Research Programs

Centers of Excellence

Pursuit of CCMs' six technical areas is supported by our four Centers of Excellence, consortium membership, and a range of other sponsors. Our four Centers of Excellence include:

• ARL-CMR:  Lightweight multifunctional armor materials
• ARL-CMT:  Applied research on composite materials technology
• ONR-AMIPC plus national testbed: VARTM processing
• FAA: Member of the Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials

Other Programs

• Self-Diagnostic, Self-Healing Multifunctional Fiber-Optic Networks for Composite Structures (U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, PI - S. Yarlagadda)
• Processing of Nanotubes Using Liquid Composite Modeling Techniques (NSF, PI - S. G. Advani)
• Liquid Molding in Aerospace Structures (Boeing Helicopter Company, PI - S. G. Advani)
• Strategic Plan for the Application of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites to the Highway Infrastructure (AASHTO/FAA, PI - D. R. Mertz)
• An Advanced All Natural Composite Roof (NSF/HUD, PI - R. Wool)
• Affordable Resins and Adhesives from Optimized Soybean Varieties (DoE, PI - R. Wool)
• MANTECH CAV Demonstration (TACOM/United Defense LP, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr. and D. Heider)

SBIR/STTR Projects

The following projects are supported under small business grants:

• Dynamic Behavior of Aluminum Foam Integral Armor (ARL/Fraunhofer, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr., B. A. Gama, and S. L. Lopatnikov)
• Low-Cost Tooling (Navy/Advanced Ceramics Research, PI - S. Yarlagadda)
• Manufacturing of Designed Carbon Foam for Naval Structures (ONR/Touchstone, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr. and D. Heider)
• Nanosecond Pulsed Sensor System for Intrinsic Structural Health & Cure Monitoring (NSF/Material Sensing & Instrumentation, PI - S. Yarlagadda)
• In Situ Evaluation of Composite Structural Performance in Presence of High Stress/Strain Gradients Using Multi-axis Fiber Grating Strain Sensors (AFOSR/Blue Road Research, PI - D. Heider and J. W. Gillespie, Jr.)
• Co-injection Resin Transfer Molding (CIRTM) (NSWC/Anholt, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr.)
• Innovative Materials for Lightweight Armor (ARL/3TEX, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr. and B. A. Gama)
• 3-D Orthogonal Woven Composites in Armor System (ARO/3TEX, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr. and B. A. Gama)
• 3Weave Multi-Functional Composites; Load Bearing and Armor Protection (ONR/3TEX, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr.) and 3Weave- Composites/Cellular Metal Blast Protection (ONR/3TEX, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr. and B. A. Gama)
• Structural Monitoring via Embedded Magnetic Wires (ASMD/Sensortex, PI - D. Heider)
• Preforming of Composite Armor for Ground Vehicles Using Heat Activated Binders (ARL/Solectria, PI - J. W. Gillespie, Jr. and J. Deitzel)
• Highly Effective EM Shielding Technique for Ship Composite Structures (NSWC/Touchstone, PI - D. S. Weile)

Research Archives

Completed projects that serve as background for current work have information available in the research archive section.

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