சி. எஸ். ஐ. ஆர். - கட்டமைப்பு பொறியியல் ஆராய்ச்சி நடுவம்

The Fatigue and Fracture Laboratory (FFL) at CSIR-SERC (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Structural Engineering Research Centre) located in Chennai, India is a state-of-the-art research facility dedicated to the study of fatigue and fracture of specimens and structural components.  One of the primary focuses of the laboratory is to investigate the fatigue life of structural components in various applications, such as aerospace, automotive, civil engineering, and offshore structures.  By understanding the intricate mechanisms of fatigue and fracture, the researchers contribute valuable insights to design practices and industry standards, ensuring the longevity and reliability of critical engineering structures.  FFL has gained expertise in the domain of fatigue and fracture over the years by carrying out several cutting-edge R&D projects and by offering the solutions for industries related to energy sectors, automobile applications, railways, aerospace applications, construction industry, etc.  The centre has a full-fledged laboratory to carry out fatigue and fracture experiments on actual-size components of fatigue-sensitive structures.

Researchers at the Fatigue and Fracture Laboratory engage in interdisciplinary studies, collaborating with experts in materials science, mechanical engineering, and structural dynamics.  Their work aims at to develop innovative methodologies for predicting and preventing fatigue failures in diverse materials, from metals to composites.  Numerical techniques like phase-field for fracture, extended finite element method (XFEM) etc are utilized for fracture simulation using commercial finite element packages and in-house developed solutions.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the laboratory conducts comprehensive research on the response of materials to cyclic loading, with a particular emphasis on understanding the factors leading to fatigue and fracture.  The facility houses a range of advanced testing machines, including a large strong floor, two-way reaction wall, about a dozen of servo-hydraulic actuator systems of up to ±2000 kN capacity, three computer-controlled fatigue rated UTMs of ±500 kN and ±250 kN capacities, enabling researchers to simulate real-world conditions and assess the integrity of structural components.  The laboratory poses a suite of crack monitoring devices which includes ACPD, DCPD, ultrasonic phased array, image processing based crack monitoring system etc.

The laboratory's contributions extend beyond research, as it actively engages in knowledge dissemination through publications, seminars, and collaborative projects with industry partners.  The Fatigue and Fracture Laboratory at CSIR-SERC stands as a beacon for advancements in structural integrity, making significant strides in enhancing the safety and performance of materials and structures in diverse engineering fields.

Following are some of the major research activities carried out in the area of fatigue & fracture of structures

• Fatigue and fracture assessment on large-size components of power plant and offshore structures
• Fatigue life evaluation of welded rail joints for ensuring safety of railway tracks
• Fatigue/fracture investigations on structural components under internal pressure, elevated temperature, torsion and bending and sub-zero temperature
• Ratcheting studies on stainless steel pipes and elbows
• Fatigue and fracture behaviour of bi-metallic pipe welded joints
• Slosh and vibration studies on fuel drop tank of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)
  • Performance evaluation of composite sandwich segments
• Determination of specific fracture energy and the corresponding tension softening relation including size effect for normal strength, high strength and ultra high strength concretes
• XFEM methodologies for fracture analysis of unstiffened and stiffened panels
• Damage tolerant evaluation of aircraft components under constant and variable amplitude fatigue loading
• Fracture analysis of plates and stiffened panels by numerically integrated MVCCI technique
• Advanced numerical techniques like phase-field for fracture using commercial finite element packages and in-house developed solutions

Business Enquiry

--------------------- or / and ----------------------