Various processes and systems involve a multitude of disciplines and physical phenomena that are interacting together in a coupled fashion to achieve a desired operation. The Multi-physics research theme looks into the numerical modelling and validation of such processes and systems such as:

• Visco-plastic material flow / thermo-mechanical modelling of Friction Stir Welding (FSW)   
• Electro-mechanical simulation of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
• Fluid-structural interaction of hydrofoils and aerofoils
• Thermo-mechanical response of various materials subject to specific loading configurations such as particle beam impacts
•  

A combination of coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used in the multi-physics domain. The models are also validated through experimental campaigns. 

Funded projects

MEMSGRIP: Microelectromechanical System Gripper for Biomedical Applications
2020 – date
Funded by: Transdisciplinary Research and Knowledge Exchange Complex (TRAKE), UMIn collaboration with the Faculty of Information & Communication Technology (ICT)Researcher and PhD student: Inġ Thomas SciberrasPrincipal Investigator: Prof. Pierluigi MolliconeCo-Investigators: Prof. Ivan Grech, Prof. Bertram Mallia, Dr Marija Demicoli, Prof. Nicholas Sammut
Industrial endorsement: ST Microelectronics, Malta

ARIES: Accelerator Research and Innovation for European Science and Society
Funded by: European Commission in Call Horizon 2020
2017 – date
Ph.D. supervision at the University of Malta: Pierluigi Mollicone and Nicholas Sammut (Faculty of ICT)
Coordinator: CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva, Switzerland 

Mechanical Optimisation and Design of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)
Funded by: European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) LAB4MEMSII - Department of Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics, Faculty of ICT, UM
2014- 2020   
Researcher: Russell Farrugia
Academic Mentors: Joseph Micallef, Ivan Grech, Duncan Camilleri, Owen Casha and Edward Gatt

Thermo-Mechanical Studies of Novel MEMS Micro-grippers for Manufacturing in Malta Funded by: Reach High Post doc scholarship, Malta for Dr Marija Cauchi 2016 – 2019 Researcher: Marija Demicoli Academic Mentors: Pierluigi Mollicone, Ivan Grech, Bertram Mallia, Nicholas Sammut Endorsed by: ST Microelectronics, Malta

Eu-CARD and Eu-CARD-2 - Enhanced European Coordination for Accelerator Research & Development
2010 – 2017
Funded by: European Commission in Call, FP7
Ph.D. student: Marija Demicoli
Ph.D. supervision at the University of Malta: Pierluigi Mollicone and Nicholas Sammut
Coordinator: CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva, Switzerland

HILDA – High Integrity Low Distortion Assembly 
Funded by: European Commission in Call FP7-SST-2012-RTD-1.   
Date: Sep 2012 – Aug 2015
Principal Investigator: Duncan Camilleri
Co-investigators: Pierluigi Mollicone, Daniel Micallef
In collaboration with:  Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, U.K. (Project Coordinator), Centre de Recherche en Aeronautique ASBL (CENAERO), Belgium, The Welding Institute (TWI) Ltd., U.K., Lloyd’s Register EMEA, U.K., Center of Maritime Technologies e.V. (CMT), Germany, Naval Architecture Progress, Greece, GeonX sprl, Belgium
  

Selected publications   

• R Farrugia, B Portelli, I Grech, D Camilleri, O Casha, J Micallef, E Gatt, 'Air damping of high performance resonating micro-mirrors with angular vertical comb-drive actuators', Microsystem Technologies, 2019, 1-15
• Portelli M, Bertarelli A, Carra F, Pasquali M, Sammut N, Mollicone P, ‘Numerical and experimental benchmarking of the dynamic response of sic and tzm specimens in the multimat experiment’, Mechanics of Materials, 138:103169, 2019
• Cauchi M, Grech I, Mallia B, Mollicone P, Portelli B, Sammut N, 2019, ‘Essential design and fabrication considerations for the reliable performance of an electrothermal MEMS microgripper’, Microsystem Technologies, 2019
• Cauchi M, Grech I, Mallia B, Mollicone P, Sammut N, 2019, ‘The Effects of Cold Arm Width and Metal Deposition on the Performance of a U-Beam Electrothermal MEMS Microgripper for Biomedical Applications’, Micromachines, vol. 10, no. 3
• Farrugia R, Grech I, Camilleri D, Casha O, Gatt E and Micallef J, 2017, ’Theoretical and Finite Element Analysis of Dynamic Deformation in Resonating Micro-Mirrors,‘ Microsystem Technologies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00542-017-3335-7
• Micallef D, Camilleri D, Toumpis A, Galloway A and Arbaoui L, 2016, ‘Local Heat Generation and Material Flow in Friction Stir Welding of Mild Steel Assemblies,’ 230, 2, 586-602,  Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part L: Journal of Materials Design and Applications, Professional Engineering Publishing Ltd. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1464420715583163
• Cauchi M, Assmann R W, Bertarelli A, Carra F, Cerutti F, Lari L, Mollicone P, Redaelli S, and Sammut N., 2015, ‘Thermomechanical response of Large Hadron Collider collimators to proton and ion beam impacts’, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams, 18:041002, 2015. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.18.041002
• M. Cauchi, R.W. Assmann, A. Bertarelli, F. Carra, A. Dallocchio, L. Lari, P. Mollicone, A. Rossi, N. Sammut, Thermomechanical assessment of the effects of a jaw-beam angle during beam impact on Large Hadron Collider collimators, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams, 18, 021001 (2015)
• D. Camilleri, D. Micallef, P. Mollicone, S. Cater,  Thermal Stresses and Distortion Developed in Mild Steel DH36 Friction Stir-Welded Plates: An Experimental and Numerical Assessment,  Journal of Thermal Stresses, 2015, 38, 5, 485-508
• Camilleri D, 2012, Thermo-mechanical Behaviour of DBC Substrate Assemblies Subject to Soldering Fabrication Processes, Soldering and Surface Mount Technology, 24, 2. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (Awarded Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2013 - Highly Commended) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09540911211214677
  
  

Theme members

Prof. Duncan Camilleri
Prof. Claire De Marco
Dr Simon Mizzi 
Prof. Pierluigi Mollicone