FRASTA-3D Fractography

Analyzing the cause of structural failure is an important element of design research. SRI's fracture analysis technologies extract data from the fracture surfaces of failed components, allowing SRI to determine the crack history and the loads that caused the failure. We have developed software, called FRASTA, that controls a confocal optics scanning laser microscope and acquires, manipulates, analyzes, and displays the topographic data.

Advantage
FRASTA extracts previously unobtainable information from the fracture surfaces of failed components, information that enables virtual prototyping of fracture-resistant materials and quantitative assessment of the loads that caused a structural failure. Conventional fractography is two-dimensional, qualitative and subjective. Three-dimensional fractographic analysis is quantitative and objective.

Opportunity
FRASTA has immediate commercial applications. Four FRASTA units have been sold and are currently in use. Licensing of the software is available through SRI for use in failure analysis, materials design, or for training scientists and engineers.

Learn more about our FRASTA-3D Fractography

Visit the Laboratory - Fracture Mechanics