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At least 343 records · Page 19

Predicting viscoelastic response and delayed failures in general laminated composites

Although graphite fibers behave in an essentially elastic manner, the polymeric matrix of graphite/epoxy composites is a viscoelastic material which exhibits creep and delayed failures. The creep process is quite slow at room temperature, but may be accelerated by higher temperatures, moisture absorption, and other factors. Techniques are being studied to predict long-term behavior of general laminates based on short-term observations of the unidirectional material at elevated temperatures. A preliminary numerical procedure based on lamination theory is developed for predicting creep and delayed failures in laminated composites. A modification of the Findley nonlinear power law is used to model the constitutive behavior of a lamina. An adaptation of the Tsai-Hill failure criterion is used to predict the time-dependent strength of a lamina. Predicted creep and delayed failure results are compared with typical experimental data.

Dillard, D. A.↗

Life prediction and constitutive models for engine hot section

The purpose of this program is to develop life prediction models for coated anisotropic materials used in gas turbine airfoils. In the program, two single crystal alloys and two coatings are being tested. These include PWA 1480, Alloy 185, overlay coating (PWA 286), and aluminide coating (PWA 273). Constitutive models are also being developed for these materials to predict the time independent (plastic) and time dependent (creep) strain histories of the materials in the lab tests and for actual design conditions. This nonlinear material behavior is particularly important for high temperature gas turbine applications and is basic to any life prediction system. Some of the accomplishments of the program are highlighted.

Swanson, G. A.↗

Compressible magnetic convection - Formulation and two-dimensional models

Details on a formulation and numerical solution of the equations of time-dependent magnetized convection are presented. Results on the transition between weak and strong magnetic fields where the highly nonlinear behavior commences are discussed, and the sensitivity of these results to the value of the magnetic resistivity, which can significantly influence the details of the interactions, is indicated. Consideration is given to the consequences of the findings for modeling stellar and solar magnetic fields.

Fox, Peter A.↗

CARES/Life Ceramics Durability Evaluation Software Enhanced for Cyclic Fatigue

The CARES/Life computer program predicts the probability of a monolithic ceramic component's failure as a function of time in service. The program has many features and options for materials evaluation and component design. It couples commercial finite element programs--which resolve a component's temperature and stress distribution--to reliability evaluation and fracture mechanics routines for modeling strength-limiting defects. The capability, flexibility, and uniqueness of CARES/Life have attracted many users representing a broad range of interests and has resulted in numerous awards for technological achievements and technology transfer. Recent work with CARES/Life was directed at enhancing the program s capabilities with regards to cyclic fatigue. Only in the last few years have ceramics been recognized to be susceptible to enhanced degradation from cyclic loading. To account for cyclic loads, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center developed a crack growth model that combines the Power Law (time-dependent) and the Walker Law (cycle-dependent) crack growth models. This combined model has the characteristics of Power Law behavior (decreased damage) at high R ratios (minimum load/maximum load) and of Walker law behavior (increased damage) at low R ratios. In addition, a parameter estimation methodology for constant-amplitude, steady-state cyclic fatigue experiments was developed using nonlinear least squares and a modified Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. This methodology is used to give best estimates of parameter values from cyclic fatigue specimen rupture data (usually tensile or flexure bar specimens) for a relatively small number of specimens. Methodology to account for runout data (unfailed specimens over the duration of the experiment) was also included.

Nemeth, Noel N.↗

Further Developments in Modeling Creep Effects Within Structural SiC/SiC Components

Anticipating the implementation of advanced SiC/SiC composites into turbine section components of future aero-propulsion engines, the primary objective of this on-going study is to develop physics-based analytical and finite-element modeling tools to predict the effects of constituent creep on SiC/SiC component service life. A second objective is to understand how to possibly manipulate constituent materials and processes in order to minimize these effects. Focusing on SiC/SiC components experiencing through-thickness stress gradients (e.g., airfoil leading edge), prior NASA creep modeling studies showed that detrimental residual stress effects can develop globally within the component walls which can increase the risk of matrix cracking. These studies assumed that the SiC/SiC composites behaved as isotropic viscoelastic continuum materials with creep behavior that was linear and symmetric with stress and that the creep parameters could be obtained from creep data as experimentally measured in-plane in the fiber direction of advanced thin-walled 2D SiC/SiC panels. The present study expands on those prior efforts by including constituent behavior with non-linear stress dependencies in order to predict such key creep-related SiC/SiC properties as time-dependent matrix stress, constituent creep and content effects on composite creep rates and rupture times, and stresses on fiber and matrix during and after creep.

Lang, Jerry↗

Glyoxal Yield from Isoprene Oxidation and Relation to Formaldehyde: Chemical Mechanism, Constraints from SENEX Aircraft Observations, and Interpretation of OMI Satellite Data

Glyoxal (CHOCHO) is produced in the atmosphere by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds(VOCs). Like formaldehyde (HCHO), another VOC oxidation product, it is measurable from space by solar backscatter. Isoprene emitted by vegetation is the dominant source of CHOCHO and HCHO in most of the world. We use aircraft observations of CHOCHO and HCHO from the Southeast Nexus (SENEX) campaign over the southeast US in summer 2013 to better understand the CHOCHO time-dependent yield from isoprene oxidation, its dependence on nitrogen oxides (NO (sub x) triple bonded to NO plus NO2), the behavior of the CHOCHO-HCHO relationship, the quality of Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) CHOCHO satellite observations, and the implications for using CHOCHO observations from space as constraints on isoprene emissions. We simulate the SENEX and OMI observations with the Goddard Earth Observing System chemical transport model (GEOSChem) featuring a new chemical mechanism for CHOCHO formation from isoprene. The mechanism includes prompt CHOCHO formation under low-NO (sub x) conditions following the isomerization of the isoprene peroxy radical (ISOPO2).The SENEX observations provide support for this prompt CHOCHO formation pathway, and are generally consistent with the GEOS-Chem mechanism. Boundary layer CHOCHO and HCHO are strongly correlated in the observations and the model, with some departure under low-NO (sub x) conditions due to prompt CHOCHO formation. SENEX vertical profiles indicate a free-tropospheric CHOCHO background that is absent from the model. The OMI CHOCHO data provide some support for this free-tropospheric background and show southeast US enhancements consistent with the isoprene source but a factor of 2 too low. Part of this OMI bias is due to excessive surface reflectivities assumed in the retrieval. The OMI CHOCHO and HCHO seasonal data over the southeast US are tightly correlated and provide redundant proxies of isoprene emissions. Higher temporal resolution in future geostationary satellite observations may enable detection of the prompt CHOCHO production under low-NO (sub x) conditions apparent in the SENEX data.

OMI↗

The Bursting Behavior of 4U 1728-34: Parameters of a Neutron Star and Geometry of a NS-disk system

We analyze a set of Type I X-ray bursts from the low mass X-ray binary 4U 1728-34, observed with Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). We infer the dependence of the neutron star (NS) mass and radius with respect to the assumed distance to the system using an analytical model of X-ray burst spectral formation. The model behavior clearly indicates that the burster atmosphere is helium-dominated. Our results strongly favor the soft equation of state (EOS) of NS for 4U 1728-34. We find that distance to the source should be within 4.5-5.0 kpc range. We obtain rather narrow constrains for the NS radius in 8.7-9.7 km range and interval 1.2-1.6 Ma for NS mass for this particular distance range. We uncover a temporal behavior of red-shift corrected burst flux for the radial expansion episodes and we put forth a dynamical evolution scenario for the NS accretion disk geometry during which an expanded envelope affects the accretion disk and increases the area of the neutron star exposed to the Earth observer. In the framework of this scenario we provide a new method for the estimation of the inclination angle which leads to the value of approximately 50 degrees for 4U 1728-34.

Shaposhnikov, Nickolai↗

Boolean difference equations. I - Formulation and dynamic behavior

In many biological and physical systems, feedback mechanisms depend on a set of thresholds associated with the state variables. Each feedback has a characteristic time scale. It is suggested that delay-difference equations for Boolean-valued variables are an appropriate mathematical framework for such situations: the feedback thresholds result in the discrete, on-off character of the variables, and the interaction time scales of the feedbacks are expressed as delays. The initial-value problem for Boolean delay equations (B-Delta-Es) is formulated, and shown to have unique solutions for all times. Examples of periodic and aperiodic solutions are given. Aperiodic solutions have increasing complexity which depends on time t roughly as t to the l-1 power, l being the number of delays. Stability of solutions is defined, and some examples of stability analysis are given; additional stability questions are raised. The present formulation of (B-Delta-Es) is compared with related work and generalizations are suggested.

Dee, D.↗

The Energy-Dependent X-Ray Timing Characteristics of the Narrow Line Seyfert 1 MKN 766

We present the energy-dependent power spectral density (PSD) and cross-spectral properties of Mkn 766, obtained from combining data obtained during an XMM-Newton observation spanning six revolutions in 2005 with data obtained from an XMM-Newton long-look in 2001. The PSD shapes and rms-flux relations are found to be consistent between the 2001 and 2005 observations, suggesting the 2005 observation is simply a low-flux extension of the 2001 observation and permitting us to combine the two data sets. The resulting PSD has the highest temporal frequency resolution for any AGN PSD measured to date. Applying a broken power-law model yields break frequencies which increase in temporal frequency with photon energy. Obtaining a good fit when assuming energy-independent break frequencies requires the presence of a Lorentzian at 4.6 +/- 0.4 x 10(exp -4)Hz whose strength increases with photon energy, a behavior seen in black hole X-ray binaries. The cross-spectral properties are measured; temporal frequency-dependent soft-to-hard time lags are detected in this object for the first time. Cross-spectral results are consistent with those for other accreting black hole systems. The results are discussed in the context of several variability models, including those based on inwardly-propagating viscosity variations in the accretion disk.

Markowitz, A.↗

General Multimechanism Reversible-Irreversible Time-Dependent Constitutive Deformation Model Being Developed

Since most advanced material systems (for example metallic-, polymer-, and ceramic-based systems) being currently researched and evaluated are for high-temperature airframe and propulsion system applications, the required constitutive models must account for both reversible and irreversible time-dependent deformations. Furthermore, since an integral part of continuum-based computational methodologies (be they microscale- or macroscale-based) is an accurate and computationally efficient constitutive model to describe the deformation behavior of the materials of interest, extensive research efforts have been made over the years on the phenomenological representations of constitutive material behavior in the inelastic analysis of structures. From a more recent and comprehensive perspective, the NASA Glenn Research Center in conjunction with the University of Akron has emphasized concurrently addressing three important and related areas: that is, 1) Mathematical formulation; 2) Algorithmic developments for updating (integrating) the external (e.g., stress) and internal state variables; 3) Parameter estimation for characterizing the model. This concurrent perspective to constitutive modeling has enabled the overcoming of the two major obstacles to fully utilizing these sophisticated time-dependent (hereditary) constitutive models in practical engineering analysis. These obstacles are: 1) Lack of efficient and robust integration algorithms; 2) Difficulties associated with characterizing the large number of required material parameters, particularly when many of these parameters lack obvious or direct physical interpretations.

Saleeb, A. F.↗

Characteristics of large Forbush-type decreases in the cosmic radiation. II - Observations at different heliocentric radial distances

Cosmic ray data from IMP 8, Voyager 1 and 2, Pioneer 10 are used to investigate the heliocentric radial dependence of the characteristics of about 20 Forbush-type transient decreases which occurred from 1978 to 1984. These characteristics include the recovery time, the amplitude, and the time to decrease to minimum. It is found that the average recovery time is about 5 times longer at R = 30 AU than at 1 AU. The magnitudes of the transient decreases are observed to decrease about 1.5 percent/AU on average so that the magnitude of the decrease is half as great at R about 30 AU as at 1 AU. The time for the cosmic ray intensity to decrease to the minimum in the transient decrease is found to be greater at larger distances and is about 5 times longer at R = 30 AU than at 1 AU. The behavior of these effects as a function of radius is obviously related to the evolution of the disturbances causing the transient decreases as they propagate outward. A model of the Forbush-type decrease is proposed to explain the observed radial dependence of the recovery time and time to minimum of the decrease. The implications of these results for understanding the relationship between Forbush-type decreases and the 11-year variation are discussed.

Webber, W. R.↗

The Dripping Handrail Model: Transient Chaos in Accretion Systems

We define and study a simple dynamical model for accretion systems, the "dripping handrail" (DHR). The time evolution of this spatially extended system is a mixture of periodic and apparently random (but actually deterministic) behavior. The nature of this mixture depends on the values of its physical parameters - the accretion rate, diffusion coefficient, and density threshold. The aperiodic component is a special kind of deterministic chaos called transient chaos. The model can simultaneously exhibit both the quasiperiodic oscillations (QPO) and very low frequency noise (VLFN) that characterize the power spectra of fluctuations of several classes of accretion systems in astronomy. For this reason, our model may be relevant to many such astrophysical systems, including binary stars with accretion onto a compact object - white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole - as well as active galactic nuclei. We describe the systematics of the DHR's temporal behavior, by exploring its physical parameter space using several diagnostics: power spectra, wavelet "scalegrams," and Lyapunov exponents. In addition, we note that for large accretion rates the DHR has periodic modes; the effective pulse shapes for these modes - evaluated by folding the time series at the known period - bear a resemblance to the similarly- determined shapes for some x-ray pulsars. The pulsing observed in some of these systems may be such periodic-mode accretion, and not due to pure rotation as in the standard pulsar model.

Young, Karl↗

Assessment of current state of the art in modeling techniques and analysis methods for large space structures

Advances in continuum modeling, progress in reduction methods, and analysis and modeling needs for large space structures are covered with specific attention given to repetitive lattice trusses. As far as continuum modeling is concerned, an effective and verified analysis capability exists for linear thermoelastic stress, birfurcation buckling, and free vibration problems of repetitive lattices. However, application of continuum modeling to nonlinear analysis needs more development. Reduction methods are very effective for bifurcation buckling and static (steady-state) nonlinear analysis. However, more work is needed to realize their full potential for nonlinear dynamic and time-dependent problems. As far as analysis and modeling needs are concerned, three areas are identified: loads determination, modeling and nonclassical behavior characteristics, and computational algorithms. The impact of new advances in computer hardware, software, integrated analysis, CAD/CAM stems, and materials technology is also discussed.

Noor, A. K.↗

Calculation of pressure statistics in turbulent free shear flows by direct numerical simulation

Accurate numerical simulations of turbulent free shear flows were performed in order to study the behavior of certain critical turbulence quantities which have been difficult to measure in the laboratory. The three-dimensional time-dependent nonlinear Navier-Stokes equations are solved by the direct numerical simulation technique without turbulence modeling or ad hoc closure assumptions. The pressure interaction terms were factored into diffusion and return-to-isotropy components according to two models. Simulations of the evolution of a turbulent wake with and without swirl present were performed at sufficiently high Reynolds numbers to insure that the flows were strongly nonlinear and turbulent, but low enough so that all scales of motion containing significant energy are adequately resolved. It is noted that the presence of swirl tends to enhance the amplitude of the rms pressure levels.

Metcalfe, R. W.↗

Control of nonlinear systems represented in quasilinear form

Methods to synthesize controllers for nonlinear systems are developed by exploiting the fact that under mild differentiability conditions, systems of the form: x-dot = f(x) + G(x)u can be represented in quasilinear form, viz: x-dot = A(x)x + B(x)u. Two classes of control methods are investigated. The first is zero-look-ahead control, where the control input depends only on the current values of A(x) and B(x). For this case the control input is computed by continuously solving a matrix Riccati equation as the system progresses along a trajectory. The second is controllers with look-ahead, where the control input depends on the future behavior of A(x) and B(x). These controllers use the similarity between quasilinear systems and linear time varying systems to find approximate solutions to optimal control type problems. The methods that are developed are not guaranteed to be globally stable. However in simulation studies they were found to be useful alternatives for synthesizing control laws for a general class of nonlinear systems.

Coetsee, Josef A.↗

Variable Order and Distributed Order Fractional Operators

Many physical processes appear to exhibit fractional order behavior that may vary with time or space. The continuum of order in the fractional calculus allows the order of the fractional operator to be considered as a variable. This paper develops the concept of variable and distributed order fractional operators. Definitions based on the Riemann-Liouville definitions are introduced and behavior of the operators is studied. Several time domain definitions that assign different arguments to the order q in the Riemann-Liouville definition are introduced. For each of these definitions various characteristics are determined. These include: time invariance of the operator, operator initialization, physical realization, linearity, operational transforms. and memory characteristics of the defining kernels. A measure (m2) for memory retentiveness of the order history is introduced. A generalized linear argument for the order q allows the concept of "tailored" variable order fractional operators whose a, memory may be chosen for a particular application. Memory retentiveness (m2) and order dynamic behavior are investigated and applications are shown. The concept of distributed order operators where the order of the time based operator depends on an additional independent (spatial) variable is also forwarded. Several definitions and their Laplace transforms are developed, analysis methods with these operators are demonstrated, and examples shown. Finally operators of multivariable and distributed order are defined in their various applications are outlined.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗

An Agent-Based Model for Analyzing Control Policies and the Dynamic Service-Time Performance of a Capacity-Constrained Air Traffic Management Facility

Simple agent-based models may be useful for investigating air traffic control strategies as a precursory screening for more costly, higher fidelity simulation. Of concern is the ability of the models to capture the essence of the system and provide insight into system behavior in a timely manner and without breaking the bank. The method is put to the test with the development of a model to address situations where capacity is overburdened and potential for propagation of the resultant delay though later flights is possible via flight dependencies. The resultant model includes primitive representations of principal air traffic system attributes, namely system capacity, demand, airline schedules and strategy, and aircraft capability. It affords a venue to explore their interdependence in a time-dependent, dynamic system simulation. The scope of the research question and the carefully-chosen modeling fidelity did allow for the development of an agent-based model in short order. The model predicted non-linear behavior given certain initial conditions and system control strategies. Additionally, a combination of the model and dimensionless techniques borrowed from fluid systems was demonstrated that can predict the system s dynamic behavior across a wide range of parametric settings.

Conway, Sheila R.↗

CSM solutions of rotating blade dynamics using integrating matrices

The dynamic behavior of flexible rotating beams continues to receive considerable research attention as it constitutes a fundamental problem in applied mechanics. Further, beams comprise parts of many rotating structures of engineering significance. A topic of particular interest at the present time involves the development of techniques for obtaining the behavior in both space and time of a rotor acted upon by a simple airload loading. Most current work on problems of this type use solution techniques based on normal modes. It is certainly true that normal modes cannot be disregarded, as knowledge of natural blade frequencies is always important. However, the present work has considered a computational structural mechanics (CSM) approach to rotor blade dynamics problems in which the physical properties of the rotor blade provide input for a direct numerical solution of the relevant boundary-and-initial-value problem. Analysis of the dynamics of a given rotor system may require solution of the governing equations over a long time interval corresponding to many revolutions of the loaded flexible blade. For this reason, most of the common techniques in computational mechanics, which treat the space-time behavior concurrently, cannot be applied to the rotor dynamics problem without a large expenditure of computational resources. By contrast, the integrating matrix technique of computational mechanics has the ability to consistently incorporate boundary conditions and 'remove' dependence on a space variable. For problems involving both space and time, this feature of the integrating matrix approach thus can generate a 'splitting' which forms the basis of an efficient CSM method for numerical solution of rotor dynamics problems.

Lakin, William D.↗