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At least 163 records · Page 9

Analysis of shell-type structures subjected to time-dependent mechanical and thermal loading

The objective of this research is to develop a general mathematical model and solution methodologies for analyzing structural response of thin, metallic shell-type structures under large transient, cyclic or static thermomechanical loads. Among the system responses, which are associated with these load conditions, are thermal buckling, creep buckling and racheting. Thus, geometric as well as material-type nonlinearities (of high order) can be anticipated and must be considered in the development of the mathematical model. Furthermore, this must also be accommodated in the solution procedures.

Simitses, G. J.↗

Analysis of shell-type structures subjected to time-dependent mechanical and thermal loading

The objective is to develop a general mathematical model and solution methodologies for analyzing structural response of thin, metallic shell-type structures under large transient, cyclic, or static thermomechanical loads. Among the system responses, which are associated with these load conditions, are thermal buckling, creep buckling, and racheting. Thus, geometric as well as material-type nonlinearities (of high order) can be anticipated and must be considered in the development of the mathematical model. Furthermore, this must also be accommodated in the solution procedures.

Simitses, G. J.↗

Analysis of shell-type structures subjected to time-dependent mechanical and thermal loading

The development of a general mathematical model and solution methodologies for analyzing structural response of thin, metallic shell-like structures under dynamic and/or static thermomechanical loads is examined. In the mathematical model, geometric as well as material-type of nonlinearities are considered. Traditional as well as novel approaches are reported and detailed applications are presented in the appendices. The emphasis for the mathematical model, the related solution schemes, and the applications, is on thermal viscoelastic and viscoplastic phenomena, which can predict creep and ratchetting.

Simitses, George J.↗

Analysis of shell-type structures subjected to time-dependent mechanical and thermal loading

This report deals with the development of a general mathematical model and solution methodology for analyzing the structural response of thin, metallic shell-like structures under dynamic and/or static thermomechanical loads. In the mathematical model, geometric as well as the material-type of nonlinearities are considered. Traditional as well as novel approaches are reported and detailed applications are presented in the appendices. The emphasis for the mathematical model, the related solution schemes, and the applications, is on thermal viscoelastic and viscoplastic phenomena, which can predict creep and ratchetting.

Simitses, G. J.↗

Growth and structural transitions of core-shell nanorods in nanocrystalline Al-Ni-Y

Unique nanorod precipitates with a core-shell structure are found to nucleate from the grain boundaries of a bulk nanocrystalline Al-Ni-Y alloy fabricated via powder consolidation, contributing significantly to stabilization and strengthening. The local structure, chemistry, and evolution of these features during annealing are reported here. In the as-consolidated state, the nanorods can be either structurally ordered or disordered, yet a consistent chemical patterning is found where the core is primarily Al plus C while the shell is enriched with Y. As annealing time increases, more nanorods transform to an ordered structure as they coarsen while the core composition remains unchanged. In contrast, the shell chemistry transitions from Y-rich to Ni-rich with longer annealing treatments, most likely due to the different diffusivities of Y and Ni in Al. Furthermore, a spatial and chemical correlation between the nanorods and amorphous complexions is observed, suggesting that these complexions serve as preferential nucleation sites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Radiation Shielding System Using a Composite of Carbon Nanotubes Loaded with Electropolymers

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) coated with a hydrogen-rich, electrically conducting polymer such as polyethylene, receive and dissipate a portion of incoming radiation pulse energy to electrical signals that are transmitted along the CNT axes, and are received at energy-dissipating terminals. In this innovation, an array of highly aligned nanowires is grown using a strong electric field or another suitable orientation procedure. Polyethylene (PE), polymethymlethacrylate (PMMA), or other electrically conducting polymer is spin-coated onto the SWCNTs with an average thickness of a few hundred nanometers to a few tenths of micrometers to form a PE/SWCNT composite. Alternatively, the polymer is spin-coated onto the nanowire array or an anodized alumina membrane (AAM) to form a PE/metal core shell structure, or PE can be electropolymerized using the SWCNTs or the metal nanowires as an electrode to form a PE/SWCNT core shell structure. The core shell structures can be extruded as anisotropic fibers. A monomer can be polymerized in the presence of SWCNTs to form highly cross-linked PE/SWCNT films. Alternatively, Pb colloid solution can be impregnated into a three-dimensional PE/SWCNT nanostructure to form a PW/SWCNT/Pb composite structure. A face-centered cubic (FCC) arrangement provides up to 12 interconnection channels connected to each core, with transverse channel dimensions up to 20 nm, with adequate mechanical compressive strength, and with an associated electrical conductivity of around 3 Seimens/cm for currents ranging from 0.01 to 10 mA. This threedimensional nanostructure is used as a host material to house appropriate radiation shielding material such as hydrogen- rich polymer/CNT structures, metal nanoparticles, and nanowires. Thicknesses of this material required to attenuate 10 percent, 50 percent, and 90 percent of an incident beam (gamma, X-ray, ultraviolet, neutron, proton, and electron) at energies in the range of 0 440 MeV are being determined, for example, by measuring fluence rate reduction. For example, a radiation field arrives first at an exposed surface of the innovation and produces an associated first electric field within the metal-like fingers of the three-dimensional nanostructure. This field is intensified near the exposed tips of the fingers, and this intensified field generates an intensified second electric field near the adjacent exposed tips of the coated CNSs. This generates an associated electrical current in the CNSs, and the associated electropolymer coating. The current is received by the second substrate transport component and is transported to the dissipation mechanism located contiguously to the second substrate.

McKay, Chris↗

Size-dependent second-order-like phase transitions in Fe nanocluster melting from low-temperature structural isomerization

Here, in this work, the melting phase transitions of Fe n nanoclusters with 10 ≤ n ≤ 100 atoms are investigated using classical many-body molecular dynamics simulations. For many cluster sizes, surface melting occurs at much lower temperatures than core melting. Surface and core melting points and energetic melting points (temperatures of maximum heat capacity, C v ) are calculated for all cluster sizes. Melting properties are found to be strong functions of cluster structure. Cluster sizes with closed-shell structures always have first-order-like phase transitions. Almost one-third of cluster sizes in the analyzed range exhibit second-order-like phase transitions due to the presence of multiple structural configurations close in energy. 1-shell clusters with one to a few more atoms than a neighboring closed-shell structure have very low surface melting points and very high energetic melting points compared to their closed-shell counterparts. In clusters above 50 atoms with certain core structures, melting of the surface before the core was observed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Buckling Imperfection Sensitivity of Conical Sandwich Composite Structures for Launch-Vehicles

Structural stability can be an important consideration in the design of large composite shell structures and therefore it is important to understand the buckling response of such structures. It is well known that geometric imperfections can significantly influence the buckling response of such structures by causing the buckling loads to be significantly lower than the theoretical buckling load of a geometrically perfect shell structure. Results are presented of an analytical study on the buckling imperfection sensitivity of large-scale conical sandwich structures for launch vehicles. In particular, representative structures from the Space Launch System launch-vehicle development activities will be considered. The study considered composite sandwich conical structures with multiple sandwich core thicknesses and facesheet layups consisting of tape and fabric composite layups. The results of this analytical study indicate that there is conservatism in the NASA current buckling knockdown factor of 0.33 for conical shell structures. Therefore, it is suggested that the buckling response of composite sandwich cones be further investigated through buckling tests and analytical predictions to potentially revise the buckling design recommendations for conical composite structures.

Sleight, David W.↗

Water impact analysis of space shuttle solid rocket motor by the finite element method

Preliminary analysis showed that the doubly curved triangular shell elements were too stiff for these shell structures. The doubly curved quadrilateral shell elements were found to give much improved results. A total of six load cases were analyzed in this study. The load cases were either those resulting from a static test using reaction straps to simulate the drop conditions or under assumed hydrodynamic conditions resulting from a drop test. The latter hydrodynamic conditions were obtained through an emperical fit of available data. Results obtained from a linear analysis were found to be consistent with results obtained elsewhere with NASTRAN and BOSOR. The nonlinear analysis showed that the originally assumed loads would result in failure of the shell structures. The nonlinear analysis also showed that it was useful to apply internal pressure as a stabilizing influence on collapse. A final analysis with an updated estimate of load conditions resulted in linear behavior up to full load.

Buyukozturk, O.↗

Global Failure Modes in High Temperature Composite Structures

Composite materials have been considered for many years as the major advance in the construction of energy efficient aerospace structures. Notable advances have been made in understanding the special design considerations that set composites apart from the usual "isotropic" engineering materials such as the metals. As a result, a number of significant engineering designs have been accomplished. However, one shortcoming of the currently favored composites is their relatively unforgiving behavior with respect to failure (brittleness) under seemingly mild impact conditions and large efforts are underway to rectify that situation, much along the lines of introducing thermoplastic matrix materials. Because of their relatively more pronounced (thermo) viscoelastic behavior these materials respond with "toughness" in fracture situations. From the point of view of applications requiring material strength, this property is highly desirable. This feature impacts several important and distinct engineering problems which have been' considered under this grant and cover the 1) effect of impact damage on structural (buckling) stability of composite panels, the 2) effect of time dependence on the progression of buckling instabilities, and the 3) evolution of damage and fracture at generic thickness discontinuities in structures. The latter topic has serious implications for structural stability problems (buckling failure in reinforced shell structures) as well as failure progression in stringer-reinforced shell structures. This grant has dealt with these issues. Polymer "toughness" is usually associated with uncrosslinked or thermo-plastic polymers. But, by comparison with their thermoset counterparts they tend to exhibit more pronounced time dependent material behavior; also, that time dependence can occur at lower temperatures which places restriction in the high temperature use of these "newer and tougher" materials that are not quite so serious with the thermoset matrix materials. From a structural point of view the implications of this material behavior are potentially severe in that structural failure characteristics are no longer readily observed in short term qualification tests so characteristic for aerospace structures built from typical engineering metals.

Knauss, W. G.↗

Immobilization of cesium and iodine into Cs 3 Bi 2 I 9 perovskite-silica composites and core-shell waste forms with high waste loadings and chemical durability

Cs$_3$Bi$_2$I$_9$, a defect perovskite derivative, is a potential host phase to immobilize iodine and cesium with high waste loadings. In this work, two strategies were explored to form Cs$_3$Bi$_2$I$_9$-silica composites and a core-shell structure in order to improve chemical durability of waste form materials meanwhile maintaining high waste loadings. Cs$_3$Bi$_2$I$_9$ loadings as high as 70 wt.% were incorporated into a silica matrix to form silica-ceramic composites, and 20 wt.% Cs$_3$Bi$_2$I$_9$ was encapsulated into silica to form a core–shell structure by low temperature spark plasma sintering. Chemical durability of the composite and core-shell waste forms was evaluated by semi-dynamic leaching experiments, and Cs and I were incongruently released from waste form matrices. A BiOI alteration layer formed, acting as a passivation layer to reduce the release of radionuclides. The long-term iodine release rate was low (30 mg m$^{-2}$ day$^{-1}$) for the 70 wt.%Cs$_3$Bi$_2$I$_9$–silica composite leached in deionized water at 90 °C, which can be further reduced to 5 × 10$^{-3}$ mg m$^{-2}$ day$^{-1}$ for the 20 wt.% core-shell structure. This work highlights a robust way to immobilize the highly mobile radionuclides with high waste loadings through encapsulation into durable matrices and a surface passivating mechanism that can greatly reduce the elemental transport from waste form materials and significantly enhance their chemical durability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Some Nuclear Calculations of U-235-D2O Gaseous-Core Cavity Reactors

The results of a multigroup, diffusion theory study of spherical gaseous-core cavity reactors are presented in this report. The reactor cavity of gaseous U235 is enclosed by a region of hydrogen gas and is separated from an external D2O moderator-reflector by a zirconium structural shell. Some cylindrical reactors are also investigated. A parametric study of spherical reactors indicates that, for the range of variables studied, critical mass increases as: (1) Fuel region is compressed within the reactor cavity, (2) moderator thickness is decreased, (3) structural shell thickness is increased, and (4) moderator temperature is increased. A buckling analogy is used to estimate the critical mass of fully reflected cylindrical reactors from spherical results without fuel compression. For a reactor cavity of a 120-centimeter radius uniformly filled with fuel, no structural shell, a moderator temperature of 70 F, and a moderator thickness of 100 centimeters, the critical mass of a spherical reactor is 3.1 kilograms while that of a cylinder with a length-to-diameter ratio of 1.0 (L/D = 1) is approximately 3.8 kilograms and, with L/D = 2, 5.9 kilograms. For the range of variables considered for U235-D2O gaseous-core cavity reactors, the systems are characterized by 95 to 99 percent thermal absorptions, with the flux reaching a maximum in the moderator about 10 to 15 centimeters from the reactor cavity.

Ragsdale, Robert G.↗

From Spin to Pseudospin Symmetry: The Origin of Magic Numbers in Nuclear Structure

Magic numbers lie at the heart of nuclear structure, reflecting enhanced stability in nuclei with closed shells. While the emergence of magic numbers beyond 20 is commonly attributed to strong spin-orbit coupling, the microscopic origin of the spin-orbit potential remains elusive, owing to its dependence on the resolution scale and renormalization scheme of nuclear forces. Here, we investigate the evolution of nuclear shell structure with varying momentum resolution in nuclear interactions derived from chiral effective field theory, using the similarity renormalization group to link different scales. We uncover a novel transition from spin symmetry to pseudospin symmetry as the resolution scale decreases, during which magic numbers emerge naturally. A similar pattern is found in calculations using relativistic one-boson-exchange potentials, underscoring the robustness of the phenomenon. This establishes a direct connection between realistic nuclear forces with a high resolution scale and effective nuclear forces at coarse-grained scales, offering a first-principles explanation for the origin of magic numbers and pseudospin symmetry in nuclear shell structure and new insights into the structure of exotic nuclei far from stability

Energy levels↗

A Metal-on-Metal Growth Approach to Metal–Metal Oxide Core–Shell Nanostructures with Plasmonic Properties

Hybrid core–shell nanoparticles integrate the material properties from individual components; however, the synthesis of core–shell nanoparticles with dissimilar materials remains challenging. Herein, we applied a metal-on-metal thin film growth approach to control the conformal deposition of non-precious metal shells on the Cu-based metal cores to form core–shell structures of metal–metal oxide hybrids (M–M'O x , where M = AuCu 3 or Cu, M' = Fe, Mn, and Ni). The deposition kinetics were controlled by a temperature-regulated thermal decomposition of zerovalent transition metal complexes. It is predicted that the conformal deposition can be promoted by keeping the initial deposition temperature close to the thermal decomposition temperature of the zerovalent precursors. The mechanisms of strain reduction and interdiffusion facilitate conformal deposition over island growth in the synthesis with slow reaction kinetics. This study provides insightful guidance to metal-on-metal growth in solution at the nanoscale and thus the seed-mediated approach to hybrid core–shell structures. The optical properties of these metal–metal oxide hybrids were investigated experimentally and interpreted by theoretical simulations. Despite damping effects, the plasmonic properties of these Cu-based core-metal oxide shell structures may have the potential to enable plasmon-enhanced applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Digital Image Correlation Data Processing and Analysis Techniques to Enhance Test Data Assessment and Improve Structural Simulations

The NASA Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project (SBKF) was established in 2007 by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) with the primary goal to develop new analysis-based buckling design factors (a.k.a. knockdown factors) and high-fidelity buckling simulations for selected launch-vehicle-like cylindrical shell structures. A series of tests are being conducted on large-scale metallic and composite cylindrical shells in order to provide validation data for these new factors and simulations. However, the validation of these new factors and simulations is quite demanding and requires test data that is commensurate with their fidelity. Traditional instrumentation, such as linear variable displacement transducers (LVDTs) and electrical-resistance strain gages serve a critical role in providing accurate displacement and strain measurements in these tests, but only allow for data to be recorded at a select number of point locations and are not sufficient to provide all the necessary validation data. Advanced measurement technologies can be used effectively to complement traditional instrumentation and gather additional data required to validate these structural simulations. In particular, three-dimensional digital image correlation (DIC) was implemented during SBKF cylinder testing to characterize the full-field displacement and strain behavior. Commercially available VIC-3DTM software and user-written data processing scripts were used to generate valuable data and insight into the complex buckling response of the cylinders that otherwise would be impossible to gather using traditional instrumentation. In addition, the measured data from DIC was used to verify measured test data obtained from other instrumentation, enhance test and analysis correlation, and help identify the root cause of anomalous test results that may have gone unexplained if only traditional instrumentation was used. Selected test results that demonstrate the use of DIC on the SBKF cylinders are presented and a portion of the data processing methods are described.

Gardner, Nathaniel W.↗