MRI: Acquisition of an axial servo-hydraulic material testing system for interdisciplinary teaching and research at the University of Minnesota Duluth

This award provides funding to acquire a new, 55 kips (250 KN) analytical-level axial servo-hydraulic material testing system (MTS) that will serve multi-disciplinary educational and research needs of the faculty and students at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Acquisition of the instrumentation will provide a wide range of material and structural testing capabilities including tension, compression, shear, flexural, and cyclic testing at both room and elevated temperatures. It will support ongoing research and new research projects in the college including: adhesively bonded joints and composites; piezoresistive property of carbon nanotube enhanced concrete pavement; aerospace 6Al4V Titanium alloys; and fatigue analysis of medium carbon steel for spring steel. Also, it will be a significant tool for conducting research in various UMD programs, including prestressed concretes; and system health monitoring.

Acquisition of a new MTS will make it the only state-of-art material testing system on UMD campus. It will have both immediate and long term impact on research, teaching and training at UMD including: providing a new up-to-date instrumentation for both our undergraduate and graduate level programs; enhancing current laboratory-learning condition, hence nurturing cross-disciplinary research activities at UMD; maintaining competitive science and engineering programs at UMD, hence, attracting traditionally under-represented groups to participate in science and engineering; providing significant research opportunities between UMD and affiliated state and federal organizations, industry and academics; and providing opportunities for the college to strengthen its relationship with regional K-12 education providers through show-casing on engineering day and teaching Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses.