Acquisition of Instrumentation Used for the Non-Contact Measurement of Strains and Displacements on the Surface of Composite Materials with High Strain Gradients

Union College, Schenectady NY

Investigators

Abstract

OIA-0116494 PI: Ronald Bucinell Institution: Union College Title: "Instrumentation Used for the Non-Contact Measurement of Strains and Displacements on the Surface of Composite Materials with High Strain Gradients" Abstract: The research equipment being acquired through this grant includes non-contact strain measuring apparatus that will provide all components of strain on complex geometric surfaces in the presence of high strain gradients. A Moire interferometer and video image correlation strain and displacement measuring systems will be acquired. The Moire interferometer provides high-resolution strain and displacements over a relatively small area and the video image correlation system provides medium-resolution strains and displacements over a relatively large area. These features make the two systems complementary. Also included in this grant is the renovation of a 20kip screw-driven electro-mechanical load frame. The renovation will include a rehabilitation of the load frame, upgrading of the electronics, integration of MTS TestStar control software, and a dedicated computer to run the load frame and collect data. The load frame will be fitted with custom fixtures for mounting the non-contact strain apparatus and it will be dedicated to projects that utilize this apparatus. Undergraduate research is one of the pillars of Union College's undergraduate engineering programs. Many of Union College's engineering students graduate and enter graduate programs in engineering. Union's laboratory based curriculum prepares students well for careers in engineering and continued studies in graduate programs. This program relies on maintaining laboratory facilities that expose students to the current state of the art laboratory equipment. The equipment being purchased will go to support the PI and co-PI's research programs that make extensive use of undergraduate students. The equipment will be used to investigate the optimization, characterization, and evaluation of composite structures and test specimens. This equipment will allow for strains and displacements on these structures to be evaluated and used to optimize the configurations. Programs that will be able to take advantage of this effort include the study of composite grid structures for infrastructure applications, evaluation of material performance for reusable launch vehicle applications, and for the development of composite material test methods. Additionally the equipment will be used to investigate the fracture behavior of monolithic materials. The new equipment provide undergraduate engineering students in the mechanical and civil engineering programs at Union College the opportunity to visualize surface strains on complex structures in regions of high strain gradients as part of their research projects. This will give them a unique opportunity to visualize these fields and be able to compare them to finite element and other results. This opportunity will help students to understand the complexity of strain in structures and encourage them to continue their education exploring opportunities in the field of engineering mechanics.