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At least 1,189 records · Page 66

Predicting the liquefaction phenomena from shear velocity profiling: Empirical approach to 6.3 Mw, May 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake

The liquefactions phenomena have been reported after a shocking 6.5Mw earthquake hit Yogyakarta province in the morning at 27 May 2006. Several researchers have reported the damage, casualties, and soil failure due to the quake, including the mapping and analyzing the liquefaction phenomena. Most of them based on SPT test. The study try to draw the liquefaction susceptibility by means the shear velocity profiling using modified Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW). This paper is a preliminary report by using only several measured MASW points. The study built 8-channel seismic data logger with 4.5 Hz geophones for this purpose. Several different offsets used to record the high and low frequencies of surface waves. The phase-velocity diagrams were stacked in the frequency domain rather than in time domain, for a clearer and easier dispersion curve picking. All codes are implementing in Matlab. From these procedures, shear velocity profiling was collected beneath each geophone’s spread. By mapping the minimum depth of shallow water table, calculating PGA with soil classification, using empirical formula for saturated soil weight from shear velocity profile, and calculating CRR and CSR at every depth, the liquefaction characteristic can be identify in every layer. From several acquired data, a liquefiable potential at some depth below water table was obtained.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Titanium Aluminide Scramjet Inlet Flap Subelement Benchmark Tested

A subelement-level ultimate strength test was completed successfully at the NASA Glenn Research Center (http://www.nasa.gov/glenn/) on a large gamma titanium aluminide (TiAl) inlet flap demonstration piece. The test subjected the part to prototypical stress conditions by using unique fixtures that allowed both loading and support points to be located remote to the part itself (see the photograph). The resulting configuration produced shear, moment, and the consequent stress topology proportional to the design point. The test was conducted at room temperature, a harsh condition for the material because of reduced available ductility. Still, the peak experimental load-carrying capability exceeded original predictions.

Krause, David L.↗

Requirements for Auxiliary Stiffeners Attached to Panels Under Combined Compression and Shear

Panels of aluminum alloy sheets, framed by side and end stiffeners, were subjected to combined loading by means of offset knife edges applying loads to top and bottom end plates with reacting forces against the end plates supplied by laterally acting rollers. The test specimens were 17S-T aluminum alloy shoots 0.040 inch thick in panels of 10-inch width and three different lengths (approximately 10, 26, and 30 inch). Data were obtained for the bowing of transverse and longitudinal ribs of rectangular cross section and varying depths mounted on one side of the sheet only, for several ratios of compression to shear loads. Limiting values of the moments of inertia were calculated from these measurements. The experimental values exceed the theoretical values given by Timoshenko for the case of simply supported sheets with uniformly distributed boundary stresses. The work reported includes measurements of the effective shear moduli of the nine test panels with and without ribs. These data are compared with values published by Lahdo and Wagner.

ALUMINUM ALLOYS, SHEET - ALCOA 17ST - STRENGTH↗

Neural Network and Response Surface Methodology for Rocket Engine Component Optimization

The goal of this work is to compare the performance of response surface methodology (RSM) and two types of neural networks (NN) to aid preliminary design of two rocket engine components. A data set of 45 training points and 20 test points obtained from a semi-empirical model based on three design variables is used for a shear coaxial injector element. Data for supersonic turbine design is based on six design variables, 76 training, data and 18 test data obtained from simplified aerodynamic analysis. Several RS and NN are first constructed using the training data. The test data are then employed to select the best RS or NN. Quadratic and cubic response surfaces. radial basis neural network (RBNN) and back-propagation neural network (BPNN) are compared. Two-layered RBNN are generated using two different training algorithms, namely solverbe and solverb. A two layered BPNN is generated with Tan-Sigmoid transfer function. Various issues related to the training of the neural networks are addressed including number of neurons, error goals, spread constants and the accuracy of different models in representing the design space. A search for the optimum design is carried out using a standard gradient-based optimization algorithm over the response surfaces represented by the polynomials and trained neural networks. Usually a cubic polynominal performs better than the quadratic polynomial but exceptions have been noticed. Among the NN choices, the RBNN designed using solverb yields more consistent performance for both engine components considered. The training of RBNN is easier as it requires linear regression. This coupled with the consistency in performance promise the possibility of it being used as an optimization strategy for engineering design problems.

Vaidyanathan, Rajkumar↗

Assessing continuum plasticity postulates with grain stress and local strain measurements in triaxially compressed sand

Critical state and continuum plasticity theories have been used in research and engineering practice in soil and rock mechanics for decades. These theories rely on postulated relationships between material stresses and strains. Some classical postulates include coaxiality between stress and strain rates, stress–dilatancy relationships, and kinematic assumptions in shear bands. Although numerical and experimental data have quantified the strains and grain kinematics in such experiments, little data quantifying grain stresses are available. Here, we report the first-known grain stress and local strain measurements in triaxial compression tests on synthetic quartz sands using synchrotron X-ray tomography and 3D X-ray diffraction. We use these data to examine the micromechanics of shear banding, with a focus on coaxiality, stress-dilatancy, and kinematics within bands. Our results indicate the following: 1) elevated deviatoric stress, strain, and stress ratios in shear bands throughout experiments; 2) coaxial principal compressive stresses and strains throughout samples; 3) significant contraction along shear bands; 4) vanishing volumetric strain but nonvanishing stress fluctuations throughout samples at all stages of deformation. Our results provide some of the first-known in situ stress and strain measurements able to aid in critically evaluating postulates employed in continuum plasticity and strain localization theories for sands.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Arcjet Testing of Advanced Conformal Ablative TPS

A conformable TPS over a rigid aeroshell has the potential to solve a number of challenges faced by traditional rigid TPS materials (such as tiled Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) system on MSL. The compliant (high strain to failure) nature of the conformable ablative materials will allow integration of the TPS with the underlying aeroshell structure much easier and enable monolithic-like configuration and larger segments (or parts) to be used. In May of 2013 the CA250 project executed an arcjet test series in the Ames IHF facility to evaluate a phenolic-based conformal system (named Conformal-PICA) over a range of test conditions from 40-400Wcm2. The test series consisted of four runs in the 13-inch diameter nozzle. Test models were based on SPRITE configuration (a 55-deg sphere cone), as it was able to provide a combination of required heat flux, pressure and shear within a single entry. The preliminary in-depth TC data acquired during that test series allowed a mid-fidelity thermal response model for conformal-PICA to be created while testing of seam models began to address TPS attachment and joining of multiple segments for future fabrication of large-scale aeroshells. Discussed in this paper are the results.

Arcjet Testing↗

Particle Seeding Method for Small-Scale, High-Pressure Nozzles

NASA tests new launch and reentry vehicle configurations in wind tunnels, where flow visualizations and quantitative flowfield measurements are often desired. Some of these vehicles have rocket motors for propulsion, retro-propulsion, or reaction control. High-pressure air is used to supply these rocket motor plumes. However, it is difficult to make off-body measurements in these regions, for several reasons. First, the plumes themselves lack seeding particles for flow diagnostics, and at the low pressures after expansion, Rayleigh scattering or other molecular techniques yield insufficient signal for flow velocity measurements. Second, the plumes displace particle-seeded tunnel air, preventing measurements in the vicinity of the plume. Third, the plumes force shock waves ahead of the vehicle, which melts the ice crystal fog commonly used for visualization and measurement techniques in certain facilities. In the current work, a novel method for seeding the flow in these small-scale, high-pressure nozzles has been devised and initially demonstrated, potentially enabling quantitative and qualitative measurements with particle-based instruments such as Doppler global velocimetry or particle image velocimetry. The method involves a Venturi contraction to draw the seed liquid out of a reservoir and into the nozzle channel, wherein shearing forces atomize the seed into particles. The concept was tested with a laser sheet visualization, which demonstrated that the flow rate of liquid spray was controllable; a valve could be adjusted to drop the flow rate by up to 65%. This relatively inexpensive and simple technique may prove useful in wind tunnel experiments involving particle-based laser diagnostics and small, high-pressure nozzles.

Aditya S. Acharya↗

Particle Seeding Method for Small-Scale, High-Pressure Nozzles

NASA tests new launch and reentry vehicle configurations in wind tunnels, where flow visualizations and quantitative flowfield measurements are often desired. Some of these vehicles have rocket motors for propulsion, retro-propulsion, or reaction control. High-pressure air is used to supply these rocket motor plumes. However, it is difficult to make off-body measurements in these regions, for several reasons. First, the plumes themselves lack seeding particles for flow diagnostics, and at the low pressures after expansion, Rayleigh scattering or other molecular techniques yield insufficient signal for flow velocity measurements. Second, the plumes displace particle-seeded tunnel air, preventing measurements in the vicinity of the plume. Third, the plumes force shock waves ahead of the vehicle, which melts the ice crystal fog commonly used for visualization and measurement techniques in certain facilities. In the current work, a novel method for seeding the flow in these small-scale, high-pressure nozzles has been devised and initially demonstrated, potentially enabling quantitative and qualitative measurements with particle-based instruments such as Doppler global velocimetry or particle image velocimetry. The method involves a Venturi contraction to draw the seed liquid out of a reservoir and into the nozzle channel, wherein shearing forces atomize the seed into particles. The concept was tested with a laser sheet visualization, which demonstrated that the flow rate of liquid spray was controllable; a valve could be adjusted to drop the flow rate by up to 65%. This relatively inexpensive and simple technique may prove useful in wind tunnel experiments involving particle-based laser diagnostics and small, high-pressure nozzles.

lasers↗

Test results from large wing and fuselage panels

This paper presents the first results in an assessment of the strength, stiffness, and damage tolerance of stiffened wing and fuselage subcomponents. Under this NASA funded program, 10 large wing and fuselage panels, variously fabricated by automated tow placement and dry-stitched preform/resin transfer molding, are to be tested. The first test of an automated tow placement six-longeron fuselage panel under shear load was completed successfully. Using NASTRAN finite-element analysis the stiffness of the panel in the linear range prior to buckling was predicted within 3.5 percent. A nonlinear analysis predicted the buckling load within 10 percent and final failure load within 6 percent. The first test of a resin transfer molding six-stringer wing panel under compression was also completed. The panel failed unexpectedly in buckling because of inadequate supporting structure. The average strain was 0.43 percent with a line load of 20.3 kips per inch of width. This strain still exceeds the design allowable strains. Also, the stringers did not debond before failure, which is in contrast to the general behavior of unstitched panels.

Madan, Ram C.↗

Design synthesis of a boron/epoxy reinforced metal shear web.

An advanced composite shear web design concept has been developed for the Space Shuttle Orbiter main engine thrust beam structure. Various web concepts were synthesized by a computer-aided adaptive random search procedure. A practical concept is identified having a titanium-clad, boron/epoxy plate with vertical boron/epoxy reinforced stiffeners. Baseline composite and titanium shear resistant designs are compared; the composite concept is 28% lighter than the titanium web. Element test results show the metal cladding effectively reinforces critical composite load transfer and fastener hole areas making the composite web concept practical for other shear structure applications.-

Laakso, J. H.↗

Fiber Effects on Minicomposite Mechanical Properties for Several Silicon Carbide Fiber: Chemically Vapor-Infiltrated Silicon Carbide Matrix Systems

Several different types of SiC fiber tows were coated with BN and composited using chemically vapor-infiltrated SiC to form single-tow minicomposites. The types of SiC fiber included Nicalon(sup TM), Hi-Nicalon(sup TM), and the new Sylramic(sup TM) polycrystalline SiC fiber. The interfacial shear stresses were determined from unload-reload tensile hysteresis-loop tests. The ultimate stress and strain properties also were determined for the minicomposites. The ultimate strengths of the newer Hi-Nicalon and Sylramic fibers were superior to that of Nicalon minicomposites with similar fiber volume fractions. The Sylramic minicomposites had the lowest strain to failure and highest interfacial shear strength, respectively, because of the high modulus of the fiber and the rough surface of this fiber type. The apparent interfacial shear strength increased as the stress increased for the Sylramic minicomposites, which also was attributed to the surface roughness of this fiber.

Morscher, Gregory N.↗

A normal stress subgrid-scale eddy viscosity model in large eddy simulation

The Smagorinsky subgrid-scale eddy viscosity model (SGS-EVM) is commonly used in large eddy simulations (LES) to represent the effects of the unresolved scales on the resolved scales. This model is known to be limited because its constant must be optimized in different flows, and it must be modified with a damping function to account for near-wall effects. The recent dynamic model is designed to overcome these limitations but is compositionally intensive as compared to the traditional SGS-EVM. In a recent study using direct numerical simulation data, Horiuti has shown that these drawbacks are due mainly to the use of an improper velocity scale in the SGS-EVM. He also proposed the use of the subgrid-scale normal stress as a new velocity scale that was inspired by a high-order anisotropic representation model. The testing of Horiuti, however, was conducted using DNS data from a low Reynolds number channel flow simulation. It was felt that further testing at higher Reynolds numbers and also using different flows (other than wall-bounded shear flows) were necessary steps needed to establish the validity of the new model. This is the primary motivation of the present study. The objective is to test the new model using DNS databases of high Reynolds number channel and fully developed turbulent mixing layer flows. The use of both channel (wall-bounded) and mixing layer flows is important for the development of accurate LES models because these two flows encompass many characteristic features of complex turbulent flows.

Horiuti, K.↗

Applying Hanford Tank Mixing Data to Define Pulse Jet Mixer Operation

Pulse jet mixed (PJM) process vessels are being developed for storing, blending, and chemical processing of nuclear waste slurries at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) to be built at Hanford, Washington. These waste slurries exhibit variable process feed characteristics including Newtonian to non-Newtonian rheologies over a range of solids loadings. Waste feed to the WTP from the Hanford Tank Farms will be accomplished via the Waste Feed Delivery (WFD) system which includes million-gallon underground storage double-shell tanks (DSTs) with dual-opposed jet mixer pumps. Experience using WFD type jet mixer pumps to mobilize actual Hanford waste in DSTs may be used to establish design threshold criteria of interest to pulse jet mixed process vessel operation. This paper describes a method to evaluate the pulse jet mixed vessel capability to process waste based on information obtained during mobilizing and suspending waste by the WFD system jet mixer pumps in a DST. Calculations of jet velocity and wall shear stress in a specific pulse jet mixed process vessel were performed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. The CFD-modelled process vessel consists of a 4.9-m- (16-ft-) diameter tank with a 2:1 semi-elliptical head, a single, 10-cm (4-in.) downward facing 60-degree conical nozzle, and a 0.61-m (24-in.) inside diameter PJM. The PJM is located at 70% of the vessel radius with the nozzle stand-off-distance 14 cm (6 in.) above the vessel head. The CFD modeled fluid velocity and wall shear stress can be used to estimate vessel waste-processing performance by comparison to available actual WFD system process data. Test data from the operation of jet mixer pumps in the 23-m (75-ft) diameter DSTs have demonstrated mobilization, solid particles in a sediment matrix were moved from their initial location, and suspension, mobilized solid particles were moved to a higher elevation in the vessel than their initial location, of waste solids. Jet mixer pumps were used in Hanford waste tank 241-AZ-101, and at least 95% of the 0.46-m (18-in.) deep sediment, with a shear strength of 1,500 to 4,200 Pa, was mobilized. Solids with a median particle size of 43 μm, 90th percentile of 94μm, were suspended in tank 241-AZ-101 to at least 5.5 m (216 in.) above the vessel bottom. Analytical calculations for this jet mixer pump test were used to estimate the velocities and wall shear stress that mobilized and suspended the waste. These velocities and wall shear stresses provide design threshold criteria which are metrics for system performance that can be evaluated via testing. If the fluid motion in a specific pulse jet mixed process vessel meets or exceeds the fluid motion of the demonstrated performance in the WFD system, confidence is provided that that vessel will similarly mobilize and suspend those solids if they were within the WTP. The single PJM CFD-calculated jet velocity and wall shear stress compare favorably with the design threshold criterion estimated for the tank 241-AZ-101 process data. Therefore, for both mobilization and suspension, the performance data evaluated from the WFD system testing increases confidence that the performance of the pulse jet mixed process vessels will be sufficient to process that waste even if that waste is not fully characterized.

mixing' slurry↗

Using Machine Learning to Create Turbine Performance Models (Presentation)

Wind turbine power output is known to be a strong function of wind speed, but is also affected by turbulence and shear. In this work, new aerostructural simulations of a generic 1.5 MW turbine are used to explore atmospheric influences on power output. Most significant is the hub height wind speed, followed by hub height turbulence intensity and then wind speed shear across the rotor disk. These simulation data are used to train regression trees that predict the turbine response for any combination of wind speed, turbulence intensity, and wind shear that might be expected at a turbine site. For a randomly selected atmospheric condition, the accuracy of the regression tree power predictions is three times higher than that of the traditional power curve methodology. The regression tree method can also be applied to turbine test data and used to predict turbine performance at a new site. No new data is required in comparison to the data that are usually collected for a wind resource assessment. Implementing the method requires turbine manufacturers to create a turbine regression tree model from test site data. Such an approach could significantly reduce bias in power predictions that arise because of different turbulence and shear at the new site, compared to the test site.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Assessment of Mechanical Properties for Dissimilar Metal Welds: A Nondestructive Approach

Several engineering components are fabricated by joining similar or dissimilar materials. In the present investigation, welded joints between low alloy steel and austenitic stainless steel were considered. This assembly is one of the critical components in the heat transport system of water-cooled reactors of nuclear power plants. 309L austenitic stainless steel and IN 182 alloys were used for buttering low alloy steel during fabrication of joints. Weld metal was 308L austenitic stainless steel and IN 182, respectively, for the two assemblies. Buttering by 309L SS was performed by gas tungsten arc welding, and the same was done by shield metal arc welding at the time of applying IN 182. Joining of 304L SS and buttered assembly in both the cases was carried out by shield metal arc welding. Evaluation of Vickers micro-hardness was done across the weld centerline for both joints. Microstructure of different regions was examined for the joints. Apart from conventional destructive tests, ultrasonic evaluation of joints was also carried out to ensure weld integrity. In this respect, ultrasonic velocity in longitudinal and shear mode was measured along the transverse direction of the weld. Young’s modulus was determined using ultrasonic tests as well as from the average hardness of different regions. The obtained Young’s modulus by two different techniques revealed satisfactory co-relation. The Young’s modulus obtained from ultrasonic measurements was used to determine the yield strength of different regions across the welds. This technique proved to be useful in identifying the failure prone area across the welded joint.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interfacial stress state present in a 'thin-slice' fibre push-out test

An analysis of the stress distributions along the fiber-matrix interface in a 'thin-slice' fiber push-out test is presented for selected test geometries. For the small specimen thicknesses often required to displace large-diameter fibers with high interfacial shear strengths, finite element analysis indicates that large bending stresses may be present. The magnitude of these stresses and their spatial distribution can be very sensitive to the test configuration. For certain test geometries, the specimen configuration itself may alter the interfacial failure process from one which initiates due to a maximum in shear stress near the top surface adjacent to the indentor, to one which involves mixed mode crack growth up from the bottom surface and/or yielding within the matrix near the interface.

Kallas, M. N.↗

Active Metal Brazing and Adhesive Bonding of Titanium to C/C Composites for Heat Rejection System

Robust assembly and integration technologies are critically needed for the manufacturing of heat rejection system (HRS) components for current and future space exploration missions. Active metal brazing and adhesive bonding technologies are being assessed for the bonding of titanium to high conductivity Carbon-Carbon composite sub components in various shapes and sizes. Currently a number of different silver and copper based active metal brazes and adhesive compositions are being evaluated. The joint microstructures were examined using optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Several mechanical tests have been employed to ascertain the effectiveness of different brazing and adhesive approaches in tension and in shear that are both simple and representative of the actual system and relatively straightforward in analysis. The results of these mechanical tests along with the fractographic analysis will be discussed. In addition, advantages, technical issues and concerns in using different bonding approaches will also be presented.

Singh, M.↗

Fracture Sustainability Test, Pre- and Post-Test Photomicrographs

The primary objective of this research is to understand how different rock types, mineral and fluid compositions, and fracture surface textures determine the longevity of fracture apertures, so that selection of reservoir rock can be economically optimized to reduce future refracturing. We are performing laboratory tests to study this in a custom apparatus at conditions relevant to EGS, with temperatures up to 250 degrees C (design maximum 300 degrees C). Our approach is to perform a number of long term (up to several months) laboratory experiments using relevant rock samples with different mineralogies to explore fracture sustainability under EGS conditions. We use an apparatus that allows direct application of a normal force on the fracture faces of a single fracture in a sample having a sheared, tensile fracture. We flow brine of a specified composition through the aperture, and simultaneously measure the fracture permeability and closure. We collect the effluent water for chemical and isotopic analysis. We are numerically modeling our tests and comparing experimental and numerical results. This submission includes photomicrographs of pre-test (unreacted) and post-test (reacted) samples from Brady well BCH-03 at various depths, Desert Peak well DP 35-13, and samples of Stripa granite. The photomicrographs are provided using uncrossed and crossed polarized light (xpl). UN is uncrossed nicols, CN and xpl are crossed nicols (crossed polars). The magnification listed is just referring to the objective lens that was used, not the total magnification of the images. With a 5x objective, the bottom dimension of an image is 1.75 mm. With 10x the bottom dimension of an image is 0.875 mm, and with 2x the bottom dimension of an image is 4.375 mm.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗