Materials Test and Evaluation Laboratory

The Materials Test and Evaluation Laboratory is equipped with a variety of sophisticated test machines and equipment to perform a wide variety of materials-related testing under an equally wide range of environments and conditions. This laboratory supports our capabilities in the mechanical testing of metals, composites, and structural components.

• Eleven servo-hydraulic fatigue test machines are available with a wide range of force capacities.  Fatigue testing can be conducted at peak loads ranging from a few pounds to ±200,000 lbf and at cyclic frequencies from <1Hz to ~100Hz.  In addition, a unique electro-dynamic fatigue test machine, designed and built by UDRI personnel, is available for fatigue testing at cyclic frequencies up to 500 Hz.
• A large number of servo-electric universal test machines are likewise available for performing slow to moderate monotonic loading on samples and components, ranging from ±100-lbf max capacities to ±60,000-lbf max.  In addition, monotonic loading can also be accomplished in servo-hydraulic test machines up to ±200,000 lbf.
• Testing under constant load (i.e. static) conditions can be accomplished using any one of the nine dead-weight loading creep/stress rupture frames in the laboratory.  These frames range in capacity from 3000 to 20,000 lbf and can be used in conjunction with existing furnaces for creep and stress rupture testing, or with aqueous chambers for SCC, KEAC, or hydrogen embrittlement evaluations.
• Testing under a variety of environmental conditions can be performed in any of the aforementioned test machines by the installation of any one of several existing chambers and furnaces.  Mechanical testing can be performed at temperatures ranging from 4K (-450°F) to over 2500°F.  A vacuum chamber can be installed in several of the servo-hydraulic universal test machines to allow testing from ambient conditions to 10-6 torr.  Humidity chambers can likewise be interfaced to several of the test stands to allow fatigue or static testing at near zero to 100% relative humidity. 
• Fatigue, fracture, and fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) testing under automated test machine control is likewise available for developing such data as FCGR threshold information or crack growth rate information under variable amplitude  (spectrum) loading conditions.
• Our experience and equipment allows us to conduct non-standard testing of unique samples, components, or simulated structures under unique conditions as required by the customer.  Unique test equipment and procedures have been developed on an as-required basis for determination of torsional shear properties, as well as combined two-axis loading conditions to simulate a particular test condition.

Overview of MT&E Laboratory