Joint Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research

The Joint Center of Excellence (COE) for Advanced Materials (JAMS) was established in January 2004 to assist in ensuring the safe and reliable application of com­posites and advanced materials to commercial aircraft. The Center is a joint effort of the Center of Excel­lence for Composite and Advanced Materials (CECAM) led by Wich­ita State University and the Center of Excellence for Advanced Mate­rials in Transport Aircraft Struc­tures (AMTAS) led by the Univer­sity of Washington. The COE is a leader in international coordina­tion of research, development, and standardization for structures con­structed from these new materials.

The goal of this joint cen­ter is to create a cost-sharing academic, in­dustrial, and governmental part­nership. The members are forging a union between the public sector, the private sector and academic in­stitutions to create a world-class capability to identify solutions for existing and potential advanced materials and structures issues.

The focus of this partnership is the research, engineering and de­velopment of information used to assure safety and standardize cer­tification of existing and emerg­ing structural applications of com­posites and advanced materials. Specifically, projects include the evaluation of past applications, performance of applied research and the development of standard engineering practices. This Joint Center of Excellence, working with industry and government, also plays an important role in technology transfer, training, and continuing education for the aircraft industry and regulators.

Research Areas:

• Damage Tolerance of Advanced Composite Structures
• Durability of Adhesively Bonded Joints (Composite and Hybrid)
• Metal & Non-Metal Based Additive Manufacturing Technologies
• Crashworthiness of Composite Airframes and Seating Systems
• Environmental and Aging Effects on In- Service Composite Structures
• Lightning Strikes on Composite Airframes
• New material systems and innovative production technologies
• Maintenance and Inspection of Composite Structures