Multifunctional Material and Aerospace Structures Optimization Lab

Scientists at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Ohio used a 3D printer to prototype and bench test what they call a “structurally embedded vascular antenna.”

The antenna’s elements can be manipulated, changing their radiation patterns and frequency response, by pumping liquid metal alloy in and out of the tubes that make up the vascular network. Flow meters and optical sensors control the pump.

It’s a slick idea and allows the formation of antennas inside structures that can change shapes delivering “electromagnetic agility.”  [Continue reading Original Story by Troy Carter]

Only 17 months after reaching 3000 citations and while still officially an Assistant Professor, Dr. Hartl has reached the 4000 citation mark according to Google Scholar.

With an h-index of 25 and with 65 publications having over 10 citations, Dr. Hartl continues to work with his students to make an impact on the smart materials and adaptive structures community in particular. Highly cited publications from the MAESTRO Lab address such topics as shape memory alloys, active origami, and multi-functional composites. Newer papers have addressed fracture and fatigue of shape memory alloy materials, new topological design methods, new actuator concepts, and new methods for coupled fluid-structural analysis specifically tuned for adaptive aerostructures applications.

As humankind steps into new frontiers in space exploration, satellites and space vehicles will need to pack more cargo for the long haul. However, certain items, like dish antennas used for wireless communication, pose a challenge since they cannot be very densely packed for flight because of their signature bowl shape.

Now, researchers at Texas A&M University have used the principles of origami — the ancient Japanese art of paper folding — to create a parabolic structure from a flat surface using a shape-memory polymer. When heated, the researchers showed that the shape-memory polymer changes its shape in a systematic way that mimics folds. This reshaping lifts the material into the shape of a dish. Further, they also showed that their origami-engineered dish antennas performed as efficiently as conventional smooth dish antennas.

[Read more…] about MAESTRO researchers create origami-inspired satellite antennas that can self-fold

Dr. Brent Bielefeldt ’16, ’20 discovered his interest for structural design in middle school when, during career day, his friend’s dad designed an entire airplane on the computer in less than 30 minutes. He was fascinated by the tools and their capabilities at this engineer’s fingertips. Eventually, Bielefeldt’s interest in engineering led him to pursue his master’s and doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University, where he began developing a tool of his own that would solve a current concern in the field of topology optimization. (Original story here; credit Felysha Walker)

[Read more…] about Research of former MAESTRO student Bielefeldt leads to National Research Council associateship

 

Given the various constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual summer research experiences for undergraduates at Texas A&M looked a little different this year. The Materials Science and Engineering Department proceeded to develop and manage a very successful Online Research Experience for Undergraduates (O-REU), which included two students advised by Dr. Hartl. [Videos provided below]

[Read more…] about Students complete Summer 2020 Online Research Experience for Undergraduates (O-REU)

In early September, a research presentation developed by undergraduates Kevin Lieb and Ryan Lotz (and recorded by Dr. Darren Hartl) will be given virtually to the smart materials and adaptive structures communities regarding the design, fabrication, and testing of a shape memory alloy-driven “flow modification system,” all performed at the MAESTRO Laboratory in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University.

[Read more…] about Undergraduates Kevin Lieb and Ryan Lotz present their research at the virtual SMASIS 2020 conference

To help in the promotion of the various student successes stemming from the multiple University Leadership Initiative (ULI) sites, NASA worked with researchers across the US to produce short videos highlighting their work. MAESTRO Ph.D. student Pedro Leal was a natural candidate to be featured given the wide range of work he has performed in support of this project. His summary, in collaboration with that of Maddie Hetlage, has been recently shared by NASA.

 

[Read more…] about Morphing drones: Hartl and team develop enabling fluid-structure interaction method

The team of Aerospace Engineering Senior Design Capstone students reviewed in a previous post has completed their project. Their work has been summarized in a comprehensive video published this week. Work will continue in the fall as the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering team efforts are combined into a single software/hardware final project.