Development of VUMAT and VUHARD Subroutines for Simulating the Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Parts

Numerical modelling and simulation can be useful tools in qualification of additive manufactured parts for use in demanding structural applications. The use of these tools in predicting the mechanical properties and field performance of additive manufactured parts can be of great advantage. Modelling and simulation of non-linear material behaviour requires development and implementation of constitutive models in finite element analysis software. This paper documents the implementation and verification process of a microstructure-variable based model for DMLS Ti6Al4V (ELI) in two separate ABAQUS/Explicit subroutines, VUMAT and VUHARD, available for defining the yield surface and plastic deformation of materials. The verification process of the implemented subroutines was conducted for single and multiple element tests with varying prescribed loading conditions. The simulation results obtained were then compared with the analytical solutions at the same conditions of strain rates and temperatures. This comparison showed that both developed subroutines were accurate in predicting the flow stress of various forms of DMLS Ti6Al4V (ELI) under different conditions of strain rates and temperatures.

Influence of inbreeding on the morphobiological characteristics of meadow clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

The influence of inbreeding on the morphobiological characteristics of meadow clover was revealed. Self-pollination, repeated in the number of successive generations, leads to an increase in homozygosity and to inbred depression, which increases from I1 to I3 generation and stabilizes in the I4 generation. It was found that in the I1 generation, according to the main morphobiological characteristics, there is no inward depression, but the maximum release of recessive lethal mutations is manifested, which amounted to 6.2%, and the survival rate of seedlings decreases (91.7%). By the I4 generation, the number of chlorophyll-free seedlings decreases to 1.4%. All the main morpho-biological indicators that determine the productivity of plants decrease from generation I1 to generation I3 by 1.5-2 times and stabilize in generation I4. Obtaining hybrid F1 offspring by crossing a linear material with an I4 induction level leads to the restoration of plant productivity indicators. When creating a linear material, an increase in the number of highly self-compatible genotypes from I1 to I4 generation by 60% is clearly traced. The data obtained make it possible to take into account the survival rate of seedlings, the cleavage of lethal and semi-lethal mutations, the degree of inbred depression in the formation of sample volumes when creating a linear material of meadow clover.

On-Engine Expansion Measurement of Exhaust Manifold for Calibrating Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue FEA Model

An attempt was made as part of this work to acquire on-engine measurements to identify how closely current Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models replicate actual on-engine exhaust manifold behavior. Further correlation study with FEA models was performed to understand and eliminate the gaps to improve the overall FEA process. Dry cast iron exhaust manifolds experience thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) during engine operation. This is one of the critical failure modes. Literature is available to perform TMF assessment of exhaust manifold e.g. [1–6]. However, it is difficult to accurately predict TMF life of exhaust manifold in FEA due to dependency on multiple factors such as non-linear material behavior [3], temperature dependent material behavior, oxidation effect, creep effect, accuracy in prediction of metal temperatures and joint friction effects. Typically, non-linear material models, creep effects and oxidation effects are accounted by advanced fatigue processing software. Non-linear material models account for material and for temperature dependent non-linearity [4]. These non-linear material model and fatigue parameters are often developed using uniaxial specimen level testing. These doesn’t account for all the complexity during on-engine test due to factors such as friction and bolt loads that can influence manifold behavior. FEA processes for exhaust manifolds are seldom calibrated with on-engine measurements due to the complexity of obtaining these measurements in an environment that has severe temperatures and vibrations. The correlation study highlighted that exhaust manifold was over constrained by excessive clamping in FEA. This raised question on the gasket coefficient of friction (COF) and working preloads. These settings were investigated to get better correlation. Using reduced COF and non-linear material model for manifold capscrews, helped to achieve better correlation. Replacing material properties of manifold capscrews with nonlinear data provided capability to simulate localized yielding of capscrews and hence the corresponding load loss. Using these new settings for few other case studies also showed improvement in correlation of manifold warpage and thermal fatigue life prediction. Outcome of this work was a refined FEA approach which showed better FEA to Test correlation for exhaust manifold subject to thermal loading.

Development of a Material Design Space for 4D-Printed Bio-Inspired Hygroscopically Actuated Bilayer Structures with Unequal Effective Layer Widths

(1) Significance of geometry for bio-inspired hygroscopically actuated bilayer structures is well studied and can be used to fine-tune curvatures in many existent material systems. We developed a material design space to find new material combinations that takes into account unequal effective widths of the layers, as commonly used in fused filament fabrication, and deflections under self-weight. (2) For this purpose, we adapted Timoshenko’s model for the curvature of bilayer strips and used an established hygromorphic 4D-printed bilayer system to validate its ability to predict curvatures in various experiments. (3) The combination of curvature evaluation with simple, linear beam deflection calculations leads to an analytical solution space to study influences of Young’s moduli, swelling strains and densities on deflection under self-weight and curvature under hygroscopic swelling. It shows that the choice of the ratio of Young’s moduli can be crucial for achieving a solution that is stable against production errors. (4) Under the assumption of linear material behavior, the presented development of a material design space allows selection or design of a suited material combination for application-specific, bio-inspired bilayer systems with unequal layer widths.

A Mixed Iteration Method to Determine the Linear Material Parameters in the Study of Creep Behavior of the Composites

This paper presents and applies a mixed iteration method to determine the nonlinear parameters of the material used to study a composite’s creep behavior. To describe the research framework, we made a synthetic presentation of the viscoelastic behavior of composite materials by applying classical models. Further, the presented method was based on a calculation algorithm and program, which was applied on several types of materials. In a consecutive procedure of experiments and calculations, we determined the material parameters of the studied materials. The method was further applied to two composite materials in which the nonlinearity factors at different temperatures were determined.

A Hyper-Viscoelastic Continuum-Level Finite Element Model of the Spinal Cord Assessed for Transverse Indentation and Impact Loading

Finite Element (FE) modelling of spinal cord response to impact can provide unique insights into the neural tissue response and injury risk potential. Yet, contemporary human body models (HBMs) used to examine injury risk and prevention across a wide range of impact scenarios often lack detailed integration of the spinal cord and surrounding tissues. The integration of a spinal cord in contemporary HBMs has been limited by the need for a continuum-level model owing to the relatively large element size required to be compatible with HBM, and the requirement for model development based on published material properties and validation using relevant non-linear material data. The goals of this study were to develop and assess non-linear material model parameters for the spinal cord parenchyma and pia mater, and incorporate these models into a continuum-level model of the spinal cord with a mesh size conducive to integration in HBM. First, hyper-viscoelastic material properties based on tissue-level mechanical test data for the spinal cord and hyperelastic material properties for the pia mater were determined. Secondly, the constitutive models were integrated in a spinal cord segment FE model validated against independent experimental data representing transverse compression of the spinal cord-pia mater complex (SCP) under quasi-static indentation and dynamic impact loading. The constitutive model parameters were fit to a quasi-linear viscoelastic model with an Ogden hyperelastic function, and then verified using single element test cases corresponding to the experimental strain rates for the spinal cord (0.32–77.22 s−1) and pia mater (0.05 s−1). Validation of the spinal cord model was then performed by re-creating, in an explicit FE code, two independent ex-vivo experimental setups: 1) transverse indentation of a porcine spinal cord-pia mater complex and 2) dynamic transverse impact of a bovine SCP. The indentation model accurately matched the experimental results up to 60% compression of the SCP, while the impact model predicted the loading phase and the maximum deformation (within 7%) of the SCP experimental data. This study quantified the important biomechanical contribution of the pia mater tissue during spinal cord deformation. The validated material models established in this study can be implemented in computational HBM.

Predicting the Nonlinear Damage Response of Imperfect Laminates Using Linear Material Degradation Model and a Semi-Analytical Technique

This paper investigates nonlinear damage response and ultimate collapse of laminates under in-plane and lateral pressure loadings. The in-plane loading was in the form of end-shortening strain, while the lateral pressure was sinusoidal. The plates had initial geometric imperfection to which simply-supported boundary conditions were applied. Ritz techniques with nonlinear strain terms in kinematic relations as well as the first-order shear deformation theory were applied. Hashin and Rotem failure criteria were used for failure analysis. Two models were also employed for degradation of material properties in the plates. The complete ply degradation model was implemented along with the ply region degradation model, in which stiffness reduction was applied only to one region of the ply in which failure had occurred. Note that the stiffness degradation after the failure was investigated as both instantaneous and linear models. In both complete ply and region ply degradation models with instantaneous degradation of material properties, at any location in a ply or region, which has exceeded the given stress criterion, the corresponding stiffness properties are instantaneously degraded throughout that ply or region but with linear material degradation model, the stiffness diminishes gradually and linearly. Finally, the results were then validated against the findings of different references as well as finite element analysis. According to the results, it was seen that in the ply region degradation model, last ply failure loads are generally larger than those of the complete ply degradation model.

Key Action Mechanisms of Intentional Mistuning

Intentional mistuning is a common procedure to decrease the uncontrolled vibration amplification effects of the (unavoidable) random mistuning, and to reduce the sensitivity to it. The idea is to introduce an intentional mistuning pattern that is small, but much larger than the existing random mistuning. The frequency of adjacent blades is moved apart by the intentional mistuning, reducing the blade-to-blade coupling and, thus, the effect of the random mistuning. In order to clearly show the action mechanisms of intentional mistuning, we focus in this work in a quite simple configuration: forced response of a blade dominated modal family in a mistuned rotor with linear material damping. The problem is analysed using the asymptotic mistuning model methodology. A more reduced order model is derived that allows us to understand the relevant parameters behind the effect of intentional mistuning, and gives a simple expression for the estimation of its beneficial effect. The results from the reduced model are checked against detailed FEM simulations of two mistuned rotors.

Design and Simulation of a Very Fast and Compact All-Optical Full-Subtractor Based an Nonlinear Effect in 2D Photonic Crystals

In this paper, by using the non-linear effects and also destructive and constructive interferences between waveguides, we have designed and simulated an all-optical full-Subtractor based on two-dimensional photonic crystals. The proposed Subtractor has a very simple structure which is composed of 33×31 silicon rods immersed in air in a square lattice and involves three input ports (bits) and an additional waveguide to exhaust the unwanted light. We imposed some defect rods to control the behavior of the light. The used non-linear material, is a doped glass with 1.4×10− 14 m2/w non-linear refractive index which is very greater than the non-linearity refractive index of silicon, 3.46×10− 20 m2/w. Since the proposed structure is very simple and compact, it can be applicable in optical integrated circuits and optical calculations.