Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE – The United States military is constantly improving its technology and weaponry. For one recent project, they enlisted the help of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Several UWP students assisted engineering professor Osama Jadaan with a research project testing the reliability of ceramic gun barrels for the U.S. Army. Not only are ceramics lighter than the metals traditionally used in firearms, but also they may be more durable.

"Ceramics can take extremely high temperature, and they are resistant to wear," Jadaan said. The army was interested in the prospect of using ceramics in gun barrels of all sizes.

"From an M-16 to an M-1 Abrams," Jadaan said.

The army was also interested in the prospect that a ceramic gun barrel could fire a bullet at a higher rate of speed. Recent UWP graduates Bryan Peterson and Jessica Meulbroek were among the student research team.

"Ceramics have much better high temperature properties and thus hotter propellants could be used to give the projectile higher kinetic energy," Meulbroek said.

The research team didn't use tangible models for the experiments, but rather computer models to simulate a firing mechanism.

"The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in Aberdeen, Md., sent us relevant experimental data such as heat flux and temperature profiles that were used as loadings on the computer models," Peterson said.

Jadaan said it is more cost-effective to use computer models than actual prototypes to test the variables. The team successfully completed their research goals, however, more research still need to be done to finalize the project.

Both Peterson and Meulbroek graduated from UWP in December with degrees in mechanical engineering. They said coursework at UWP prepared them for the research, and for their future careers.

"Mechanical Engineering 4800, finite element methods, gave me a good background in the theory involved with such an analysis," Peterson said. Meulbroek herself had worked with the software used in the computer modeling while doing project work in Darmstadt, Germany.

Peterson even parlayed the research with Jadaan into a position at the Army's research arm, where he will work on ammunition systems.

"I was in the process of working on Dr. Jadaan's research when I received the job offer from the Army," Peterson said. "I believe that the biggest thing that helped me was not necessarily the work I was doing, but the interest I have in the field."

Meulbroek herself was interviewing for jobs in mid-January, and hoped to land a similar position.

For Peterson, using his engineering skills to develop technology for the military is not only fulfilling professionally but also personally.

"I have friends stationed in Iraq right now, and anything I can possibly do to make them safer, more effective, and (help them) complete the mission as soon as possible so that they can return home is of great importance to me," he said. "I believe in America, and I believe that developing new military technologies must be a constant undertaking in today's political climate. It is fulfilling to know that I'll be a part of that."