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At least 1,189 records · Page 66

Effects of stress ethylene inhibitors on sweet clover (Melilotus Alba L.) seedling growth in microgravity

Previous experiments from our lab have shown that seeds of sweet clover, when germinated and grown within the Fluid Processing Apparatus (FPA) on a slow rotating clinostat produce significantly greater levels of the volatile stress hormone, ethylene, when compared to seeds treated the same but without clinorotation. In both conditions, carbon dioxide levels reached high levels and seedling growth was inhibited. However, clinorotation inhibited growth to a greater extent. To help determine to what extent microgravity influences stress ethylene production and to what extent ethylene inhibits seedling growth, we have extended the above experiments by growing sweet clover in the presence of aminooxyacetic acid (AOA) and silver nitrate (AgNO3), inhibitors of stress ethylene biosynthesis and action, respectively. Seeds of sweet clover were germinated and grown for five days in the FPA under two gravity conditions: under stationary conditions on Earth and in microgravity onboard the space shuttle, Discovery (STS-63), which launched Feb. 3, 1995. Upon recovery, gas samples were aspirated from the growth chambers and carbon dioxide and ethylene concentrations were measured using a gas chromatograph. Then the tissue was weighed, photographed and fixed, and is current undergoing further morphological and microscopic characterization.

Gallegos, Gregory L.↗

Colors Of Liquid Crystals Used To Measure Surface Shear Stresses

Developmental method of mapping shear stresses on aerodynamic surfaces involves observation, at multiple viewing angles, of colors of liquid-crystal surface coats illuminated by white light. Report describing method referenced in "Liquid Crystals Indicate Directions Of Surface Shear Stresses" (ARC-13379). Resulting maps of surface shear stresses contain valuable data on magnitudes and directions of skin friction forces associated with surface flows; data used to refine mathematical models of aerodynamics for research and design purposes.

Reda, D. C.↗

RAINBOWS and CERAMBOWS: The Technologies of Pre-Stressed Piezo Actuators

Amplified mechanical displacement effects, similar to those observed in the recently reported Rainbow actuators, have also been found to exist in prestressed ceramic/metal composite structures coined as CERAMBOW's - an acronym for CERamic And Metal Biased Oxide Wafer. Mimicking the Rainbows in many ways, the intentionally created internal compressive and tensile stresses within the Cerambows are used to amplify their displacement properties via the combined effects of piezoelectric d31 strain and domain reorientation. They are fabricated from ferroelectric, piezoelectric or electrostrictive materials and metal substrates of significantly different thermal expansions which are largely responsible for the creation of the stress. Typical ceramics used in Cerambows are PZT, PLZT, PBZT, PSZT and PMN and some typical metal substrates are Al, Ag, Ni, brass, steel and Be/Cu foil. Shapes can vary from round disks to square plates and rectangular bars. Formed at an elevated temperature of approximately 250 C, the stresses on cooling to room temperature are generally sufficient to produce displacements as large as 0.125mm (5 mils) when activated unipolar and 0.25mm (10 mils) when operated bipolar at 450 volts in a dome mode. Comparing equal structures of a Cerambow with a Rainbow, the Cerambow was found to achieve approximately 70% of the displacement that would normally be obtained with a Rainbow. Although this difference in displacement is sufficient to prefer a Rainbow for many applications, there are some advantages for the Cerambow. Among these are (1) the processing temperatures are lower, (2) high lead-containing ceramics are not required and (3) in some instances the metal substrate is more convenient to interface with other elements of a device. However, the disadvantages include (1) lower displacement in the dome mode of operation, (2) the higher displacement saddle mode has not yet been demonstrated with a Cerambow and (3) the ceramic/metal bond interface is a possible failure area when operated for extended periods of time. The applications for Cerambows are considered to be similar to Rainbows, i.e., actuators, pumps, deflectors, vibrators, speakers, hydrophones, hydroprojectors, switches, etc.

Haertling, Gene H.↗

Determination of Stress-Corrosion Cracking in Aluminum-Lithium Alloy ML377

The use of aluminum-lithium alloys for aerospace applications is currently being studied at NASA Langley Research Center's Metallic Materials Branch. The alloys in question will operate under stress in a corrosive environment. These conditions are ideal for the phenomena of Stress-Corrosion Cracking (SCC) to occur. The test procedure for SCC calls for alternate immersion and breaking load tests. These tests were optimized for the lab equipment and materials available in the Light Alloy lab. Al-Li alloy ML377 specimens were then subjected to alternate immersion and breaking load tests to determine residual strength and resistance to SCC. Corrosion morphology and microstructure were examined under magnification. Data shows that ML377 is highly resistant to stress-corrosion cracking.

Valek, Bryan C.↗

ZIP2DL: An Elastic-Plastic, Large-Rotation Finite-Element Stress Analysis and Crack-Growth Simulation Program

ZIP2DL is a two-dimensional, elastic-plastic finte element program for stress analysis and crack growth simulations, developed for the NASA Langley Research Center. It has many of the salient features of the ZIP2D program. For example, ZIP2DL contains five material models (linearly elastic, elastic-perfectly plastic, power-law hardening, linear hardening, and multi-linear hardening models), and it can simulate mixed-mode crack growth for prescribed crack growth paths under plane stress, plane strain and mixed state of stress conditions. Further, as an extension of ZIP2D, it also includes a number of new capabilities. The large-deformation kinematics in ZIP2DL will allow it to handle elastic problems with large strains and large rotations, and elastic-plastic problems with small strains and large rotations. Loading conditions in terms of surface traction, concentrated load, and nodal displacement can be applied with a default linear time dependence or they can be programmed according to a user-defined time dependence through a user subroutine. The restart capability of ZIP2DL will make it possible to stop the execution of the program at any time, analyze the results and/or modify execution options and resume and continue the execution of the program. This report includes three sectons: a theoretical manual section, a user manual section, and an example manual secton. In the theoretical secton, the mathematics behind the various aspects of the program are concisely outlined. In the user manual section, a line-by-line explanation of the input data is given. In the example manual secton, three types of examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and illustrate the use of this program.

Deng, Xiaomin↗

A Near-Wall Reynolds-Stress Closure without Wall Normals

With the aid of near-wall asymptotic analysis and results of direct numerical simulation, a new near-wall Reynolds stress model (NNWRS) is formulated based on the SSG high-Reynolds-stress model with wall-independent near-wall corrections. Only one damping function is used for flows with a wide range of Reynolds numbers to ensure that the near-wall modifications diminish away from the walls. The model is able to reproduce complicated flow phenomena induced by complex geometry, such as flow recirculation, reattachment and boundary-layer redevelopment in backward-facing step flow and secondary flow in three-dimensional square duct flow. In simple flows, including fully developed channel/pipe flow, Couette flow and boundary-layer flow, the wall effects are dominant, and the NNWRS model predicts less degree of turbulent anisotropy in the near-wall region compared with a wall-dependent near-wall Reynolds Stress model (NWRS) developed by So and colleagues. The comparison of the predictions given by the two models rectifies the misconception that the overshooting of skin friction coefficient in backward-facing step flow prevalent in those near-wall, models with wall normal is caused by he use of wall normal.

Yuan, S. P.↗

Time Evolution of Modeled Reynolds Stresses in Planar Homogeneous Flows

The analytic expression of the time evolution of the Reynolds stress anisotropy tensor in all planar homogeneous flows is obtained by exact integration of the modeled differential Reynolds stress equations. The procedure is based on results of tensor representation theory, is applicable for general pressure-strain correlation tensors, and can account for any additional turbulence anisotropy effects included in the closure. An explicit solution of the resulting system of scalar ordinary differential equations is obtained for the case of a linear pressure-strain correlation tensor. The properties of this solution are discussed, and the dynamic behavior of the Reynolds stresses is studied, including limit cycles and sensitivity to initial anisotropies.

Jongen, T.↗

Grapevine Remote Sensing Analysis of Phylloxera Early Stress (GRAPES): Remote Sensing Analysis Summary

High spatial resolution airborne imagery was acquired in California's Napa Valley in 1993 and 1994 as part of the Grapevine Remote sensing Analysis of Phylloxera Early Stress (GRAPES) project. Investigators from NASA, the University of California, the California State University, and Robert Mondavi Winery examined the application of airborne digital imaging technology to vineyard management, with emphasis on detecting the phylloxera infestation in California vineyards. Because the root louse causes vine stress that leads to grapevine death in three to five years, the infested areas must be replanted with resistant rootstock. Early detection of infestation and changing cultural practices can compensate for vine damage. Vineyard managers need improved information to decide where and when to replant fields or sections of fields to minimize crop financial losses. Annual relative changes in leaf area due to phylloxera infestation were determined by using information obtained from computing Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images. Two other methods of monitoring vineyards through imagery were also investigated: optical sensing of the Red Edge Inflection Point (REIP), and thermal sensing. These did not convey the stress patterns as well as the NDVI imagery and require specialized sensor configurations. NDVI-derived products are recommended for monitoring phylloxera infestations.

Lobitz, Brad↗

Optimality of a Fully Stressed Design

For a truss a fully stressed state is reached and when all its members are utilized to their full strength capacity. Historically, engineers considered such a design optimum. But recently this optimality has been questioned, especially since the weight of the structure is not explicitly used in fully stressed design calculations. This paper examines optimality of the full stressed design (FSD) with analytical and graphical illustrations. Solutions for a set of examples obtained by using the FSD method and optimization methods numerically confirm the optimality of the FSD. The FSD, which can be obtained with a small amount of calculation, can be extended to displacement constraints and to nontruss-type structures.

Patnaik, Surya N.↗

Development of In-Fiber Reflective Bragg Gratings as Shear Stress Monitors in Aerodynamic Facilities

Bragg gratings centered at nominal wavelengths of 1290 nm and 1300 run were inscribed in a 9/125 microns germano-silicate optical fiber, using continuous wave frequency doubled Ar+ laser radiation at 244 nm. Such gratings have been used extensively as temperature and strain monitors in smart structures. They have, however, never been used for measuring aerodynamic shear stresses. As a test of their sensitivity as shear stress monitors, a Bragg fiber attached to a metal plate was subjected to laminar flows in a glass pipe. An easily measurable large flow-induced wavelength shift (Delta Lambda(sub B)) was observed in the Bragg reflected wavelength. Thereafter, the grating was calibrated by making one time, simultaneous measurements of Delta Lambda(sub B) and the coefficient of skin friction (C(sub f)) with a skin friction balance, as a function of flow rates in a subsonic wind tunnel. Onset of fan-induced transition in the tunnel flow provided a unique flow rate for correlating Delta Lambda(sub B) and (C(sub f) values needed for computing effective modulus of rigidity (N(sub eff)) of the fiber attached to the metal plate. This value Of N(sub eff) is expected to remain constant throughout the elastic stress range expected during the Bragg grating aerodynamic tests. It has been used for calculating the value of Cf at various tunnel speeds, on the basis of measured values of Bragg wavelength shifts at those speeds.

Parmar, Devendra S.↗

Surveying Dead Trees and CO2-Induced Stressed Trees Using AVIRIS in the Long Valley Caldera

Since 1980 the Long Valley Caldera in the eastern Sierra Nevada (California) has shown signs of renewed volcanic activity. Frequent earthquakes, a re-inflation of the caldera, hydrothermal activity and gas emissions are the outer symptoms of this renewed activity. In 1990 and 1991 several areas of dying trees were found around Mammoth Mountain. The cause of the die off of the trees was first sought in the persistent drought in the preceding years. However, the trees died regardless of age and species. Farrar et al. (1995) started a soil-gas survey in 1994 in the dead-tree areas and found carbon dioxide concentrations ranging from 30 to 96% at soil depths between 30 and 60 cm. CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are usually around 0.03% and in the soil profile CO2 levels do commonly not exceed 4 to 5%. Although not much is known about the effect of high levels of carbon dioxide in the soil profile on roots, it is most likely that the trees are dying due to oxygen deprivation: the CO2 drives the oxygen out of the soil. So far, four sites of dead trees have been mapped around Mammoth Mountain. The two largest dying trees sites are located near Horseshoe Lake and near Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge covering approximately an area of 10 and 8 ha respectively. Analysis of the gas composition regarding the He-3/He-4 ratio and the percentage biogenic carbon reveals the source of the gas: the magma body beneath the Long Valley Caldera. Until recently it was not known that volcanoes release abundant carbon dioxide from their flanks as diffuse soil emanations. As a result of the magma gas emission around Mammoth Mountain there is an excellent sequence of dead trees, stressed trees, healthy trees and bare soil surfaces. This research site provides excellent opportunities to: (1) Study the capabilities of imaging spectrometry to map stressed (and dead) pine and fir species; (2) Study methods to separate the vivid vegetation, stressed vegetation and dead vegetation from the soil background of glacial deposits and crystalline rocks. The dead tree areas are located on the flanks of Mammoth Mountain (N:37 deg 37' 45" and W:119 deg 02' 05") at an elevation between 2600 and 3000 meters. The area is covered by an open type of Montane Forest. The dominant tree species are Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta), the Red Fir (Abies magnifica) and the Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi). The soil surface near Horseshoe Lake is generally fairly bright. The surface is covered by glacial deposits (till) consisting mainly of weathered granitic rocks.

deJong, Steven M.↗

Visualization and Measurement of Surface Shear Stress Vector Distributions Using Liquid Crystal Coatings

When a shear-sensitive liquid crystal coating is illuminated from the normal direction by white light and observed from an oblique above-plane view angle, its color-change response to shear depends on both shear stress vector magnitude and the direction of the applied shear vector relative to the observer's in-plane line of sight. At any point, the maximum color change is always seen or measured when the local shear vector is aligned with, and directed away from, the observer; the magnitude of the color change at this vector/observer aligned orientation scales directly with shear stress magnitude. Conversely, any point exposed to a shear vector with a component directed toward the observer exhibits a noncolor-change response, always characterized by a rusty red or brown color, independent of both shear magnitude and direction. Based on this knowledge, full-surface shear stress vector visualization and measurement methodologies were formulated and successfully demonstrated. The present paper reviews the observations and measurements that led to the development of these methodologies and applications of both are discussed.

Reda, Daniel C.↗

Theoretical Elastic Stress Distributions Arising from Discontinuities and Edge Loads in Several Shell-Type Structures

The deformation and complete stress distribution are determined for each of the following edge loaded thin shells of revolution: (1) a right circular cylinder, (2) a frustum of a right circular cone, and (3) a portion of a sphere. The locations of the maximum circumferential and meridional stresses on both the inner and outer surfaces are also found. The basic equations for the above were selected from the published literature on the subject and expanded to produce to resultant-stress equations in closed from where practicable to do so. Equations are also developed for the discontinuity shear force and bending moment at each of the following junction: (1) axial change of thickness in a circular cylinder, (2) axial change of thickness in a cone, (3) change of thickness in a portion of a sphere, (4) a cylinder and a cone, (5) a cylinder and a portion of a sphere(6) a cylinder and a flat head, and (7) a cone and a portion of a sphere.

Johns, Robert H.↗

ETP-0492, Measured Residual Stresses in CYL S/N 53 Fretted Area

This test report presents the results of a residual stress survey of the inner clevis leg of lightweight cylinder SIN 053 as described by ETP-0492. The intent of this testing was to evaluate the residual stresses that occur in and around the inner clevis leg at the capture feature contact zone during a normal flight cycle. Lightweight case cylinder segment IU50717, S/N L053 from Flight STS-27 exhibited fretting around the contact zone of the inner clevis leg and the capture feature of the field joint. Post flight inspection revealed several large fitting pits on the inside of the inner clevis leg. This cylinder was assigned for both residual stress and metallurgical evaluation. This report is concerned only with the residual so= evaluations. The effects of glass bead cleaning and fi=ing were evaluated using the x-ray diffraction method.

Webster, Ronald L.↗

Determination of Creep Behavior of Thermal Barrier Coatings Under Laser Imposed High Thermal and Stress Gradient Conditions

A laser sintering/creep technique has been established to determine the creep behavior of thermal barrier coatings under steady-state high heat flux conditions. For a plasma sprayed zirconia-8 wt. % yttria coating, a significant primary creep strain and a low apparent creep activation energy were observed. Possible creep mechanisms involved include stress induced mechanical sliding and temperature and stress enhanced cation diffusion through the splat and grain boundaries. The elastic modulus evolution, stress response, and total accumulated creep strain variation across the ceramic coating are simulated using a finite difference approach. The modeled creep response is consistent with experimental observations.

Zhu, Dongming↗

Factors Controlling Stress Rupture of Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Composites

The successful application of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMC) depends strongly on maximizing material rupture life over a wide range of temperatures and applied stresses. The objective of this paper is to examine the various intrinsic and extrinsic factors that control the high-temperature stress rupture of CMC for stresses below and above those required for cracking of the 0 C plies (Regions I and II, respectively). Using creep-rupture results for a variety of ceramic fibers and rupture data for CMC reinforced by these fibers, it is shown that in those cases where the matrix carries little structural load, CMC rupture conditions can be predicted very well from the fiber behavior measured under the appropriate test environment. As such, one can then examine the intrinsic characteristics of the fibers in order to develop design guidelines for selecting fibers and fiber microstructures in order to maximize CMC rupture life. For those cases where the fiber interfacial coatings are unstable in the test environment, CMC lives are generally worse than those predicted by fiber behavior alone. For those cases where the matrix can support structural load, CMC life can even be greater provided matrix creep behavior is properly controlled. Thus the achievement of long CMC rupture life requires understanding and optimizing the behavior of all constituents in the proper manner.

DiCarlo, J. A.↗

Stresses and Strains within the "Stable" North American Plate

This paper presents a final report on "Stresses and Strains within the "Stable" North American Plate". The topics include: 1) Strain rates near the New Madrid seismic zone; 2) Signal Processing of intermediate term data; and 3) Transform fault stresses and strains. The paper also includes graphs of the stress and strain distributions.

Engeln, Joe↗

Stress Recovery and Error Estimation for Shell Structures

The Penalized Discrete Least-Squares (PDLS) stress recovery (smoothing) technique developed for two dimensional linear elliptic problems is adapted here to three-dimensional shell structures. The surfaces are restricted to those which have a 2-D parametric representation, or which can be built-up of such surfaces. The proposed strategy involves mapping the finite element results to the 2-D parametric space which describes the geometry, and smoothing is carried out in the parametric space using the PDLS-based Smoothing Element Analysis (SEA). Numerical results for two well-known shell problems are presented to illustrate the performance of SEA/PDLS for these problems. The recovered stresses are used in the Zienkiewicz-Zhu a posteriori error estimator. The estimated errors are used to demonstrate the performance of SEA-recovered stresses in automated adaptive mesh refinement of shell structures. The numerical results are encouraging. Further testing involving more complex, practical structures is necessary.

Yazdani, A. A.↗