Our research focus is in the mechanical characterization of solids and structures in challenging environments, and at high temperatures in particular. We are especially interested in the role that environment plays on a material's ability to withstand heterogeneous failure mechanisms such as fracture, fatigue, and creep.

Our lab uses advanced imaging techniques to extract full-field, in situ strain and temperature measurements across multiple length scales. These techniques are applied to a wide variety of advanced high temperature materials (including metals, ceramics, and composites), with applications geared towards the energy, aerospace, and nuclear industries.

---

News

November 24, 2025: Mehedi Hasan Mahfuz defends his MS thesis "Development of a Novel Method for Simultaneously Testing Multiple Specimens to Evaluate Tension-Tension Fatigue Life." Congratulations Mehedi!

November 6, 2025: Dr. Berke joins the Executive Board of the International DIC Society (iDICs.org)

October 6-10, 2025: The lab presents 5 talks and 3 posters at the ASTM International Conference on Additive Manufacturing in Las Vegas, NV.

September 19, 2025: Our co-author paper, "Additive Manufacturing of Negative Thermal Expansion Metamaterials using Steels" is available at Advanced Materials Technologies, with Mehedi and Dr. Berke as co-authors

August 28, 2025: Dr. Berke joins the advisory board of Strain.

August 6, 2025: Brandon's paper, "In-Situ Crack Detection and Monitoring in a High-Frequency Resonance-Dwell Fatigue Test using Digital Image Correlation" is available at the International Journal of Fatigue.

July 14, 2025: Dr. Berke joins the editorial board of the Journal of Strain Analysis in Engineering Design.

May 28, 2025: Dr. Berke gives an invited talk at the University of Edinburgh.

April 26, 2025: Brandon's paper, "Accelerated Fatigue Measurements using a Vibration Assembly which Loads Two Specimens Simultaneously" is available at the Journal of Applied Mechanics.

News Archive