Finite Element Method (FEM) is the most commonly used numerical method to evaluate the performance and functionality of a design. The accuracy of an FE-simulation significantly depends on the accurate characterization of the material behaviour (e.g. plasticity, fracture etc).

At the LKR, material characterization of aluminium (sheet, and extrusion) is performed using a combined experimental-numerical approach. The experimental testing program includes: Uniaxial Tension, Shear, Plain Strain Tension, and Biaxial Tension experiments.