A major focus of research within our group is aimed at the key areas of fracture, fatigue and high temperature creep, a particular emphasis being placed on understanding deformation and failure mechanisms in the materials. Many projects have a strong industrial slant, the main focus of our work being with Rolls Royce, developing models to predict the high temperature deformation and life of components in jet engines. With a knowledge of the underlying mechanisms, physically based constitutive equations and lifing methodologies are being developed. These are often coded into numerical routines for use in finite element analysis allowing component analysis.
Any models have to be vallidated through testing.
Alongside an excellent range of testing equipment we have particular expertise in thermo-mechanical fatigue for which we have a dedicated machine. Using this we can simulate the conditions that turbine components see where strain and temperature vary around a cycle. Away from component analysis, we are using a finite element model incorporating statistical analysis to look at prediction of the conditions for brittle fracture ahead of a crack in bainitic steels. A crucial aim of the approach is to tie together both numerical prediction and observed failure mechanisms. Alloy development As well as looking at at sting components we are also involved in the optimisation of the alloys used and in improving their capabilities.