Multiple interacting circular nano-inhomogeneities with surface/interface effects

A two-dimensional problem of multiple interacting circular nano-inhomogeneities or/and nano-pores is considered. The analysis is based on the Gurtin and Murdoch model [Gurtin, M.E., Murdoch, A.I., 1975. A continuum theory of elastic material surfaces. Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 57, 291–323.] in which the interfaces between the nano-inhomogeneities and the matrix are regarded as material surfaces that possess their own mechanical properties and surface tension. The precise component forms of Gurtin and Murdoch's three-dimensional equations are derived for interfaces of arbitrary shape to provide a basis for critical review of various modifications used in the literature. The two-dimensional specification of these equations is considered and their representation in terms of complex variables is provided. A semi-analytical method is proposed to solve the problem. Solutions to several example problems are presented to: (i) examine the difference between the results obtained with the original and modified Gurtin and Murdoch's equations, (ii) compare the results obtained using Gurtin and Murdoch's model and those for a problem of nano-inhomogeneities with thin membrane-type interphase layers, and (iii) demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in solving problems with multiple nano-inhomogeneities.     

Closed-form formulas for the effective properties of random particulate nanocomposites with complete Gurtin–Murdoch model of material surfaces

The objective of this work is to present an approach allowing for inclusion of the complete Gurtin–Murdoch material surface equations in methods leading to closed-form formulas defining effective properties of particle-reinforced nanocomposites. Considering that all previous developments of the closed-form formulas for effective properties employ only some parts of the Gurtin–Murdoch model, its complete inclusion constitutes the main focus of this work. To this end, the recently introduced new notion of the energy-equivalent inhomogeneity is generalized to precisely include all terms of the model. The crucial aspect of that generalization is the identification of the energy associated with the last term of the Gurtin–Murdoch equation, i.e., with the surface gradient of displacements. With the help of that definition, the real nanoparticle and its surface possessing its own distinct elastic properties and residual stresses are replaced by an energy-equivalent inhomogeneity with properties incorporating all surface effects. Such equivalent inhomogeneity can then be used in combination with any existing homogenization method. In this work, the method of conditional moments is used to analyze composites with randomly dispersed spherical nanoparticles. Closed-form expressions for effective moduli are derived for both bulk and shear moduli. As numerical examples, nanoporous aluminum is investigated. The normalized bulk and shear moduli of nanoporous aluminum as a function of residual stresses are analyzed and evaluated in the context of other theoretical predictions.     

Mathematical study of boundary-value problems within the framework of Steigmann–Ogden model of surface elasticity

Mathematical questions pertaining to linear problems of equilibrium dynamics and vibrations of elastic bodies with surface stresses are studied. We extend our earlier results on existence of weak solutions within the Gurtin–Murdoch model to the Steigmann–Ogden model of surface elasticity using techniques from the theory of Sobolev’s spaces and methods of functional analysis. The Steigmann–Ogden model accounts for the bending stiffness of the surface film; it is a generalization of the Gurtin–Murdoch model. Weak setups of the problems, based on variational principles formulated, are employed. Some uniqueness-existence theorems for weak solutions of static and dynamic problems are proved in energy spaces via functional analytic methods. On the boundary surface, solutions to the problems under consideration are smoother than those for the corresponding problems of classical linear elasticity and those described by the Gurtin–Murdoch model. The weak setups of eigenvalue problems for elastic bodies with surface stresses are based on the Rayleigh and Courant variational principles. For the problems based on the Steigmann–Ogden model, certain spectral properties are established. In particular, bounds are placed on the eigenfrequencies of an elastic body with surface stresses; these demonstrate the increase in the body rigidity and the eigenfrequencies compared with the situation where the surface stresses are neglected.     

Stress analysis of a wedge disclination dipole interacting with a circular nanoinhomogeneity

This paper investigates the interaction between a wedge disclination dipole and a circular nanoinhomogeneity embedded in an infinite matrix. The Gurtin–Murdoch surface/interface elasticity model is applied to account for the interface stress effect of the nanoinhomogeneity. A closed form solution for the stress fields inside the inhomogeneity and matrix is derived with the complex variable method of Muskhelishvili. The influences of the interfacial and bulk material properties as well as the geometric parameters on the material force of the wedge disclination dipole are systematically discussed. It is found that the interface stress effect may influence the material force of the wedge disclination dipole significantly.     

A modified beam model based on Gurtin–Murdoch surface elasticity theory

In this work, a modified surface-effect incorporated beam model based on Gurtin and Murdoch (GM) surface elasticity theory is established by satisfying the required balance equations on surfaces, which is often overlooked by researchers in this field. With the refinement, the proposed model is more rigorous in mathematics and mechanics compared with GM theory-based beam models in literature. To demonstrate the model, the problem for static bending of simply supported beam considering surface effects is solved by applying the general equations derived, and numerical results are obtained and discussed.

     

Elastic field of an isotropic matrix with a nanoscale elliptical inhomogeneity

In traditional continuum mechanics, the effect of surface energy is ignored as it is small compared to the bulk energy. For nanoscale materials and structures, however, the surface effects become significant due to the high surface/volume ratio. In this paper, two-dimensional elastic field of a nanoscale elliptical inhomogeneity embedded in an infinite matrix under arbitrary remote loading and a uniform eigenstrain in the inhomogeneity is investigated. The Gurtin–Murdoch surface/interface elasticity model is applied to take into account the surface/interface stress effects. By using the complex variable technique of Muskhelishvili, the analytic potential functions are obtained in the form of an infinite series. Selected numerical results are presented to study the size-dependency of the elastic field and the effects of surface elastic moduli and residual surface stress. It is found that the elastic field of an elliptic inhomogeneity under uniform eigenstrain is no longer uniform when the interfacial stress effects are taken into account.     

Analytical solution approach for nonlinear buckling and postbuckling analysis of cylindrical nanoshells based on surface elasticity theory

The size-dependent nonlinear buckling and postbuckling characteristics of circular cylindrical nanoshells subjected to the axial compressive load are investigated with an analytical approach. The surface energy effects are taken into account according to the surface elasticity theory of Gurtin and Murdoch. The developed geometrically nonlinear shell model is based on the classical Donnell shell theory and the von K′arm′an's hypothesis. With the numerical results, the effect of the surface stress on the nonlinear buckling and postbuckling behaviors of nanoshells made of Si and Al is studied. Moreover, the influence of the surface residual tension and the radius-to-thickness ratio is illustrated.The results indicate that the surface stress has an important effect on prebuckling and postbuckling characteristics of nanoshells with small sizes.     

Nonlinear resonance responses of geometrically imperfect shear deformable nanobeams including surface stress effects

In this work, a thorough investigation is presented into the nonlinear resonant dynamics of geometrically imperfect shear deformable nanobeams subjected to harmonic external excitation force in the transverse direction. To this end, the Gurtin–Murdoch surface elasticity theory together with Reddy’s third-order shear deformation beam theory is utilized to take into account the size-dependent behavior of nanobeams and the effects of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia, respectively. The kinematic nonlinearity is considered using the von Kármán kinematic hypothesis. The geometric imperfection as a slight curvature is assumed as the mode shape associated with the first vibration mode. The weak form of geometrically nonlinear governing equations of motion is derived using the variational differential quadrature (VDQ) technique and Lagrange equations. Then, a multistep numerical scheme is employed to solve the obtained governing equations in order to study the nonlinear frequency–response and force–response curves of nanobeams. Comprehensive studies into the effects of initial imperfection and boundary condition as well as geometric parameters on the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of imperfect shear deformable nanobeams are carried out through numerical results. Finally, the importance of incorporating the surface stress effects via the Gurtin–Murdoch elasticity theory, is emphasized by comparing the nonlinear dynamic responses of the nanobeams with different thicknesses.     

Equivalent inhomogeneity method for evaluating the effective elastic properties of unidirectional multi-phase composites with surface/interface effects

A new technique is presented for evaluating the effective properties of linearly elastic, multi-phase unidirectional composites. Various effects on the fiber/matrix interfaces (perfect bond, homogeneously imperfect interfaces, uniform interphase layers) are allowed. The analysis of nano-composite materials based on the Gurtin and Murdoch model of material surface is also included. The basic idea of the approach is to construct a circular inhomogeneity in an infinite plane whose effects on the displacements and stresses at distant points are the same as those of a finite cluster of inhomogeneities (fibers of circular cross-section) arranged in a pattern representative of the composite material in question. The elastic properties of the equivalent inhomogeneity then define the effective elastic properties of the material. The volume ratio of the composite material is found after the size of the equivalent circular inhomogeneity is defined in the course of the solution procedure. This procedure is based on a semi-analytical solution of a problem of an infinite plane containing a cluster of non-overlapping circular inhomogeneities subjected to loading at infinity. The method works equally well for periodic and random composites and – importantly – eliminates the necessity for averaging either stresses or strains. New results for nano-composite materials are presented.     

A gradient elasticity theory for second-grade materials and higher order inertia

Second-grade elastic materials featured by a free energy depending on the strain and the strain gradient, and a kinetic energy depending on the velocity and the velocity gradient, are addressed. An inertial energy balance principle and a virtual work principle for inertial actions are envisioned to enrich the set of traditional theoretical tools of thermodynamics and continuum mechanics. The state variables include the body momentum and the surface momentum, related to the velocity in a nonstandard way, as well as the concomitant mass-accelerations and inertial forces, which do intervene into the motion equations and into the force boundary conditions. The boundary traction is the sum of two parts, i.e. the Cauchy traction and the Gurtin–Murdoch traction, whereas the traction boundary condition exhibits the typical format of the equilibrium equation of a material surface (as known from the principles of surface mechanics) whereby the Gurtin–Murdoch traction (incorporating the inertial surface force) plays the role of applied surfacial force density. The body’s boundary surface constitutes a thin boundary layer which is in global equilibrium under all the external forces applied on it, a feature that makes it possible to exploit the traction Cauchy theorem within second-grade materials. This means that a second-grade material is formed up by two sub-systems, that is, the bulk material operating as a classical Cauchy continuum, and the thin boundary layer operating as a Gurtin–Murdoch material surface. The classical linear and angular momentum theorems are suitably extended for higher order inertia, from which the local motion equations and the moment equilibrium equations (stress symmetry) can be derived. For an isotropic material featured by four constants, i.e. the Lamé constants and two length scale parameters (Aifantis model), the dynamic evolution problem is characterized by a Hamilton-type variational principle and a solution uniqueness theorem. Closed-form solutions of the wave dispersion analysis problem for beam models are presented and compared with known results from the literature. The paper indicates a correct thermodynamically consistent way to take into account higher order inertia effects within continuum mechanics.     

Elastic fields and effective moduli of particulate nanocomposites with the Gurtin–Murdoch model of interfaces

A complete solution has been obtained for periodic particulate nanocomposite with the unit cell containing a finite number of spherical particles with the Gurtin–Murdoch interfaces. For this purpose, the multipole expansion approach by Kushch et al. [Kushch, V.I., Mogilevskaya, S.G., Stolarski, H.K., Crouch, S.L., 2011. Elastic interaction of spherical nanoinhomogeneities with Gurtin–Murdoch type interfaces. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 59, 1702–1716] has been further developed and implemented in an efficient numerical algorithm. The method provides accurate evaluation of local fields and effective stiffness tensor with the interaction effects fully taken into account. The displacement vector within the matrix domain is found as a superposition of the vector periodic solutions of Lamé equation. By using local expansion of the total displacement and stress fields in terms of vector spherical harmonics associated with each particle, the interface conditions are fulfilled precisely. Analytical averaging of the local strain and stress fields in matrix domain yields an exact, closed form formula (in terms of expansion coefficients) for the effective elastic stiffness tensor of nanocomposite. Numerical results demonstrate that elastic stiffness and, especially, brittle strength of nanoheterogeneous materials can be substantially improved by an appropriate surface modification.     

Cavity detachment on a hydrofoil with the inclusion of surface tension effects

The non-linear problem of cavity flow past a hydrofoil is considered with taking into account fluid viscosity in the cavity closure region and surface tension, which affect the cavity detachment. The theoretical model is based on the concept of viscous–inviscid interaction between the outer inviscid cavity flow and the inner turbulent separated flow downstream of the cavity. The outer inviscid flow is solved by constructing the complex flow potential, and the wake model is based on the method of integral relationships for separated turbulent flows. The obtained numerical results are compared with experimental data.     

Dynamics of a flat cavity in a low-viscosity liquid

The problem of the motion of a cavity in a plane-parallel flow of an ideal liquid, taking account of surface tension, was first discussed in [1], in which an exact equation was obtained describing the equilibrium form of the cavity. In [2] an analysis was made of this equation, and, in a particular case, the existence of an analytical solution was demonstrated. Articles [3, 4] give the results of numerical solutions. In the present article, the cavity is defined by an infinite set of generalized coordinates, and Lagrange equations determining the dynamics of the cavity are given in explicit form. The problem discussed in [1–4] is reduced to the problem of seeking a minimum of a function of an infinite number of variables. The explicit form of this function is found. In distinction from [1–4], on the basis of the Lagrauge equations, a study is also made of the unsteady-state motion of the cavity. The dynamic equations are generalized for the case of a cavity moving in a heavy viscous liquid with surface tension at large Reynolds numbers. Under these circumstances, the steady-state motion of the cavity is determined from an infinite system of algebraic equations written in explicit form. An exact solution of the dynamic equations is obtained for an elliptical cavity in the case of an ideal liquid. An approximation of the cavity by an ellipse is used to find the approximate analytical dependence of the Weber number on the deformation, and a comparison is made with numerical calculations [3, 4]. The problem of the motion of an elliptical cavity is considered in a manner analogous to the problem of an ellipsoidal cavity for an axisymmetric flow [5, 6]. In distinction from [6], the equilibrium form of a flat cavity in a heavy viscous liquid becomes unstable if the ratio of the axes of the cavity is greater than 2.06.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 15–23, September–October, 1973.The author thanks G. Yu. Stepanov for his useful observations.     

Anti-plane shear Green’s functions for an isotropic elastic half-space with a material surface

This paper presents analytical Green’s function solutions for an isotropic elastic half-space subject to anti-plane shear deformation. The boundary of the half-space is modeled as a material surface, for which the Gurtin–Murdoch theory for surface elasticity is employed. By using Fourier cosine transform, analytical solutions for a point force applied both in the interior or on the boundary of the half-space are derived in terms of two particular integrals. Through simple numerical examples, it is shown that the surface elasticity has an important influence on the elastic field in the half-space. The present Green’s functions can be used in boundary element method analysis of more complicated problems.     

Problem of generalized thermoelastic infinite medium with cylindrical cavity subjected to a ramp-type heating and loading

This paper presents the problem of thermoelastic interactions in an elastic infinite medium with cylindrical cavity at an elevated temperature field arising out of a ramp-type heating and loading bounding surface of the cavity, and the surface is assumed initially quiescent. The governing equations are taken in a unified system from which the field equations for coupled thermoelasticity as well as for generalized thermoelasticity can be easily obtained as particular cases. Due attention has been paid to the finite time of rise of temperature, stress, displacement, and strain. The problem has been solved analytically using a direct approach. The derived analytical expressions have been computed for a specific situation. Numerical results for the temperature distribution, thermal stress, displacement, and strain are represented graphically. A comparison is made with the results predicted by the three theories.     

Plane-parallel flow around a gas cavity

The stationary motion of a gas cavity in an ideal incompressible fluid is studied taking account of surface tension by using a variational equation. Approximate analytical dependences of the dimensionless parameters on the degree of cavity deformation are obtained. It is shown that the variational equation admits of an exact analytical solution. The stability of motion corresponding to the exact solution is proved relative to arbitrary perturbations in the cavity shape. A solution is given for the problem of stationary motion of an elliptical cavity in a gravity viscous fluid and the stability problem is investigated. Dependences are found for the velocity of cavity rise, the Reynolds number, and the Froude number as a function of the cavity size.     

Influence of interfaces on effective properties of nanomaterials with stochastically distributed spherical inclusions

The method of conditional moments is generalized to include evaluation of the effective elastic properties of particulate nanomaterials and to investigate the size effect in those materials. Determining the effective constants necessitates finding a stochastically averaged solution to the fundamental equations of linear elasticity coupled with surface/interface conditions (Gurtin–Murdoch model). To obtain such a solution the system of governing stochastic differential equations is first transformed to an equivalent system of stochastic integral equations. Using statistical averaging, the boundary-value problem is then converted to an infinite system of linear algebraic equations. A two-point approximation is considered and the stress fluctuations within the inclusions are neglected in order to obtain a finite system of algebraic equations in terms of component-average strains. Closed-form expressions are derived for the effective moduli of a composite consisting of a matrix and randomly distributed spherical inhomogeneities. As a numerical example a nanoporous material is investigated assuming a model in which the interface effects influence only the bulk modulus of the material. In that model the resulting shear modulus is the same as for the material without surface effects. Dependence of the bulk moduli on the radius of nanopores and on the pore volume fraction is analyzed. The results are compared to, and discussed in the context of other theoretical predictions.     

Surface effect on the biaxial buckling and free vibration of FGM nanoplate embedded in visco-Pasternak standard linear solid-type of foundation

In this study, nonlocal elasticity theory in conjunction with Gurtin–Murdoch elasticity theory is employed to investigate biaxial buckling and free vibration behavior of nanoplate made of functionally graded material (FGM) and resting on a visco-Pasternak standard linear solid-type of the foundation. The material characteristics of simply supported FGM nanoplates are assumed to be varied continuously as a power law function of the plate thickness. Hamilton’s principle is implemented to derive the non-classical governing equations of motion and related boundary conditions, which analytically solved to obtain the explicit closed-form expression for complex natural frequencies and buckling loads. Finally, attention is focused on considering the influences of various parameters on variation of damped natural frequency and buckling load ratio such as nonlocal parameter, surface effects, geometric parameters, power law index and properties of visco-Pasternak foundation and it is clearly demonstrated that these factors highly affect on vibration and buckling behavior.     

Sensitivity analysis of the thermomechanical response of welded joints

A computational procedure is presented for evaluating the sensitivity coefficients of the thermomechanical response of welded structures. Uncoupled thermomechanical analysis, with transient thermal analysis and quasi-static mechanical analysis, is performed. A rate independent, small deformation thermo-elasto-plastic material model with temperature-dependent material properties is adopted in the study. The temperature field is assumed to be independent of the stresses and strains. The heat transfer equations emanating from a finite element semi-discretization are integrated using an implicit backward difference scheme to generate the time history of the temperatures. The mechanical response during welding is then calculated by solving a generalized plane strain problem. First- and second-order sensitivity coefficients of the thermal and mechanical response quantities (derivatives with respect to various thermomechanical parameters) are evaluated using a direct differentiation approach in conjunction with an automatic differentiation software facility. Numerical results are presented for a double fillet conventional welding of a stiffener and a base plate made of stainless steel AL-6XN material. Time histories of the response and sensitivity coefficients, and their spatial distributions at selected times are presented.