Ismael Ben-Yelun

I have a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain), with an international mention from the University of Cambridge awarded with Honorable Mention in the Experimental and Technological Sciences Award 2024 of the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain (RADE), and Assistant Professor at the Department of Aircraft and Spacecraft (DAVE) of the School of Aeronautical and Space Engineering (ETSIAE). My main research topics are topology optimization algorithms and data-driven techniques, using surrogate models to speed up expensive evaluations in physical and engineering applications. During my last year of my Ph.D., I did a half-a-year research stay at the CSMLab, led by Prof. Fehmi Cirak at University of Cambridge (UK), a half-a-year research stay at the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Processes (PIMM), under the supervision of Prof. Paco Chinesta at École nationale supérieure d’Arts et Métiers (Paris, France), with another postdoctoral stay at PIMM, with which I continue to collaborate actively in projects and publications.

My current research interests are focused on simulation within computational mechanics, specifically in topology optimization and metamaterials using finite element modeling and surrogate, data-driven machine learning models (artificial intelligence) based on physics. During my doctoral thesis I have published 8 papers in JCR journals (6 in Q1), one of them awarded with the “Editor’s Choice” of the issue, and I have presented papers in 6 international conferences.

I am a member of the GAMOSINOS research group (Group of Advanced MOdelling and SImulation of NOn-linear Solids), where I participate in the European project COMETAS (MSCA H2020), and I have been a member in two Spanish national plans. Regarding teaching, I have taught 240 hours in subjects such as Strength of Materials and Elasticity, and Solid Mechanics, in the BSc in Aerospace Engineering at the ETSI Aeronáutica y del Espacio (UPM). I have also directed/co-directed 10 Final Degree Projects (Bachelor or Master). In addition, I have been a member of three educational innovation projects, and I have presented in two international teaching congresses, as a member of an educational innovation group (GIE) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. I have an excellent Teaching Evaluation (98.68/100, DOCENTIA), as well as a “Flap de Oro” award given by the students to the best teacher of the 2nd year of the BSc in Aerospace Engineering for the 2021/2022 academic year.

Research topics: topology optimization, surrogate modelling, finite element analysis, machine learning, deep learning, computational mechanics, artificial intelligence

news

Jan 16, 2025	Honorable Mention in the Experimental and Technological Sciences Award 2024 of the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain (RADE). Link to press release
Mar 5, 2024	PhD Thesis Topology Optimization and Data-Driven Approaches for Functionally Graded Metamaterials defended. Link to video
May 15, 2022	Award for best professor in second year of BSc in Aerospace Engineering

selected publications

EngStr

Self-learning locally-optimal hypertuning using maximum entropy, and comparison of machine learning approaches for estimating fatigue life in composite materials of the aerospace industry

Ismael Ben-Yelun, Miguel Dı́az-Lago, Luis Saucedo-Mora, and 3 more authors

Engineering Structures, 2023

Bib HTML

@article{ben2023self,
  title = {Self-learning locally-optimal hypertuning using maximum entropy, and comparison of machine learning approaches for estimating fatigue life in composite materials of the aerospace industry},
  author = {Ben-Yelun, Ismael and D{\'\i}az-Lago, Miguel and Saucedo-Mora, Luis and Sanz, Miguel {\'A}ngel and Callado, Ricardo and Mont{\'a}ns, Francisco Javier},
  journal = {Engineering Structures},
  volume = {283},
  pages = {115829},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  doi = {10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.115829},
  dimensions = {154004513},
}

GAM: General Auxetic Metamaterial with Tunable 3D Auxetic Behavior Using the Same Unit Cell Boundary Connectivity

Ismael Ben-Yelun, Guillermo Gómez-Carano, Francisco J San Millán, and 3 more authors

Materials, 2023

Bib HTML

@article{ben2023gam,
  title = {GAM: General Auxetic Metamaterial with Tunable 3D Auxetic Behavior Using the Same Unit Cell Boundary Connectivity},
  author = {Ben-Yelun, Ismael and G{\'o}mez-Carano, Guillermo and San Mill{\'a}n, Francisco J and Sanz, Miguel {\'A}ngel and Mont{\'a}ns, Francisco Javier and Saucedo-Mora, Luis},
  journal = {Materials},
  volume = {16},
  number = {9},
  pages = {3473},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  doi = {10.3390/ma16093473},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/9/3473},
  dimensions = {1157688150},
}

Topology optimization approach for functionally graded metamaterial components based on homogenization of mechanical variables

Ismael Ben-Yelun, Luis Saucedo-Mora, Miguel Ángel Sanz, and 2 more authors

Computers & Structures, 2023

Bib HTML

@article{ben2023topology,
  title = {Topology optimization approach for functionally graded metamaterial components based on homogenization of mechanical variables},
  author = {Ben-Yelun, Ismael and Saucedo-Mora, Luis and Sanz, Miguel {\'A}ngel and Ben{\'\i}tez, Jos{\'e} Mar{\'\i}a and Montans, Francisco Javier},
  journal = {Computers \& Structures},
  volume = {289},
  pages = {107151},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  dimensions = {1157688150},
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045794923001815},
  doi = {10.1016/j.compstruc.2023.107151}
}