ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I would like to thank my tutor and commitee member Dr. Jin-Yeon Kim, whose meetings I experienced as exceedingly fruitful for my scientific education. This work would not have been possible without his consolidated knowledge and professional guidance. My special thanks go to my advisor, Dr. Laurence Jacobs, for all his support and effort to make not only this thesis but also my stay at the Georgia Institute of Technology happen. Thanks also to the committee member Dr. Jianmin Qu for reviewing this work. For the daily and pleasant life together in “Larry’s lab”, I would like to thank all my lab mates. Also, thanks to Mike and the IT-helpdesk of Mason building for quick support with numerous requests. At the University of Stuttgart, Germany, I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Lothar Gaul and Dipl.-Ing. Helge Sprenger from the Institute of Applied and Experimental Mechanics for their efforts to offer the exchange program I benefit from. In this context, thanks to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for supporting the transatlantic partnership. Also, Katja Striegel from the Office o