Research into the mechanical behavior of brittle materials reached its height in the 1970’s and early 80’s. With notable exceptions, like RPI, many mechanics research laboratories have moved on to other areas of interest. For Corning Incorporated the need for mechanics knowledge has always been high and now more than ever. This talk will review some of the impactful mechanics work originating from the Mechanics Research Lab at Corning’s Sullivan Park technology center. Beginning with lifetime modeling of optical fiber, then to flexible glass and ending with the advent of cover glass for mobile devices, historical knowledge about damage mechanics and subcritical crack growth has been continuously modified with new understanding to match ever more complex glass applications. The talk ends with a discussion on how one brings diverse technical knowledge and wisdom together to address new technical opportunities.
Dr. Glaesemann joined Corning in 1986 to work on developing mechanics and reliability understanding of optical fiber during the rapid growth of this product. In 2005 he joined the central research organization and extended his work on fiber to flexible glass sheets and damage resistant coatings. He was involved in establishing the mechanics foundation for the launch of Corning’s ion-exchanged cover glass program. Today he studies the impact mechanics of glass, fracture mechanics of flaws in glass and fatigue fundamentals with several protégées. His long-term plan is to spend more time mountain biking and skiing.