System and method for testing of micro-sized materials

摘要

Apparatus and methods for testing sediment submerged in liquid and manufacturing the apparatus. The apparatus and methods of the present embodiment can provide for nano/micro characterization of mechanical properties of materials submerged in liquid, facilitating specimen preparation and installation, and can provide hydrated materials. The apparatus can include cell walls with optical magnifying lenses so that the materials can be viewed without the aid of a microscope.

主权项

1. A method for testing sediment comprising:
inserting a compression punch into a load cell while the load cell is in a parked position; attaching an environmental cell to a micromanipulator stage, the micromanipulator stage being attached to a stepper motor plate, the micromanipulator stage having micromanipulators; loading the environmental cell with water from which the sediment is obtained; positioning the sediment on a base plate; positioning the base plate in the vicinity of a compression punch by the adjusting the stepper motor plate; moving the stepper motor plate towards the compression punch; collecting images of the sediment while moving the stepper motor plate towards the compression punch; computing a strain rate based on the moving of the stepper motor plate; measuring sediment resistance of the sediment based on the strain rate and a stepper motor plate displacement of the stepper motor plate; recording the sediment resistance and the stepper motor plate displacement on a computer-readable medium; and computing any of compression strength, Young's modulus, and elastic modulus of a sediment aggregate based on the sediment resistance and the images.