RUI: Controlled Biaxial Deformation in Lightweight Alloys at Elevated Temperatures

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This Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) project aims to advance the current state of material characterization via a comprehensive experimental approach that is based on biaxial loading. Metallic materials undergo biaxial stretching during sheet metal forming operations, yet efforts on biaxial testing are overshadowed by those based on the uniaxial loading case. A customized apparatus capable of deforming test specimens at controlled biaxial stretching ratios will be constructed. It will incorporate a heating system to facilitate testing at high temperatures, and an optical strain measurement system for the accurate evaluation of biaxial strains. Detailed biaxial stretching tests will then be carried out on multiple materials, covering a wide range of testing conditions. The collected data is essential to produce mathematical equations that can accurately describe the behavior of the investigated materials. The research will focus on lightweight alloys (Magnesium, Aluminum, and Titanium) because their weight-saving properties make them increasingly critical to the automotive and aerospace industries.This project will be executed at an institution of primary undergraduate education; it will therefore offer a unique opportunity for promoting students involvement in state-of-the-art research. The testing apparatus will support and enrich several courses and laboratories, in multiple engineering programs. It will also promote collaborative research activities within the college, especially within the newly-established "Energy" and "Medical Plastics Research" Centers. Aided by the current ties with General Motors, this research will serve the needs of the automotive sheet metal forming industry, and contribute to the development of a much-needed biaxial testing standard.