The definition of experimental mechanics is the investigation by experimental means of the mechanical behaviour of engineering systems subjected to load. The system can be a structure, a material, soft matter such as human tissue, a fluid-structure coupling; the list is practically endless. Implicit in the definition is that a measurement is made to capture a quantity that describes the system's behaviour. A key enabler in experimental mechanics is application of imaging systems to derive physical quantities such as deformation, temperature, stress and strain without the need to contact the structure with the sensor. Imaging is also used to visualise defects and damage in materials and structures. The imaging techniques are classified as full-field non-contact techniques.
Experimental mechanics approaches have much to offer, so it is the purpose of the course is to provide a detailed insight to the physics and the methodologies used in the application and operation the techniques. From a design perspective, the necessity for experimental data to calibrate and validate numerical models of systems manufactured from complex nonlinear inhomogeneous materials is increasing, hence the focus is on application to fibre reinforced polymer composites.
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