Hydrolytic Aging in Rubber-Like Materials: A Micro-Mechanical Approach to Modeling

The effect of hydrolytic aging on mechanical responses of Rubber likes materials, in particular, Mullins effect and the permanent set has been modeled. Hydrolytic aging is considered as the result of the competition between two phenomena (1) chain scission and (2) cross-link scission/reformation. Both phenomena were modeled and thus, the strain energy of the polymer matrix is written with respect to three independent mechanisms; i) the shrinking original matrix which has not been attacked by water, ii) conversion of the first network to a new network due to the reduction of the crosslinks, and iii) energy loss from network degradation due to water attacks to ester groups. The model is validated with respect to a set of experimental data. Besides accuracy, the simplicity and few numbers of fitting parameters make the model a good choice for further implementations.

Analysis of CCR Expansion Joints

The CCR (Continuous Catalytic Reforming) Platforming™ process is Honeywell UOP’s technology to convert low octane naphtha to high octane fuel or petrochemical feedstock such as aromatics. It is accomplished in a hydrogen atmosphere at elevated temperature and pressure across a platinum containing catalyst. The process flow is routed through heaters, blowers and coolers between reactors to maintain the heat of reaction. This article captures the procedure of selecting a suitable expansion joint for absorbing thermal movement between two important pieces of CCR equipment — the regeneration cooler and regeneration blower. It shows the design calculations of a universal hinged expansion joint operating at 0.14 MPa and 593°C in a pipe of 762mm diameter. The joint contains 5 single-ply INCOLOY 800H bellows with unreinforced convolutions. Design calculations of the expansion joint have been carried out using formulae prescribed in the Expansion Joints Manufacturers Association (EJMA) standard. Since it is difficult to quantify stresses using a movement test, the EJMA calculations have been verified against finite element analysis results of the bellows.

Comparative Study of the Dynamic Behavior of AA2519 Aluminum Alloy in T6 and T8 Temper Conditions

This study investigates the dynamic response of AA2519 aluminum alloy in T6 temper condition during plastic deformation at high strain rates. The aim was to determine how the T6 temper condition affects the flow stress response, strength properties and microstructural morphologies of the alloy when impacted under compression at high strain rates. The specimens (with aspect ratio, L/D = 0.8) of the as-cast alloy used were received in the T8 temper condition and further heat-treated to the T6 temper condition based on the standard ASTM temper designation procedures. Split-Hopkinson pressure bar experiment was used to generate true stress-strain data for the alloy in the range of 1000–3500 /s strain rates while high-speed cameras were used to monitor the test compliance with strain-rate constancy measures. The microstructures of the as received and deformed specimens were assessed and compared for possible disparities in their initial microstructures and post-deformation changes, respectively, using optical microscopy. Results showed no clear evidence of strain-rate dependency in the dynamic yield strength behavior of T6-temper designated alloy while exhibiting a negative trend in its flow stress response. On the contrary, AA2519-T8 showed marginal but positive response in both yield strength and flow behavior for the range of strain rates tested. Post-deformation photomicrographs show clear disparities in the alloys’ initial microstructures in terms of the second-phase particle size differences, population density and, distribution; and in the morphological changes which occurred in the microstructures of the different materials during large plastic deformation. AA2519-T6 showed a higher susceptibility to adiabatic shear localization than AA2519-T8, with deformed and bifurcating transformed band occurring at 3000 /s followed by failure at 3500 /s.

Boundary Integral Equations Method in the Coupled Theory of Thermoelasticity for Porous Materials

This paper concerns with the coupled linear theory of thermoelasticity for porous materials and the coupled phenomena of the concepts of Darcy’s law and the volume fraction is considered. The system of governing equations based on the equations of motion, the constitutive equations, the equation of fluid mass conservation, Darcy’s law for porous materials, Fourier’s law of heat conduction and the heat transfer equation. The system of general governing equations is expressed in terms of the displacement vector field, the change of volume fraction of pores, the change of fluid pressure in pore network and the variation of temperature of porous material. The fundamental solution of the system of steady vibration equations is constructed explicitly by means of elementary functions and its basic properties are presented. The basic internal and external boundary value problems (BVPs) of steady vibrations are formulated and on the basis of Green’s identities the uniqueness theorems for the regular (classical) solutions of the BVPs are proved. The surface (single-layer and double-layer) and volume potentials are constructed and their basic properties are established. Finally, the existence theorems for classical solutions of the BVPs of steady vibrations are proved by means of the boundary integral equations method (potential method) and the theory of singular integral equations.

Grain Boundary Cracking of Nickel-Based Alloy 625 Under Creep Loadings at Elevated Temperatures

Since the operating condition of thermal power plants has become harsher for minimizing the emission of CO2, Ni-based superalloys, such as Alloy 617 and 625, have been used in the plants to replace the conventional ferritic materials. Unfortunately, the increase of coefficient of thermal expansion compared with conventional steels is a concern. In addition, Ni-based superalloys have to suffer creep-fatigue random loading because thermal power plants have to compensate the random output of various renewable energies. It was found that the lifetime of Ni-based superalloys under creep-fatigue loading was much shorter than that under simple fatigue or creep loading. Thus, it has become very important to clarify the crack mechanism and establish the quantitative theory for estimating their lifetime under various loading conditions at elevated temperatures. Thus, the elucidation of the initial damage mechanism of Alloy 625 under various loading is indispensable. Hence, the initial cracking mechanism of Alloy 625 at grain boundaries under creep loading was investigated experimentally. The creep test was applied to small specimens in Argon atmosphere. The change of the micro texture during the creep test was observed by using SEM. It was confirmed that all the initial cracks appeared at certain grain boundaries. The change of the crystallinity was observed by EBSD (Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction) analysis quantitatively. It was found that the local accumulation of dislocations at the cracked grain boundaries caused the initial cracks at those grain boundaries. The initiation of cracks appeared clearly between two grains which had difference of KAM (Kernel Average Misorientation) values larger than 0.2. Therefore, dislocations were accumulated at one side of the grain boundary. By measuring the KAM values near grain boundaries, the appearance of initial cracks can be predicted approximately.

Effect of Bolted Joints on Shock Propagation Across Structures Under Medium Impact Loading

A bolted joint is one of the most common fastening techniques. While the behavior of bolted joints under static or quasi-static conditions is well documented, their behavior under shock/impact loading is not well-understood. In many applications, where a bolted joint connects a sensitive component to the rest of a structure, it is important to interpret shock propagation through the bolted joints. This problem is further complicated owing to the fact that a bolted joint exhibits multiple types of nonlinearities, due to the interaction between the bolts and clamped parts, thread friction between the shank and nut, pre-tension, damping characteristics, and interference with the hole. This study was focused on developing computational techniques for understanding shock propagation through a bolted joint. As a case study, the behavior of a bolted joint within a two-component cylindrical structure subjected to impact loading was considered. A finite element (FE) model of the fixture was developed. Two different approaches were considered. The first one modeled the bolt assembly as one part. The second model had the bolt and nut as separate parts. In this model, the tie contact between the bolt shank and the nut was defined using a shear failure criterion. Both models included bolt pre-tension. The two models were compared based on energy balance, acceleration signal, and displacement at the base of the fixture. The results indicated that the model with the separate bolt and nut resulted in a more realistic performance.

Guidelines and Limitations of the Compact Compression Specimen

Damage initiation and propagation material models for carbon fiber composites can be categorized according to the loading applied to constituent components. An example of such categorization is fiber tension, fiber compression, matrix tension, and matrix compression material models. Of these, matrix compression has been by far the least studied based on amount of published literature. Recent work at Oregon State University (OSU) has begun to address this lack of study. OSU researchers have published several papers culminating in the specification of an effective test specimen for isolating matrix compression damage initiation and propagation in carbon fiber laminates. While providing compelling results indicating the effectiveness and usefulness of this test specimen, little or no information has been provided regarding its manufacture, usable notch lengths, and optimum loading rate during testing. Experience at OSU has shown that this information is critical and not trivial to obtain. The purpose of this paper is to provide specific guidelines and “lessons learned” needed for other researchers to efficiently and effectively use this specimen in a comprehensive study. Test specimens are manufactured in the OSU Composites Materials Manufacturing Laboratory using typical commercial pre-peg carbon fiber following the specified layup and curing procedures. Once the material was cured the carbon fiber plate was then water-jet cut into the desired geometry and notch length. Usable notch length and optimum loading rate was determined by testing a series of specimens. All testing was conducted at an OSU lab using a universal testing machine with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) data collected. Specimens were preloaded and matrix compression initiation and propagation data collected until tensile failure occurred on the back edge of the specimen. Testing showed that shorter notch lengths result in inconsistent data and longer in effective initiation but limited propagation due to reduced ligament length. Testing suggested that a speed less than 5 mm/min gave the best results as faster displacement rates caused less crack propagation to occur, while increasing the likelihood of the specimen to fail in tension along its back edge. Through the use of these guidelines, researchers are able to manufacture and use an effective test specimen for the investigation of matrix compression damage initiation and propagation.

On Multiple Inhomogeneities in Plane Elasticity

In this paper we present some new analytical techniques which have been recently developed to solve for problems of circular elastic inhomogeneities in anti-plane and plane elasticity. The inhomogeneities may be composed of different materials and have different radii. The matrix may be subjected to arbitrary loadings or singularities. The solution to this heterogeneous problem is sought as a transformation performed on the solution of the corresponding homogeneous problem, i.e., the problem when all the inhomogeneities are removed and the homogeneous matrix is subjected to the same loading/singularities, a procedure which has been dubbed ‘heterogenization’. In previous works, a single inhomogeneity or hole has been considered and the transformation has been shown to be purely algebraic in the antiplane case and involves differentiation of the Kolosov-Mushkelishvili complex potentials in the plane case. Universal formulas, i.e., formulas which are independent of the loading/singularities, that express the stresses at the inter-face of the inhomogeneity in terms of the stresses that would have existed at the same interface had the inhomogeneity been absent, have been be derived. The solution for a single inhomogeneity bonded to a matrix which is subjected to arbitrary loading/singularities can then in principle be used systematically in a Schwarz alternating method to obtain the solution for multiple inhomogeneities to any degree of accuracy. However alternative and innovative methods have been sought which lead to a much faster convergence and in some cases to exact expressions in terms of infinite series. The aim of this paper is to present some of the progress that has been made in this direction.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Dynamic Impact on Universal Breakaway Steel Post

A closed guardrail system, known as “bullnose” guardrail system, was previously developed to prevent out-of-control vehicles from falling into the elephant trap. The bullnose guardrail system originally used Controlled Release Terminal (CRT) wood posts to aid in the energy absorption of the system. However, the use of CRT had several drawbacks such as grading and the need for regular inspections. Universal Breakaway Steel Post (UBSP) was then developed by the researchers at Midwest Roadside Safety Facility as a surrogate for CRT. In this study, the impact performance of UBSP on the weak-axis and strong-axis was studied through numerical modeling and component testing (bogie testing). A numerical model was developed using an advanced finite element package LS-DYNA to simulate the impact on UBSP. The numerical results were compared to experimental data. Further research on soil models was recommended. The numerical model will be used to investigate other applications for UBSP such as the Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) long span system, guardrail end terminal designs, or crash cushions.

Effects of Drive Side Pressure Angle on Gear Fatigue Crack Propagation Life for Spur Gears With Symmetric and Asymmetric Teeth

Today gears are one of the most crucial machine elements in the industry. They are used in every area of the industry. Due to the high performances of the gears, they are also used in aerospace and wind applications. In these areas due to the high torques, unstable conditions, high impact forces, etc. cracks can be seen on the gear surface. During the service life, these cracks can be propagated and gear damages can be seen due to the initial cracks. The aim of this study is to increase the fatigue crack propagation life of the spur gears by using asymmetric tooth profile. Nowadays asymmetric gears have a very important and huge usage area in the industry. In this study, the effects of drive side pressure angle on the fatigue crack propagation life are studied by using the finite element method. The initial starting points of the cracks are defined by static stress analysis. The starting angles of the cracks are defined constant at 45°. The crack propagation analyses are performed in ANSYS SMART Crack-Growth module by using Paris Law. Four different drive side pressure angles (20°-20°, 20°-25°, 20°-30° and 20°-35°) are investigated in this study. As a result of the study the fatigue crack propagation life of the gears is increased dramatically when the drive side pressure angle increase. This results show that the asymmetric tooth profile not only decrease the bending stress but also increase the fatigue crack propagation life strongly.