This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)
The acquisition of a multi-axial dynamic testing system will significantly enhance the research capabilities at Northern Arizona University. The equipment will be used for the characterization of novel magnetic, composite and biologically-derived materials, magnetorheological fluids based systems, and ratcheting of traditional materials. In particular, experiments performed on this equipment will facilitate the understanding of the general magneto-mechanical behavior of magnetic shape memory alloys as well as the calibration and validation of a three-dimensional constitutive model for these materials. In addition, as a lack of experimental results on yield surfaces and multiaxial ratcheting strains hampers the calibration of existing ratcheting models, the equipment will facilitate tests to be performed and experimental data to be generated for calibration and validation of these models. All these activities combine fundamental and applied research approaches to advance the current knowledge base in the specified fields.
The focus at Northern Arizona University is to provide a quality learning experience for undergraduates, a goal that is enhanced through an increasing emphasis on developing graduate and research programs. Acquisition of the new instrumentation will allow the University to enrich the integration of research and teaching activities at graduate and undergraduate levels, thus enhancing its educational mission at multiple levels. While this equipment will be used primarily for research and research training, it will help bridge the gap between the classroom and the research lab. The equipment will allow faculty to involve undergraduates and graduates in meaningful, cutting-edge research and to train them with state-of-the-art instrumentation.
