Undergraduate research projects

Part II research reviews

Each year, Stephen Walley and James Perry offer “research review” projects to third year Physics and Materials Science undergraduates. We aim to offer an exciting, eclectic mix of topics, usually with at least a loose connection to our research interests. Examples of projects offered in recent years include:

• Damage and failure of fibre composites at high strain rate
• A high-speed Newton’s Cradle: New developments in the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar
• Additive manufacturing of metals
• What happens during the machining of materials?
• Experimental studies of energy dissipation in sand
• Why are seashells so strong?
• How to build a crystal
• The phase diagram of water
• Shocking ice
• Why are some materials harder than others?
• What is hardness anyway?
• Liquids have no right to exist

Part III experimental projects

We also welcome several fourth year undergraduate/Masters students to join us each year for experimental research projects, supervised by David Williamson and James Perry. Projects are a mix of current research themes and novel related experiments; projects from recent years include:

• Dynamic tensile properties of fibre composites
• Designing a dynamic 3-point bend test
• Understanding frequency and dispersion in high strain rate testing
• Homemade armour and the ballistic properties of wood
• Modifying penetration in sand
• Building and using a photonic Doppler velocimeter
• Measuring mechanical energy dissipation in polymers
• Frequency domain Hopkinson Bar analysis

Summer placements

From time to time we are able to offer short placements over the summer to current undergraduate students. Please contact James Perry if you are interested.