Continuum models of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Molecular mechanics (MM) simulations have been carried out to determine energetically favorable double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) structures, and analyze their infinitesimal extensional, torsional, radial expansion/contraction, and bending deformations. Loads are applied either to one wall or simultaneously to both walls of an open-ended DWNT. These results are compared against single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) results to determine differences and similarities between responses of SWNTs and DWNTs, and the validity of using SWNT results to predict the response of a DWNT. It is found that for small deformations such as simple tension and torsion, results for a DWNT can be derived from those for its constituent SWNTs within 3% error. Results of radial expansion/contraction of a SWNT are used to deduce an expression for the van der Waals force. Based on these results, a continuum model is proposed for a MWNT whose response to mechanical deformations computed using engineering theories is the same as that of the MWNT obtained via MM simulations. The continuum structure is comprised of concentric cylindrical tubes interconnected by truss elements. Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, the thickness of each concentric tube, and the stiffness of the truss elements are given. The proposed continuum model is validated by studying bending and the onset of global buckling deformations of a DWNT and its proposed equivalent continuum structure. Carbon nanotubes can be replaced by their equivalent continuum structures when deriving mechanical properties of nanotube reinforced polymeric composites.     

Micro-buckling in the nanocomposite structure of biological materials

Nanocomposite structure, consisting of hard mineral and soft protein, is the elementary building block of biological materials, where the mineral crystals are arranged in a staggered manner in protein matrix. This special alignment of mineral is supposed to be crucial to the structural stability of the biological materials under compressive load, but the underlying mechanism is not yet clear. In this study, we performed analytical analysis on the buckling strength of the nanocomposite structure by explicitly considering the staggered alignment of the mineral crystals, as well as the coordination among the minerals during the buckling deformation. Two local buckling modes of the nanostructure were identified, i.e., the symmetric mode and anti-symmetric mode. We showed that the symmetric mode often happens at large aspect ratio and large volume fraction of mineral, while the anti-symmetric happens at small aspect ratio and small volume fraction. In addition, we showed that because of the coordination of minerals with the help of their staggered alignment, the buckling strength of these two modes approached to that of the ideally continuous fiber reinforced composites at large aspect ratio given by Rosen's model, insensitive to the existing “gap”-like flaws between mineral tips. Furthermore, we identified a mechanism of buckling mode transition from local to global buckling with increase of aspect ratio, which was attributed to the biphasic dependence of the buckling strength on the aspect ratio. That is, for small aspect ratio, the local buckling strength is smaller than that of global buckling so that it dominates the buckling behavior of the nanocomposite; for comparatively larger aspect ratio, the local buckling strength is higher than that of global buckling so that the global buckling dominates the buckling behavior. We also found that the hierarchical structure can effectively enhance the buckling strength, particularly, this structural design enables biological nanocomposites to avoid local buckling so as to achieve global buckling at macroscopic scales through hierarchical design. These features are remarkably important for the mechanical functions of biological materials, such as bone, teeth and nacre, which often sustain large compressive load.     

ANALYSIS ON THE MAGNETO-ELASTIC-PLASTIC BUCKLING/SNAPPING OF CANTILEVER RECTANGULAR FERROMAGNETIC PLATES

An analysis of buckling/snapping and bending behaviors of magneto-elastic-plastic interaction and coupling for cantilever rectangular soft ferromagnetic plates is presented.Based on the expression of magnetic force from the variational principle of ferromagnetic plates,the buckling and bending theory of thin plates,the Mises yield criterion and the increment theory for plastic deformation,we establish a numerical code to quantitatively simulate the behaviors of the nonlinearly multi-fields coupling problems by the finite element method.Along with the phenom- ena of buckling/snapping and bending,or the characteristic curve of deflection versus magnitude of applied magnetic fields being numerically displayed,the critical loads of buckling/snapping, and the influences of plastic deformation and the width of plate on these critical loads,the plastic regions expanding with the magnitude of applied magnetic field,as well as the evolvement of deflection configuration of the plate are numerically obtained in a case study.     

Modeling and analysis of micro-sized plates resting on elastic medium using the modified couple stress theory

Analytical solutions for bending, buckling, and vibration of micro-sized plates on elastic medium using the modified couple stress theory are presented. The governing equations for bending, buckling and vibration are obtained via Hamilton’s principles in conjunctions with the modified couple stress and Kirchhoff plate theories. The surrounding elastic medium is modeled as the Winkler elastic foundation. Navier’s method is being employed and analytical solutions for the bending, buckling and free vibration problems are obtained. Influences of the elastic medium and the length scale parameter on the bending, buckling, and vibration properties are discussed.     

Buckling and post-buckling of a ferromagnetic beam-plate induced by magnetoelastic interactions

Buckling and post-buckling behavior of a soft ferromagnetic beam-plate with unmovable simple supports under an applied magnetic field is analyzed by taking into account the non-linear effect of large deflections based on the von Karman model of plates. The study shows that buckling is proceeded by bending only if the applied magnetic field forms an incident angle with the normal of the plate. The characteristics of buckling and post-buckling are explored by numerical analysis. In particular, the numerical solution shows that, when the applied magnetic field is oblique, the plate snapps from a whole wave configuration into a half-wave configuration as buckling/snapping occurs, and that the magnetoelastic buckling strength increases with the increasing oblique angle.     

Buckling and post-buckling analysis for magneto-elastic–plastic ferromagnetic beam-plates with unmovable simple supports

This paper presents an analysis of buckling/snapping, bending and post-buckling/snapping behaviors of magneto-elastic–plastic interaction and coupling for soft ferromagnetic beam-plates with geometrically nonlinear deformation and unmovable simple supports at the ends of the plates. Based on the expression of magnetic force from the variational principle of ferromagnetic plates, the theory of thin plates with the nonlinear deformation of van Karman’s type, and the Mises yield criterion and the increment theory for plastic deformation, here, we establish a numerical code to quantitatively simulate the behaviors of the nonlinearly multi-coupling problems by the finite element method. Along with that the phenomena of buckling, bending, and post-buckling/snapping, or the characteristic curve of deflection versus magnitude of applied magnetic fields are numerically displayed, the critical values of buckling/snapping and yield magnetic fields, and the expansibility of plastic region after the plates undergo plastic deformation with increasing of the applied magnetic fields, as well as the evolvement of deflection configuration of the plate are numerically obtained in a case study.     

泡沫铝在SHPB高温动态下的变形过程研究

利用分离式Hopkinson压杆(SHPB)实验装置研究轻质泡沫铝在动态压缩下的温度相关性,重点设计了一种基于SHPB的可视化高温炉,在此基础上通过高速摄影观测泡沫铝试件在高低温且动态压缩下的变形过程。动态加载下的实验结果表明：常温下,胞壁在变形过程中易于观察到屈曲失稳、撕裂、弯曲等现象,且在压缩的过程中碎片飞溅;高温下材料软化较明显,呈现出更多的塑性弯曲现象,但是屈曲失稳与撕裂的现象并不显著,变形过程中并无碎片产生。     

Analysis of microbuckling for monomolecular layers adhering to a substrate

A two-dimensional linear spring model is established to study the microbuckling of a plane monomolecular layer adhering to a substrate. The model is for the layer subjected to a compressive load having an arbitrary angle with the chemical bond of the layer. The effects of the load angle, the strength of adhesion and the bending stiffness and shearing stiffness (the capability of resisting transverse bending and in-plane shearing) of the layer on the minimal buckling force and the critical buckling mode are discussed. It is found that the minimal buckling force increases with increasing load angle and, for a given bending stiffness, increases with increasing strength of adhesion and decreasing shearing stiffness. Furthermore, a critical condition under which the buckling of the layer can just occur is obtained, which is helpful to avoid buckling in an engineering application. The project supported by the National Distinguished Young Scientist Fund, Cheung Kong Scholars Programme, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10272082, 10172068) and Shanghai Postdoctoral Science Foundation     

Effects of a bent structure on the linear viscoelastic response of diluted carbon nanotube suspensions

Commonly isolated carbon nanotubes in suspension have been modelled as a perfectly straight structure. Nevertheless, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) contain naturally side-wall defects and, in consequence, natural bent configurations. Hence, a semi-flexile filament model with a natural bent configuration was proposed to represent physically the SWNT structure. This continuous model was discretized as a non-freely jointed multi-bead–rod system with a natural bent configuration. Using a Brownian dynamics algorithm the dynamical mechanical contribution to the linear viscoelastic response of naturally bent SWNTs in dilute suspension was simulated. The dynamics of such system shows the apparition of new relaxation processes at intermediate frequencies characterized mainly by the activation of a mild elasticity. Storage modulus evolution at those intermediate frequencies strongly depends on the flexibility of the system, given by the rigidity constant of the bending potential and the number of constitutive rods.     

反倾层状岩体斜坡弯曲-拉裂两种失稳破坏之判据探讨

对反倾层状岩体斜坡弯曲-拉裂的失稳破坏判据,已有研究分别基于两种力学模型进行推导,即竖直压杆弹性屈曲稳定和平直梁弯折破坏模型,但对层间错动阻力及挠度产生附加弯矩等因素未加以考虑,不尽合理。在反倾斜坡岩层受力分析基础上,建立考虑了板侧层间错动阻力的下端嵌固、上端自由的斜置等厚弹性悬臂板梁模型,统一地通过瑞利-里兹能量方法,推导了弹性屈曲临界条件和嵌固端弯折破坏临界条件。实例计算及讨论表明,弹性屈曲判据适用于陡立岩层;而中-陡反倾岩层应主要为弯折破坏,但层间的力学性质对弯折临界判据值具有较大影响。     

Interactive buckling of an inflated envelope under mechanical and thermal loads

This paper elucidates the interactive buckling behaviors of an inflated envelope under coupled mechani-cal and thermal loads, especially the longitudinal wrinkling bifurcation and hoop ovalization buckling. The longitudi-nal bending buckling process of the inflated envelope can be divided into three continuous stages, which are global buckling, interactive global-local buckling, and kink. A vari-ety of hoop ovalization buckling modes are observed under coupled mechanical-thermal load. Unlike the mechanical case, thermal load leads to a hoop negative ovalization buck-ling. In addition, it can accelerate the longitudinal coupled bifurcation and resist the hoop coupled ovalization buckling. Moreover, the bending resistance of the inflated envelope will be improved when the length of the structure is increased, resulting in the difficulty of it to become wrinkled. These results provide a new insight into the buckling behaviors of an inflated envelope under coupled external loads, and give a reference for the design of the inflated envelope.     

Bending and buckling of a class of nonlinear fiber composite rods

An investigation of the mechanics of bending and buckling is carried out for a class of nonlinear fiber composite rods composed of embedded unidirectional fibers parallel to the rod axis. The specific class of composite considered is one in which the fibers interact with the matrix through a nonlinear Needleman-type cohesive zone [Needleman, A., 1987. A continuum model for void nucleation by inclusion debonding. ASME J. Appl. Mech. 54, 525-531; Needleman, A., 1992. Micromechanical modelling of interfacial decohesion. Ultramicroscopy 40, 203-214]. The primary decohesive mechanism active in bending and buckling of these composite rods is shear slip along the fiber-matrix interfaces allowing the use of a previously developed constitutive relation for antiplane shear response [Levy, A.J., 2000b. The fiber composite with nonlinear interface—part II: antiplane shear. ASME J. Appl. Mech. 67, 733-739]. The formulation requires the specification of a potential interface force-slip law that is assumed to permit interface failure in shear.Four cases of the bending and shearing of beams (concentrated or uniform load on a cantilever or a simply supported beam) are analyzed, each of which exhibits qualitatively distinct response. For certain values of interface parameters, the beam deflection or its gradient at a fixed location can change discontinuously with load. Furthermore, for interface parameter values within a certain range, singular surfaces will exist in uniformly loaded beams where there is a non-uniform distribution of shear stress along the beam length. These singular surfaces divide the beam into regions of maximal and minimal fiber slip and propagate with a rate that varies inversely as the square of the applied load. For other parameter values, singular surfaces will not exist and fiber slip will be diffuse.For the class of nonlinear composite considered, bifurcation and imperfection buckling of pinned-pinned columns is analyzed. For bifurcation buckling, a nonlinear eigenvalue problem is derived and the solution is obtained by Galerkin's method. It is demonstrated that critical loads are influenced by the initial slope, and hence the linear portion, of the interface force-slip relation but the post-buckling response, which in some sense resembles that of plastic buckling, is affected by the entire interface constitutive relation. Imperfection buckling is analyzed in a similar manner by assuming a slight initial curvature of the rod. Sensitivity of the response to imperfection magnitude is discussed as well.     

Thermally induced vibration and stability of laminated composite plates with temperature-dependent properties

This paper presents a study on the buckling and vibration of initially stressed composite plates with temperature-dependent material properties in thermal environments. The initial stress is taken to be a combination of a pure bending stress and an axial stress. The temperature distribution in the plate is assumed to be uniform and linear in the transverse direction. The governing equations including the transverse shear deformation effects are established using the variational method. The effects of various parameters on the buckling and vibration behaviors of laminated plates with respective temperature-dependent and temperature-independent material properties are investigated. The buckling load and natural frequency are sensitive to the thermal stresses and initial stresses. Numerical results reveal that temperature-dependent material properties should be considered in the buckling and vibration analysis for laminated plates under thermal conditions.     

Bending and vibration analyses of a rotating sandwich cylindrical shell considering nanocomposite core and piezoelectric layers subjected to thermal and magnetic fields

The bending and free vibration of a rotating sandwich cylindrical shell are analyzed with the consideration of the nanocomposite core and piezoelectric layers subjected to thermal and magnetic fields by use of the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) of shells. The governing equations of motion and the corresponding boundary conditions are established through the variational method and the Maxwell equation. The closed-form solutions of the rotating sandwich cylindrical shell are obtained. The effects of geometrical parameters, volume fractions of carbon nanotubes, applied voltages on the inner and outer piezoelectric layers, and magnetic and thermal fields on the natural frequency, critical angular velocity, and deflection of the sandwich cylindrical shell are investigated. The critical angular velocity of the nanocomposite sandwich cylindrical shell is obtained. The results show that the mechanical properties, e.g., Young’s modulus and thermal expansion coefficient, for the carbon nanotube and matrix are functions of temperature, and the magnitude of the critical angular velocity can be adjusted by changing the applied voltage.     

Creeping of a rotating beam

We determine the critical time in the problem of buckling of a beam rotating about its axis corresponding to the unstrained state. We draw an analogy between the transverse bending of a rotating beamand the problem of longitudinal bending [1], which is topical in applied geomechanics.     

On new symplectic elasticity approach for exact bending solutions of rectangular thin plates with two opposite sides simply supported

This paper presents a bridging research between a modeling methodology in quantum mechanics/relativity and elasticity. Using the symplectic method commonly applied in quantum mechanics and relativity, a new symplectic elasticity approach is developed for deriving exact analytical solutions to some basic problems in solid mechanics and elasticity which have long been bottlenecks in the history of elasticity. In specific, it is applied to bending of rectangular thin plates where exact solutions are hitherto unavailable. It employs the Hamiltonian principle with Legendre’s transformation. Analytical bending solutions could be obtained by eigenvalue analysis and expansion of eigenfunctions. Here, bending analysis requires the solving of an eigenvalue equation unlike in classical mechanics where eigenvalue analysis is only required in vibration and buckling problems. Furthermore, unlike the semi-inverse approaches in classical plate analysis employed by Timoshenko and others such as Navier’s solution, Levy’s solution, Rayleigh–Ritz method, etc. where a trial deflection function is pre-determined, this new symplectic plate analysis is completely rational without any guess functions and yet it renders exact solutions beyond the scope of applicability of the semi-inverse approaches. In short, the symplectic plate analysis developed in this paper presents a breakthrough in analytical mechanics in which an area previously unaccountable by Timoshenko’s plate theory and the likes has been trespassed. Here, examples for plates with selected boundary conditions are solved and the exact solutions discussed. Comparison with the classical solutions shows excellent agreement. As the derivation of this new approach is fundamental, further research can be conducted not only on other types of boundary conditions, but also for thick plates as well as vibration, buckling, wave propagation, etc.     

Lateral buckling of beams with shear deformations – A hyperelastic formulation

The equilibrium and buckling equations are derived for the lateral buckling of a prismatic straight beam. A consistent finite strain constitutive law is used, which is based on a hyperelastic model for an isotropic material. The kinematics of the cross-sectional deformations are based on a Timoshenko type beam displacement of the cross-sectional plane using Euler angles and two shear finite rotations coupled with warping taken normal to the displaced plane. Also derived are the second order approximations to the displacements, curvatures, twist and internal actions. The constitutive relationships for the internal actions reveal new coupling terms between the bending moments, torsion and bimoment, which are functions of the cross-sectional warping and shear deformations. New Wagner type nonlinear torsion terms are derived which are functions of the warping of the cross-sectional plane, and are coupled to the twisting and shear deformations of the cross-section. Solutions are determined for the lateral buckling of a prismatic monosymmetric beam under pure bending and the flexural–torsional buckling under axial compression. For the flexural–torsional buckling problem it is found that the Euler type column buckling formula is consistent with Haringx’s column buckling formula while the torsional buckling formula is different to conventional equations. The second variation of the total potential is also derived. The effects of shear deformations are explored by examining the non-dimensional lateral buckling equation for a simply supported beam.     

Buckling of nano-fibre reinforced composites: a re-examination of elastic buckling

Elastic buckling of layered/fibre reinforced composites is investigated. Assuming the existence of both shear and transverse modes of failure, the fibre is analysed as a layer embedded in a matrix. Interacting stresses, acting at the interfaces are determined from an exact derived stress field in the matrix. It is shown that buckling can occur only in the shear buckling mode and that the transverse buckling mode is spurious. As opposed to the well known Rosen shear buckling mode solution (predicated on an infinite buckling wavelength), shear buckling is shown to exist under two régimes: buckling of dilute composites with finite wavelengths and buckling of non-dilute composites with infinite wavelengths. Based on the analysis, a model is constructed which defines the fibre concentration at which the transition between the two régimes occurs. The buckling strains are shown to be (approximately) constant for dilute composites and, in the case of very stiff fibres, to have realistic values compatible with elastic behaviour. For the case of non-dilute composites, the strains are found to be in agreement with those given by the Rosen shear buckling solution. Numerical results for the buckling strains and stresses are presented and compared with the Rosen solution. These reveal that the Rosen solution is valid only for the case of non-dilute composites. The investigation demonstrates that elastic buckling may be a dominant failure mechanism of composites consisting of very stiff fibres fabricated in the framework of nano-technology.     

Stability and optimal shape of Pflüger micro/nano beam

This paper deals with optimal shapes against buckling of an elastic nonlocal small-scale Pflüger beams with Eringen’s model for constitutive bending curvature relationship. By use of the Pontryagin’s maximum principle the optimality condition in form of a depressed quartic equation is obtained. The shape of the lightest (having the smallest volume) simply supported beam that will support given uniformly distributed follower type of load and axial compressive force of constant intensity without buckling, is determined numerically. A special attention is paid to the influence of the characteristic small length scale parameter of the nonlocal constitutive law to both critical load and optimal shape of the analyzed beams. For the case when distributed follower type of load is zero, our results reduce to those obtained recently for compressed nonlocal beam. Also the post buckling shape of the optimally shaped rod is studied numerically.     

An improved discrete Kirchhoff triangular element for bending,vibration and buckling analyses

In this paper, an improved triangular discrete Kirchhoff thin plate element IMDKT is introduced for bending, vibration and buckling analysis. In the case of bending analysis, new boundary displacements coupled with a correction factor are introduced in the proposed element for improving the accuracy. As for vibration and buckling analyses, the combined mass and combined geometric stiffness matrices are employed to improve the calculations of natural frequency and buckling load, respectively. Several numerical examples have been used to illustrate the versatility and potential accuracy of the present methods. A comparison between the proposed and some existing elements shows that the former is superior to the latter for thin plate bending, vibration and buckling analyses.