The effect of variations in the creep exponent on the buckling of circular cylindrical shells

The senior author solved the problem of axially symmetrical creep buckling of thin circular cylindrical shells subjected to uniform axial compression. In that analysis the constitutive equation was a power law, and the exponent was taken to be equal to three. The purpose of this work was to extend the solution to a range of values of the creep exponent, n. To cope with the increasing algebraic complexity, a digital computer was employed in two ways: to generate the set of equations symbolically, and then to solve these equations. The computer programs were used to generate numerical solutions for the cases in which n was equal to 3, 5, 7 and 9. Two simple extrapolation techniques were then employed to obtain approximate solutions to the critical time problem for values of n up to 29.     

Dynamic micro-torque transducer

The desing and characteristics of a torque transducer developed to measure sinusoidally oscillating torques from 10^?6 lb-in. to 1.0 lb-in. and from near static to 500 Hertz are discussed. The transducer was used to transmit, as well as measure, the driving-point torque to a 0.5-in. diam circular cylinder of low-modulus test material whose viscoelastic, deviatoric moduli were to be determined. The more salient features of the transducer are its ability to cancel up to 98 percent of the signal due to its own inertial load and its insensitivity to transverse vibrations as a result of internal network compensation. Piezo-electric crystals were used as transducing elements.     

Numerical solutions of Navier-Stokes equations with an integrated compartment method (ICM)

The most common numerical methods that are used by physical scientists to approximate partial differential equations employ finite differences and/or finite elements. In addition, compartment analyses have been adopted by ecological system analysts to simulate the evolution of processes governed by differential equations without spatial derivatives. An integrated compartment method (ICM) is proposed to combine the merits of these three numerical techniques. The basic procedures of the ICM are first to discretize the region of interest into compartments, then to apply three integral theorems of vectors to transform the volume integral to the surface integral, and finally to use interpolation to relate the interfacial values in terms of compartment values to close the system. These procedures are applied to the Navier-Stokes equations to yield the computational algorithm from which computer programs can be coded. The computer code is designed to solve one-, two-, or three-dimensional problems as desired. The program is applied to two simple cases: wake formation behind an obstacle in a channel and circulatory motion of a body of fluid in the square cavity. These preliminary applications have shown promising results.     

Monte Carlo Simulation and Well Testing Applied in Evaluating Reservoir Properties in a Deforming Longwall Overburden

During longwall mining, the intact strata start to deform and fracture as the mining face progresses. Gob gas ventholes (GGVs) are drilled from the surface over a longwall panel before mining to capture methane from the fractured zone. Due to fracturing and bedding-plane separations, reservoir properties change extensively. This poses a major problem for venthole designers and methane control engineers and may become a safety and health concern for underground work force due to unexpected methane emissions: it is difficult to predict the location of major strata separations and their temporal magnitudes to best locate the ventholes. Measurements obtained at different times during longwall mining may not be helpful for this purpose as strata deformation is a dynamic process and the results from different tests may not be lumped together to analyze the data collectively. This article uses a combination of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation and well testing methods to analyze multiple data sets obtained from a GGV at different longwall face locations. The aim was to determine the magnitude of average strata separation before conducting well test analyses to determine the properties of a deformed reservoir. MC simulation was used to process cross-correlated and uncertain data distributions obtained from measurements to generate a set of normally distributed values for each data type. These values were further used to project the amount of strata separation to the timing of well test. Finally, well-test analyses were used to interpret test data and to evaluate reservoir properties.     

感应同步器测角系统误差分析及补偿

本文讨论了提高感应同步器精度的硬件方法和软件方法。硬件方法即根据误差来源，针对不同谐波成分误差，用电路调节的方法消除误差。软件方法就是采用计算机通过误差曲线拟合来减小误差。     

An Integral Method to Calculate Water Saturation in a Centrifuge Experiment to Determine Capillary Pressure

The centrifuge method is commonly used to determine the capillary pressure of a porous medium, and the original approximating method for data analysis developed by Hassler and Brunner is still being used. Its limitations are, however, not well understood. Application to analyze experiments where one of the assumptions was obviously violated had been given in the literature. While the result appeared to be quite reasonable, it was not clear how close was it to reality. One of the objectives of this paper is to review the assumptions that is required to develop this method, so that the experimental condition in which it is applicable can be established. The other objective is to derive a completely different solution technique to this problem. There is no need to assume that the ratio of the inlet radius to the exit radius of the core to the center of the centrifuge be close to 1. With the freedom from this limitation it is, therefore, possible to construct machines at lower cost and to improve on the data quality by allowing longer cores.     

Minimum thickness control at various levels for topology optimization using the wavelet method

Especially in microsystem design, maintaining the minimum thickness of each structural member at a certain scale is often as important as achieving the maximum system performance. Several successful methods to suppress one-point hinges or checkerboards in topology optimization have been developed, but an efficient method to control the minimum thickness at a desire scale remains to be developed. The objective of this investigation is to develop a wavelet-based minimum thickness controlling method applicable to topology optimization and to show the effectiveness of the proposed method in MEMS design. The idea behind the thickness controlling method is to extend the wavelet shrinkage method developed for one-point hinge control to any scale-level minimum thickness control. The major difficulties in implementing this idea are the development of an efficient algorithm to detect all undesirable patterns of different scales and the hierarchical application of the wavelet shrinkage method over multiple scales. Some techniques to overcome these difficulties are developed and applied to some MEMS design problems.     

Generating line spectra from experimental responses

The computer algorithm for determining line spectra from experimental data, described in earlier publications in the form in which it is applicable to data obtained in response to excitations as step functions of time and to sinusoidally oscillating excitations, is modified here to allow line spectra to be obtained from data generated in response to the imposition or the removal of a constant rate of strain.Dedicated to Prof. John D. Ferry on the occasion of his 85th birthday.     

Systematic description of imperfect bifurcation behavior of symmetric systems

A systematic method is presented for describing experimental curves of force vs strain of a system with regular polygonal (dihedral group) symmetry subject to bifurcation behavior, with an aim toward overcoming the following problems : (1) it is difficult to judge whether the system is undergoing bifurcation or not ; (2) the perfect behavior of the system cannot be known due to the presence of initial imperfections ; (3) those curves are often qualitatively different from bifurcation diagrams predicted by mathematics. The tools employed are : the asymptotic theory for imperfect bifurcation, such as the Koiter law, and the stochastic theory of initial imperfections. The former theory is extended in this paper to the system with regular-polygonal symmetry to present asymptotic laws for recovering perfect curves with reference to the experimental ones. These laws are formulated for physically observable displacements, instead of the variables in the mathematical bifurcation diagrams, in order to make them readily applicable to the experimental curves. The stochastic theory is combined with an asymptotic law to develop a means to identify the multiplicity of the bifurcation point. The systematic method for describing the experimental curves developed in this manner is applied to the bifurcation analysis of regular-polygonal truss domes to testify its validity. Furthermore, this method is applied to the shear behavior of cylindrical sand specimens to show that they, in fact, are undergoing bifurcation, and, in turn, to demonstrate the importance of a viewpoint of bifurcation in the study of shear behavior of materials. The need of a dual viewpoint of bifurcation and plasticity in the study of constitutive relationship of materials is emphasized to conclude the paper.     

A Theoretical Model for the Simulation of Microdamage Accumulation and Repair in Compact Bone*

This paper describes a new theoretical approach to bone microdamage, in which a population of cracks is explicitly modelled. A given sample of bone is assumed to contain a certain number of cracks, whose growth characteristics are described with an equation containing stochastic variables to create statistical differences from one crack to another. This type of model allows us to predict a wide variety of data. The present paper illustrates the different types of prediction which can be made, including: (i) standard damage parameters such as the number and length of cracks and the reduction in stiffness; (ii) fatigue test data such as the number of cycles to failure as a function of stress level, including scatter; (iii) effects due to the living system, including repair, remodelling and adaptation. A useful feature of the model is our ability to examine the statistics of the crack population in detail to find, for example, the number of cracks which are potentially dangerous as opposed to those which are dormant, and to investigate the reasons for increased crack numbers in the bones of older people. The potential also exists to use the model to investigate different theories of bone remodelling and adaptation.     

Characterizing fluid structure interactions of a helical coil in cross flow

Mechanical vibrations compromise the integrity of key components of thermal power plants. Without careful design, strong resonances during steady state operation can wear these components to the point of failure, leading to an unsafe situation that may force a plant to shut down. The purpose of this research is to further the understanding of the vibrations induced in a helical coil subject to steady fluid flow. A helical coil steam generator, such as that found in most integral pressurized water reactors, appears to eliminate many flow-induced vibration concerns when compared to traditional steam generators; however this has yet to be clearly demonstrated experimentally. The objective of this study is to detail and demonstrate a new method to quantify the motion of a helical coil in an annulus subject to external axial flow of water and further characterizing the influence of pitch-to-diameter ratio on the fluidelastic instability of a helical coil. This is accomplished by observing the motion of a helical coil mounted to an inner opaque cylinder through an outer glass tube using a high speed video camera. A mirrored image-pair is used to observe this structure from two perspectives simultaneously, allowing for three-dimensional characterization of the coil motion. The experimental facility is described in detail. The method developed herein for identifying specific points on the coil from images and mapping them to the coil location using the law of refraction is described. An uncertainty analysis of the coil position measurement is conducted based on geometry and refractive index which can be readily applied to measurements obtained using this method. The outcome of empirical observations shows these helical coils to hold a slightly higher resonance frequency than that of cylinders in cross flow, their mechanical stiffness approximated through analytical means shows to produce relatively accurate natural frequencies when compared to the empirical data – 14.1 Hz and 12.5 Hz, respectively for first mode vibration. This study”s contributions present a new method for metering fluid structure interactions with high-fidelity, provide new empirical data which has not previously been produced, and make observations to the response of a helical coil which are new to the field of fluid-structure interactions.     

Environmental fatigue testing of molded plastics for prosthetic heart valves

A testing machine was designed specifically to study fatigue behavior of molded polymeric materials by subjecting multiple cantilever specimens to vibratory fluid loading. The fluid loading permits aqueous or other environments, facilitates temperature control, and makes possible high testing frequencies. Samples of fifteen to thirty specimens may be tested simultaneously to obtain statistical data. Example results are presented showing Weibull distributions fitted to polymethyl methacrylate fatigue-life data. A statistical criterion was used to verify that scatter, due to the machine and testing technique, was not excessive.     

Strain Gage Installation Tool

This paper describes the development of a tool designed to spot weld Ailtech strain gages to the inside surface of small diameter tubing. Fundamental spot welding techniques are discussed with emphasis placed upon the adaptations that were necessary to attach a gage that was neither visually nor physically accessible to the installer. A special electrode was made that enables a pair of welds to be made simultaneously, one on either side of the strain tube. The installation tool described has been used successfully to spot weld four strain gages spaced 90 degrees (1.57 radians) apart to the inside surface of 0.552 inch (14.02 millimeter) diameter tubing to depths of 26 inches (660 millimeters).     

THE ANALYTIC RESOLUTIONS AND APPLICATIONS OF THE NON－LINEAR SEEPAGE FLOW EQUATIONS OF COAL INFUSION

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Effects of Environmental Degradation on Flexural Failure Strength of Fiber Reinforced Composites

Fiber-reinforced composite laminates are often used in harsh environments that may affect their long-term durability as well as residual strength. In general, environmental degradation is observed as matrix cracking and erosion that leads to deterioration of matrix-dominated properties. In this work, cross-ply laminates of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy were subjected to environmental degradation using controlled ultraviolet radiation (UV) and moisture condensation and the post-exposure mechanical properties were evaluated through elastic modulus and failure strength measurements. Additionally, both degraded and undegraded were subjected to cyclic fatigue loading to investigate possible synergistic effects between environmental degradation and mechanical fatigue. Experimental results show that the degradation results in reduced failure strength. Greater effects of degradation are observed when the materials are tested under flexural as opposed to uniaxial loading. Based on strength measurements and scanning electron microscopy, we identified various damage modes resulting from exposure to UV radiation and moisture condensation, and cyclic loading. The principal mechanisms that lead to reduction in mechanical properties are the loss of fiber confinement due to matrix erosion, due to UV radiation and moisture condensation, and weakened/cracked ply interfaces due to mechanical fatigue. An empirical relationship was established to quantify the specific influence of different damage mechanisms and to clarify the effects of various degradation conditions.     

Sloshing and energy dissipation in an egg: SPH simulations and experiments

Tall structures, such as towers and bridges, can oscillate at excessive magnitudes when subjected to wind and earthquake loads. Liquid sloshing absorbers can be used to suppress these excessive oscillations by tuning the frequency of the sloshing to the critical frequency of the structure. Sloshing absorbers are simple structures consisting of a partially full container of liquid with a free surface. Tuning ensures that significant amounts of harmful energy can be extracted from the structure to the sloshing liquid. However, there needs to be a rapid means of dissipating this energy to avoid its returning back to the structure (then back to the liquid periodically).A hen׳s egg seems to have evolved to efficiently dissipate energy to protect its embryo using sloshing of its liquid content. Hence, the potential to implement the egg׳s unique properties as a sloshing absorber for structural control, is the main focus of this study. Numerical simulations, using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), and experimental comparisons are presented in this paper. One objective is to demonstrate the ability of SPH to simulate complex free surface behaviour in three dimensions. Such a tool is then useful to identify different dissipation modes. Effects of fill volume and viscosity on the rate of dissipation, are also investigated.     

The dynamics of an omnidirectional pendulum harvester

The pendulum applied to the field of mechanical energy harvesting has been studied extensively in the past. However, systems examined to date have largely comprised simple pendulums limited to planar motion and to correspondingly limited degrees of excitational freedom. In order to remove these limitations and thus cover a broader range of use, this paper examines the dynamics of a spherical pendulum with translational support excitation in three directions that operate under generic forcing conditions. This system can be modelled by two generalised coordinates. The main aim of this work is to propose an optimisation procedure to select the ideal parameters of the pendulum for an experimental programme intended to lead to an optimised pre-prototype. In addition, an investigation of the power take-off and its effect on the dynamics of the pendulum is presented with the help of Bifurcation diagrams and Poincaré sections.

     

Interaction of a diaphragm pressure gage with a viscoelastic halfspace

The results of an analysis to determine the interaction between a diaphragm pressure transducer and a solid propellant grain are presented. The solutions to a clamped circular plate and a halfspace are superposed to yield the desired solution. The boundary conditions on the halfspace are shown to be such that the solution to an internally pressurized Sneddon “penny-shaped” crack is applicable for an incompressible material. The problem is first solved elastically, in terms of a material-stiffness parameter which relates the diaphragm stiffness to the propellant stiffness. The solution is then extended to viscoelastic behavior through parameterization of the stiffness parameter. The electrical output of the diaphragm gage is determined and compared with the output from hydrostatic calibration, in order to determine the error or loss in gage sensitivity based on hydrostatic calibration, due to the interaction between the gage and the propellant.