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Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering School of Engineering

Krishan K. Chawla

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Professor Emeritus This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Business & Engineering 360
(205) 593-3571

Research and Teaching Interests: Processing, microstructure, and properties of materials in general, with a special emphasis on fibers, composite materials, and foams.

Office Hours: By appointment

Education:

  • B.S., Banaras Hindu University
  • M.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Professor Chawla obtained his B.S. from Banaras Hindu University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He has taught and/or done research at (in alphabetical order) Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland); Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin (Germany); German Aerospace Research Institute (DLR), Cologne (Germany); Instituto Militar de Engenharia (Brazil); Laval University (Canada); Los Alamos National Lab, (USA); New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (USA) Northwestern University (USA); University of Alabama at Birmingham (USA), and University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (USA).

He served as the Chairman of the Dept. of Materials and Mechanical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) during 1999- 2001. Currently, he is a professor emeritus in the Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering at UAB.

He has published extensively in the areas of processing, microstructure, and mechanical behavior of materials, in general, and composite materials, fibers, and foams in particular. Professor Chawla is Editor of International Materials Reviews (published by Taylor and Francis for ASM International, USA and the Institute of Materials, UK) and a member of the Editorial Boards of various journals.

  • Recent Courses
    • Introduction to Composite Materials
    • Advanced Composite Materials
    • Ceramic Matrix Composites
    • Mechanical Metallurgy
    • Physical Metallurgy
    • Fracture Mechanics
    • Fibrous Materials
    • Mechanical Behavior of Materials
  • Select Publications

    Authored

    • M.A. Meyers and K.K. Chawla, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 3rd ed., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2024 in press.
    • N. Chawla and K.K. Chawla, Mechanical Testing of Materials, Spring Nature, Switzerland, 2024 in press.
    • C-H Hsueh, S. Schmauder, C-S Chen, K.K. Chawla, N. Chawla, W. Chen, Y. Kagawa (eds), Handbook of Mechanics of Materials, vol 1, Springer Nature, 2019, Singapore
    • K.K. Chawla, Fibrous Materials, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 2016.
    • G.M. Gladysz and K.K. Chawla, Voids in Materials: From Unavoidable Defects to Designed Cellular Materials, Elsevier, Boston, 2015.
    • N. Chawla and K.K. Chawla, Metal Matrix Composites, 2nd ed., Springer, New York, 2013.
    • K.K. Chawla, Composite Materials: Science & Engineering, 3rd edition, Springer, New York, 2012.
    • M.A. Meyers and K.K. Chawla, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2009.
    • K.K. Chawla, Ceramic Matrix Composites, 2nd edition, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 2003.
    • M.A. Meyers and K.K. Chawla, Mechanical Metallurgy: Principles and Applications, Prentice‑Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA, 1984.
    • M.A. Meyers and K.K. Chawla, Principios de Metalurgia Mecanica, Editora Edgard Blucher, São Paulo, Brazil, 1982.

    Edited

    • F.T. Wallenberger, N. Weston, K.K. Chawla, R. Ford, and R.P. Wool (eds.) Advanced Fibers, Plastics, Laminates and Composites, vol. 702, Materials Research Society, Boston, MA, 2002.
    • K.K. Chawla, A. Mortensen, and J.-A. E. Manson (eds.), Processing of Fibers and Composites, Elsevier, Oxford, 2001.
    • R.A. Lowden, M.K. Ferber, J.R. Hellmann, K.K. Chawla, and S.G. DiPietro (eds.), Ceramic Matrix Composites- Adv. High-Temperature Structural Materials, Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA, 1995.
  • Academic Distinctions & Professional Memberships
    • Co-Chair, Engineering Conferences International, ECI, on Syntactic and Composite Foams-V, Siracusa, Italy, 2016.
    • Co-Chair, Engineering Conferences International, ECI, on Syntactic and Composite Foams-IV, Santa Fe, NM, USA, 2014.
    • Educator Award by The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) in 2011. The citation of this award reads: “For seminal contributions and text books written for the education and training of students in mechanical behavior and composites.”
    • Co-Chair, Engineering Conferences International, ECI, on Syntactic and Composite Foams-III, Cetrara, Italy, 2011.
    • Co-Chair, Engineering Conferences International, ECI, on Syntactic and Composite Foams-II, Davos, Switzerland, 2007.
    • President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 2006.
    • Co-Chair, Engineering Conferences International, ECI, on Syntactic and Composite Foams. Banff, Alberta, Canada, 2004.
    • Distinguished Alumnus Award, Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Technology, 2000.
    • Chair, United Engineering Foundation Conference on Processing of Fibers and Composites in Barga, Italy, 1999.
    • Invited keynote speaker, annual technical meeting, Brazilian Assoc. for Metals & Materials, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1999.
    • Opening keynote speaker at a European Research Conference on Fracture of Fibers, Isla de Majorca, Spain, 1999.
    • Fellow, ASM International, 1997.
    • Distinguished Research Award, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 1996.
    • US Department of Energy Faculty Fellow, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,  TN, June, 1994  - June, 1995.
    • Tutorial Lecturer, "Composite Materials for Aerospace Applications," at the Fall, 1991 meeting of The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society, Oct. 21,1991, Cincinnati, Ohio.
    • ASM International and Indian Institute of Metals Lecturer, 1990.