Structures and Materials
Structures and Materials emphasizes the study of structural analysis, structural dynamics, structural design and behavior of aerospace materials. This includes courses that deal with the principles of mechanics and the theoretical, computational and experimental techniques necessary to ensure the structural integrity of aerospace vehicles. Response to, and failure of, both materials and structures subjected to static and dynamic loads and thermal corrosive and radiation environments are investigated theoretically and observed experimentally.
Facilities
This facility is developing the use of composites at large and small scales, and advanced digital-twin simulation technologies.
- Composites manufacturing simulation & validation
- Mechanics of structure genome
- Composites additive manufacturing
- cdmHUB online composites community
Lead Professor: R. Byron Pipes
Location: Indiana Manufacturing Institute, Purdue Research Park. Part of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI)
The ACME2 laboratory develops computational materials models for failure of structural aerospace materials with experimental validation efforts focused at characterization of the stress/strain evolution at the microstructural scale during in situ loading.
- Physical basis of failure mechanisms (fatigue, fracture, etc.)
- Coupled simulations and "in situ" experiments for model validation
- Accelerated qualification of structural materials
Lead Professor: Michael Sangid
Location: ARMS B119
This lab is dedicated to understanding materials, structures, and energy storage in UAVs, aerospace, and defense applications. We study mechanics, degradation, and failure of materials across a wide range of temperatures and strain rates. Our cutting-edge experiments, computational methods, and data-driven machine learning approaches involve:
- Laser Based Shock Loading
- Ablation in Controlled Environments
- Time Gated Raman Spectroscopy
- Optical Microscopy (>1 billion fps)
- Thermography
- Terahertz Spectroscopy
- In-air Battery Analysis (using drones)
- Cohesive Finite Element Methods
- Machine Learning Methods
Lead Professor: Vikas Tomar
Location: ARMS B145
The Impact Science Lab develops innovative experimental methods for characterization of materials at high rates of deformation.
- Kolsky Bars
- Light gas gun
Lead Professor: Zherui Martinez-Guo
Location: ARMS B130 and Bowen Basement
The mission of Multiscale Structural Mechanics Lab is to advance predictive capabilities for aerospace structures/materials and train students with analysis fundamentals and job-ready skills to realize the grand vision of design, manufacturing, and certification aerospace structures/materials by analysis.
Lead Professor: Wenbin Yu
Location: In the cloud
TNT laboratories is at the forefront of multi-functional materials including modeling, development, characterization, and applications such as structural health monitoring, self-sensing, and adaptive actuation.
Lead Professor: Tyler Tallman
Location: ARMS B107