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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Subsonic panel method for the efficient analysis of multiple geometry perturbations

An accurate and efficient method was developed for the aerodynamic analysis of a series of arbitrary small geometry perturbations to a given baseline configuration. The method is appropriate for wing-fuselage configurations in incompressible potential flow. Mathematical formulations are presented for three computer programs that are employed. The first program is a conventional surface panel method for calculating the baseline singularity distribution. The second program calculates a partial derivative matrix. Each element of the matrix is the rate of change of singularity strength at one point with respect to a surface coordinate of a different point. For each baseline configuration, the calculated quantities from the first two programs establish an input file for the third. The third program calculates the surface pressure distribution and forces and moments for a series of geometry perturbations.

Bristow, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Efficient conjugate gradient algorithms for computation of the manipulator forward dynamics

The applicability of conjugate gradient algorithms for computation of the manipulator forward dynamics is investigated. The redundancies in the previously proposed conjugate gradient algorithm are analyzed. A new version is developed which, by avoiding these redundancies, achieves a significantly greater efficiency. A preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm is also presented. A diagonal matrix whose elements are the diagonal elements of the inertia matrix is proposed as the preconditioner. In order to increase the computational efficiency, an algorithm is developed which exploits the synergism between the computation of the diagonal elements of the inertia matrix and that required by the conjugate gradient algorithm.

Fijany, Amir↗
NASA NTRS1974

Note on the transfer wave matrix

A relationship exists between the elements of the transfer wave matrix and the ABCD matrix elements which allows a considerable reduction of effort required to find the matrix for cascaded two-port network sections. This relationship and the simplified expressions for obtaining the matrix elements are presented here.

Chang, F.-C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A comparison of measured and calculated thermal stresses in a hybrid metal matrix composite spar cap element

A hybrid spar of titanium with an integrally brazed composite, consisting of an aluminum matrix reinforced with boron-carbide-coated fibers, was heated in an oven and the resulting thermal stresses were measured. Uniform heating of the spar in an oven resulted in thermal stresses arising from the effects of dissimilar materials and anisotropy of the metal matrix composite. Thermal stresses were calculated from a finite element structural model using anisotropic material properties deduced from constituent properties and rules of mixtures. Comparisons of calculated thermal stresses with measured thermal stresses on the spar are presented. It was shown that failure to account for anisotropy in the metal matrix composite elements would result in large errors in correlating measured and calculated thermal stresses. It was concluded that very strong material characterization efforts are required to predict accurate thermal stresses in anisotropic composite structures.

Jenkins, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Generation of the invariant coefficients of the characteristic polynomial for an nxn matrix

In theories of numerical stability, roots to a characteristic polynomial are sought, which, in the case of the predictor with iterative correction method of numerical integration, are eigenvalues of a matrix whose elements depend on the coefficients used in the integration process. The characteristic polynomial is displayed explicitly in terms of the elements of the characteristic matrix.

Beaudet, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Property Evaluation and Damage Evolution of Environmental Barrier Coatings and Environmental Barrier Coated SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Sub-Elements

This paper describes recent development of environmental barrier coatings on SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites. The creep and fatigue behavior at aggressive long-term high temperature conditions have been evaluated and highlighted. Thermal conductivity and high thermal gradient cyclic durability of environmental barrier coatings have been evaluated. The damage accumulation and complex stress-strain behavior environmental barrier coatings on SiCSiC ceramic matrix composite turbine airfoil subelements during the thermal cyclic and fatigue testing of have been also reported.

Creep and fatigue↗
NASA NTRS1989

Mesh refinement in finite element analysis by minimization of the stiffness matrix trace

Most finite element packages provide means to generate meshes automatically. However, the user is usually confronted with the problem of not knowing whether the mesh generated is appropriate for the problem at hand. Since the accuracy of the finite element results is mesh dependent, mesh selection forms a very important step in the analysis. Indeed, in accurate analyses, meshes need to be refined or rezoned until the solution converges to a value so that the error is below a predetermined tolerance. A-posteriori methods use error indicators, developed by using the theory of interpolation and approximation theory, for mesh refinements. Some use other criterions, such as strain energy density variation and stress contours for example, to obtain near optimal meshes. Although these methods are adaptive, they are expensive. Alternatively, a priori methods, until now available, use geometrical parameters, for example, element aspect ratio. Therefore, they are not adaptive by nature. An adaptive a-priori method is developed. The criterion is that the minimization of the trace of the stiffness matrix with respect to the nodal coordinates, leads to a minimization of the potential energy, and as a consequence provide a good starting mesh. In a few examples the method is shown to provide the optimal mesh. The method is also shown to be relatively simple and amenable to development of computer algorithms. When the procedure is used in conjunction with a-posteriori methods of grid refinement, it is shown that fewer refinement iterations and fewer degrees of freedom are required for convergence as opposed to when the procedure is not used. The mesh obtained is shown to have uniform distribution of stiffness among the nodes and elements which, as a consequence, leads to uniform error distribution. Thus the mesh obtained meets the optimality criterion of uniform error distribution.

Kittur, Madan G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Interrelations for the elements of the scattering matrix

Light scattered by molecules and particulate matter in planetary atmospheres was analyzed. The 4x4 scattering matrix that transforms the Stokes parameters of the incident beam into those of the scattered beam is discussed. Elementary methods are described to obtain interrelations for the 16 elements of the scattering matrix, when light is scattered by a particle of arbitrary size, shape and composition or by a collection of such particles. The implications of the results for the interpretation of polarimetric data of planets with an atmosphere are outlined.

Hovenier, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Ultraminiature X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for in-situ geochemical analysis on Mars.

A spectrometer based upon the X-ray fluorescence method of elemental analysis has been developed in an ultraminiature, rugged form suitable for a spacecraft mission to Mars. The instrument employs two radioisotope sources (Fe-55 and Cd-109) which irradiate adjacent areas on a regolith sample. Fluorescent X rays emitted by the sample are detected by four thin-window proportional counters. Using pulse-height discrimination, the energy spectra are determined. Virtually all elements above sodium in the periodic table are detected if present at sufficient levels. Minimum detection limits range from 30 ppm to 2% depending upon the element and the matrix. For most elements, they are below 0.5%. Accuracies also depend upon the matrix, but are generally better than plus or minus 0.5% for all elements of atomic number greater than 14. Elements below sodium are also detected, but as a single group. Ambiguities of identification of the elements producing the observed spectra are minimal.

Clark, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Development of an X-ray surface analyzer for planetary exploration

An ultraminiature X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was developed which can obtain data on element composition not provided by present spacecraft instrumentation. The apparatus employs two radioisotope sources (Fe-55 and Cd-109) which irradiate adjacent areas on a soil sample. Fluorescent X-rays emitted by the sample are detected by four thin-window proportional counters. Using pulse-height discrimination, the energy spectra are determined. Virtually all elements above sodium in the periodic table are detected if present at sufficient levels. Minimum detection limits range from 30 ppm to several percent, depending upon the element and the matrix. For most elements, they are below 0.5 percent. Accuracies likewise depend upon the matrix, but are generally better than plus or minus 0.5 percent for all elements of atomic number greater than 14. Elements below sodium are also detected, but as a single group.

Clark, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Theoretical Studies of Spectroscopic Line Mixing in Remote Sensing Applications

The phenomenon of collisional transfer of intensity due to line mixing has an increasing importance for atmospheric monitoring. From a theoretical point of view, all relevant information about the collisional processes is contained in the relaxation matrix where the diagonal elements give half-widths and shifts, and the off-diagonal elements correspond to line interferences. For simple systems such as those consisting of diatom-atom or diatom-diatom, accurate fully quantum calculations based on interaction potentials are feasible. However, fully quantum calculations become unrealistic for more complex systems. On the other hand, the semi-classical Robert-Bonamy (RB) formalism, which has been widely used to calculate half-widths and shifts for decades, fails in calculating the off-diagonal matrix elements. As a result, in order to simulate atmospheric spectra where the effects from line mixing are important, semi-empirical fitting or scaling laws such as the ECS (Energy-Corrected Sudden) and IOS (Infinite-Order Sudden) models are commonly used. Recently, while scrutinizing the development of the RB formalism, we have found that these authors applied the isolated line approximation in their evaluating matrix elements of the Liouville scattering operator given in exponential form. Since the criterion of this assumption is so stringent, it is not valid for many systems of interest in atmospheric applications. Furthermore, it is this assumption that blocks the possibility to calculate the whole relaxation matrix at all. By eliminating this unjustified application, and accurately evaluating matrix elements of the exponential operators, we have developed a more capable formalism. With this new formalism, we are now able not only to reduce uncertainties for calculated half-widths and shifts, but also to remove a once insurmountable obstacle to calculate the whole relaxation matrix. This implies that we can address the line mixing with the semi-classical theory based on interaction potentials between molecular absorber and molecular perturber. We have applied this formalism to address the line mixing for Raman and infrared spectra of molecules such as N2, C2H2, CO2, NH3, and H2O. By carrying out rigorous calculations, our calculated relaxation matrices are in good agreement with both experimental data and results derived from the ECS model.

Formalism↗
NASA NTRS2004

Characteristic Matrices for Spherical Shell Photonic Systems

We establish a parallel between the transfer matrix used in the study of plane-parallel photonic structures and the matrix characterizing transfer of partial waves in concentric spheres. We derive explicit expressions for the elements of the transfer matrix for concentric spherical layers, and from those expressions derive the scattering coefficients of a multilayered sphere. The transfer matrices are 4x4 block diagonal with only four independent elements. Matrix elements for the case of TM waves are related to those for the case of TE waves through simple interchange and multiplicative constants. In analogy with plane parallel layers, the transfer matrix for concentric multilayers is simply the product of the transfer matrices of the individual layers.

Fuller, Kirk A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Analytic Solution to the Problem of Aircraft Electric Field Mill Calibration

It is by no means a simple task to retrieve storm electric fields from an aircraft instrumented with electric field mill sensors. The presence of the aircraft distorts the ambient field in a complicated way. Before retrievals of the storm field can be made, the field mill measurement system must be "calibrated". In other words, a relationship between impressed (i.e., ambient) electric field and mill output must be established. If this relationship can be determined, it is mathematically inverted so that ambient field can be inferred from the mill outputs. Previous studies have primarily focused on linear theories where the relationship between ambient field and mill output is described by a "calibration matrix" M. Each element of the matrix describes how a particular component of the ambient field is enhanced by the aircraft. For example the product M(sub ix), E(sub x), is the contribution of the E(sub x) field to the i(th) mill output. Similarly, net aircraft charge (described by a "charge field component" E(sub q)) contributes an amount M(sub iq)E(sub q) to the output of the i(th) sensor. The central difficulty in obtaining M stems from the fact that the impressed field (E(sub x), E(sub y), E(sub z), E(sub q) is not known but is instead estimated. Typically, the aircraft is flown through a series of roll and pitch maneuvers in fair weather, and the values of the fair weather field and aircraft charge are estimated at each point along the aircraft trajectory. These initial estimates are often highly inadequate, but several investigators have improved the estimates by implementing various (ad hoc) iterative methods. Unfortunately, none of the iterative methods guarantee absolute convergence to correct values (i.e., absolute convergence to correct values has not been rigorously proven). In this work, the mathematical problem is solved directly by analytic means. For m mills installed on an arbitrary aircraft, it is shown that it is possible to solve for a single 2m-vector that provides all other needed variables (i.e., the unknown fair weather field, the unknown aircraft charge, and the unknown matrix M). Numerical tests of the solution, effects of measurement errors, and studies of solution non-uniqueness are ongoing as of this writing.

Koshak, William↗
NASA NTRS1975

ISOFINEL: Isoparametric finite element code for elastic analysis of two-dimensional bodies

A formulation is presented for the development of a finite element program for the elastic analysis of two-dimensional bodies using the eight-node isoparametric quadrilateral. The program solves for both plane stress and plane strain problems. The finite element formulation based on the isoparametric displacement functions is presented. The program structure is given in the form of flow diagrams with descriptions of the numerical procedure used to obtain the element stiffness matrix, and the solution method employed to solve for nodal displacements. Three numerical examples (a plate under uniaxial tension, a plate under pure shear, and a beam under pure bending) are presented to illustrate the capability and limitations of the element implementation. The first problem is solved exactly by the element, as predicted by the form of its displacement functions. In the other two problems the accuracy of the solution is highly dependent upon the slenderness of the element, the number of elements in the map, and the numerical integration scheme used to build the element stiffness matrix.

Marino, C.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Evaluation of Solid Modeling Software for Finite Element Analysis of Woven Ceramic Matrix Composites

Three computer programs, used for the purpose of generating 3-D finite element models of the Repeating Unit Cell (RUC) of a textile, were examined for suitability to model woven Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs). The programs evaluated were the open-source available TexGen, the commercially available WiseTex, and the proprietary Composite Material Evaluator (COMATE). A five-harness-satin (5HS) weave for a melt-infiltrated (MI) silicon carbide matrix and silicon carbide fiber was selected as an example problem and the programs were tested for their ability to generate a finite element model of the RUC. The programs were also evaluated for ease-of-use and capability, particularly for the capability to introduce various defect types such as porosity, ply shifting, and nesting of a laminate. Overall, it was found that TexGen and WiseTex were useful for generating solid models of the tow geometry; however, there was a lack of consistency in generating well-conditioned finite element meshes of the tows and matrix. TexGen and WiseTex were both capable of allowing collective and individual shifting of tows within a ply and WiseTex also had a ply nesting capability. TexGen and WiseTex were sufficiently userfriendly and both included a Graphical User Interface (GUI). COMATE was satisfactory in generating a 5HS finite element mesh of an idealized weave geometry but COMATE lacked a GUI and was limited to only 5HS and 8HS weaves compared to the larger amount of weave selections available with TexGen and WiseTex.

Nemeth, Noel N.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Thermoplastic matrix composites - Finite-element analysis of mode I and mode II failure specimens

A finite-element analysis was conducted to evaluate the stress distributions within mode I and mode II failure specimens, assuming both isotropic and orthotropic elastic material properties. The effects of anisotropy on both the magnitude and the location of the highest stress concentration at the vicinity of the crack tip are significant. The results from modeling realistic blunt crack tip geometry and resin-rich zones imply that local variations in the microstructure strongly influence the stress state near the crack tip and therefore the measured fracture properties. In addition, the features of a viscoelastic model for thermoplastic matrices are described. This model will be used in future investigations of matrix-dominated failure phenomena.

Bankert, Ray J.↗