We carry out mechanical tests on size scaling from small specimens to entire structures, assess fitness for operation during a structure’s whole lifetime, and investigate damage using a complex approach.
COMPETENCIES
• Determination of mechanical properties
• Assessment of structural integrity and lifetime management
• Analysing operability sustainment of structures and lifetime extension
• Damage investigations, exploring causes, analysing the effect of damage on operating structures, prevention of undesirable events
• Time dependence analysis of structure operation and statistical analysis of damage
INSTRUMENTS
• Mechanical testing, technological probes and fracture mechanical investigations on specimens, structural elements and full-scale structures (MTS materials testing systems, fatigue and burst test systems for pipelines and pressure vessels)
• Material technological process simulations on specimens (Gleeble thermo-mechanical physical simulator)
• Confirmation of lifetime management, residual lifetime and lifetime extension based on experiments
• Education in topics of materials and technological testing, fracture mechanics, physical simulation and structural integrity
REFERENCES
• Industrial R&D projects (MOL Group)
• AUTOTECH – Material developments for the automotive industry
• LoCoMaTech
• Production process development of aluminium packaging (aerosols)
• Retraining courses for engineers
