Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

Department of Experimental Mechanics offers services in the following fields:

• Diagnostics and modelling of properties of cement composites.
• Experimental investigations into the mechanical properties of materials and structural elements under uniaxial and complex stress states on flat, tubular and cruciform specimens, including:

1. determination of yield surface and its evolution due to various loading history for standard and novel engineering materials including functional materials,
2. determination of plastic anisotropy and its variations due to plastic deformation and time,
3. creep testing of materials,
4. evaluation of the influence of plastic deformation history on creep characteristics of materials,
5. dynamic testing of materials on the Hopkinson bar under tensile or compressive loading,
6. evaluation of the effect of strain rate on the mechanical properties of engineering materials,
7. investigation of mechanical properties of materials under proportional and non-proportional cyclic loading,
8. fatigue, fracture and damage of materials,
9. fracture toughness of materials (KIC, CTOD),
10. fatigue evaluation of materials generated under various loading used in aviation, power engineering and other industry sectors, by means of the optical techniques (DIC and ESPI),
11. thin metal sheets testing for large deformations under compressive loading.

•  Investigations of phenomena taking place during laser processing of materials:

1. laser surface modification of metals and alloys for the improvement of their mechanical properties, wear and corrosion resistance,
2. laser forming of metal elements,
3. nanoparticles synthesis by laser ablation in various liquids.

• Ultrasonic methods for materials testing:

1. non-destructive testing of materials and structural objects,
2. ultrasonic stress evaluation,
3. design of sensors and ultrasonic equipment.

• Investigations of the pseudoplasticity of ceramics and composites by means iof the acoustic emission method.
• Development of new diagnostic methods of materials and structures using acoustic emission method.

Contact:

prof. Zbigniew Kowalewski, PhD, DSc, Head
 +48 22 826 98 00 or +48 22 826 12 81 ext. 205 
zkowalew@ippt.pan.pl