Can a monkey with a computer create art?

A computer can be programmed to search through the solution of millions of equations to find a few hundred whose graphical display is aesthetically pleasing to humans. This paper describes some methods for performing such an exhaustive search, criteria for automatically judging aesthetic appeal, and examples of the results.     

Flexural-wave-generation using a phononic crystal with a piezoelectric defect

This paper proposes a method to amplify the performance of a flexural-wave-generation system by utilizing the energy-localization characteristics of a phononic crystal(PnC) with a piezoelectric defect and an analytical approach that accelerates the predictions of such wave-generation performance. The proposed analytical model is based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The proposed analytical approach, inspired by the transfer matrix and S-parameter methods, is used to perform band-structure an...     

Oscillations of a?beam with a?time-varying mass

This paper analyzes dynamical behavior of a simply supported Euler?CBernoulli beam with a time-varying mass on its surface. Though the system under consideration is linear, it exhibits dynamics similar to a nonlinear system behavior including internal resonances. The asymptotical solutions for the beam displacement has been found by combining the classical Galerkin method with the averaging method for equations in Banach spaces. The resonance conditions have been derived. It has been proposed a method for finding a number of possible resonances.Effect of the beam parameters on its dynamical behavior is investigated as well.     

The Minimal Thickness of a Semicircular Arch with a Tension-Free Crown∗

ABSTRACT

When a semicircular elastic arch is loaded with a single point force at the vertex, the stress at interior points depends on the thickness of the arch and on the way the abutments react. Applying the theory of plane elasticity, three typical load-bearing abutment constraints are evaluated to find the minimal thickness at which no tensile stress occurs at a given interior point. Such thickness is found to be quite large.     

Heat transfer in a rotor–stator system with a radial inflow

The object of the present work is to produce a better understanding of the flow and heat transfer process occurring in a rotor-stator system, with a low aspect ratio and subjected to a superposed radial inflow. The theoretical approach presented in a previous paper (Debuchy et al., Eur. J. Mech. B-Fluids 17 (6) (1998) 791–810) in the framework of laminar, steady, axisymmetric flow is extended to heat transfer effects. The asymptotic model is simplified and new integral relations including temperature are indicated. The experiments, made in a rotor–stator system with a heated stationary disc, are in agreement with the features of the model in the explored range of the gap ratio, Ekman and Rossby numbers. The data include radial and circumferential mean velocity components, air temperature inside the cavity, temperature and temperature-velocity correlations, and also local Nusselt numbers measured on the stationary disc. The flow structure near the axis is found to be strongly affected by the presence of a superposed inflow, as already observed under isothermal conditions. By contrast, the mean temperature, as well as the correlations concerning velocity and temperature are smaller when a radial inflow is assigned.     

Simulation of Wind Flow Around a Building with a k–ε Model

The three-dimensional numerical simulation of airflow around a building using a k–ε two-equation turbulence model is presented in this paper. Several cases of numerical simulation of airflow around a building are carried out to estimate the influence of mesh spacing on simulated results. The accuracy of simulations is examined by comparing the predicted results with wind-tunnel experiments. It is confirmed that numerical simulations by means of the k–ε model reproduce the velocity fields well when using fine mesh resolution. In the latter part of the paper, the simulation method is applied to predict the flow field around a building with different width-to-height ratios, under light wind conditions. Received 16 June 1999 and accepted 20 July 2000     

The Reissner–Sagoci Problem for a Non-homogeneous Half-space with a Surface Constraint

This paper deals with the problem of twisting a non-homogeneous, isotropic, half-space by rotating a circular part of its boundary surface (0 r < a, z = 0) through a given angle. A ring (a < r < b, z = 0) outside the circle is stress-free and the remaining part (r > b, z = 0) is rigidly clamped. The shear modulus is assumed to vary with the cylindrical coordinates, r, z by the relation (z) = ₁(c + z), c 0 where ₁, c and are real constants. Expressions for some quantities of physical importance, such as torque applied at the surface of the disk and stress intensity factors, are obtained. The effects of non-homogeneity on torque and stress intensity factor are illustrated graphically.     

Relaminarization of a turbulent boundary layer with a mach number M∞=4

Results of experimental studies are presented on relaminarization of a supersonic turbulent boundary layer behind an expansion fan for a freestream Mach number M=4 within a range of Reynolds numbers Re₁=8·10⁶ – 26·10⁶ m^–1. Experimental data on distributions of the mean velocity and massflow fluctuations and the skin friction force are obtained. Partial relaminarization of the boundary layer is reached in the experiments. The calculations of relaminarization criteria show that they can be used to predict the onset of the relaminarization process at high supersonic flow velocities.     

Interaction between a dislocation and a core–shell nanowire with interface effects

The problem of a screw dislocation interacting with a core–shell nanowire (coated nanowire) containing interface effects (interface stresses) is first investigated. The interaction energy and the interaction force are calculated. The interaction force and the equilibrium position of the dislocation are examined for variable parameters (interface stress and material mismatch). The influence of the core–shell nanowire and the interface stresses on the interaction between two screw dislocations is also considered. The results show that the impact of the interface stresses on the motion and the equilibrium position of the dislocation near the core–shell nanowire is very significant when the radius of the nanowire is reduced to nanometer scale.     

Dynamics of a cylindrical shell with elastic bottom filled with a gas–liquid mixture and subject to two-frequency excitation

The paper reports experimental data on the nonlinear dynamic deformation of the elastic bottom of a cylindrical shell and the formation of bubbles and their clusters under two-frequency excitation     

Deformations of a clamped–clamped elastica inside a circular channel with clearance

In this paper, we study the planar deformations of an elastica inside a circular channel with clearance. One end of the elastica is fully clamped, while the other end is partially clamped in the lateral direction and is subject to a pushing force longitudinally. In the experiment we first observe various deformation patterns after pushing the elastica through the partial clamp. Both symmetric and asymmetric deformations are recorded. Special attention is focused on the contact conditions between the elastica and the circular channel. In order to analyze the elastica deformation theoretically, we first divide the elastica into several elementary sub-domains depending on the contact condition between the elastica and the circular channel. In each sub-domain the elastica is either loaded only at the ends or in full contact with the outer wall. Armed with these basic equilibrium analyses, we proceed to calculate and classify the loaded elastica into several deformation patterns. Finally, we present the load-deflection curves, both theoretically and experimentally, which relate the longitudinal forces at both ends to the elastica length increase inside the channel. The branching phenomena predicted theoretically agree fairly well quantitatively with the experimental measurements.     

One-Dimensional Interaction of a Cylindrical Unloading Wave with a Moving Elastic–Plastic Boundary

The one-dimensional dynamic problem of the theory of large elastic–plastic deformations is considered for the interaction of an unloading wave with an elastic–plastic boundary. It is shown that before the occurrence of the unloading wave, the increasing pressure gradient leads to quasistatic deformation of the elasti©viscoplastic material filling the round tube, which is retained in the tube due to friction on its wall, resulting in the formation of near-wall viscoplastic flow and an elastic core. The unloading wave is initiated at the moment of the onset of slippage of the material along the inner wall of the tube. Calculations were conducted using the ray method of constructing approximate solutions behind strong discontinuity surfaces, and ray expansions of the solutions behind the cylindrical surfaces of discontinuities were obtained.     

Entrance of a body with a lifting force and a heat‐conducting surface into the earth's atmosphere

The problem of gliding descent of a smooth blunted body possessing a lifting force and a heatconducting surface in the Earth's atmosphere is solved. The descent trajectory is represented not only by the altitude and velocity as functions of the flight time but also by angles of attack and sideslip varying with time. Threedimensional equations of a parabolized viscous shock layer for a multispecies mixture of gases are solved jointly with a threedimensional equation of unsteady heat conduction in the solid phase.     

Interaction of an unsteady two‐phase jet with a layer of a disperse medium

Discharge of a twophase jet from a cylindrical channel into a bounded layer of a disperse medium is numerically simulated using the equations of the mechanics of heterogeneous media with allowance for the differences in velocity, temperature, and phase stresses. The effect of separation of the gas phase from the disperse phase in the layer is revealed and verified experimentally. A comparison with a similar process of gas discharge at equal initial pressures shows that in the interaction with the disperse layer, the twophase flow has a longer momentum and direction.     

Spatio-temporal dynamics of a reaction-diffusion system for a predator–prey model with hyperbolic mortality

We investigate the effects of diffusion on the spatial dynamics of a predator–prey model with hyperbolic mortality in predator population. More precisely, we aim to study the formation of some elementary two-dimensional patterns such as hexagonal spots and stripe patterns. Based on the linear stability analysis, we first identify the region of parameters in which Turing instability occurs. When control parameter is in the Turing space, we analyse the existence of stable patterns for the excited model by the amplitude equations. Then, for control parameter away from the Turing space, we numerically investigate the initial value-controlled patterns. Our results will enrich the pattern dynamics in predator–prey models and provide a deep insight into the dynamics of predator–prey interactions.     

Flow of a Weakly Conducting Fluid in a Channel Filled with a Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer Porous Medium

We investigate in this article, the fully developed flow in a fluid-saturated channel filled with a Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer porous medium, which is conducted with an electrically varying parallel Lorentz force. The Lorentz force varies exponentially in the vertical direction due to low fluid electrical conductivity and the special arrangement of the magnetic and electric fields at the lower plate. With the homotopy analysis method (HAM), a particularly effective technique in solving nonlinear problems, analytical approximation series solutions with high accuracy are derived for fluid velocity and the results are illustrated in form of figures. All these flows are new and are presented for the first time in the literature.     

Analysis of a Belyakov homoclinic connection with ?2-symmetry

We study the existence, in a two-parameter plane, of double- and triple-pulse homoclinic orbits in a ?₂-symmetric three-dimensional system, in the vicinity of a Belyakov point (a?point where the involved equilibrium in the homoclinic connection changes from saddle to saddle-focus) in the Shil??nikov zone. The first-order computation of these global connections allows us to describe their position and organization in the parameter plane. The analytical results are successfully applied in the study of such degeneration in Chua??s equation.     

A Zener–Stroh crack interacting with a coated inclusion with generalized Irwin plastic zone correction

The elastic–plastic fracture behavior of a Zener–Stroh crack interacting with a coated inclusion in composite materials has been investigated with crack tip plastic zone corrections. With the distributed dislocation method, the crack problem is formulated into a set of singular integral equations which are solved numerically. The plastic zone sizes at the both crack tips are determined by a generalized Irwin model where Von Mises stress yielding criterion is used. The stress intensity factor (SIF), the plastic zone size (PZS), the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) and the effective stress intensity factor have been evaluated. In the numerical examples, the influence of the inclusion shear modulus, the coating-layer thickness and shear modulus, as well as the distance between the crack and inclusion, on the SIF, the PZS and the CTOD are discussed in detail. Numerical examples show that increasing the shear modulus or the thickness of the coating phase, the influence of the inclusion on the normalized SIF and the normalized PZS will be shielded.     

Thermo-fluid-dynamic analysis of the flow in a rotating channel with a sharp “U” turn

Infrared thermography has been employed to carry out a detailed convective heat transfer measurements at Re?=?20,000 in a two-pass square channel both for the static case (absence of channel rotation) and for the rotating case (Ro?=?0.3). At the same time, the main and secondary flow fields have been measured by means of particle image velocimetry with the aim to investigate how the flow behavior affects the local distributions of the convective heat transfer coefficient for the two cases. The normal-to-wall velocity component (w) and the turbulent kinetic energy, both measured close to the heat exchanging wall, have been used to formulate an empirical heat transfer correlation within an attempt to identify the role performed by these two quantities on the convective heat transfer coefficient distributions. The latter ones have been reported in terms of normalized Nusselt number (Nu/Nu*) maps, where Nu* is the Nusselt number evaluated with the classical Dittus-B?lter correlation.     

Global analysis of a Holling type II predator–prey model with a constant prey refuge

A global analysis of a Holling type II predator–prey model with a constant prey refuge is presented. Although this model has been much studied, the threshold condition for the global stability of the unique interior equilibrium and the uniqueness of its limit cycle have not been obtained to date, so far as we are aware. Here we provide a global qualitative analysis to determine the global dynamics of the model. In particular, a combination of the Bendixson–Dulac theorem and the Lyapunov function method was employed to judge the global stability of the equilibrium. The uniqueness theorem of a limit cycle for the Lineard system was used to show the existence and uniqueness of the limit cycle of the model. Further, the effects of prey refuges and parameter space on the threshold condition are discussed in the light of sensitivity analyses. Additional interesting topics based on the discontinuous (or Filippov) Gause predator–prey model are addressed in the discussion.