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AZoM discussed with Dr. Oleg Panchenko his work in the SPbPU Lightweight Materials and Structure Laboratory and their project, which aims to create a new lightweight footbridge using new aluminum alloys and friction stir welding technology.
My name is Oleg Panchenko; I am an assistant professor at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transportation, the head of the Laboratory of Lightweight Materials and Structures, and the "Kawasaki Institute of Technology" Technology Center of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) Chief Executive Officer. In 2012, I completed my PhD.
Currently, I work in the field of materials science, but initially I came from welding, so this is a very important topic for me. My great passion for science and most of my current projects are in the field of arc additive manufacturing. Industrial robot application development is also part of my professional duties. The current trend is machine vision and learning, so part of my job is to use it.
Since 2016, I have been the Russian Federation representative of the International Welding Society. In 2021, he became the representative expert of ISO TC44 Russia and the expert of Russia 364 Technical Committee (National Welding Standardization). I am the author of 30 scientific papers (according to the Scopus database) and 15 patents.
The Lightweight Materials and Structure Laboratory is part of the scientific department of the SPbPU Institute of Machinery, Materials and Transportation. The laboratory was established in 2014, with the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, within the framework of large grants.
The philosophical approach of the laboratory is to develop new materials and technologies until they can be applied to new structures. To this end, we have a multidisciplinary team of 20 employees: materials scientists, welding engineers, condensed matter materials physicists, etc.
We have been developing different types of composite materials based on aluminum matrix to improve the stiffness and mechanical properties of the structure. We are now developing technologies for joining these.
We provide new professional materials protected by patents and methods for the production of new structures for the aerospace, automotive and shipbuilding industries. The laboratory also serves as a scientific support base for high-quality training of engineers and young researchers in the field of new generation technology development.
An example of our work, and the subject of this interview, is the development of a new type of aluminum alloy friction stir welding technology for bridge construction.
Oleg Panchenko at SPbPU's lightweight materials and structure laboratory. Image Credit: Oleg Panchenko
Friction stir welding is a process of joining metal materials in a solid state. Due to the special rotation inside the welded joint, heat is generated and the metal is plasticized at the edge of the joint. The rotation of the tool mixes the metal on one edge with the other edge and forms a solid material.
Due to the fast welding speed, this welding method is particularly economical and effective for aluminum alloys; it also provides high mechanical properties of the product. This method is very effective and therefore cost-effective.
The performance of friction stir welding is better than other welding techniques for aluminum. In the structural manufacturing process, especially for bridges and other structures with long weld seams, the financial efficiency of technical importance is very high, that is, we spend less time welding components, so we obtain economic benefits. For example, this happens because we can weld bridge sections with a thickness of 16-25 mm, instead of welding in 10 passes like arc welding, but in 2 passes. In addition, the product has high mechanical properties; the strength of the joint itself is not lower than the initial strength of the material used in the production.
In addition, friction stir welding is a green technology because no material evaporates or emits light.
The welding robot inside the "prism". Image Credit: Oleg Panchenko
Our scientific team is the first in Russia to develop new aluminum alloy friction stir welding technology for lightweight pedestrian bridges.
The aluminum pedestrian bridge will be located in the town of Bor in the Nizhny Novgorod region (Russian Federation) as part of the recreation area on the Volga River.
This will be the tenth aluminum pedestrian bridge in Russia, but the previous ones were all road pedestrian bridges. Our bridge is also different from its predecessors. It uses new alloys and friction stir welding technology.
We have been cooperating with the SGR aluminum structure factory in St. Petersburg. The project is supervised by the Russian Aluminum Association. Engineers in the laboratory connected 20 parts that were 8 meters long and 16 mm thick.
Welding thick aluminum parts in this way is more economically advantageous because arc welding uses many additional operations (for example, arc welding is performed in several passes to fill the entire weld thickness of the wire).
3D rendering of the bridge project. Image source: Aluminum Forum
In Russia, 1565 is the name of this alloy; this is a new development that has only recently been widely used. It was developed by Russian scientists led by Dr. Alexander Dritz, who is not part of the University of Technology. However, our research team tested the weldability of this alloy in 2016. In 2021, we used our knowledge to build a pedestrian bridge.
For example, the performance of this alloy is slightly higher than that of the 5056 series, and the main alloying elements are aluminum and magnesium. It is easier to produce, which helps reduce costs. In addition, the alloy properties make this alloy more durable. In Russia, this is alloy 1565, but in the international classification, it is the 5000 series.
In order to provide high-quality joints, we conducted preliminary tests on the weldability of this aluminum material and developed welding technology using friction stir welding machines.
New high-strength aluminum alloys successfully compete with structural steel in terms of stiffness and corrosion resistance; in addition, aluminum structures will be much lighter than steel structures, so bridge construction will be easier and cheaper.
Although there are not many aluminum bridges in Russia and other parts of the world, compared with steel bridges, aluminum bridges have important advantages.
For example, the material properties of steel bridges change with temperature; when the temperature decreases, the metal becomes more brittle. This is not the case with aluminum.
In addition, compared to steel, aluminum bridges can be installed quickly and easily (no need for special heavy cranes and equipment). This speeds up the build process.
In addition, compared to steel, aluminum has higher corrosion resistance, and due to the strength-to-weight ratio of the material, the structure of the aluminum bridge can be as strong as the lighter-weight steel bridge structure. In this regard, aluminum is one of the best ratios; this is why it is used in the manufacture of aircraft fuselages.
In my opinion, the construction of aluminum bridges will be actively developed in the future.
Welding is a completely repeatable process. The cost-effectiveness of aluminum bridges remains to be discussed, because there are too many factors affecting construction costs. However, it should be considered that the ease of installation reduces the cost.
The main uniqueness of this bridge is that it is not just a pedestrian bridge, it is just a simple crossroad; it is a design plan for citizens' leisure and entertainment, which improves the urban environment.
Dr. Panchenko is an assistant professor at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transportation, the head of the Laboratory of Lightweight Materials and Structures, and the CEO of Peter the Great’s "Kawasaki Institute of Technology" Technology Center at St. Petersburg University of Technology. His specialty is materials science, with an emphasis on welding.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily represent the views of the owner and operator of this website AZoM.com Limited (T/A) AZoNetwork. This disclaimer forms part of the terms and conditions of use of this website.
Skyla graduated from the University of Manchester with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Social Anthropology. During the study, Skyla worked as a research assistant, worked with a team of scholars, and won the Social Participation Award for her thesis. With previous writing and editing experience, Skyla joined AZoNetwork's editorial team in the second year after graduation. Outside of work, Skyla's interests include skiing (she has participated in international competitions) and spending time exploring Manchester's bars, restaurants and activities!
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