A higher order finite element including transverse normal strain for linear elastic composite plates with general lamination configurations

This paper describes a higher-order global-local theory for thermal/mechanical response of moderately thick laminated composites with general lamination configurations. In-plane displacement fields are constructed by superimposing the third-order local displacement field to the global cubic displacement field. To eliminate layer-dependent variables, interlaminar shear stress compatibility conditions have been employed, so that the number of variables involved in the proposed model is independent of the number of layers of laminates. Imposing shear stress free condition at the top and the bottom surfaces, derivatives of transverse displacement are eliminated from the displacement field, so that C⁰ interpolation functions are only required for the finite element implementation. To assess the proposed model, the quadratic six-node C⁰ triangular element is employed for the interpolation of all the displacement parameters defined at each nodal point on the composite plate. Comparing to various existing laminated plate models, it is found that simple C⁰ finite elements with non-zero normal strain could produce more accurate displacement and stresses for thick multilayer composite plates subjected to thermal and mechanical loads. Finally, it is remarked that the proposed model is quite robust, such that the finite element results are not sensitive to the mesh configuration and can rapidly converge to 3-D elasticity solutions using regular or irregular meshes.     

应变Ge空穴有效质量的各向异性与各向同性

在利用k·p微扰理论获得应变Ge/Si_1-xGe_x价带E（k）-k关系的基础上,研究得到了（001）,（101）,（111）面应变Ge/Si_1-xGe_x沿不同晶向及各向同性的价带空穴有效质量.结果显示,应变Ge/Si_1-xGe_x沿各晶向的带边有效质量随应力增大而减小,且沿[010]晶向最小;子带空穴有效质量在应力较大时变化不明显,并且在数值上与带边空穴有效质量相差不大.最后利用各向同性有效质量与文献结果进行比对,验证了结果的正确性.     

Theoretical validation on the existence of two transverse surface waves in piezoelectric/elastic layered structures

In this paper, we analytically study the dispersion behavior of transverse surface waves in a piezoelectric coupled solid consisting of a transversely isotropic piezoelectric ceramic layer and an isotropic metal or dielectric substrate. This study is a revisit to the stiffened Love wave propagation done previously. Closed-form dispersion equations are obtained in a very simple mathematical form for both electrically open and shorted cases. From the viewpoint of physical situation, two transverse surface waves (i.e., the stiffened Love wave and the FDLW-type wave) are separately found in a PZT-4/steel system and a PZT-4/zinc system. All the observed dispersion curves are theoretically validated through the discussion on the limit values of phase velocity using the obtained dispersion equations. Those validation and discussion give rise to a deeper understanding on the existence of transverse surface waves in such piezoelectric coupled structures. The results can be used as a benchmark for the study of the wave propagation in the piezoelectric coupled structures and are significant in the design of wave propagation in the piezoelectric coupled structures as well.     

Role of anisotropy on the domain wall properties of ferromagnetic nanotubes

In this paper we investigate the role of magneto-crystalline anisotropy on the domain wall (DW) properties of tubular magnetic nanostructures. Based on a theoretical model and micromagnetic simulations, we show that either cubic or uniaxial magneto-crystalline anisotropies have some influence on the domain wall properties (wall size, propagation velocity and energy barrier) and then on the overall magnetization reversal mechanism. Besides the characterization of the transverse and vortex domain wall sizes for different anisotropies, we predict an anisotropy dependent transition between the occurrence of transverse and vortex domain walls in tubular nanowires. We also discuss the dynamics of the vortex DW propagation gradually increasing the uniaxial anisotropy constant and we found that the average velocity is considerably reduced. Our results show that different anisotropies can be considered in real samples in order to manipulate the domain wall behavior and the magnetization reversal process.     

Low temperature radio-frequency transverse susceptibility measurements using a CMOS oscillator circuit

A transverse susceptibility (TS) measurement system based on a simple inverter CMOS cell oscillator cross-coupled to a LC tank is presented. The system has been implemented to operate at a Quantum Design Physical Properties Measurement System (PPMS). We introduce several improvements with respect to similar currently operating TS measurement equipments. The electronics have been redesigned to use CMOS transistors as active devices, which simplifies the circuit design and enlarge the tuning range, thus making the proposed electronic block more feasible, predictable, and precise. Additionally, we propose a newly designed sample holder, which facilitates the procedure to change a sample and improves reproducibility of the circuit. Our design minimizes the thermal leak of the measuring probe by one order of magnitude, allowing to measure from 1.8 K in standard PPMS systems, thanks to the use of a low temperature beryllium–copper coaxial cable instead of the conventional RG402 Cu coaxial cable employed in the insert for the PPMS in similar systems. The data acquisition method is also simplified, so that the measuring sequences are implemented directly in the PPMS controller computer by programming them in the Quantum Design MultiVu software that controls the PPMS. We present the test measurements performed on the system without sample to study the background signal and stability of the circuit. Measurements on a Gd₂O₃ calibrating sample yield to the estimation of the system sensitivity, which is found to be on the order of 10⁻⁶ emu. Finally, measurements on a TmCo₂ Laves phase sample with a ferrimagnetic transition temperature around 4 K are described, demonstrating that the developed system is well suited to explore interesting magnetic phenomena at this temperature scale.     

Effect of dispersion on the diffusion zone in two-phase laminar flows in microchannels

Aim of the present work is to investigate the reaction–diffusion process of a two species system under laminar flow in a T-shaped microchannel. A zone formed at the interface between the aqueous solutions of these two species is affected by advection and diffusion. Through theoretical analyses and experimental results, the effect of dispersion has been shown to influence this diffusion zone. We have defined a parameter called effective diffusivity, to account for the dispersion effects and observed it to be a function of the channel Peclet number. In the limiting case of low Peclet number, this parameter is constant and turns out to be equal to the molecular diffusivity. We have also related effective diffusivity and the dispersion coefficient through scaling estimates.     

On constitutive modelling of porous neo-Hookean composites

In this paper a hyperelastic constitutive model is developed for neo-Hookean composites with aligned continuous cylindrical pores in the finite elasticity regime. Although the matrix is incompressible, the composite itself is compressible because of the existence of voids. For this compressible transversely isotropic material, the deformation gradient can be decomposed multiplicatively into three parts: an isochoric uniaxial deformation along the preferred direction of the material (which is identical to the direction of the cylindrical pores here); an equi-biaxial deformation on the transverse plane (the plane perpendicular to the preferred direction); and subsequent shear deformation (which includes “along-fibre” shear and transverse shear). Compared to the multiplicative decomposition used in our previous model for incompressible fibre reinforced composites [Guo, Z., Peng, X.Q., Moran, B., 2006, A composites-based hyperelastic constitutive model for soft tissue with application to the human annulus fibrosus. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 54(9), 1952–1971], the equi-biaxial deformation is introduced to achieve the desired volume change. To estimate the strain energy function for this composite, a cylindrical composite element model is developed. Analytically exact strain distributions in the composite element model are derived for the isochoric uniaxial deformation along the preferred direction, the equi-biaxial deformation on the transverse plane, as well as the “along-fibre” shear deformation. The effective shear modulus from conventional composites theory based on the infinitesimal strain linear elasticity is extended to the present finite deformation regime to estimate the strain energy related to the transverse shear deformation, which leads to an explicit formula for the strain energy function of the composite under a general finite deformation state.     

Conditions for Strong Ellipticity of Anisotropic Elastic Materials

We consider the problem of finding the transversely isotropic elasticity tensor closest to a given elasticity tensor with respect to the Frobenius norm. A similar problem was considered by other authors and solved analytically assuming a fixed orientation of the natural coordinate system of the transversely isotropic tensor. In this paper we formulate a method for finding the optimal orientation of the coordinate system—the one that produces the shortest distance. The optimization problem reduces to finding the absolute maximum of a homogeneous eighth-degree polynomial on a two-dimensional sphere. This formulation allows us a convenient visualization of local extrema, and enables us to find the closest transversely isotropic tensor numerically.      

Propagation of wave at the boundary surface of transversely isotropic thermoelastic material with voids and isotropic elastic half-space

The purpose of this research is to study the effect of voids on the surface wave propagation in a layer of a transversely isotropic thermoelastic material with voids lying over an isotropic elastic half-space. The frequency equation is derived after developing a mathematical model for welded and smooth contact boundary conditions. The dispersion curves giving the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient via wave number are plotted graphically to depict the effects of voids and anisotropy for welded contact boundary conditions. The specific loss and amplitudes of the volume fraction field, the normal stress, and the temperature change for welded contact are obtained and shown graphically for a particular model to depict the voids and anisotropy effects. Some special cases are also deduced from the present investigation.     

Theory of indentation on multiferroic composite materials

This article presents a general theory on indentation over a multiferroic composite half-space. The material is transversely isotropic and magneto-electro-elastic with its axis of symmetry normal to the surface of the half-space. Based on the corresponding half-space Green’s functions to point sources applied on the surface, explicit expressions for the generalized pressure vs. indentation depth are derived for the first time for the three common indenters (flat-ended, conical, and spherical punches). The important multiphase coupling issue is discussed in detail, with the weak and strong coupling being correctly revisited. The derived analytical solutions of indentation will not only serve as benchmarks for future numerical studies of multiphase composites, but also have important applications to experimental test and characterization of multiphase materials, in particular, of multiferroic properties.