scholarly journals Folded surface elements coupled with planar scissor linkages: A novel hybrid type of deployable structures

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-146
Author(s):  
Evangelia Vlachaki ◽  
Katherine A. Liapi

Abstract Origami folding structures can find significant applications in the general area of building design, as they can be lightweight and deployable. An inherent property of folded surfaces, which is related to the degrees of freedom of each origami crease pattern, is form flexibility. Therefore, when building-scale applications are considered, in many instances, the folded surfaces, in order to become stiff and load-bearing, need to be constrained. A study of different types of deployable structures has led to the observation that in planar scissor linkages, hinges and pivots follow the same deployment path in space, as sets of vertices in certain origami structures. Due to the similarities in their kinematic behavior, selected origami patterns and scissor linkages can function as effective kinematic pairs, leading to structures able to transform in a controlled manner through a wide range of possible spatial configurations. A few examples of combining these two types of structures already exist [1–3]. In this paper a systematic approach for coupling origami crease patterns characterized by biaxial and rotational symmetry, with translational, polar and angulated scissor linkages, towards the development of novel forms of deployable structures, has been attempted. For the design and evaluation of the kinematic performance of the developed new structures, existing geometric modeling and calculation methods, parametric and simulation processes, as well as testing with physical models have been used. It is anticipated that research in this direction will lead to promising novel hybrid types of deployable structures.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucian Chan ◽  
Garrett Morris ◽  
Geoffrey Hutchison

The calculation of the entropy of flexible molecules can be challenging, since the number of possible conformers grows exponentially with molecule size and many low-energy conformers may be thermally accessible. Different methods have been proposed to approximate the contribution of conformational entropy to the molecular standard entropy, including performing thermochemistry calculations with all possible stable conformations, and developing empirical corrections from experimental data. We have performed conformer sampling on over 120,000 small molecules generating some 12 million conformers, to develop models to predict conformational entropy across a wide range of molecules. Using insight into the nature of conformational disorder, our cross-validated physically-motivated statistical model can outperform common machine learning and deep learning methods, with a mean absolute error ≈4.8 J/mol•K, or under 0.4 kcal/mol at 300 K. Beyond predicting molecular entropies and free energies, the model implies a high degree of correlation between torsions in most molecules, often as- sumed to be independent. While individual dihedral rotations may have low energetic barriers, the shape and chemical functionality of most molecules necessarily correlate their torsional degrees of freedom, and hence restrict the number of low-energy conformations immensely. Our simple models capture these correlations, and advance our understanding of small molecule conformational entropy.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 458
Author(s):  
Drew C. Baird ◽  
Benjamin Abban ◽  
S. Michael Scurlock ◽  
Steven B. Abt ◽  
Christopher I. Thornton

While there are a wide range of design recommendations for using rock vanes and bendway weirs as streambank protection measures, no comprehensive, standard approach is currently available for design engineers to evaluate their hydraulic performance before construction. This study investigates using 2D numerical modeling as an option for predicting the hydraulic performance of rock vane and bendway weir structure designs for streambank protection. We used the Sedimentation and River Hydraulics (SRH)-2D depth-averaged numerical model to simulate flows around rock vane and bendway weir installations that were previously examined as part of a physical model study and that had water surface elevation and velocity observations. Overall, SRH-2D predicted the same general flow patterns as the physical model, but over- and underpredicted the flow velocity in some areas. These over- and underpredictions could be primarily attributed to the assumption of negligible vertical velocities. Nonetheless, the point differences between the predicted and observed velocities generally ranged from 15 to 25%, with some exceptions. The results showed that 2D numerical models could provide adequate insight into the hydraulic performance of rock vanes and bendway weirs. Accordingly, design guidance and implications of the study results are presented for design engineers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon S. DiNunno ◽  
Niko Jokela ◽  
Juan F. Pedraza ◽  
Arttu Pönni

Abstract We study in detail various information theoretic quantities with the intent of distinguishing between different charged sectors in fractionalized states of large-N gauge theories. For concreteness, we focus on a simple holographic (2 + 1)-dimensional strongly coupled electron fluid whose charged states organize themselves into fractionalized and coherent patterns at sufficiently low temperatures. However, we expect that our results are quite generic and applicable to a wide range of systems, including non-holographic. The probes we consider include the entanglement entropy, mutual information, entanglement of purification and the butterfly velocity. The latter turns out to be particularly useful, given the universal connection between momentum and charge diffusion in the vicinity of a black hole horizon. The RT surfaces used to compute the above quantities, though, are largely insensitive to the electric flux in the bulk. To address this deficiency, we propose a generalized entanglement functional that is motivated through the Iyer-Wald formalism, applied to a gravity theory coupled to a U(1) gauge field. We argue that this functional gives rise to a coarse grained measure of entanglement in the boundary theory which is obtained by tracing over (part) of the fractionalized and cohesive charge degrees of freedom. Based on the above, we construct a candidate for an entropic c-function that accounts for the existence of bulk charges. We explore some of its general properties and their significance, and discuss how it can be used to efficiently account for charged degrees of freedom across different energy scales.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 787
Author(s):  
Bartłomiej Ambrożkiewicz ◽  
Grzegorz Litak ◽  
Anthimos Georgiadis ◽  
Nicolas Meier ◽  
Alexander Gassner

Often the input values used in mathematical models for rolling bearings are in a wide range, i.e., very small values of deformation and damping are confronted with big values of stiffness in the governing equations, which leads to miscalculations. This paper presents a two degrees of freedom (2-DOF) dimensionless mathematical model for ball bearings describing a procedure, which helps to scale the problem and reveal the relationships between dimensionless terms and their influence on the system’s response. The derived mathematical model considers nonlinear features as stiffness, damping, and radial internal clearance referring to the Hertzian contact theory. Further, important features are also taken into account including an external load, the eccentricity of the shaft-bearing system, and shape errors on the raceway investigating variable dynamics of the ball bearing. Analysis of obtained responses with Fast Fourier Transform, phase plots, orbit plots, and recurrences provide a rich source of information about the dynamics of the system and it helped to find the transition between the periodic and chaotic response and how it affects the topology of RPs and recurrence quantificators.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 181
Author(s):  
Roberto De Santis ◽  
Teresa Russo ◽  
Julietta V. Rau ◽  
Ida Papallo ◽  
Massimo Martorelli ◽  
...  

A wide range of materials has been considered to repair cranial defects. In the field of cranioplasty, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based bone cements and modifications through the inclusion of copper doped tricalcium phosphate (Cu-TCP) particles have been already investigated. On the other hand, aliphatic polyesters such as poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) have been frequently investigated to make scaffolds for cranial bone regeneration. Accordingly, the aim of the current research was to design and fabricate customized hybrid devices for the repair of large cranial defects integrating the reverse engineering approach with additive manufacturing, The hybrid device consisted of a 3D additive manufactured polyester porous structures infiltrated with PMMA/Cu-TCP (97.5/2.5 w/w) bone cement. Temperature profiles were first evaluated for 3D hybrid devices (PCL/PMMA, PLA/PMMA, PCL/PMMA/Cu-TCP and PLA/PMMA/Cu-TCP). Peak temperatures recorded for hybrid PCL/PMMA and PCL/PMMA/Cu-TCP were significantly lower than those found for the PLA-based ones. Virtual and physical models of customized devices for large cranial defect were developed to assess the feasibility of the proposed technical solutions. A theoretical analysis was preliminarily performed on the entire head model trying to simulate severe impact conditions for people with the customized hybrid device (PCL/PMMA/Cu-TCP) (i.e., a rigid sphere impacting the implant region of the head). Results from finite element analysis (FEA) provided information on the different components of the model.


2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui He ◽  
Mohamad Metghalchi ◽  
James C. Keck

A simple model has been developed to estimate the sensible thermodynamic properties such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, heat capacity, and entropy of hydrocarbons over a wide range of temperatures with special attention to the branched molecules. The model is based on statistical thermodynamic expressions incorporating translational, rotational and vibrational motions of the atoms. A method to determine the number of degrees of freedom for different motion modes (bending and torsion) has been established. Branched rotational groups, such as CH3 and OH, have been considered. A modification of the characteristic temperatures for different motion mode has been made which improves the agreement with the exact values for simple cases. The properties of branched alkanes up to 2,3,4,-trimthylpentane have been calculated and the results are in good agreement with the experimental data. A relatively small number of parameters are needed in this model to estimate the sensible thermodynamic properties of a wide range of species. The model may also be used to estimate the properties of molecules and their isomers, which have not been measured, and is simple enough to be easily programmed as a subroutine for on-line kinetic calculations. [S0195-0738(00)00902-X]


Author(s):  
X. Lachenal ◽  
P. M. Weaver ◽  
S. Daynes

Conventional shape-changing engineering structures use discrete parts articulated around a number of linkages. Each part carries the loads, and the articulations provide the degrees of freedom of the system, leading to heavy and complex mechanisms. Consequently, there has been increased interest in morphing structures over the past decade owing to their potential to combine the conflicting requirements of strength, flexibility and low mass. This article presents a novel type of morphing structure capable of large deformations, simply consisting of two pre-stressed flanges joined to introduce two stable configurations. The bistability is analysed through a simple analytical model, predicting the positions of the stable and unstable states for different design parameters and material properties. Good correlation is found between experimental results, finite-element modelling and predictions from the analytical model for one particular example. A wide range of design parameters and material properties is also analytically investigated, yielding a remarkable structure with zero stiffness along the twisting axis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raed I. Bourisli ◽  
Adnan A. AlAnzi

This work aims at developing a closed-form correlation between key building design variables and its energy use. The results can be utilized during the initial design stages to assess the different building shapes and designs according to their expected energy use. Prototypical, 20-floor office buildings were used. The relative compactness, footprint area, projection factor, and window-to-wall ratio were changed and the resulting buildings performances were simulated. In total, 729 different office buildings were developed and simulated in order to provide the training cases for optimizing the correlation’s coefficients. Simulations were done using the VisualDOE TM software with a Typical Meteorological Year data file, Kuwait City, Kuwait. A real-coded genetic algorithm (GA) was used to optimize the coefficients of a proposed function that relates the energy use of a building to its four key parameters. The figure of merit was the difference in the ratio of the annual energy use of a building normalized by that of a reference building. The objective was to minimize the difference between the simulated results and the four-variable function trying to predict them. Results show that the real-coded GA was able to come up with a function that estimates the thermal performance of a proposed design with an accuracy of around 96%, based on the number of buildings tested. The goodness of fit, roughly represented by R2, ranged from 0.950 to 0.994. In terms of the effects of the various parameters, the area was found to have the smallest role among the design parameters. It was also found that the accuracy of the function suffers the most when high window-to-wall ratios are combined with low projection factors. In such cases, the energy use develops a potential optimum compactness. The proposed function (and methodology) will be a great tool for designers to inexpensively explore a wide range of alternatives and assess them in terms of their energy use efficiency. It will also be of great use to municipality officials and building codes authors.


1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 505-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Drazen ◽  
R. D. Kamm ◽  
A. S. Slutsky

Complete physiological understanding of HFV requires knowledge of four general classes of information: 1) the distribution of airflow within the lung over a wide range of frequencies and VT (sect. IVA), 2) an understanding of the basic mechanisms whereby the local airflows lead to gas transport (sect. IVB), 3) a computational or theoretical model in which transport mechanisms are cast in such a form that they can be used to predict overall gas transport rates (sect. IVC), and 4) an experimental data base (sect. VI) that can be compared to model predictions. When compared with available experimental data, it becomes clear that none of the proposed models adequately describes all the experimental findings. Although the model of Kamm et al. is the only one capable of simulating the transition from small to large VT (as compared to dead-space volume), it fails to predict the gas transport observed experimentally with VT less than equipment dead space. The Fredberg model is not capable of predicting the observed tendency for VT to be a more important determinant of gas exchange than is frequency. The remaining models predict a greater influence of VT than frequency on gas transport (consistent with experimental observations) but in their current form cannot simulate the additional gas exchange associated with VT in excess of the dead-space volume nor the decreased efficacy of HFV above certain critical frequencies observed in both animals and humans. Thus all of these models are probably inadequate in detail. One important aspect of these various models is that some are based on transport experiments done in appropriately scaled physical models, whereas others are entirely theoretical. The experimental models are probably most useful in the prediction of pulmonary gas transport rates, whereas the physical models are of greater value in identifying the specific transport mechanism(s) responsible for gas exchange. However, both classes require a knowledge of the factors governing the distribution of airflow under the circumstances of study as well as requiring detail about lung anatomy and airway physical properties. Only when such factors are fully understood and incorporated into a general description of gas exchange by HFV will it be possible to predict or explain all experimental or clinical findings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Franke ◽  
A. Ehrenhofer ◽  
S. Lahiri ◽  
E.-F. M. Henke ◽  
T. Wallmersperger ◽  
...  

Natural motion types found in skeletal and muscular systems of vertebrate animals inspire researchers to transfer this ability into engineered motion, which is highly desired in robotic systems. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have shown promising capabilities as artificial muscles for driving such structures, as they are soft, lightweight, and can generate large strokes. For maximum performance, dielectric elastomer membranes need to be sufficiently pre-stretched. This fact is challenging, because it is difficult to integrate pre-stretched membranes into entirely soft systems, since the stored strain energy can significantly deform soft elements. Here, we present a soft robotic structure, possessing a bioinspired skeleton integrated into a soft body element, driven by an antagonistic pair of DEA artificial muscles, that enable the robot bending. In its equilibrium state, the setup maintains optimum isotropic pre-stretch. The robot itself has a length of 60 mm and is based on a flexible silicone body, possessing embedded transverse 3D printed struts. These rigid bone-like elements lead to an anisotropic bending stiffness, which only allows bending in one plane while maintaining the DEA's necessary pre-stretch in the other planes. The bones, therefore, define the degrees of freedom and stabilize the system. The DEAs are manufactured by aerosol deposition of a carbon-silicone-composite ink onto a stretchable membrane that is heat cured. Afterwards, the actuators are bonded to the top and bottom of the silicone body. The robotic structure shows large and defined bimorph bending curvature and operates in static as well as dynamic motion. Our experiments describe the influence of membrane pre-stretch and varied stiffness of the silicone body on the static and dynamic bending displacement, resonance frequencies and blocking forces. We also present an analytical model based on the Classical Laminate Theory for the identification of the main influencing parameters. Due to the simple design and processing, our new concept of a bioinspired DEA based robotic structure, with skeletal and muscular reinforcement, offers a wide range of robotic application.


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