Purpose of the Laboratory

To conduct scientific and technological research for the development of aeronautical and aerospace structural components, to manufacture composite structures, and to perform their structural testing.


Mission of the Laboratory

To conduct and publish experimental studies at national and international levels for the purpose of scientific advancement in composite structures, and to transfer these findings into advanced technology applications. Additionally, to provide an experimental study environment for students within the Faculty to enhance their theoretical knowledge.


Research and Application Areas

Structural design and manufacturing using new composite materials, and the investigation of the mechanical properties of these materials with the aim of developing Aeronautical and Aerospace Technologies.


Facilities

Hardware/Equipment Information

The Composite Structures Laboratory is equipped with a Universal Fatigue Testing System used to perform mechanical tests such as tensile, compression, bending, and fatigue tests on metallic, ceramic, and composite materials utilized in aviation and aerospace technologies; an Impact Testing Machine used for toughness and impact testing; a Surface Polishing Machine used to prepare specimens for these tests; a Microhardness Tester for microstructure analysis; a 3-D Correlation System that measures deformations on a surface using cameras to obtain unit strains; Data Acquisition Systems that digitize signals obtained from these tests and transfer them to a computer; a heated vacuum table for the manufacturing of composite materials; pressure, strain, displacement, acceleration, and temperature sensors for measurements during testing; a particle launching system; a transient pressure test setup, 3D printers, and a CNC machine.

Software Information

MTS Multi-Purpose Software; 3D Correlation System Software; Data Acquisition System Software.


Experiments Conducted

Tensile, Compression, Shear, Fatigue, Impact, Transient pressure load, and Particle impact experiments.


Completed Projects

  • Multi-Purpose Helicopter Design and Prototype Manufacturing (DPT)
  • KARAYEL Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Project (Vestel Defense)
  • Development of a Micro-Macro Model for Fatigue Behavior in Composite Materials Subjected to Cyclic Loading (TÜBİTAK 1001)
  • Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Behavior of Sandwich Composite Plates with Viscoelastic Cores Under Transient Pressure Load (TÜBİTAK 1001)
  • Monitoring the Fatigue Behavior and Lifespan of Fiber-Reinforced Polymeric Composite Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) Sensors (TÜBİTAK 1001)
  • Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Crushing and Crash Behavior of Nested Crash Boxes (TÜBİTAK 1001)
  • Static, Dynamic, and Fatigue Analyses of Plastic Fuel Tanks Used in Buses and Verification by Testing (SANTEZ)
  • CARGO Heavy Commercial Composite Shaft Design (SANTEZ)
  • Investigation of Particle Impact Effects and Development of Material Models (SSM - TUSAŞ)
  • Investigation of Bird Strike Impact on Canopy and Rotor Blades (SSM - TUSAŞ)
  • Manufacturing of 3D Lattices Displaying Negative Poisson's Ratio (Auxetic) and Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Ballistic and Low-Velocity Impact Performance (TÜBİTAK 1001)

Ongoing Projects

BAP (Scientific Research Projects)


Researcher Information

Faculty Member in Charge: Prof. Dr. Halit Süleyman Türkmen
Technicians: Müslüm Çakır, Sefa Başalan
Graduate Students: Master's (Uğur Kayacan), PhD (Fehmi Mullaoğlu, Zena Eren, Tahir Soyugüzel)

MTS Universal Testing Machine

Particle Launching Test Setup

Transient Pressure Load Test Setup

3D Printer

High-Speed Data Acquisition System

Impact Testing Machine

Microhardness Tester