On the self-similar solution to the Euler equations for an incompressible fluid in three dimensions

The equations for a self-similar solution to an inviscid incompressible fluid are mapped into an integral equation that hopefully can be solved by iteration. It is argued that the exponents of the similarity are ruled by Kelvin's theorem of conservation of circulation. The end result is an iteration with a nonlinear term entering a kernel given by a 3D integral for a swirling flow, likely within reach of present-day computational power. Because of the slow decay of the similarity solution at large distances, its kinetic energy diverges, and some mathematical results excluding non-trivial solutions of the Euler equations in the self-similar case do not apply.     

Existence of strong minimizers for the Griffith static fracture model in dimension two

We consider the Griffith fracture model in two spatial dimensions, and prove existence of strong minimizers, with closed jump set and continuously differentiable deformation fields. One key ingredient, which is the object of the present paper, is a generalization to the vectorial situation of the decay estimate by De Giorgi, Carriero, and Leaci. This is based on replacing the coarea formula by a method to approximate $SB{D}^p$ functions with small jump set by Sobolev functions, and is restricted to two dimensions. The other two ingredients will appear in companion papers and consist respectively in regularity results for vectorial elliptic problems of the elasticity type and in a method to approximate in energy $GSB{D}^p$ functions by $SB{V}^p$ ones.     

THE NEW ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR THE COURSE OF STRENGTH OF MATERIALS 1)

现有考核评价方式侧重期末考试而忽略过程考核，结合材料力学课程，探索一套注重过程考核的评价体系，综合评价学生对本课程的掌握程度，即将期末考试成绩在总评中的占比由70%降低至50%，平时作业、随堂测验、模块测验、实验考核和案例分析成绩各占比10%。新评价方式更加注重对学生学习过程的考核，使学生在整个课程学习过程中保持高度紧张感，提高学习的时效性和目的性，进而提高学生学习材料力学的热情和材料力学课堂教学效果。     

COMPUTER-ASSISTED TEACHING REFORM FOR THEORETICAL MECHANICS 1)

本文依照四川大学某理论力学教学班实际教学改革的经验,通过具体举例说明计算机技术在理论力学教学中尚未开发的巨大潜力,减小数学运算使学生重点关注理论力学基本原理,批量求解使学生提前接触实际应用案例,普适性求解使学生深化对处理多变量问题的认识。同时本文还探讨了理论力学教学改革的方向和目的,即把教学重点放在普适的教学方法上,借助计算机求解多刚体、多变量问题,以期有助于理论力学教材更好地适应时代发展。     

Correspondence between de Saint-Venant and Boussinesq. 1: Birth of the Shallow–Water Equations

The Shallow–Water Equations (SWEs), also referred to as the de Saint-Venant equations, constitute the current governing mathematical tool for free-surface water flows. These include, e.g., flood flows in rivers and in urban zones, flows across hydraulic structures as dams or wastewater facilities, flows in the environmental fields, glaciology, or meteorology. Despite this attractiveness, the system of two partial differential equations has an exact mathematical solution only for a limited number of problems of practical relevance.This historical work on the SWEs is based on a correspondence between two 19th-century scientists, de Saint-Venant and Boussinesq. Their well-known papers are thus commented from the point of development of their theory; the input of both scientists is evidenced by their writings, and comments of both to each other that led to what is commonly known as the SWEs. Given the age difference of the two of 45 years, the experienced engineer de Saint-Venant, and the mathematician Boussinesq, two eminent researchers, met to discuss not only problems in hydraulics, but in physics generally. In addition, their correspondence embraced also questions in ethics, religion, history of sciences, and personal news.The results of the SWEs cease to hold if streamline curvature effects dominate; this includes breaking waves, solitary and cnoidal waves, or non-linear waves in general. In most other cases, however, the SWEs perfectly apply to typical flows in engineering practice; they are considered the fundamental system of equations describing open channel flows. This work thus provides a background to its birth, including lots of comments as to its improvement, physical meanings, methods of solution, and a discussion of the results. This paper also deals with the steady flow equations, gives a short account on the main persons mentioned in the Correspondence, and provides a summary of further developments of the SWEs until 1920.     

Exceptional points of the Lindblad operator of a two-level system

The Lindblad equation for a two-level system under an electric field is analyzed by mapping to a linear equation with a non-Hermitian matrix. Exceptional points of the matrix are found to be extensive; the second-order ones are located on lines in a two-dimensional parameter space, while the third-order one is at a point.     

Self-assembly mechanism of PEG-b-PCL and PEG-b-PBO-b-PCL amphiphilic copolymer micelles in aqueous solution from coarse grain modeling

We followed the self-assembly of high-molecular weight MePEG- b -PCL (poly(methyl ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)) diblock and MePEG- b -PBO- b -PCL (poly(methyl ethylene glycol)-block-poly(1,2-butylene oxide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)) into micelles using molecular dynamics simulation with a coarse grain (CG) force field based on quantum mechanics (CGq FF). The triblock polymer included a short poly(1,2-butylene oxide) (PBO) at the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface of these systems. Keeping the hydrophilic length fixed (MePEG₄₅), we considered 250 chains in which the hydrophobic length changed from PCL₄₄ or PBO₆- b -PCL₄₃ to PCL₆₂ or PBO₉- b -PCL₆₁. The polymers were solvated in explicit water for 2 μs of simulations at 310.15 K. We found that the longer diblock system undergoes a morphological transition from an intermediate rod-like micelle to a prolate-sphere, while the micelle formed from the longer triblock system is a stable rod-like micelle. The two shorter diblock and triblock systems show similar self-assembly processes, both resulting in slightly prolate-spheres. The dynamics of the self-assembly is quantified in terms of chain radius of gyration, shape anisotropy, and hydration of the micelle cores. The final micelle structures are analyzed in terms of the local density components. We conclude that the CG model accurately describes the molecular mechanisms of self-assembly and the equilibrium micellar structures of hydrophilic and hydrophobic chains, including the quantity of solvent trapped inside the micellar core.     

振型归一化对梁结构柔度曲率损伤指标的影响

结构柔度矩阵需由质量矩阵归一化振型获得,而质量矩阵归一化振型难以直接测得,限制了柔度曲率类损伤指标的应用。为分析振型归一化方法对梁结构柔度曲率类损伤指标的影响,根据梁结构的刚度、弯矩和位移曲率的关系,建立了均布荷载作用下结构损伤前后位移曲率与损伤程度的理论表达式,实现定量分析均匀荷载面曲率结构损伤程度。提出P-范数振型归一化方法,通过均匀荷载面曲率指标推导了振型质量矩阵归一化系数差x_α与损伤程度的关系。以三跨连续梁算例对理论进行了验证,结果表明,损伤程度定量指标效果良好,不同P-范数振型归一化方法下,损伤程度的偏差可由2x_α估算;2-范数振型归一化方法的损伤识别结果与质量矩阵振型归一化结果最接近,故当无法获得质量矩阵归一化振型时,可采用2-范数归一化振型代替。     

Cold,warm, and hot programming of shape memory polymers

In this article, programming is classified as hot, warm, and cold, based on the temperature zone within which the programming is conducted. The strain and stress locking and releasing mechanisms are discussed within the thermodynamics framework. A new formula is developed for quantifying the strain recovery ratio of cold-programmed SMPs. Stress fixity ratio and stress recovery ratio are also defined based on the understanding of stress locking and recovery mechanisms. State-of-the-art literature on warm and cold programming is reviewed. Well-controlled programming as well as free strain recovery test and constrained stress recovery test are conducted, in order to validate the memory mechanisms discussed in this study. It is found that, while programming temperature has an insignificant effect on the final free shape recovery, it has a significant effect on the stress recovery. The recovery stress programmed by cold programming may be lower, equal to, or higher than that by hot programming, due to the different stress locking mechanisms and other factors such as damage during the thermomechanical cycle. Cold, Warm, and Hot Programming of Shape Memory Polymers © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1319–1339     

Radiation damage in polymer films from grazing‐incidence X‐ray scattering measurements

Grazing‐incidence X‐ray scattering (GIXS) is widely used to analyze the crystallinity and nanoscale structure in thin polymer films. However, ionizing radiation will generate free radicals that initiate crosslinking and/or chain scission, and structural damage will impact the ordering kinetics, thermodynamics, and crystallinity in many polymers. We report a simple methodology to screen for beam damage that is based on lithographic principles: films are exposed to patterns of X‐ray radiation, and changes in polymer structure are revealed by immersing the film in a solvent that dissolves the shortest chains. The experiments are implemented with high throughput using the standard beam line instrumentation and a typical GIXS configuration. The extent of damage (at a fixed radiation dose) depends on a range of intrinsic material properties and experimental variables, including the polymer chemistry and molecular weight, exposure environment, film thickness, and angle of incidence. The solubility switch for common polymers is detected within 10–60 s at ambient temperature, and we verified that this first indication of damage corresponds with the onset of network formation in glassy polystyrene and a loss of crystallinity in polyalkylthiophenes. Therefore, grazing‐incidence X‐ray “patterning” offers an efficient approach to determine the appropriate data acquisition times for any GIXS experiment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1074–1086