Waves reveal
what’s within.

Exploring wave physics to understand materials—from their smallest structures to their greatest possibilities.

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Discover the science

THE SCIENCE OF WHAT’S INSIDE

Every material
has a story.
Waves help tell it.

An ultrasonic signal is more than a measurement. It is a conversation with the material.

At Penn State, the Kube Lab investigates how mechanical waves propagate, scatter, and interact with material structure. We bring experiment, theory, and computation together to connect wave behavior with microstructure, anisotropy, stress, and manufacturing processes.

Meet the lab ↗

OUR RESEARCH

Five perspectives.
A world of possibilities.

Explore the physics, the structures, and the signals that connect them.

INSIDE THE SIMULATION

Computational wave mechanics

See the wave. Understand the material.

Follow a wave through a landscape of grains. Computation lets us isolate the effects of structure, anisotropy, and stress—then connect the field to a measurable response.

ElastodynamicsSimulationAnisotropy

Explore computational wave mechanics

Elastic-wave energy moving through aluminum · Kube Lab simulation

STRUCTURE LEAVES A SIGNATURE

Scattering & microstructure

The scattered field is full of clues.

A material is more than a uniform block. Grains and interfaces scatter sound, changing echoes and diffuse fields. We investigate what those changes reveal about the structure within.

Multiple scatteringPolycrystalsDiffuse fields

Explore scattering & microstructure

How homogeneous, periodic, and heterogeneous structures shape ultrasonic responses · Kube Lab animation

BEYOND LINEAR BEHAVIOR

Nonlinear & stressed materials

Small changes. A different response.

Stress and nonlinear elasticity can change the way waves travel and interact. We connect constitutive physics with acoustic measurements to investigate material state.

Nonlinear elasticityAcoustoelasticityResonance

Explore nonlinear & stressed materials

THE SHAPE OF A SIGNALINTERACTIVE

With second harmonicReference

Second harmonic contribution 25%

Move the slider to reshape the wave. Conceptual illustration, not experimental data.

FROM SIGNAL TO INSIGHT

Ultrasonic characterization

Look inside. Leave it intact.

Ultrasound offers a window into components without cutting them apart. We bring modeling and measurement together to connect inspection signals with material properties.

Nondestructive evaluationSensingMaterial properties

Explore ultrasonic characterization

Connecting component inspection, microstructure, and ultrasonic sensing · Kube Lab animation

SCIENCE IN THE MAKING

Additive manufacturing

Listen while the material takes shape.

Manufacturing is a moving target: heat, flow, and structure evolve together. We investigate ultrasonic monitoring to understand processes and characterize the materials they produce.

In-process monitoringMelt poolsPorosity

Explore additive manufacturing