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At least 433 records · Page 24

Environmental Durability Assessment and Development of Subcomponent Test Methods for Advanced Materials in Marine Energy Applications

Marine energy developers are beginning to rely more heavily on advanced composite materials for their load-bearing structures. Understanding how these materials respond and degrade in harsh marine environments is a complex problem. Much research has been performed at smaller laboratory scales to understand the fundamental physical and chemical degradation mechanisms, but little structural testing research has been performed at larger scales to understand how these physical and chemical interactions scale and how they should be accounted for in the design process. The Advanced Materials project is a multilaboratory research collaboration that addresses these issues with the intention of reducing risks and barriers to marine energy developers wanting to adopt advanced composite materials. The National Laboratory of the Rockies has been playing a leading role in developing larger-scale testing infrastructure and test methods to validate complex numerical degradation models and standardize testing procedures to do so. This paper reviews past structural testing activities, how they have grown into current research activities, and how they will continue to evolve to directly address industry needs. This paper covers key research areas - large-scale water absorption and subsequent structural validation testing, qualification of bolted and adhesive connections, and combined submerged fatigue testing at increasing scales. It provides insights into the complex requirements for testing infrastructure and test method development to effectively qualify materials and certify marine energy structures for harsh marine environments. This research program paves the way for better guidance and standardization within the industry when adopting advanced composite materials.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Testing methods and techniques: Strength of materials and components. A compilation

The methods, techniques, and devices used in testing the mechanical properties of various materials are presented. Although metals and metal alloys are featured prominently, some of the items describe tests on a variety of other materials, from concrete to plastics. Many of the tests described are modifications of standard testing procedures, intended either to adapt them to different materials and conditions, or to make them more rapid and accurate. In either case, the approaches presented can result in considerable cost savings and improved quality control. The compilation is presented in two sections. The first deals specifically with material strength testing; the second treats the special category of fracture and fatigue testing.

Source record↗

Actively cooled airframe structures for high-speed flight

An assessment of forced convectively cooled aircraft structures is presented based on recent and on-going studies. Particular emphasis is given to contractual efforts in which large panels of three different concepts are being designed and fabricated for cyclic thermal-structural tests at the Langley Research Center. Results of ambient temperature fatigue tests of small specimens of these concepts are reviewed. Aspects of conceptual and detail designs, material selection, fabrication, reliability, and heat-load/hydrogen fuel heat-sink matching are discussed. Results to date indicate that active cooling significantly impacts the structural design process, and, despite the use of conventional aluminum materials, advanced complex fabrication processes are required.

Nowak, R. J.↗

The cyclic stress-strain behavior of PWA 1480 at 650 deg C

The monotonic plastic flow behavior of several single crystal nickel-base, superalloys has been shown to vary significantly with crystallographic orientation. In the present study, the cyclic plastic flow response of one such alloy, PWA 1480, was examined at 650 deg C in air. Single crystal specimens aligned near several crystallographic directions were tested in fully reversed, total-strain-controlled low cycle fatigue tests at a frequency of 0.1 Hz. The cyclic stress-strain response and general cyclic hardening behavior was analyzed as a function of crystallographic orientation and inelastic strain range.

Gabb, T. P.↗

Fatigue-Crack-Tip Locator

Fatigue-testing system includes automated subsystem continuously tracking location of fatigue-crack tip in metal or other highly electrically conductive specimen. Fatigue-crack-tip-locating subsystem also searches specimen to find initial fatigue crack and its tip and to trace out hidden fatigue cracks and other flaws inside specimen. Subsystem operates under overall control of personal computer, which also controls load frame applying prescribed cyclic stresses to specimen. Electromagnetic flaw detector based on eddy-current principle scanned over surface of specimen. Flaw detector described in "Electromagnetic Flaw Detector Is Easier To Use" (LAR-15046). System provides automated control and monitoring of fatigue experiments, saving time for researchers and enabling experiments to run unattended 24 hours a day. All information on crack-tip trajectories and rates of growth of cracks recorded automatically, so researchers have access to more information.

Namkung, Min↗

Preliminary Experimental Results in Support of the Development of EPP and SMT Design Methods and Viscoplastic Model for A709

The ASME code qualification effort for Alloy 709 (A709) is currently underway to qualify it for Class A construction in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division 5. The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories are collaborating in the advanced materials development initiative to investigate the mechanical performance of A709 in support of its code qualification. As part of the A709 code qualification effort, this report summarizes ORNL’s initial experimental findings that support the integration of A709 into the elastic-perfectly plastic (EPP) strain limits code case. It also covers thermomechanical fatigue testing conducted to develop viscoelastic material models, along with the preliminary results of creep-fatigue experiments at 816°C using the Simplified Model Test (SMT) method.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Refinement of Promising Coating Compositions for Directionally Cast Eutectics

The successful application of high creep strength, directionally solidified gamma/gamma prime-delta (Ni-19.7Cb-6Cr-2.5Al) eutectic superalloy turbine blades requires the development of suitable coatings for airfoil, root and internal blade surfaces. In order to improve coatings for the gamma/gamma prime-delta alloy, the current investigation had the goals of (1) refining promising coating compositions for directionally solidified eutectics, (2) evaluating the effects of coating/ substrate interactions on the mechanical properties of the alloy, and (3) evaluating diffusion aluminide coatings for internal surfaces. Burner rig cyclic oxidation, furnace cyclic hot corrosion, ductility, and thermal fatigue tests indicated that NiCrAlY+Pt(63 to 127 micron Ni-18Cr-12Al-0.3Y + 6 micron Pt) and NiCrAlY(63 to 127 micron Ni-18Cr-12Al-0.3Y) coatings are capable of protecting high temperature gas path surfaces of eutectic alloy airfoils. Burner rig (Mach 0.37) testing indicated that the useful coating life of the 127 micron thick coatings exceeded 1000 hours at 1366 K (2000 deg F). Isothermal fatigue and furnance hot corrosion tests indicated that 63 micron NiCrAlY, NiCrAlY + Pt and platinum modified diffusion aluminide (Pt + Al) coating systems are capable of protecting the relatively cooler surfaces of the blade root. Finally, a gas phase coating process was evaluated for diffusion aluminizing internal surfaces and cooling holes of air-cooled gamma/gamma prime-delta turbine blades.

Strangman, T. E.↗

Elevated temperature biaxial fatigue

A three year experimental program for studying elevated temperature biaxial fatigue of a nickel based alloy Hastelloy-X has been completed. A new high temperature fatigue test facility with unique capabilities has been developed. Effort was directed toward understanding multiaxial fatigue and correlating the experimental data to the existing theories of fatigue failure. The difficult task of predicting fatigue lives for non-proportional loading was used as an ultimate test for various life prediction methods being considered. The primary means of reaching improved undertanding were through several critical non-proportional loading experiments. It was discovered that the cracking mode switched from primarily cracking on the maximum shear planes at room temperature to cracking on the maximum normal strain planes at 649 C.

Jordan, E. H.↗

Effect of interlaminar normal stresses on the uniaxial zero-to-tension fatigue behavior of graphite/epoxy tubes

Fatigue tests conducted with and without internal pressure have been found to possess approximately the same fatigue life as (+/-45)s graphite/epoxy tubes for zero-to-tension axial load-controlled conditions on an axial torsion servohydraulic apparatus. These tests therefore cannot be considered as confirmations of the suspected detrimental effect of interlaminar tensile stresses on the fatigue performance of thin-walled tubes. The addition of 90-deg plies on both the inside and the outside is found to significantly improve the tubes' static and fatigue strengths.

Krempl, Erhard↗

Fatigue performance of metal-lined graphite/epoxy pressure vessels

Using an ultrahigh-strength graphite fiber, a program was started to develop a thin metal-lined fiber/epoxy pressure vessel that would have a fatigue life of over 1000 cycles. First, the performance factor of the fiber/epoxy composite was found to be 351 kN m/kg from the average of 18 rubber-lined pressure vessels. Then, both aluminum- and titanium-lined vessels were filament wound with the graphite fiber in an epoxy matrix. Several of these metal-lined vessels were subjected to hydraulic fatigue testing to about 50% of their expected burst pressures. The average fatigue life of the aluminum-lined vessels was 462 cycles; the average for the titanium-lined vessels was 2190 cycles.

Hamstad, M. A.↗

Lubricants and Additives Affect Spur-Gear Fatigue

Surface-fatigue tests conducted with AISI 9310 steel spur gears show surface-fatigue life of AISI 9310 steel spur gears increased as much as 400 percent by addition of small amount of phosphorus-type extreme-pressure (EP) additive in lubricant. Antiwear or EP additives either absorbed onto surface or react with surface to form protective coating or surface film. Boundary film provides barrier that prevents contact of metal surfaces and provides low shear strength, which reduces friction coefficient below base metal.

Scibbe, H.↗

High Temperature Slow Crack Growth of Si3N4 Specimens Subjected to Uniaxial and Biaxial Dynamic Fatigue Loading Conditions

The slow crack growth of a hot-pressed silicon nitride was determined at 1300 C in air using dynamic fatigue testing under both uniaxial and biaxial stress states. Good agreement in fatigue parameter exists between the data obtained from uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions. A reasonable prediction of dynamic fatigue from one stress state to another was made using the recently developed CARES/LIFE computer code.

Choi, Sung R.↗

Gamma (K5 Based) Compressor Blade Material Design - Alpha Extrusion on a Small Scale

The objective of the 2003 study is to develop a mechanically processed, high temperature TiAl alloy for use in the Turbine Based Combined Cycle compressor. An aging study with 3 temperatures and 4 time periods at each temperature will be conducted to determine the optimum aging condition. High-magnification microscopic analyses shall be employed to define the size distribution of carbide as a function of aging temperature/time. The contractor shall define optimum materials' conditions by conducting tensile and creep testing for two over-aging conditions for both alloys and fatigue testing for one over-aging condition for each alloy.

Kim, Young-Won↗

Environmental Durability Assessment and Development of Subcomponent Test Methods for Advanced Materials in Marine Energy Applications: Preprint

Marine energy developers are beginning to rely more heavily on advanced composite materials for their load bearing structures. Understanding how these materials respond and degrade in harsh marine environments is a complex problem. Much research has been performed at smaller laboratory scales to understand the fundamental physical and chemical degradation mechanisms, but little structural testing research has been performed at larger scales to understand how these physical and chemical interactions scale and how they should be accounted for in the design process. The Advanced Materials project is a multilaboratory research collaboration that has been addressing these issues with the intention of reducing risks and barriers to marine energy developers wanting to adopt advanced composite materials. The National Laboratory of the Rockies has been playing a leading role in developing larger scale testing infrastructure and test methods to validate complex numerical degradation models and standardize testing procedures to do so. This paper provides a review of past structural testing activities and how they have grown into current research activities and will continue to evolve into the future to directly address industry needs. This paper covers key research areas large-scale water absorption and subsequent structural validation testing, qualification of bolted and adhesive connections, and conducting combined submerged fatigue testing at increasing scales. This paper provides insights into the complex requirements for testing infrastructure and test method development to effectively qualify materials and certify marine energy structures for harsh marine environments. This research program paves the way for better guidance and standardization within the industry when adopting advanced composite materials.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Real time acousto-ultrasonic NDE technique for monitoring damage in ceramic composites under dynamic loads

Research effort was directed towards developing a near real-time, acousto-ultrasonic (AU), nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tool to study the failure mechanisms of ceramic composites. Progression of damage is monitored in real-time by observing the changes in the received AU signal during the actual test. During the real-time AU test, the AU signals are generated and received by the AU transducers attached to the specimen while it is being subjected to increasing quasi-static loads or cyclic loads (10 Hz, R = 1.0). The received AU signals for 64 successive pulses were gated in the time domain (T = 40.96 micro sec) and then averaged every second over ten load cycles and stored in a computer file during fatigue tests. These averaged gated signals are representative of the damage state of the specimen at that point of its fatigue life. This is also the first major attempt in the development and application of real-time AU for continuously monitoring damage accumulation during fatigue without interrupting the test. The present work has verified the capability of the AU technique to assess the damage state in silicon carbide/calcium aluminosilicate (SiC/CAS) and silicon carbide/ magnesium aluminosilicate (SiC/MAS) ceramic composites. Continuous monitoring of damage initiation and progression under quasi-static ramp loading in tension to failure of unidirectional and cross-ply SiC/CAS and quasi-isotropic SiC/MAS ceramic composite specimens at room temperature was accomplished using near real-time AU parameters. The AU technique was shown to be able to detect the stress levels for the onset and saturation of matrix cracks, respectively. The critical cracking stress level is used as a design stress for brittle matrix composites operating at elevated temperatures. The AU technique has found that the critical cracking stress level is 10-15% below the level presently obtained for design purposes from analytical models. An acousto-ultrasonic stress-strain response (AUSSR) model for unidirectional and cross-ply ceramic composites was formulated. The AUSSR model predicts the strain response to increasing stress levels using real-time AU data and classical laminated plate theory. The Weibull parameters of the AUSSR model are used to calculate the design stress for thermo-structural applications. Real-time AU together with the AUSSR model was used to study the failure mechanisms of SiC/CAS ceramic composites under static and fatigue loading. An S-N curve was generated for a cross-ply SiC/CAS ceramic composite material. The AU results are corroborated and complemented by other NDE techniques, namely, in-situ optical microscope video recordings and edge replication.

Tiwari, Anil↗

The direct-stress fatigue strength of 17S-T aluminum alloy throughout the range from 1/2 to 500,000,000 cycles of stress

Fatigue-test were conducted on six specimens made from 3/4-inch-diameter 17S-T rolled-and-drawn rod for the purpose of obtaining additional data on the fatigue life of the material at stresses up to the static strength. The specimens were tested in direct tension using a stress range from zero to a maximum in tension. A static testing machine was used to apply repeated loads in the case of the first three specimens; the other three specimens were tested in a direct tension-compression fatigue machine. The direct-stress fatigue curve obtained for the material indicates that, in the range of stresses above about two-thirds the tensile strength, the fatigue strength is higher than might be expected by simply extrapolating the ordinary curve of stress plotted against the number of cycles determined at lower stresses.

Hartmann, E C↗

Accelerated Testing Methodology for the Determination of Slow Crack Growth of Advanced Ceramics

Constant stress-rate (dynamic fatigue) testing has been used for several decades to characterize slow crack growth behavior of glass and ceramics at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The advantage of constant stress-rate testing over other methods lies in its simplicity: Strengths are measured in a routine manner at four or more stress rates by applying a constant crosshead speed or constant loading rate. The slow crack growth parameters (n and A) required for design can be estimated from a relationship between strength and stress rate. With the proper use of preloading in constant stress-rate testing, an appreciable saving of test time can be achieved. If a preload corresponding to 50 % of the strength is applied to the specimen prior to testing, 50 % of the test time can be saved as long as the strength remains unchanged regardless of the applied preload. In fact, it has been a common, empirical practice in strength testing of ceramics or optical fibers to apply some preloading (less then 40%). The purpose of this work is to study the effect of preloading on the strength to lay a theoretical foundation on such an empirical practice. For this purpose, analytical and numerical solutions of strength as a function of preloading were developed. To verify the solution, constant stress-rate testing using glass and alumina at room temperature and alumina silicon nitride, and silicon carbide at elevated temperatures was conducted in a range of preloadings from O to 90 %.

Choi, Sung R.↗

Accelerated Testing Methodology Developed for Determining the Slow Crack Growth of Advanced Ceramics

Constant stress-rate ("dynamic fatigue") testing has been used for several decades to characterize the slow crack growth behavior of glass and structural ceramics at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The advantage of such testing over other methods lies in its simplicity: strengths are measured in a routine manner at four or more stress rates by applying a constant displacement or loading rate. The slow crack growth parameters required for component design can be estimated from a relationship between strength and stress rate. With the proper use of preloading in constant stress-rate testing, test time can be reduced appreciably. If a preload corresponding to 50 percent of the strength is applied to the specimen prior to testing, 50 percent of the test time can be saved as long as the applied preload does not change the strength. In fact, it has been a common, empirical practice in the strength testing of ceramics or optical fibers to apply some preloading (<40 percent). The purpose of this work at the NASA Lewis Research Center is to study the effect of preloading on measured strength in order to add a theoretical foundation to the empirical practice.

Choi, Sung R.↗