Sandra Gonzalez
UTRGV Civil Engineering student Sandra Gonzalez completed her UTCRS REU experience at Texas A&M University. Ms. Gonzalez’ main interest was in materials testing and their performance under various loading conditions. Given her interest, she worked alongside UTCRS REU participant Melissa Martinez evaluating eyebar member specimens obtained from the Burlington Rail Bridge old structure. This structure had been in service for about a century and was just recently replaced. Ms. Gonzalez performed non-destructive analyses of these specimens, involving dye penetrant, ultrasonic (phase array), and laser scanning techniques. Her work in obtaining and analyzing these specimens and evaluating the interaction between pin and eyebar members, as well as the strength of the steel, was an important preliminary step in the fatigue test of the specimens. Ms. Gonzalez had the unique opportunity of thoroughly testing materials that have been in service for decades and evaluating their modes of failure.