X-ray Microtomography

The Group has undertaken investigations of damage accumulation in metallic foams and composites using X-ray microtomography facilities at theEuropean Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble; Argonne National Laboratory, USA, and Queen Mary, University of London.

X-ray microtomography (XMT) is an advanced examination technique that allows the visualisation and measurement of internal microstructure non-destructively. This technique has been used to investigate the evolution of damage in metallic foams that were subjected to compressive loading. The work has been undertaken in collaboration with Prof. James C. Elliott and Dr. Graham R. Davis, Department of Oral Growth and Development, Queen Mary, University of London.

These studies focused primarily on damage accumulation in small testpieces (2x2x4mm) of Al 7075 based foam with a limited comparative study of deformation and damage in a similar material having a pure aluminium matrix. Significantly, this non-destructive XMT technique enabled full testpiece reconstruction, examples of which may be viewed below.

Al 7075 foam (TP8) Strain = 0%
(Image, 338KB)

Al 7075 foam (TP6) Strain = 3.3%
(Image, 335KB)

Al 7075 foam (TP1) Strain = 8%
(Image, 253KB)

Al 7075 foam (TP1) Strain = 11.1%
(Image, 310KB)

Al 7075 foam (TP1) Strain = 16.8%
(Image, 289KB)

Al 7075 foam (TP4) Strain = 17.4%
(Image, 291KB)

Pure Al (TP2) Strain = 9.4%
(Image, 340KB)

Collaboration

This collaboration with Queen Mary has been facilitated by financial support that was secured through the The British Council - Enterprise Ireland, Research Visits Scheme. Support from The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK (EPSRC grant No. GR/R28911) is also gratefully acknowledged.