Mechanical science research with the Dupuy de Lôme Research Institute (IRDL)

With 300 members, this is the leading laboratory in the mechanical engineering field in Brittany. It is scientifically organized into 5 research hubs (RH): 

• RH1 = Composites, biocomposites, nanocomposites, 
• RH2 = Multi-material assemblies
• RH3 = Structures, fluids and interactions
• RH4 = Energy systems and thermal processes
• RH5 = Material behavior and durability

ENSTA Bretagne’s activities concern research hubs 2, 3 and 5 (in bold above). The industrial challenges are wide-ranging:

• reducing the environmental footprint
• adapting to changing legislation
• harnessing new, more efficient, widely available and affordable materials
• increasing in-service durability, etc.

Although the IRDL’s research activities encompass a much wider scope, it has identified three main application areas to which these activities nevertheless make a key contribution and which give it a unique standing in France: 

• SEA (shipbuilding, offshore, MRE), 
• TRANSPORT (automobile, aeronautics), 
• DEFENSE (on sea and on land).

Receiving a very positive rating in January 2016 from the High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES), the IRDL lab was assessed for:
•    its original and ambitious scientific strategy
•    the right balance between upstream and applied research
•    the extensive interaction with businesses
•    the excellent quality of research-led teaching

The IRDL’s research can leverage a wide range of original experimental facilities. On the ENSTA Bretagne campus, this test equipment, and the technical team which prepares the tests, make up the  MASMECA technology platform.