On the similarity solutions of wave propagation for a general class of non-linear dissipative materials

Deductive similarity analysis is employed to study one-dimensional wave propagation in rate dependent materials whose constitutive laws are special cases of Maxwellian materials (σ_t = φ(ε, σ)ε_t + ψ(ε, σ), ε = strain, σ = stress). The general problem is shown not to have a similar solution although many special cases have the independent similar variable (x ? c)/(t ? d)^e. These cases are studied and tabulated. Analytic similar solutions are presented for several cases and a discussion of permissable boundary conditions is given.     

Compliance of actin filament networks measured by particle-tracking microrheology and diffusing wave spectroscopy

We monitor the time-dependent shear compliance of a solution of semi-flexible polymers, using diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) and video-enhanced single-particle-tracking (SPT) microrheology. These two techniques use the small thermally excited motion of probing microspheres to interrogate the local properties of polymer solutions. The solutions consist of networks of actin filaments which are long semi-flexible polymers. We establish a relationship between the mean square displacement (MSD) of microspheres imbedded in the solution and the time-dependent creep compliance of the solution, <Δr ²(t)>=(k _B T/πa)J(t). Here, J(t) is the creep compliance, <Δr ²(t)> is the mean-square displacement, and a is the radius of the microsphere chosen to be larger than the mesh size of the polymer network. DWS allows us to measure mean square displacements with microsecond temporal resolution and Ångström spatial resolution. At short times, the mean square displacement of a 0.96μm diameter sphere in a concentrated actin solution displays sub-diffusion. <Δr ²(t)>∝t ^{, with a characteristic exponent =0.78±0.05, which reflects the finite rigidity of actin. At long times, the MSD reaches a plateau, with a magnitude that decreases with concentration. The creep compliance is shown to be a weak function of polymer concentration and scales as J _p ∝c –1.2±0.3. This exponent is correctly described by a recent model describing the viscoelasticity of semi-flexible polymer solutions. The DWS and video-enhanced SPT measurements of the compliance plateau agree quantitatively with compliance measured independently using classical mechanical rheometry for a viscous oil and for a solution of flexible polymers. This paper extends the use of DWS and single-particle-tracking to probe the local mechanical properties of polymer networks, shows for the first time the proportionality between mean square displacement and local creep compliance, and therefore presents a new, direct way to extract the viscoelastic properties of polymer systems and complex fluids.}     

Theory of Extended Solutions¶for Fast-Diffusion Equations¶in Optimal Classes of Data.¶Radiation from Singularities

This paper is devoted to constructing a general theory of nonnegative solutions for the equation called “the fast-diffusion equation” in the literature. We consider the Cauchy problem taking initial data in the set ?⁺ of all nonnegative Borel measures, which forces us to work with singular solutions which are not locally bounded, not even locally integrable. A satisfactory theory can be formulated in this generality in the range 1 > m > m _c = max {(N? 2)/N,0}, in which the limits of classical solutions are also continuous in ? ^N as extended functions with values in ?₊∪{∞}. We introduce a precise class of extended continuous solutions ? _c and prove (i) that the initial-value problem is well posed in this class, (ii) that every solution u(x,t) in ? _c has an initial trace in ?⁺, and (iii) that the solutions in ? _c are limits of classical solutions. Our results settle the well-posedness of two other related problems. On the one hand, they solve the initial-and-boundary-value problem in ?× (0,∞) in the class of large solutions which take the value u=∞ on the lateral boundary x∈??, t>0. Well-posedness is established for this problem for m _c < m > 1 when ? is any open subset of ? ^N and the restriction of the initial data to ? is any locally finite nonnegative measure in ?. On the other hand, by using the special solutions which have the separate-variables form, our results apply to the elliptic problem Δf=f ^q posed in any open set ?. For 1 > q > N/(N? 2)₊ this problem is well posed in the class of large solutions which tend to infinity on the boundary in a strong sense. As is well known, initial data with such a generality are not allowed for m≧ 1. On the other hand, the present theory fails in several aspects in the subcritical range 0> m≦m _c , where the limits of smooth solutions need not be extended-continuously.     

Correspondence Between One- and Two-Equation Models for Solute Transport in Two-Region Heterogeneous Porous Media

In this work, we study the transient behavior of homogenized models for solute transport in two-region porous media. We focus on the following three models: (1) a time non-local, two-equation model (2eq-nlt). This model does not rely on time constraints and, therefore, is particularly useful in the short-time regime, when the timescale of interest (t) is smaller than the characteristic time (?? ₁) for the relaxation of the effective macroscale parameters (i.e., when t?????? ₁); (2) a time local, two-equation model (2eq). This model can be adopted when (t) is significantly larger than (?? ₁) (i.e., when ${t\gg\tau_{1}}$ ); and (3) a one-equation, time-asymptotic formulation (1eq ^??). This model can be adopted when (t) is significantly larger than the timescale (?? ₂) associated with exchange processes between the two regions (i.e., when ${t\gg\tau_{2}}$ ). In order to obtain insight into this transient behavior, we combine a theoretical approach based on the analysis of spatial moments with numerical and analytical results in several simple cases. The main result of this paper is to show that there is only a weak asymptotic convergence of the solution of (2eq) towards the solution of (1eq ^??) in terms of standardized moments but, interestingly, not in terms of centered moments. The physical interpretation of this result is that deviations from the Fickian situation persist in the limit of long times but that the spreading of the solute is eventually dominating these higher order effects.     

Mechanical Properties of Hard W-C Coating on Steel Substrate Deduced from Nanoindentation and Finite Element Modeling

Mechanical properties of a hard and stiff W-C coating on steel substrate have been investigated using nanoindentation combined with finite element modeling (FEM) and extended FEM (XFEM). The significant pile-up observed around the indents in steel substrate caused an overestimation of hardness and indentation modulus. A simple geometrical model, considering the additional contact surfaces due to pile-up, has been proposed to reduce this overestimation. The presence of W-C coating suppressed the pile-up in the steel substrate and a transition to sink-in behavior occurred. The FEM simulations adequately reproduced the surface topography of the indents in the substrate and coating/substrate systems as well. The maximum principal stresses of the indented W-C/steel coated system were tensile; they were always located in the coating and evolved in 3 stages. Cohesive cracking occurred during loading in the sink-in zone (stage III) when the ultimate tensile strength (σ _max ) of the coating was reached. The obtained hardness (H _c ), indentation modulus (E _c ), yield stress (Y) and strength (σ _max ) of the W-C coating were H _c ? =?20 GPa, E _c ? =?250 GPa, Y?=?9.0 GPa and σ _max ? =?9.35 GPa, respectively. XFEM resulted in fracture energy of the W-C coating of G?=?38.1 J?·?m^-2 and fracture toughness of K _IC ? =?3.5 MPa?·?m^0.5.     

Carleman Estimate for Elliptic Operators with Coefficients with Jumps at an Interface in Arbitrary Dimension and Application to the Null Controllability of Linear Parabolic Equations

In a bounded domain of R ⁿ⁺¹, n ≧ 2, we consider a second-order elliptic operator, ${A=-{\partial_{x_0}^2} - \nabla_x \cdot (c(x) \nabla_x)}In a bounded domain of R ⁿ⁺¹, n ≧ 2, we consider a second-order elliptic operator, A=-?_x0² - ?_x ·(c(x) ?_x){A=-{\partial_{x_0}^2} - \nabla_x \cdot (c(x) \nabla_x)}, where the (scalar) coefficient c(x) is piecewise smooth yet discontinuous across a smooth interface S. We prove a local Carleman estimate for A in the neighborhood of any point of the interface. The “observation” region can be chosen independently of the sign of the jump of the coefficient c at the considered point. The derivation of this estimate relies on the separation of the problem into three microlocal regions and the Calderón projector technique. Following the method of Lebeau and Robbiano (Comm Partial Differ Equ 20:335–356, 1995) we then prove the null controllability for the linear parabolic initial problem with Dirichlet boundary conditions associated with the operator ?_t - ?_x ·(c(x) ?_x){{\partial_t - \nabla_x \cdot (c(x) \nabla_x)}} .     

Rheology of SiO2/(acrylic polymer/epoxy) suspensions. II. Nonlinear stress relaxation

Large deformation, nonlinear stress relaxation modulus G(t, γ) was examined for the SiO₂ suspensions in a blend of acrylic polymer (AP) and epoxy (EP) with various SiO₂ volume fractions (?) at various temperatures (T). The AP/EP contained 70 vol.% of EP. At ??≤?30 vol.%, the SiO₂/(AP/EP) suspensions behaved as a viscoelastic liquid, and the time-strain separability, G(t, γ)?=?G(t)h(γ), was applicable at long time. The h(γ) of the suspensions was more strongly dependent on γ than that of the matrix (AP/EP). At ??=?35 vol.% and T?=?100°C, and ??≥?40 vol.%, the time-strain separability was not applicable. The suspensions exhibited a critical gel behavior at ??=?35 vol.% and T?=?100°C characterized with a power law relationship between G(t) and t; G(t)?∝?t ^???n . The relaxation exponent n was estimated to be about 0.45, which was in good agreement with the result of linear dynamic viscoelasticity reported previously. G(t, γ) also could be approximately expressed by the relation $G(t,\gamma) \propto t^{-n^{\prime}}$ at ??=?40 vol.%. The exponent n ^′ increased with increasing γ. This nonlinear stress relaxation behavior is attributable to strain-induced disruption of the network structure formed by the SiO₂ particles therein.     

On the use of stretched-exponential functions for both linear viscoelastic creep and stress relaxation

The use of the stretched-exponential function to represent both the relaxation function g(t)=(G(t)-G _∞)/(G ₀-G _∞) and the retardation function r(t) = (J _∞+t/η-J(t))/(J _∞-J ₀) of linear viscoelasticity for a given material is investigated. That is, if g(t) is given by exp (?(t/τ)^β), can r(t) be represented as exp (?(t/λ)^µ) for a linear viscoelastic fluid or solid? Here J(t) is the creep compliance, G(t) is the shear modulus, η is the viscosity (η^?1 is finite for a fluid and zero for a solid), G _∞ is the equilibrium modulus G _e for a solid or zero for a fluid, J _∞ is 1/G _e for a solid or the steady-state recoverable compliance for a fluid, G ₀= 1/J ₀ is the instantaneous modulus, and t is the time. It is concluded that g(t) and r(t) cannot both exactly by stretched-exponential functions for a given material. Nevertheless, it is found that both g(t) and r(t) can be approximately represented by stretched-exponential functions for the special case of a fluid with exponents β=µ in the range 0.5 to 0.6, with the correspondence being very close with β=µ=0.5 and λ=2τ. Otherwise, the functions g(t) and r(t) differ, with the deviation being marked for solids. The possible application of a stretched-exponential to represent r(t) for a critical gel is discussed.     

Power-law creep and residual stresses in a carbopol gel

We report on the interplay between creep and residual stresses in a carbopol microgel. When a constant shear stress σ is applied below the yield stress σ _y, the strain is shown to increase as a power law of time, γ(t) = γ ₀ + (t/τ) ^α , with an exponent α = 0.39 ± 0.04 that is strongly reminiscent of Andrade creep in hard solids. For applied shear stresses lower than some typical value σ _c ? 0.2σ _y, the microgel experiences a more complex, anomalous creep behavior, characterized by an initial decrease of the strain, that we attribute to the existence of residual stresses of the order of σ _c that persist after a rest time under a zero shear rate following preshear. The influence of gel concentration on creep and residual stresses are investigated as well as possible aging effects. We discuss our results in light of previous works on colloidal glasses and other soft glassy systems.     

A note on periodic solutions of Riccati equations

In this note, we show that under certain assumptions the scalar Riccati differential equation x′=a(t)x+b(t)x ²+c(t) with periodic coefficients admits at least one periodic solution. Also, we give two illustrative examples in order to indicate the validity of the assumptions.     

Influence of the nutation angle in gravitational settling of particles near vortices and in turbulence

The knowledge of the conditions in which particles denser than fluid settle is important in many areas of engineering, environmental sciences, meteorology, etc.For particle flows influenced by vortices, research mainly related to steady horizontal vortices has been undertaken. In this paper we determine the influence of the inclination of the vortex axis in the gravitational settling of particles.The results obtained, in relation to the trajectories, are qualitatively similar to previous ones for horizontal vortices. The main difference is this: in a horizontal vortex particles always remain in a plane perpendicular to the vortex axis and in an inclined vortex (angle θ) particles do not remain on that plane because there is a component v_tcosθ that takes them out.The average fall velocity 〈v_z〉 has an asymptote to the dimensionless terminal velocity v_t; this tendency is faster as the Stokes Number St increases and as v_t decreases. A fundamental result is the following: as θ decreases, v_t is reached faster because the component of the velocity u of the Rankine vortex over the Oz direction is small and because the v_t component that tries to keep the particles in a plane perpendicular to the vortex axis is small, so the vortex takes action over the particles for a small period of time.     

Passive control of vortex induced vibration in internal flow using body shape

We present a concept for passive control of vortex induced vibration (VIV) that uses the body shape of a prismatic body as the control parameter in 2D internal flow. We consider that the Reynolds number based on the prism cross section height is 200 and that the blockage ratio of the channel is 2.5. The working fluid is water and the solid-to-fluid density ratio is 1, so that the prism presents neutral buoyancy and the body shape parameter γ acts as the only control parameter. Two very different fluid dynamics regimes are observed depending on γ with an abrupt transition between them for γ=γ_c, where γ_c represents a critical value obtained numerically. For γ<γ_c the cylinder oscillation is controlled by vortex shedding and represents a typical case of vortex induced vibration. For γ>γ_c the oscillation is a mixture of galloping and vortex induced vibration that causes the prism motion to shift from a stable periodic motion to a highly irregular pattern. The physical explanation for the change of regime is given based on the cylinder equation of motion.     

The response of strain gages to longitudinally sweeping strain pulses

The current state-of-the-art for estimating the maximum rise time of a strain gage which is subjected to an axially sweeping strain pulse ist _rg≤0.8L/c+0.5μsec wheret _rg is the 10/90 rise time of the strain gage,^* L is the gage length andc is the strain-pulse velocity. This paper shows that the effect of the 0.8L/c term can be significantly reduced by utilizing an analytical compensation technique. In addition, it is shown that the 0.5 μsec additive constant can be reduced to approximately 0.1 μsec by reinterpreting data published by a previous author.     

Influence of incident vortex street on separated flow around a finite blunt plate: PIV measurement and POD analysis

This study investigated the influence of incident vortex street on the spatial characteristics of separated shear layers around finite blunt plates through use of planar particle image velocimetry. Three systems with different chord-to-thickness ratios (c/t) were chosen for the comparative study (i.e., c/t=3.0, 6.0 and 9.0). The Reynolds number, based on the plates׳ thickness (t), was Re_t=1000. The incident vortex street was generated by placing a circular cylinder (D=t) far upstream of the plate. For the systems without incident vortex street, the separated shear layers around the shortest (c/t=3.0), the median-length plate (c/t=6.0) and the longest (c/t=9.0) plates had no re-attachment, periodic re-attachment and faithful re-attachment on the plate׳s surface, respectively. However, the separated shear layers subjected to incident vortex street were restrained at the leading edges by the upstream vortical structures, which were less influenced by increases in chord-to-thickness ratio. Contour plots of the spatial v–v correlation coefficient revealed that the wakes behind plates longer than c/t=6.0 were not severely influenced by incident vortex street. Distributions of the spatial v–v correlations and the POD eigenmodes revealed that the incident vortical structures were split by the leading edges of the plates in all systems, resulting in two vortices with the same rotating direction. Subsequently, a further phase-averaged analysis convincingly demonstrated the splitting process of the incident vortical structures by the leading edges.     

Symmetry groups and the pseudo-Riemann spacetimes for mixed-hardening elastoplasticity

The constitutive postulations for mixed-hardening elastoplasticity are selected. Several homeomorphisms of irreversibility parameters are derived, among which X_a⁰ and X_c⁰ play respectively the roles of temporal components of the Minkowski and conformal spacetimes. An augmented vector X_a:=(YQ_a^t,YQ_a⁰)^t is constructed, whose governing equations in the plastic phase are found to be a linear system with a suitable rescaling proper time. The underlying structure of mixed-hardening elastoplasticity is a Minkowski spacetime $\text{M}{}^{\mathrm{n+1}}$ on which the proper orthochronous Lorentz group SO_o(n,1) left acts. Then, constructed is a Poincaré group ISO_o(n,1) on space X:=X_a+X_b, of which X_b reflects the kinematic hardening rule in the model. We also find that the space (Q_a^t,q₀^a) is a Robertson–Walker spacetime, which is conformal to X_a through a factor Y, and conformal to X_c:=(ρQ_a^t,ρQ_a⁰)^t through a factor ρ as given by ρ(q₀^a)=Y(q₀^a)/[1−2ρ₀Q_a⁰(0)+2ρ₀Y(q₀^a)Q_a⁰(q₀^a)]. In the conformal spacetime the internal symmetry is a conformal group.     

Extensional rheology of concentrated emulsions as probed by capillary breakup elongational rheometry (CaBER)

Elongational flow behavior of w/o emulsions has been investigated using a capillary breakup elongational rheometer (CaBER) equipped with an advanced image processing system allowing for precise assessment of the full filament shape. The transient neck diameter D(t), time evolution of the neck curvature κ(t), the region of deformation l _def and the filament lifetime t _c are extracted in order to characterize non-uniform filament thinning. Effects of disperse volume fraction ?, droplet size d _sv , and continuous phase viscosity η _c on the flow properties have been investigated. At a critical volume fraction ? _c , strong shear thinning, and an apparent shear yield stress τ _y,s occur and shear flow curves are well described by a Herschel–Bulkley model. In CaBER filaments exhibit sharp necking and t _c as well as κ _max ?=?κ (t?=?t _c ) increase, whereas l _def decreases drastically with increasing ?. For ? <?? _c , D(t) data can be described by a power-law model based on a cylindrical filament approximation using the exponent n and consistency index k from shear experiments. For ??≥?? _c , D(t) data are fitted using a one-dimensional Herschel–Bulkley approach, but k and τ _y,s progressively deviate from shear results as ? increases. We attribute this to the failure of the cylindrical filament assumption. Filament lifetime is proportional to η _c at all ?. Above ? _c, κ _max as well as t _c /η _c scale linearly with τ _y,s . The Laplace pressure at the critical stretch ratio ε _c which is needed to induce capillary thinning can be identified as the elongational yield stress τ _y,e , if the experimental parameters are chosen such that the axial curvature of the filament profile can be neglected. This is a unique and robust method to determine this quantity for soft matter with τ _y ?< 1,000 Pa. For the emulsion series investigated here a ratio τ _y,e /τ _y,s = 2.8 ± 0.4 is found independent of ?. This result is captured by a generalized Herschel–Bulkley model including the third invariant of the strain-rate tensor proposed here for the first time, which implies that τ _y,e and τ _y,s are independent material parameters.     

Natural Convection as an Asymmetrical Factor of the Transport Through Porous Membrane

For nonionic substances, which density of solution depends on its concentration, concentration polarization of the membrane in horizontal plane depends not only on diffusion but on the hydrodynamic instabilities at the membrane surfaces also. Such instabilities are the cause of asymmetry of membrane transport in gravitational field. On the basis of results of glucose transport through the Nephrophan membrane in horizontal plane we can state that this asymmetry was observed for the cases with concentration Rayleigh number greater than critical value (R _C )_crit = 1709.3. The mathematical model based on Kedem–Katchalsky equations and Rayleigh number was presented. On the basis of this model and the dependence of volume flux through the Nephrophan membrane as a function of glucose concentration in the upper (configuration B) and lower (configuration A) chamber of the membrane system, the dependencies of thickness of concentration boundary layer, Rayleigh number, and introduced coefficient of asymmetry as a function of glucose concentration were presented for both configurations. These dependencies show that asymmetry of the membrane transport is observed for glucose concentration higher than 0.015 mol l^?1.     

Study of dynamic structure and heat and mass transfer of a vertical ceramic tiles dryer using CFD simulations

In this study, we developed a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to simulate dynamic structure and heat and mass transfer of a vertical ceramic tiles dryer (EVA 702). The carrier’s motion imposed the choice of a dynamic mesh based on two methods: “spring based smoothing” and “local remeshing”. The dryer airflow is considered as turbulent (Re = 1.09 × 10⁵ at the dryer inlet), therefore the Re-Normalization Group $k - \in$ model with Enhanced Wall Treatment was used as a turbulence model. The resolution of the governing equation was performed with Fluent 6.3 whose capacities do not allow the direct resolution of drying problems. Thus, a user defined scalar equation was inserted in the CFD code to model moisture content diffusion into tiles. User-defined functions were implemented to define carriers’ motion, thermo-physical properties… etc. We adopted also a “two-step” simulation method: in the first step, we follow the heat transfer coefficient evolution (H_c). In the second step, we determine the mass transfer coefficient (H_m) and the features fields of drying air and ceramic tiles. The found results in mixed convection mode (Fr = 5.39 at the dryer inlet) were used to describe dynamic and thermal fields of airflow and heat and mass transfer close to the ceramic tiles. The response of ceramic tiles to heat and mass transfer was studied based on Biot numbers. The evolutions of averages temperature and moisture content of ceramic tiles were analyzed. Lastly, comparison between experimental and numerical results showed a good agreement.     

Global Semigroup of Conservative Solutions of the Nonlinear Variational Wave Equation

We prove the existence of a global semigroup for conservative solutions of the nonlinear variational wave equation u _tt − c(u)(c(u)u _x ) _x  = 0. We allow for initial data u| _{t = 0} and u _t | _t=0 that contain measures. We assume that 0 < k^-1 \leqq c(u) \leqq k{0 < \kappa^{-1} \leqq c(u) \leqq \kappa}. Solutions of this equation may experience concentration of the energy density (u_t²+c(u)²u_x²)dx{(u_t^2+c(u)^2u_x^2){\rm d}x} into sets of measure zero. The solution is constructed by introducing new variables related to the characteristics, whereby singularities in the energy density become manageable. Furthermore, we prove that the energy may focus only on a set of times of zero measure or at points where c′(u) vanishes. A new numerical method for constructing conservative solutions is provided and illustrated with examples.     

Entire Solutions with Merging Fronts to Reaction–Diffusion Equations

We deal with a reaction–diffusion equation u _t = u _xx + f(u) which has two stable constant equilibria, u = 0, 1 and a monotone increasing traveling front solution u = φ(x + ct) (c > 0) connecting those equilibria. Suppose that u = a (0 < a < 1) is an unstable equilibrium and that the equation allows monotone increasing traveling front solutions u = ψ₁(x + c ₁ t) (c ₁ < 0) and ψ₂(x + c ₂ t) (c ₂ > 0) connecting u = 0 with u = a and u = a with u = 1, respectively. We call by an entire solution a classical solution which is defined for all . We prove that there exists an entire solution such that for t≈ − ∞ it behaves as two fronts ψ₁(x + c ₁ t) and ψ₂(x + c ₂ t) on the left and right x-axes, respectively, while it converges to φ(x + ct) as t→∞. In addition, if c > − c ₁, we show the existence of an entire solution which behaves as ψ₁( − x + c ₁ t) in and φ(x + ct) in for t≈ − ∞.