for Publication

• Rahman M., Michelitsch T.M., A General Procedure for Solving Bound-

ary Value Problems of Elastostatics for a Spherical Geometry Based Love’s
Approach, In Press Quarterly Journal of Mechanics and Applied
Mathematics.
UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS

References
[1] Michelitsch T, Levin V.M. Wunderlin A. Acoustic Wave Propagation
in the Three Dimensional Infinite Anisotropic Medium.

[2] Michelitsch T.M. “Derivations of some Functions in Mathematical

Physics”

[3] Michelitsch T.M. “Mathematics for Dynamicists“,

Lecture Notes, University of Sheffield
available online http://www.esnips.com/web/CIV6400

[4] Michelitsch T.M. and Rahman M., ”The Cauchy Problem of Elastody-
namics and related fundamental solutions of isotropic and anisotropic
three-dimensional elasticity.”, under preparation, to be submitted.
TEACHING AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

Applied Mathematics/Mathematical and Theoretical Physics: Basic

and advanced applied mathematics and mathematical physics, courses of all
levels for students of engineering and physical sciences:

Topics include linear algebra, multidimensional analysis, ordinary and par-

tial differential equations (ODE and PDE, Operators, Functional Analysis),
initial value and boundary value problems, eigenvalue problems, linear op-
erators, function spaces, Green’s functions, functional analysis, variational
calculus, systems of differential equations, discrete mathematics, theory of
complex functions, conformal mappings, probability theory and statistics,
group theory, dynamical systems: Hamiltonian systems, dissipative systems,
fractal geometry, complex systems and chaos theory.

Theoretical Physics: Classical mechanics, continuum mechanics, quantum

mechanics, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, statistical physics/mechanics
and information theory, theory of self-organized systems (Synergetics, non-
linear dynamics, chaos theory).

My teaching and research interests are flexible and cover a wider range of
applied mathematics and theoretical physics.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

In the past 12 years my research has been mainly focused on developing

closed form solutions for benchmark problems of analytical mechanics such
as the analytical closed-form deduction of material Green’s functions and
their application to problems of mechanics and materials sciences. Examples
include analytical models for applications in ‘’smart materials” (e.g. paper
[18]) and the deduction of closed form solutions of static problems. An exam-
ple is paper [19], where the exact Green’s function of the three-dimensional
electroelastic infinite medium of transversely isotropic symmetry in closed
form is deduced by employing concepts of Function Theory. This key result
has been applied to solve a series of linear static problems in this material
system (papers [9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17]).

During my time at Max Planck Institute I was leading the ’Smart Mate-
rials Group’ conducting analytical-mathematical research in the framework
of the research project ”Mathematical Modelling of the Dynamic Character-
istics in Piezocomposites” for which I attracted successfully funding from the
German Research Council (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG). My
research proposal application (which was submitted on behalf of Prof. H.
Gao, head of department) was approved twice: The first application was ap-
proved for 2 years (DFG project no. GA 732/1-1) and the second application
for another year (project no. GA 732/1-2). Last but not least I managed to
attract the funding for the full three years which is the maximum duration
of such DFG projects. Within this research project a series of papers were
published which already attracted wider attention in the community (papers
[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10]). The problems solved include extensive analytical
modelling and development of closed form solutions to the dynamic vari-
ant of Eshelby inclusion problem [4] and contributions to the theory of the
Helmholtz potential of ellipsoidal source regions [6]. The developed mathe-
matical apparatus on ‘dynamic potentials’ turned out to be a powerful ap-
proach in order to deduce functions of Mathematical Physics in a simple and
universal way (unpublished manuscript [2]).

During the last 2-3 years I have started a very fruitful collaboration with
Dr. Mujibur Rahman from Boing company on several problems of analyti-
cal mechanics ([1], the paper under submission, and unpublished manuscript
[4]). This ongoing collaboration is to be continued in the future.

As a physicist, I always have been interested in basic and fundamental

problems of physics, and interdisciplinary fields such as the theory of self-
organized systems, chaos theory and fractal geometry (papers [26-28]). This
ongoing interest was inspired during my collaboration with Prof. Arne Wun-
derlin, Institute for Theoretical Physics I (papers [21-25]), and last but not
least by my father Dr. Michael Michelitsch who was semi-conductor physicist
at IBM and later devoted to the modelling of dynamic systems and fractals
(joint papers [26,28]).
New research interest and future research vision:

A new field which one might call “fractal analysis” or “physics on self similar
material systems” has been developing. This new field requires a new kind of
mathematics which has been emerging recently based on a pioneering work
of Kigami [J. Kigami, Japan J. Appl. Math. 8 (1989), 259-290.]. Basic
equations of physics need to be defined and solved on a fractal gasket (such
as for instance the Laplace equation).

My goal is to devote future research efforts in this new challenging direc-

tion, investigating aspects of self-similarity and its influence on dynamical
characteristics such as vibration spectra of self-similar lattices. Once hav-
ing defined these quantities on a fractal, concepts of statistical physics yield
physical observables of fractal systems. An interesting question I intend to
investigate is the following: Is there a Noether’s theorem for self-similarity,
i.e. does the symmetry of self-similarity implicate a new conservation law?
If so, what is the conserved physical quantity in a system with self-similar
symmetry?

Recently I started an attempt to deduce the dynamic lattice Green’s func-

tion on the Sierpinski gasket. I believe there is an enormous research- and
interdisciplinary application potential of the fractal approach.

Further Interests: To work in a strong team in any fields of PDE or analysis

on problems of dynamical systems, e.g. ergodic theory – statistical physics
would be also of great interest for me.
REFERENCES

Dr. Mujibur Rahman

Senior Stress Analyst
The Boeing Company
9725 E Marginal Way S
Bldg: 9-101, Room: 23C3 M
Tukwila, WA 98108-4040, USA
Phone: (206) 655 – 7945
E-mail: Mohammed.M.Rahman@boeing.com

Dr. Markus J. Buehler

Senior Scientist
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
Phone: 617-452-2750
Cell: 626-628-4087
Fax: 617-258-6775
Email: mbuehler@mit.edu

Dr. Dr. habil. Leon Mishnaevsky Jr

Senior Scientist
Risø National Laboratory, Materials Research Dept.
AFM-228, P.O. Box 49, Frederiksborgvej 399
DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
Phone: 45 46775729
Email: leon.mishnaevsky@risoe.dk
Professor Dr. Valery Levin
Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo
Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas
152 Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan
C.P. 07730, Mexico, D.F., Mexico
Email: vlevine@imp.mx

Professor Dr. Mark Kachanov

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
Phone: 617-627-3318
Fax: 617-627-3058
Email: mark.kachanov@tufts.edu

Professor Dr. Arne Wunderlin (Currently on sick leave)

Institut für Theoretische Physik I
Universität Stuttgart
Pfaffenwaldring 57/4
D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany
Phone: +49-711-685-64987
Email: arne.wunderlin@itp1.uni-stuttgart.de