R. Byron Pipes

John L. Bray Distinguished Professor of Engineering

ARMS 2235
Purdue University
Davidson School of Chemical Engineering
Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering
480 Stadium Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2100
(765) 494-5767 (office)
(765) 494-0805 (fax)
Joined Purdue in 2004
Ph.D. University of Texas at Arlington, 1972
M.S.E. Princeton University, 1969
B.S. Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, 1964

Research Interests

Dr. Pipes' graduate students work in composites manufacturing simulation focuses on the influence of manufacturing processes on the development of composites microstructure and the resulting implications upon structural performance. Two primary manufacturing processes are the subject of the majority of the scholarship underway and these include composites additive manufacturing (cAM) through fused filament fabrication and discontinuous prepreg platelet composites. For cAM, the research is directed at the prediction of the free-surface flow of fiber-reinforced polymer extrudates and the multi-physics phenomena that determine extrudate-substrate adhesion, shrinkage deformation, mechanical and transport properties and performance of the printed geometry. The discontinuous prepreg platelet studies examine the rheology of these highly anisotropic systems to determine fiber orientation distribution within a molded geometry, micro-CAT scan methods for determination of fiber orientation and prediction of the strength properties of structural elements molded from these materials systems.

Awards and Honors

National Academy of Engineering (1987)
Royal Society of Engineering Sciences of Sweden (1995)
Gustus L. Larson Award of Pi Tau Sigma (1986)
Chaire Francqui, Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award in Belgium (1985)
Fellow rank in ASC, ASME and SAMPE

Selected Publications

Xie, Y., Kravchenko, O.G., Pipes, R.B. and Koslowski, M., "Phase field modeling of damage in glassy polymers," Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 93, pp. 182–197 (2016).

Kravchenko,O., Kravchenko, S.G., Pipes, R.B., "Chemical and thermal shrinkage in thermosetting prepreg," Composites: Part A, 80, 72–81 (2016).

Pipes, R.B., "Accelerating the Certification Process for Aerospace Composites," High Performance Composites, March (2014).

Kravchenko, O. G., Li, C., Strachan, A., Kravchenko, S.G. and Pipes, R.B.,"Prediction of the chemical and thermal shrinkage in a thermoset polymer," Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Volume 66, Pages 35–43, (2014).

Kravchenko, S., Kravchenko, O., Wortmann, M., Pietrek, M., Horst, P., Pipes, R.B, Composite Toughness Enhancement with Interlaminar Reinforcement, Composites: Part A, (2013)

Misiego, C.R. and Pipes, R.B., "Dispersion and its Relation to Carbon Nanotube Concentration in Polyimide Nanocomposites," Composites Science and Technology, 85, pp. 43-49, (2013).

Goodsell, J., Pagano, N.J., Kravchenko, O, and Pipes, R.B., "Interlaminar Stresses in Composite Laminates Subjected to Anticlastic Bending Deformation," Journal of Applied Mechanics, 80(4), (2013); 041020-1 - 041020-7.

Cadena, M., Misiego, R., Smith, K.C., Avia, A., Pipes, R.B., Reifenberger, R. and Raman, A., "Subsurface Imaging of Carbon Nanotube-polymer Composites Using Dynamic AFM Methods," Nanotechnology, 24, 135706 (2013).

Condit, P., Pipes, R.B., "The Global University," Issues in Science and Technology, National Academy of Sciences, XIV,(1), pp. 27-28, (1997).

Pipes, R.B., Wilson, J.M., "A Multimedia Model for Undergraduate Education," Technology in Society, 18(3), pp. 387-401 (1996).

Pipes, R.B., Coffin, D.W., Shuler, S.F., Simacek, P., "Non-Newtonian Constitutive Relationships for Hyper Concentrated Fiber Suspensions," Journal of Composite Materials, 28(4), pp. 343-350, (1994).

Pipes, R.B., Lewis, C.S., "Research Centers in Sciences and Engineering," Innovative Models for University Research, edited by C.R. Haden, North- Holland, (1992).