A Methodology for Characterizing Intermetallic and Metal Matrix Composites for Practical Dual Use Applications

Innovative research and development leading to a dual-use advanced technology product is proposed. The product is an integrated system consisting of data generation and acquisition, data analysis, and mechanics modeling of intermetallic and metal matrix composite (MMC) materials. The system will provide a complete multiaxial characterization of MMC response under multiaxial loading conditions in a form that is directly usable by test engineers and designers. The research effort will build on work performed by the Air Force, and will focus on developing and validating a mechanistic method to characterize and describe MMC response under multiaxial stresses, general load orientations, and under thermal and environmental conditions of interest. The development of the mechanistic method is a necessary pre-requisite to developing a technically sound and marketable product. The work scope in Phase will involve both analytical modeling and experimental work. The product will enable test engineers an improved interpretation of test data involving multiaxial stresses. It will help designers by providing them with more complete material characterization information than is currently available to them for performing structural analyses.