Mechanical Testing

To test the alloys we develop or evaluate deformation mechanisms under various conditions and environments, our department is equipped with a full suite of mechanical testing equipment.  The equipment that are directly relevant to our research are detailed below.

We routinely use:

• A low cycle fatigue (LCF) rig designed to assess the fatigue properties of structural materials at elevated temperatures.
• A thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) testing facility for simulating service conditions experienced by aero-engine components. 
• An electro-thermal mechanical testing (ETMT) machine to rapidly assess the mechanical properties of structural materials at elevated temperatures using miniaturised specimens.
• Small-scale samples testing in situ; either with microscopy (optical or SEM), or diffraction based techniques at a national synchrotron facility.
• Digital image correlation (DIC) for full-field surface strain mapping, available for use in conjunction with all mechanical testing facilities.

For further information, please refer to the website of the Mechanical Testing Lab in the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy.