Gabriel Potirniche, P.E., Ph.D.

• Solid mechanics
• Computational methods
• Fracture, fatigue and creep-fatigue of metals
• Elastic, plastic and creep deformation modeling
• Finite Element Method
• Stress Analysis

Gabriel P. Potirniche is an associate professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Idaho. He received his doctorate in 2003 in mechanical engineering from the Mississippi State University. Afterwards, he joined the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at MSU as a postdoctoral associate. He joined the University of Idaho in 2007 as an assistant professor. His research is focused on the modeling of the mechanical behavior of material. He has implemented computational models for the study of fatigue damage at the nanoscale using molecular dynamics methods, at the microscale using crystal plasticity theory, and at the macroscale using classical isotropic plasticity and anisotropic yield functions.

Potirniche has also performed computational studies of ductile fracture in crystalline materials under quasi-static and dynamic loading. Potirniche has also been developing constitutive models for the visco-hyperelestic behavior of polymer materials subjected to impact and ballistic loads. Recently, he has been working on creep-fatigue crack growth modeling for temperature-resistant austenitic and martensitic steels.

Potirniche is a member of ASME and ASM International. In 2007 he received the “Orr Early Career Award” by the Materials Division and Awards Committee of the ASME. In addition to his research, Potirniche teaches solid mechanics courses at the University of Idaho.

• G.P. Potirniche and J. Ramirez. Physically-based modeling of creep-fatigue crack growth using a constitutive theory and a strip-yield methodology, Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals, DOI 10.1007/s12666-015-0777-4, Dec. 2015.
• T. Shrestha, I. Charit and G.P. Potirniche. In-situ tensile deformation and residual stress measurement by neutron diffraction in modified 9Cr-1Mo steel, Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, DOI: 10.1007/s11665-015-1752-2
• M. Basirat, T. Shrestha, L. Barranyk, G. P. Potirniche and I. Charit. A Creep Damage Model for High-Temperature Deformation and Failure of 9Cr-1Mo Steel Weldments, Metals, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 1487-1506, doi:10.3390/met5031487, 2015
• Andrews, B., Potirniche, G.P. Constitutive Creep-Fatigue Crack Growth Methodology in Two Steels Using a Strip Yield Model, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, vol. 140, pp. 72-91, 2015
• Shrestha, T.,  Alsagabi, S.F., Charit, I., Potirniche, G. P., and Glazoff, M.V.  Effect of Heat Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel, Metals, vol. 5, no 1, pp. 131-149; doi:10.3390/met5010131, 2015
• Rostamian, M. Johnson, G., Hiruta, M., Potirniche, G.P., Ougouag, A.M., Cogliati, J.J., Tokuhiro, A. Computational and experimental prediction of dust production in pebble bed reactors, Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 263, pp.500-508, 2013
• Hiruta, M., Johnson, G., Rostamian, M., Potirniche, G.P., Bertino, M., Franzel, L, Tokuhiro, A. Computational and experimental prediction of dust production in pebble bed reactors, Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 263, pp.509-514, 2013
• Shrestha, T., Basirat, M., Charit, I., Potirniche, G.P, Rink, K.K. Creep rupture behavior of Grade 91 steel”, Materials Science and Engineering A, vol. 565, pp. 382-391, 2013
• Potirniche, G.P. A numerical strip-yield model for the creep crack incubation in steels, Journal of the ASTM International, Selected technical papers STP 1546, vol. 38, pp. 197-214, 2012
• Basirat, M., Shrestha,T., Potirniche, G.P., Charit, I., Rink, K. A study of the creep behavior of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel using continuum-damage modeling, International Journal of Plasticity, vol. 37, pp. 95-107, 2012

• Characterization of Creep-Fatigue Crack Growth in Alloy 709 and Prediction of Service Lives in Nuclear Reactor Components, FY 2015 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research, Department of Energy, 2015-2018
• Acquisition of a FEI Scios Electron Microscope, Murdock Charitable Trust, , 2015-2018
• High Speed Digital Package Measurement and Modeling for Next Generation Memory Modules, Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission, Idaho Department of Commerce, 2013
• Acquisition of an Adaptive Computation Server for Support of STEM Research at the University of Idaho, Division of Computer and Network Systems, NSF Major Research Instrumentation, 2012-2015, $300,000
• Packaging of high temperature thermoelectric devices: Assembly methods, II-VI Foundation, 2012–2014
• Prediction and monitoring systems of creep-fracture behavior of 9Cr-1Mo steels for reactor pressure vessels, Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP), Department of Energy, 2009- 2012
• Experimental study and computational simulations of key pebble bed thermo-mechanics issues for design and safety, Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP), Department of Energy, 2009-2012
• An integrated multi-disciplinary microelectronics packaging laboratory, Micron Co. Foundation, 2011-2013
• One- and two-dimensional visco-elastic modeling of polymeric fibers and fabrics, Research project with CAE Corporation, sponsored by the DoD, 2006-2008

• University Mid-Career Faculty Award, University of Idaho, 2015
• Award for Excellence, Alumni Association, University of Idaho, 2009
• Orr Early Career Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Materials Division Awards and Honors Committee, 2007
• Award for Excellence in Multiscale Modeling and Engineering Applications, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Mississippi State University, 2005
• Henry O. Fuchs Student Award, Society of Automotive Engineers, Fatigue Design and Evaluation Committee, 2002