Special Issue: In Honor of Robert M. McMeeking’s 70th Birthday

Abstract

Abstract We are delighted to present to you this special issue of the Journal of Applied Mechanics, in honor of Professor Robert M. McMeeking's 70th birthday. We thank Yonggang Huang, the journal Editor-in-Chief for supporting this project. McMeeking served as the journal editor from 2002 to 2012, so it is only fitting that this collection of papers would appear here. We are grateful to the authors who contributed to this special issue and thank the reviewers who made this release possible, despite the many challenges brought on by the pandemic. We thank Norah McMeeking for checking the validity of the details included in the biographical sketch. McMeeking's four decades as an educator, a caring mentor and an inspiring role model have earned him profound respect from his former students and colleagues. His research in solid mechanics and materials spans fields as diverse as plasticity theory, fracture mechanics, computational methods, glaciology, hard ceramics, composite materials, ferroelectric systems, microstructural evolution, protection of structures from high intensity blast waves, fluid structure interactions arising from underwater blast waves, biomechanics of cells and lithium-ion batteries and fuel-cells among others. This special issue is a collection of 19 selected papers dedicated to his honor and to his outstanding contributions to the field, from former students, post-docs and colleagues scattered around three continents. The papers illustrate research in composite structures, granular media, adhesives, lattice materials, shells and wave propagation. They also include bioengineering applications. We hope you will enjoy reading them.