Molecular modeling of elastic properties of thermosetting polymers using a dynamic deformation approach

Shale is a complex medium composed of clay, other mineral phases, and a pore space. The combined elastic properties of these components control the effective (anisotropic) properties of the composite solid. The factor that is the most dependent on the stress field is the structure of the pore space, which greatly influences the elastic properties of the medium. We have further developed and experimentally validated the porosity deformation approach (PDA) for understanding and modeling stress-dependent changes of the elastic properties of sedimentary rocks. PDA separates the pore space into stiff and compliant parts. The load dependencies of the elastic properties have linear contributions due to the former and exponential contributions due to the latter. We evaluate data sets of elastic properties of two vertical transverse isotropic shale samples measured under uniaxial stress. Then we apply the PDA and our optimization algorithm to the measured data sets to model the stress dependency of the seismic velocities and validate the modeling with experimentally obtained results. We have developed for the first time the constant anellipticity approach (CAN), which estimates the off-axis velocity (in an inclined direction relative to the symmetry axis direction) as a function of stress. Measurements of off-axis velocities are often missing information, and CAN permits us to fill this gap. This provides further background for the reconstruction of the stress dependency of the compliance tensor from acoustic log data.

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Electron Microscopy and image reconstruction reveal the structural basis for spectrin's elastic properties

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100122952 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 510-511

Author(s):

Amy M. McGough ◽

Robert Josephs

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Elastic Properties ◽

Conformational Changes ◽

Quaternary Structure ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Membrane Skeleton ◽

Projection Algorithm ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Iterative Approximation ◽

Membrane Skeletons

The remarkable deformability of the erythrocyte derives in large part from the elastic properties of spectrin, the major component of the membrane skeleton. It is generally accepted that spectrin's elasticity arises from marked conformational changes which include variations in its overall length (1). In this work the structure of spectrin in partially expanded membrane skeletons was studied by electron microscopy to determine the molecular basis for spectrin's elastic properties. Spectrin molecules were analysed with respect to three features: length, conformation, and quaternary structure. The results of these studies lead to a model of how spectrin mediates the elastic deformation of the erythrocyte.Membrane skeletons were isolated from erythrocyte membrane ghosts, negatively stained, and examined by transmission electron microscopy (2). Particle lengths and end-to-end distances were measured from enlarged prints using the computer program MACMEASURE. Spectrin conformation (straightness) was assessed by calculating the particles’ correlation length by iterative approximation (3). Digitised spectrin images were correlation averaged or Fourier filtered to improve their signal-to-noise ratios. Three-dimensional reconstructions were performed using a suite of programs which were based on the filtered back-projection algorithm and executed on a cluster of Microvax 3200 workstations (4).

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The buckling of thin EM specimens

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100177386 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 850-851

Author(s):

A.R. Thölén

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

Elastic Properties ◽

Crystal Surface ◽

Specimen Surface ◽

Radius Of Curvature ◽

Thin Foils ◽

Thin Electron ◽

Regular Patterns

Thin electron microscope specimens often contain irregular bend contours (Figs. 1-3). Very regular bend patterns have, however, been observed around holes in some ion-milled specimens. The purpose of this investigation is twofold. Firstly, to find the geometry of bent specimens and the elastic properties of extremely thin foils and secondly, to obtain more information about the background to the observed regular patterns.The specimen surface is described by z = f(x,y,p), where p is a parameter, eg. the radius of curvature of a sphere. The beam is entering along the z—direction, which coincides with the foil normal, FN, of the undisturbed crystal surface (z = 0). We have here used FN = [001]. Furthermore some low indexed reflections are chosen around the pole FN and in our fcc crystal the following g-vectors are selected:

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