The competition of grain size and porosity in the viscoplastic response of nanocrystalline solids

Many important processing techniques for nanocrystalline solids, such as ball milling and compaction, are frequently accompanied by the presence of voids in the end products. These voids can apparently lower the yield strength of the material. In order to address the issue of competition between grain size and porosity, we develop an explicit, analytical composite model that allows us to determine the viscoplastic response of a porous, nanocrystalline solid. The development made use of the concept of a three-phase composite comprising of the plastically harder grain interior, plastically softer grain-boundary affected zone (GBAZ), and porosity. A homogenization theory that accounts for the evolution of porosity during plastic flow is established. This establishment is built upon the extension of a linear viscoelastic composite to a non-linear viscoplastic one, in which the viscoplastic behavior of the constituent phases is represented by a unified constitutive law. Then by means of a field fluctuation method, the local strain rates are linked to the applied total strain rate. Such a linkage in turn provides the secant viscosity of the constituent phases at every stage of deformation. In order to test the applicability of the developed theory, we have applied it to model the viscoplastic response of an iron and an iron–copper mixture tested by Khan et al. [Khan, A.S., Zhang, H., Takacs, L., 2000. Mechanical response and modeling of fully compacted nanocrystalline iron and copper. Int. J. Plasticity 16, 1459–1476] and Khan and Zhang [Khan, A.S., Zhang, H., 2000. Mechanically alloyed nanocrystalline iron and copper mixture: behavior and constitutive modeling over a wide range of strain rates. Int. J. Plasticity 16, 1477–1492]. It is demonstrated that the theory is capable of capturing the major features of the tested results at various grain sizes and porosities. Our calculations further point to the change of yield strength in the Hall–Petch plot from an initial increase to level off, and then to decline, at various porosities under a constant strain-rate loading. This in turn brings about the existence of a critical grain size in the nano-meter range at which the material exhibits maximum yield strength. Moreover, this critical grain size tends to move to the left in the Hall–Petch plot as the GBAZ becomes softer.     

Mechanics of very fine-grained nanocrystalline materials with contributions from grain interior, GB zone, and grain-boundary sliding

In this paper, we formulated an atomically-equivalent continuum model to study the viscoplastic behavior of nanocrystalline materials with special reference to the low end of grain size that is typically examined by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. Based on the morphology disclosed in MD simulations, a two-phase composite model is construed, in which three distinct inelastic deformation mechanisms disclosed from MD simulations are incorporated to build a general micromechanics-based homogenization scheme. These three mechanisms include the dislocation-related plastic flow inside the grain interior, the uncorrelated atomic motions inside the grain-boundary region (the GB zone), and the grain-boundary sliding at the interface between the grain and GB zone. The viscoplastic behavior of the grain interior is modeled by a grain-size dependent unified constitutive equation whereas the GB zone is modeled by a size-independent unified law. The GB sliding at the interface is represented by the Newtonian flow. The development of the rate-dependent, work-hardening homogenization scheme is based on a unified approach starting from elasticity to viscoelasticity through the correspondence principle, and then from viscoelasticity to viscoplasticity through replacement of the Maxwell viscosity of the constituent phases by their respective secant viscosity. The developed theory is then applied to examine the grain size- and strain rate-dependent behavior of nanocrystalline Cu over a wide range of grain size. Within the grain-size range from 5.21 to 3.28 nm, and the strain rate range from 2.5 × 10⁸ to 1.0 × 10⁹/s, the calculated results show significant grain-size softening as well as strain-rate hardening that are in quantitative accord with MD simulations [Schiotz, J., Vegge, T., Di Tolla, F.D., Jacobsen, K.W., 1999. Atomic-scale simulations of the mechanical deformation of nanocrystalline metals. Phys. Rev. B 60, 11971–11983]. We have also applied the theory to investigate the flow stress, strain-rate sensitivity, and activation volume over the wider grain size range from 40 nm to as low as 2 nm under these high strain rate loading, and found that the flow stress initially displays a positive slope and then a negative one in the Hall–Petch plot, that the strain-rate sensitivity first increases and then decreases, and that the activation volume first decreases and then increases. This suggests that the maximum strain rate sensitivity and the lowest activation volume do not occur at the smallest grain size but, like the maximum yield strength (or hardness), they occur at a finite grain size. These calculated results also confirm the theoretical prediction of Rodriguez and Armstrong [Rodriguez, P., Armstrong, R.W., 2006. Strength and strain rate sensitivity for hcp and fcc nanopolycrystal metals. Bull. Mater. Sci. 29, 717–720] on the basis of grain boundary weakening and the report of Trelewicz and Schuh [Trelewicz, J.R., Schuh, C.A., 2007. The Hall–Petch breakdown in nanocrystalline metals: a crossover to glass-like deformation. Acta Mater. 55, 5948–5958] on the basis of hardness tests. In general the higher yield strength, higher strain rate sensitivity, and lower activation volume on the positive side of the Hall–Petch plot are associated with the improved yield strength of the grain interior, but the opposite trends displayed on the negative side of the plot are associated with the characteristics of the GB zone which is close to the amorphous state.     

Numerical and experimental study of turbulent impinging twin-jet flow

The two dimensional impinging circular twin-jet flow with no-cross flow is studied numerically and experimentally. The theoretical predications are carried out through numerical procedure based on finite volume method to solve the governing mass, momentum, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate. The parameters studied were jet Reynolds number (9.5 × 10⁴  Re  22.4 × 10⁴), nozzle to plate spacing (3  h/d  12), nozzle to nozzle centerline spacing (l/d = 3, 5 and 8) and jet angle (0°  θ  20°). It is concluded that the stagnation primary point moves away in the radial main flow direction by increasing the jet angle. This shift becomes stronger by increasing the nozzle to nozzle centerline spacing (l/d). A secondary stagnation point is set up between two jets. The value of pressure at this point decreases by decreasing Reynolds number and/or increasing the jet angle.

The sub atmospheric region occurs on the impingement plate. It increases strongly by increasing Reynolds number and decreases as the jet angle and/or a nozzle to plate spacing increases. The spreading of jet decreases by increasing nozzle to plate spacing. The intensity of re-circulation zone between two jets decreases by increasing of h/d and jet angle. The increase of turbulence kinetic energy occurs within high gradient velocity.     

Flow measurements inside a heated multiple rotating cavity with axial throughflow

This paper discusses experimental results from a multiple cavity test rig representative of a high pressure compressor internal air system. Measurements of the axial, tangential and radial velocity components are presented. These were made using a two component, laser doppler anemometry (LDA) system for a range of non-dimensional parameters representative of engine conditions (Re up to 4 × 10⁶ and Re_z up to 1.8 × 10⁵). Tests were carried out for two different sizes of annular gap between the (non-rotating) drive shaft and the disc bores.

The axial and radial velocities inside the cavities are virtually zero. The size of the annular gap between disc bore and shaft has a significant effect on the radial distribution of tangential velocity. For the narrow annular gap (d_h/b = 0.092), there is an increase of non-dimensional tangential velocity V/Ωr with radial location from V/Ωr < 1 at the lower radii to solid body rotation V/Ωr = 1 further into the cavity. For the wider annular gap (d_h/b = 0.164), there is a decrease from V/Ωr > 1 at the lower radii to solid body rotation further into the cavity. An analysis of the frequency spectrum obtained from the tangential velocity measurements is consistent with a flow structure in the r– plane consisting of pairs of contra rotating vortices.     

A complete and irreducible dynamic SGS heat-flux modelling based on the strain rate tensor for large-eddy simulation of thermal convection

In this paper, a general family of explicit algebraic tensor diffusivity functions based on the resolved temperature gradient vector and strain rate tensor is studied and applied to the construction of new constitutive relations for modelling the subgrid-scale (SGS) heat flux (HF). Based on Noll’s formulation, dynamic linear and nonlinear tensor diffusivity models are proposed for large-eddy simulation of thermal convection. The constitutive relations for these two proposed models are complete and irreducible. These two new models include several existing dynamic SGS HF models as special cases. It is shown that in contrast to the conventional modelling approach, the proposed models embody more degrees of freedom, permit non-alignment between the SGS HF and resolved temperature gradient vectors, reflect near-wall flow physics at the subgrid scale, and therefore, allow for a more realistic geometrical representation of the SGS heat flux for large-eddy simulation of thermal convection. Numerical simulations have been performed using a benchmark test case of a combined forced and natural convective flow in a vertical channel with a Reynolds number of and a Grashof number of Gr = 9.6 × 10⁵. The results obtained using the two proposed SGS HF models are compared with reported direct numerical simulation (DNS) data as well as predictions obtained using several conventional dynamic SGS HF models.     

Shroud heat transfer measurements inside a heated multiple rotating cavity with axial throughflow

Experimental measurements of heat transfer are made from the inner peripheral surface of a rotating test rig designed to be similar to a gas turbine high pressure compressor internal air system. The test rig comprises a number of annular discs sealed at their periphery by a shroud. An axial throughflow of cooling air enters the test rig and flows through the annular section between the disc bores and a central shaft. Tests were carried out for the following range of rotational speeds and axial throughflow rates: 540 < N_R < 10,800 rev/min and (corresponding to the range of rotational and axial Reynolds numbers 4 × 10⁵ < Re < 7.7 × 10⁶ and 3.3 × 10⁴ < Re_z < 2.2 × 10⁵).

The shroud Nusselt numbers are found to depend on the shroud Grashof number. They are relatively insensitive to changes in axial Reynolds number and two geometrically similar cavities give similar values of Nusselt number. The heat transfer from the shroud is governed by the mechanism of free convection. It is recommended that a modified form of a correlation for Rayleigh–Bénard convection in a gravitational force field be used, with appropriate modification, to predict shroud heat transfer.     

A variational multiscale constitutive model for nanocrystalline materials

This paper presents a variational multi-scale constitutive model in the finite deformation regime capable of capturing the mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline (nc) fcc metals. The nc-material is modeled as a two-phase material consisting of a grain interior phase and a grain boundary effected zone (GBAZ). A rate-independent isotropic porous plasticity model is employed to describe the GBAZ, whereas a crystal-plasticity model which accounts for the transition from partial dislocation to full dislocation mediated plasticity is employed for the grain interior. The constitutive models of both phases are formulated in a small strain framework and extended to finite deformation by use of logarithmic and exponential mappings. Assuming the rule of mixtures, the overall behavior of a given grain is obtained via volume averaging. The scale transition from a single grain to a polycrystal is achieved by Taylor-type homogenization where a log-normal grain size distribution is assumed. It is shown that the proposed model is able to capture the inverse Hall-Petch effect, i.e., loss of strength with grain size refinement. Finally, the predictive capability of the model is validated against experimental results on nanocrystalline copper and nickel.     

Separation of variables in one problem of motion of the generalized Kowalevski top

In the problem of motion of the Kowalevski top in a double force field the new case of reduction to a Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom was pointed out by Kharlamov [Kharlamov, M.P., 2004. Mekh. Tverd. Tela 34, 47–58]. We show that the equations of motion in this case can be separated by the appropriate change of variables, the new variables U,V being hyperelliptic functions of time. The natural phase variables (components of the angular velocity and the direction vectors of the forces with respect to the movable basis) are expressed via U,V explicitly in elementary algebraic functions.     

Heat transfer from a line source located in the periodic laminar near wake of a circular cylinder

This experimental study is devoted to the diffusion of a passive scalar downstream a line source located in a Bénard–von Kármán street. Measurements of velocity and temperature have been performed using LDA and cold wire thermometer with a phase reference. Information on the initial evolution of mean, fluctuating velocity and temperature and associated shear-stresses and heat fluxes fields are presented for two locations of the source: ( and 1). The results show that the velocity field in the wake is strongly related to the geometric structure of vortices while the temperature field is controlled by both the time scale of rotation of the vortices and the location of the heated fluid within the vortex street.     

A robust near-wall elliptic-relaxation eddy-viscosity turbulence model for CFD

An eddy-viscosity model based on Durbin’s elliptic relaxation concept is proposed, which solves a transport equation for the velocity scales ratio instead of , thus making the model more robust and less sensitive to grid nonuniformities. Computations of flows and heat transfer in a plane channel, behind a step and in a round impinging jet show all satisfactory results.     

Experimental investigation of the grid-generated turbulence features in a free surface flow

The present study aims to investigate the features of a grid-generated turbulence occurring in a current flow with a free surface flow. The interest is focused on the length and time scales of the turbulence. These are the macro, the micro and the Kolmogorov scales. To analyze the flow, a 2D LDV system has been used to measure , , u′ and w′. This non-intrusive and optical technique is really accurate (in terms of space and time resolution). Furthermore, it does not disturb the flow and provides a high data rate. Both horizontal and vertical velocities are recorded at the same time according to a coincidence window (τ_cw). Bias measurements are avoided by using a filtering technique during data processing. The improved homogeneity and isotropy of the turbulence downstream of the grid allows the use of the Taylor hypothesis. Thus, all length and time scales of the flow can be estimated. Results are discussed as well as the influence of the upcoming mean velocity on the turbulence properties.     

Constitutive modeling of strain rate effects in nanocrystalline and ultrafine grained polycrystals

We present a variational two-phase constitutive model capable of capturing the enhanced rate sensitivity in nanocrystalline (nc) and ultrafine-grained (ufg) fcc metals. The nc/ufg-material consists of a grain interior phase and a grain boundary affected zone (GBAZ). The behavior of the GBAZ is described by a rate-dependent isotropic porous plasticity model, whereas a rate-independent crystal-plasticity model which accounts for the transition from partial dislocation to full dislocation mediated plasticity is employed for the grain interior. The scale bridging from a single grain to a polycrystal is done by a Taylor-type homogenization. It is shown that the enhanced rate sensitivity caused by the grain size refinement is successfully captured by the proposed model.     

Numerical simulation of the noise generated by a low Mach number, low Reynolds number jet

In this paper we study the sound field produced by a turbulent round jet with a Mach number of 0.6 based on the centerline velocity and the ambient speed of sound c_∞. The turbulent flow field is found by solving the fully compressible Navier–Stokes equations with help of high-order compact finite difference schemes. It is shown that the simulated flow field is in good agreement with experiments. The corresponding sound field has been obtained with help of the Lighthill equation using two different formulations for the Lighthill stress tensor T_ij. In the first formulation of T_ij the fluctuating density is taken into account. In the second formulation the density is assumed to be constant. As an additional check we have also performed an acoustic calculation using a formulation in which a homogeneous wave equation is solved. The boundary conditions for this homogeneous wave equation are obtained from the numerical simulation of the Navier–Stokes equation. The results obtained with both formulations of the Lighthill stress tensor are nearly identical. This implies that an incompressible formulation of the conservations laws could be used to predict jet noise at low Mach numbers.     

On the flow in a uniformly porous pipe

This article considers fully laminar flow of an incompressible viscous fluid in a uniformly porous pipe with suction and injection. An exact solution of the Navier–Stokes equations is given. The velocity filed can be expressed in a series form in terms of the modified Bessel function of the first kind of order n. The volume flux across a plane normal to the flow, the vorticity and the stress on the boundary are presented. The flow properties depend on the cross-Reynolds number, Ua/ν, where U is the suction velocity, a is the radius of the pipe and ν is the kinematic viscosity of the fluid. It is found that for large values of the cross-Reynolds number, the flow near the region of the suction shows a boundary layer character. In this region the velocity and the vorticity vary sharply. Outside the boundary layer, the velocity and the vorticity do not show an appreciable change.     

Variational formulation of ideal fluid flows according to gauge principle

On the basis of the gauge principle of field theory, a new variational formulation is presented for flows of an ideal fluid. The fluid is defined thermodynamically by mass density and entropy density, and its flow fields are characterized by symmetries of translation and rotation. The rotational transformations are regarded as gauge transformations as well as the translational ones. In addition to the Lagrangians representing the translation symmetry, a structure of rotation symmetry is equipped with a Lagrangian Λ_A including the vorticity and a vector potential bilinearly. Euler's equation of motion is derived from variations according to the action principle. In addition, the equations of continuity and entropy are derived from the variations. Equations of conserved currents are deduced as the Noether theorem in the space of Lagrangian coordinate a. Without Λ_A, the action principle results in the Clebsch solution with vanishing helicity. The Lagrangian Λ_A yields non-vanishing vorticity and provides a source term of non-vanishing helicity. The vorticity equation is derived as an equation of the gauge field, and the Λ_A characterizes topology of the field. The present formulation is comprehensive and provides a consistent basis for a unique transformation between the Lagrangian a space and the Eulerian x space. In contrast, with translation symmetry alone, there is an arbitrariness in the transformation between these spaces.     

Analysis for a screw dislocation accelerating through the shear-wave speed barrier

An analysis is performed for an accelerating screw dislocation through the shear-wave speed barrier. At this instant, the function that determines the interval of the path of the dislocation motion that contributes to the wave front has roots that change from a pair of complex conjugate to a double real, which subsequently splits into two real ones. The analysis is performed at this transition to supersonic that occurs at the double root maximum of the function that defines the interval of the dislocation path that contributes to the field points. It is found that the stress has a log|ξ-ξ^*|/|ξ-ξ^*|^1/2 singularity in the coefficient of the delta function of the forming Mach front, implying that for this phenomenon the Volterra dislocation model has too strong a discontinuity (step-function) in the displacement to be meaningful. A ramp-core displacement dislocation model analysis, which removes the singularity in the stress, is presented. These results can be useful in a multiscale dislocation dynamics modeling with inertia effects.     

Permeability of periodic arrays of spheres

For periodic arrays of spheres the permeability is obtained numerically as a function of the dimensionless wave number kD in the flow direction, where D is the sphere diameter, k = 2π/λ is the wave number, and λ is the distance between the spheres in the flow direction. Our numerical results for the solids fraction of 0.45 show that for kD < 6.5 the permeability increases with increasing kD. But, it decreases for 6.5 < kD < 8.5 and reaches a local minimum at kD  8.5, and then increases again with increasing kD. Since the Fourier spectrum of the area fraction is zero for kD = 8.98, this result suggests that the area fraction plays an important role in determining the dependence of permeability on the distance between the spheres in the flow direction. For smaller solids fractions, the positions of the local maximum and minimum of permeability shift to slightly smaller kD’s.     

A study of electromechanical switching in ferroelectric single crystals

This article documents both modeling and experimental studies developed to investigate the switching behavior of ferroelectric single crystals. The theoretical model makes a priori ansatz that switching follows the evolution of a particular domain pattern. The choice of this configuration is dictated by the requirement that domains remain compatible during evolution, giving rise to a low-energy path for the overall switching. The construction of this pattern is achieved using multirank laminates. It offers an advantage of specifying different types of domain wall movements, leading to a distinction for the switching types. A loading experiment is performed on a barium titanate (BaTiO₃) single crystal with a constant compressive stress and a cyclic electric field. Both 180 and 90 coercive fields are measured as input parameters required for the theoretical framework. The simulation results show good agreement with the observed strains measured by the present and other available experiments. It is found that depolarization has a non-trivial influence on attainable actuation strains.     

应力作用下NiTi形状记忆合金微结构演化的相场模拟及其本征应变率敏感性

基于Ginzburg-Landau动力学控制方程建立了NiTi形状记忆合金非等温相场模型,实现了对NiTi合金内应力诱导马氏体相变的数值模拟。同时将晶界能密度引入系统局部自由能密度,从而考虑多晶系统中晶界的重要作用。数值计算了单晶和多晶NiTi形状记忆合金在单轴机械载荷作用下微结构的动态演化过程和宏观力学行为,并重点研究了晶粒尺寸为60 nm的NiTi纳米多晶在低应变率下（0.0005～15 s?1）力学行为的本征应变率敏感性。研究结果表明,单晶NiTi合金系统高温拉伸-卸载过程中马氏体相变均匀发生,未形成奥氏体-马氏体界面。而纳米多晶系统在加载阶段出现了马氏体带的形成-扩展现象,在卸载阶段出现了马氏体带的收缩-消失现象。相同外载作用过程中,NiTi单晶系统的宏观应力-应变曲线具有更大的滞回环面积,拥有更优的超弹性变形能力。计算结果显示,在中低应变率下纳米晶NiTi形状记忆合金应力-应变关系表现出较明显的应变率相关性,应变率升高导致材料相变应力提升。这一应变率相关性主要源于相场模型中外加载荷速率与马氏体空间演化速度的相互竞争关系。