1.

Crush Analysis
a. Students will have to measure the crush impact to a car and compare to the CDR
download and see if they can come close to the actual impact speed. The
deliverable for this will be an outline of how they came about their calculations
and accounting for any error. This will require getting access to a vehicle that was
involved in a single vehicle accident or both vehicles of a two-vehicle collision.
This will also require the CDR download being accessible.
2. Galvanic Layer Analysis
a. Students will test the galvanic layer protection by subjecting small portions of
galvanized R-panels to corrosion. Prior to these tests, small strips of the protective
layer will be removed. Theses strips will vary size in order to determine how large
the simulated crack needs to be before galvanic protection is negated. This will
require several ~3x3 R-panels and the means to mechanically remove the
galvanized layer either by use of a mill or laser depending on the smallest width
desired. Additionally, SEM time may be required in order to perform EDS
analysis on the exposed area of the samples.
3. Corrosion Comparative Analysis
a. Students will analyze the effects of corrosion on two samples over an extended
period of time. One sample is continuously exposed to a corrosive environment
while the other sample is exposed to the same corrosive environment and then
removed and cleaned before reintroducing to the corrosive environment. This
cleaning process will be repeated weekly during the course of the testing.
4. Literature Search on Explosive Materials
a. Students will perform literature research into the characterization of the
mechanical response of engineering materials and components to high strain-rate
and explosive environments
5. Treestand Connections
a. Students will study the effects on the bending stresses in treestand ladder
connections when the connection is flared out instead of star-crimped. Deliverable
should include CAD model and FEA.
6. Roofing Strain-Rate Sensitivity
a. Students will analyze ~1x4 inch R-panel samples. These samples will be exposed
to varying strain-rates from slow controlled bending to impact loading. This will
be performed by clamping one end of the sample and subjecting the other to
varying force application intensities. Next, the students will use SEM to
determine if cracking of the galvanic layer is strain-rate dependent or not.
7. Dynamic Loading Quantification
a. Students will derive an equation for relating static loading and dynamic loading in
non-strain-rate sensitive materials. Testing will then be performed on steel bars to
compare the static loading and dynamic loading using experimental means and
compared to the derived equation.
8. Temperature Effect on Glass Fractography
a. Students will study the effect of temperature on fracture topography of glass at
different operating temperatures. This will be accomplished by breaking glass in
a consistent manner at varying temperatures and examining microscopically.
9. Product Analysis/Improvement
a. Students will take a store-bought product and perform a hazard assessment/risk
analysis to identify possible deficiencies. Applicable standards should also be
consulted. They will then design (and construct if possible) improvements to the
product in order to correct deficiencies.
b. This could be done with a variety of products in order to increase the number of
projects. (Pool ladder/pull up bar/apple remote)