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At least 127 records · Page 7

Inducing Bistability in Collapsible Tubular Masts Booms with Thin-Ply Composite Shells

Bistable rollable booms are favorable when a low strain energy requirement for the coiled state is imposed and have more controllable deployment when compared to monostable booms. An inextensional analytical model describing the bending deformation mechanics of Collapsible Tubular Mast (CTM) booms was used to determine how design variables induce bistability, or the existence of two strain energy wells in the rolled-up and unrolled states. The effects of varying lamina material, laminate layup, and shell arc geometries between different inner and outer shell segments on the second strain energy well and stiffness properties were determined for boom cross-sections formed by circular segments. The full design space for two-walled composite CTM booms was explored to evaluate the validity of the developed analytical model. Optimized CTM boom designs were experimentally characterized for comparisons against model results. The model under-predicted the stable coiled diameter of the co-cured two-walled booms by up to 8.9% and 23.4% for the individual thin shells wrapped alone.

Andrew J Lee↗

A fracture mechanics approach for designing adhesively bonded joints

An analytical and experimental investigation was undertaken to determine if the adhesive debond initiation stress could be predicted for arbitrary joint geometries. The analysis was based upon a threshold total strain-energy-release rate (Gth) concept. Two bonded systems were tested: T300/5208 graphite/epoxy adherends bonded with either EC-3445 or FM-300 adhesive. The Gth for each adhesive was determined from cracked-lap-shear (CLS) specimens by initiation tests. Finite-element analyses of various tapered CLS specimen geometries predicted the specimen stress at which the total strain-energy-release rate (GT) equaled Gth at the joint tip. Experiments verified the predictions. The approach described herein predicts the maximum stress at which an adhesive joint can be cycled yet not debond. Furthermore, total strain-energy-release rate appeared to be the driving parameter for cyclic debonding and debond initiation in structural adhesives. In addition, debond initiation and growth were found to occur with virtually no peel stress present.

Johnson, W. S.↗

A fracture mechanics approach for designing adhesively bonded joints

An analytical and experimental investigation was undertaken to determine if the adhesive debond initiation stress could be predicted for arbitrary joint geometries. The analysis was based upon a threshold total strain-energy-release rate (Gth) concept. Two bonded systems were tested: T300/5208 graphite/epoxy adherends bonded with either EC-3445 or FM-300 adhesive. The Gth for each adhesive was determined from cracked-lap-shear (CLS) specimens by initiation tests. Finite-element analyses of various tapered CLS specimen geometries predicted the specimen stress at which the total strain-energy-release rate (GT) equaled Gth at the joint tip. Experiments verified the predictions. The approach described herein predicts the maximum stress at which an adhesive joint can be cycled yet not debond. Furthermore, total strain-energy-release rate appeared to be the driving parameter for cyclic debonding and debond initiation in structural adhesives. In addition, debond initiation and growth were found to occur with virtually no peel stress present.

Johnson, W. S.↗

Debond Analyses for Stitched Composite Structures

The effect of stitching on mode I and mode II strain energy release rates for debond configurations is studied using an analysis based on plate finite elements and the virtual crack closure technique. The stitches were modeled as discrete nonlinear fastener elements with a compliance determined by experiment. The axial and shear behavior of the stitches was considered with both the compliances and failure loads assumed to be independent. The mode I strain energy release rate, G(sub I), was shown to decrease once the debond had grown beyond the first row of stitches and was reduced to zero for long debonds, however, the mode II strain energy release rate, G(sub II), continued to be of significant magnitude over the range of debond lengths considered.

Glaessgen, E. H.↗

Characterization of Mode 1 and Mode 2 delamination growth and thresholds in graphite/peek composites

Composite materials often fail by delamination. The onset and growth of delamination in AS4/PEEK, a tough thermoplastic matrix composite, was characterized for mode 1 and mode 2 loadings, using the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and the End Notched Flexure (ENF) test specimens. Delamination growth per fatigue cycle, da/dN, was related to strain energy release rate, G, by means of a power law. However, the exponents of these power laws were too large for them to be adequately used as a life prediction tool. A small error in the estimated applied loads could lead to large errors in the delamination growth rates. Hence strain energy release rate thresholds, G sub th, below which no delamination would occur were also measured. Mode 1 and 2 threshold G values for no delamination growth were found by monitoring the number of cycles to delamination onset in the DCB and ENF specimens. The maximum applied G for which no delamination growth had occurred until at least 1,000,000 cycles was considered the threshold strain energy release rate. Comments are given on how testing effects, facial interference or delamination front damage, may invalidate the experimental determination of the constants in the expression.

Martin, Roderick H.↗

Characterization of Mode I and Mode II delamination growth and thresholds in AS4/PEEK composites

Composite materials often fail by delamination. The onset and growth of delamination in AS4/PEEK, a tough thermoplastic matrix composite, was characterized for mode 1 and mode 2 loadings, using the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and the End Notched Flexure (ENF) test specimens. Delamination growth per fatigue cycle, da/dN, was related to strain energy release rate, G, by means of a power law. However, the exponents of these power laws were too large for them to be adequately used as a life prediction tool. A small error in the estimated applied loads could lead to large errors in the delamination growth rates. Hence strain energy release rate thresholds, G sub th, below which no delamination would occur were also measured. Mode 1 and 2 threshold G values for no delamination growth were found by monitoring the number of cycles to delamination onset in the DCB and ENF specimens. The maximum applied G for which no delamination growth had occurred until at least 1,000,000 cycles was considered the threshold strain energy release rate. Comments are given on how testing effects, facial interference or delamination front damage, may invalidate the experimental determination of the constants in the expression.

Martin, Roderick H.↗

Characterization of Mode I and mixed-mode delamination growth in T300/5208 graphite/epoxy

The roles played by Mode I and Mode II strain-energy release rates (G-I and G-II, respectively) in inducing delamination growth under static and fatigue loading were investigated, using T300/5208 graphite/epoxy specimens. Double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens and cracked lap shear (CLS) specimens were used for pure Mode I and mixed-mode tests, respectively. Fatigue-induced delamination growth was characterized by constant-amplitude fatigue tests at a minimum to maximum cyclic load ratio of 0.05 and a frequency of 10 Hz. During the tests, the maximum and minimum strain-energy release rates (Gmax, Gmin) and the delamination growth rate (da/dN) were monitored. Static tests on mixed-mode CLS specimens measured the total strain-energy release rate, which was broken into G-I and G-II components using finite-element analysis. A power-law relationship between da/dN and G-Imax, and da/dN and Gmax were obtained from fatigue test results on DCB and CLS specimens, respectively. The power law for a pure Mode II delamination was derived from CLS results by subtracting the contribution due to G-I.

Ramkumar, R. L.↗

Testing and Life Prediction for Composite Rotor Hub Flexbeams

A summary of several studies of delamination in tapered composite laminates with internal ply-drops is presented. Initial studies used 2D FE models to calculate interlaminar stresses at the ply-ending locations in linear tapered laminates under tension loading. Strain energy release rates for delamination in these laminates indicated that delamination would likely start at the juncture of the tapered and thin regions and grow unstably in both directions. Tests of glass/epoxy and graphite/epoxy linear tapered laminates under axial tension delaminated as predicted. Nonlinear tapered specimens were cut from a full-size helicopter rotor hub and were tested under combined constant axial tension and cyclic transverse bending loading to simulate the loading experienced by a rotorhub flexbeam in flight. For all the tested specimens, delamination began at the tip of the outermost dropped ply group and grew first toward the tapered region. A 2D FE model was created that duplicated the test flexbeam layup, geometry, and loading. Surface strains calculated by the model agreed very closely with the measured surface strains in the specimens. The delamination patterns observed in the tests were simulated in the model by releasing pairs of MPCs along those interfaces. Strain energy release rates associated with the delamination growth were calculated for several configurations and using two different FE analysis codes. Calculations from the codes agreed very closely. The strain energy release rate results were used with material characterization data to predict fatigue delamination onset lives for nonlinear tapered flexbeams with two different ply-dropping schemes. The predicted curves agreed well with the test data for each case studied.

Murri, Gretchen B.↗

Equivalent-Continuum Modeling With Application to Carbon Nanotubes

A method has been proposed for developing structure-property relationships of nano-structured materials. This method serves as a link between computational chemistry and solid mechanics by substituting discrete molecular structures with equivalent-continuum models. It has been shown that this substitution may be accomplished by equating the vibrational potential energy of a nano-structured material with the strain energy of representative truss and continuum models. As important examples with direct application to the development and characterization of single-walled carbon nanotubes and the design of nanotube-based devices, the modeling technique has been applied to determine the effective-continuum geometry and bending rigidity of a graphene sheet. A representative volume element of the chemical structure of graphene has been substituted with equivalent-truss and equivalent continuum models. As a result, an effective thickness of the continuum model has been determined. This effective thickness has been shown to be significantly larger than the interatomic spacing of graphite. The effective thickness has been shown to be significantly larger than the inter-planar spacing of graphite. The effective bending rigidity of the equivalent-continuum model of a graphene sheet was determined by equating the vibrational potential energy of the molecular model of a graphene sheet subjected to cylindrical bending with the strain energy of an equivalent continuum plate subjected to cylindrical bending.

Odegard, Gregory M.↗

Estrogen regulates the rate of bone turnover but bone balance in ovariectomized rats is modulated by prevailing mechanical strain

Estrogen deficiency induced bone loss is associated with increased bone turnover in rats and humans. The respective roles of increased bone turnover and altered balance between bone formation and bone resorption in mediating estrogen deficiency-induced cancellous bone loss was investigated in ovariectomized rats. Ovariectomy resulted in increased bone turnover in the distal femur. However, cancellous bone was preferentially lost in the metaphysis, a site that normally experiences low strain energy. No bone loss was observed in the epiphysis, a site experiencing higher strain energy. The role of mechanical strain in maintaining bone balance was investigated by altering the strain history. Mechanical strain was increased and decreased in long bones of ovariectomized rats by treadmill exercise and functional unloading, respectively. Functional unloading was achieved during orbital spaceflight and following unilateral sciatic neurotomy. Increasing mechanical loading reduced bone loss in the metaphysis. In contrast, decreasing loading accentuated bone loss in the metaphysis and resulted in bone loss in the epiphysis. Finally, administration of estrogen to ovariectomized rats reduced bone loss in the unloaded and prevented loss in the loaded limb following unilateral sciatic neurotomy in part by reducing indices of bone turnover. These results suggest that estrogen regulates the rate of bone turnover, but the overall balance between bone formation and bone resorption is influenced by prevailing levels of mechanical strain.

STS-62 Shuttle Project↗

Influence of Numerical Modeling Approaches on Damped Behavior of Flexible Beams: Preprint

Composites structures are widely used in aerospace and wind energy applications for their excellent stiffness and strength-to-weight properties. In these structures, structural damping is critical to predict vibration amplitudes, performance, and reliability. Structural damping is of particular interest for slender wings, rotorcraft blades, and wind turbine blades that can exhibit complex vibration phenomena and are frequently modeled with geometrically exact beam theory (GEBT). Standard approaches of stiffness proportional or modal damping merely assign user defined values and cannot predict damping behavior. This work compares stiffness proportional damping to two more advanced damping approaches: modal strain energy and Prony series. The modal strain energy approach uses a sectional analysis tool to calculate the beam stiffness and postprocess internal stresses from GEBT simulations. The internal stresses are then used to calculate modal damping factors. The Prony series is implemented within GEBT to directly model viscoelastic behavior of the composites. These approaches are compared by modeling the evolution of the damping factors of a realistic flexible wind turbine blade with varying rotational speed. Discrepancies between the approaches suggest areas for future modeling development, but differences in nonlinear damping values are less than current uncertainties about the magnitude of structural damping.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Analysis of local delaminations caused by angle ply matrix cracks

Two different families of graphite/epoxy laminates with similar layups but different stacking sequences, (0,theta,-theta) sub s and (-theta/theta/0) sub s were analyzed using three-dimensional finite element analysis for theta = 15 and 30 degrees. Delaminations were modeled in the -theta/theta interface, bounded by a matrix crack and the stress free edge. The total strain energy release rate, G, along the delamination front was computed using three different techniques: the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT), the equivalent domain Integral (EDI) technique, and a global energy balance technique. The opening fracture mode component of the strain energy release rate, Gl, along the delamination front was also computed for various delamination lengths using VCCT. The effect of residual thermal and moisture stresses on G was evaluated.

Salpekar, Satish A.↗

Active Metal Brazing and Characterization of Brazed Joints in C-C and C-SiC Composites to Copper-Clad-Molybdenum System

Carbon/carbon composites with CVI and resin-derived matrices, and C/SiC composites reinforced with T-300 carbon fibers in a CVI SiC matrix were joined to Cu-clad Mo using two Ag-Cu braze alloys, Cusil-ABA (1.75% Ti) and Ticusil (4.5% Ti). The brazed joints revealed good interfacial bonding, preferential precipitation of Ti at the composite/braze interface, and a tendency toward delamination in resin-derived C/C composite. Extensive braze penetration of the inter-fiber channels in the CVI C/C composites was observed. The Knoop microhardness (HK) distribution across the C/C joints indicated sharp gradients at the interface, and a higher hardness in Ticusil than in Cusil-ABA. For the C/SiC composite to Cu-clad-Mo joints, the effect of composite surface preparation revealed that ground samples did not crack whereas unground samples cracked. Calculated strain energy in brazed joints in both systems is comparable to the strain energy in a number of other ceramic/metal systems. Theoretical predictions of the effective thermal resistance suggest that such joined systems may be promising for thermal management applications.

Singh, M.↗

Phase-field modeling and experiments of dynamic fracture in single crystal quartz

Predicting the onset and characteristics of brittle fracture is important for a wide range of engineering and geological material applications. In this paper, we study important aspects of brittle fracture in α-quartz by phase-field modeling and experiments using a top-down approach. In the modeling framework, the work term in the Griffith energy balance is replaced with internal energy contributions that represent surface energy, thermal energy, and elastic strain energy stored in defects. This allows parametrization of individual energy contributions in terms of internal state variables and keeps track of energy partitioning after the onset of fracture. The path and history dependence of fracture is included in evolution laws for internal state variables, e.g., entropy evolution, while the energy remains a true potential. In the experimental part, dynamic compression experiments coupled with X-ray phase contrast imaging are performed on cube-like samples with a hole. In the top-down analysis, dynamic compression and three point bending experiments from the literature are simulated with the developed phase-field damage model. In conclusion, the fitted model highlights the strain rate, size, and stress state dependence of damage nucleation and evolution in single crystal α-quartz.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Matrix perturbation for analytical model improvement

A matrix perturbation method is proposed to calculate the Jacobian matrix and to compute the new eigendata for the parameter estimation procedure. The advantages of the method are the applicability to large complex structures without knowing the analytical expressions for the mass and stiffness matrices, and a cost effective approach for the re-computation of the eigendata. This method also allows the use of other measurements such as modal forces, kinetic energy distribution, and strain energy distributions in the estimation procedure. A realistic sample problem is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Chen, J. C.↗

Large Prandtl number finite-amplitude thermal convection with Maxwell viscoelasticity

It has long been known that the earth behaves viscoelastically. Viscoelasticity may be of importance in two aspects of mantle convection, including time-dependent behavior and local storage of recoverable work. The present investigation makes use of thermal convection in a box as a prototype of mantle flow. It is demonstrated that recoverable work can be important to the local mechanical energy balance in the descending lithosphere. It is shown that, even when assuming large viscoelastic parameters, an inherent time-dependence of viscoelastic convection appears only in local exchanges of mechanical energy. There is no strong exchange between buoyant potential energy and recoverable strain energy in the Rayleigh number range investigated. The investigation is mainly concerned with viscoelastic effects occurring on a buoyant time scale. It is found that viscoelastic effects have a negligible influence on the long term thermal energetics of mantle convection.

Ivins, E. R.↗

Structural analysis model validation using modal test data

The design of a structure which can survive a prescribed dynamic environment is generally based on the use of an analytical model of the structure. The modal test is employed to verify the analytical model. This paper is concerned with the involved validation process, taking into account modal test results from realistic complex spacecraft structural systems as examples to demonstrate the proposed validation procedure. Attention is given to a load analysis model definition, a pretest analysis and test/analysis model, and the correlation parameters. Coordinate transformation is considered along with mode identification, frequency orthogonality, effective mass, mode shape, local kinetic energy, modal force, strain energy, and modal forces by acceleration measurements. Two examples are used to illustrate the procedure.

Chen, J.-C.↗

Kinetic Energy Corrections for Slip-Stick Behavior in Brittle Adhesives

Fracture mechanics is the study of the failure of a body that contains a flaw. In the energy balance approach to fracture mechanics, contributions from the external work and elastic strain energy are accounted for but rarely are corrections for the kinetic energy given. Under slip-stick conditions, part of the external work is expended as kinetic energy. The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends upon the shape of the crack. A specimen with a blunt crack will fail at a high load and the crack will catastrophically travel through the material until the kinetic energy is dissipated. Material with a sharp crack will fail at a lower load but will still be catastrophic in nature. A kinetic term is incorporated into the energy balance approach. This term accounts for the velocity of the crack after failure and how far the crack travels before arresting. This correction makes the shape of the initiation crack irrelevant. When applied to data generated by tapered double cantilever beam specimens under slip-stick conditions, the scatter in the measured critical strain energy release rate is significantly reduced.

Macon, David J.↗