MAE Faculty Member Receives Northrop Grumman Support for AI Research in Aerospace Materials Certification
Dr. Xin (Jeffrey) Liu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, has received research funding from Northrop Grumman to develop artificial intelligence and machine learning methods for the rapid certification of advanced aerospace materials and structures.
The research addresses one of the most important challenges in aerospace engineering: determining B-basis material allowables, the statistically validated material properties required for structural design and certification. Conventional certification relies on extensive experimental testing, creating significant time and cost barriers for introducing new materials into aerospace systems.
Liu’s research will establish an AI-enabled framework that integrates multiple sources of engineering information, including prior experimental data, low-fidelity analytical models, high-fidelity computational simulations, and limited new testing. Rather than depending solely on large experimental datasets, the framework will leverage both physics and data to predict material allowables with improved efficiency and confidence.
“As advanced materials are deployed at an unprecedented pace in civil and defense aerospace systems, from unmanned aerial vehicles to next-generation aircraft, qualification and certification must become significantly faster without compromising safety,” Liu said. “By combining artificial intelligence with mechanics-based modeling, we aim to reduce the amount of testing needed while preserving the high level of reliability required for aerospace structures.”
The project builds upon the department’s strengths in computational mechanics, composite materials, aerospace structures, and artificial intelligence. It also creates new opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary research involving machine learning, multiscale simulation, uncertainty quantification, and digital engineering.
Beyond advancing AI-assisted mechanics, the research supports the broader goal of enabling faster deployment of innovative materials for future aircraft and space systems. The collaboration with Northrop Grumman highlights the growing impact of MAE faculty research on solving real-world engineering challenges through partnerships with industry.
As the aerospace community increasingly adopts digital engineering and data-driven certification strategies, the project positions UTA researchers and students at the forefront of developing the next generation of computational tools for aerospace materials and structural qualification.
