Experimental Mechanics Workshop
An online course starting 21 January and the in-person workshop will be between 22 to 24 February 2027.
This is an in-person only workshop – overseas delegates will need to attend in person in the UK - please allow sufficient time to apply for a visitors visa.
22 - 24 Feb 2027
University of Bristol, UK
Delegate Rate
Full Delegate £1,300
Student £380
Registration deadline 15 January 2027
Experimental mechanics involves the investigation 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. The primary essential element is a measurement is made to capture a quantity that describes the system's behaviour. A key enabler 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. These imaging techniques are classified as full-field non-contact techniques.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide a detailed insight to the physics and the methodologies used in the application and operation of the experimental 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 in the workshop is on application to fibre reinforced polymer composites.
Aim
The overarching aim is to provide a working knowledge of a range of techniques to allow the most appropriate to be selected for specific applications. By the end of the workshop the delegates will be able to:
- Understand testing procedures and the adaptations required to utilise the techniques presented.
- Apply full-field non-contact imaging techniques such as Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) for materials characterisation and performance assessment.
- Understand non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) including application of ultrasound, thermography, acoustic emission (AE), and X-ray.
- Understand how the data collected can be combined and fused with each other and with numerical models.
- Manipulate and interpret data from experimental techniques to provide a detailed understanding of structural performance of fibre reinforced polymer composites.
The workshop is delivered as part of a taught unit at the University of Bristol “Imaging for mechanics and non-destructive evaluation”. There are nine weekly online lectures starting on 21 January 2027; these are accompanied by short recorded lectures. All delegates will have access to the recorded material though University of Bristol. On 22nd February 2027 a two and half day in person workshop will take place at Bristol. During this time there will be hands-on experience and live laboratory demonstrations of techniques, as well as an industrial applications keynote lecture from leading industrialists employed at National Physical Laboratory and Airbus.
New for this year: hands-on experience of setting up DIC and capturing thermographic images.
Registration deadline 15 January 2027