Effect of Unplasticized Poly Vinyl Chloride (UPVC) Molecular Weight and Graft-Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (g-ABS) Content on Compatibility and Izod Impact Strength of UPVC/g-ABS Blends

In this study three grades of rigid poly vinyl chloride (PVC) having different molar masses were melt blended with graft-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (g-ABS) in different compositions. The effect of PVC molecular weight and g-ABS composition on the compatibility and Izod impact strength of the blends were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed a single glass transition temperature (T_g) for all the blends, representative of miscibility between the PVC phase and the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) phase of g-ABS which, in turn, led to compatibility of the PVC/g-ABS blends. It was observed that in all the PVC grades the blends Izod impact strength increased with increasing g-ABS content. Also, at a given composition of g-ABS, by increasing the molecular weight of the PVC phase the impact strength of the blends increased. The morphology of the fracture surfaces from the impact tests were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs and the results showed that with increasing g-ABS content in the blend, cloudy regions increased and eventually begin to overlap each other, and the deformed material on the fracture surfaces increased. This was attributed to the blend compatibility causing greater energy dissipation in the fracture process.     

Study on Impact Property and Fracture Morphology of Injection-molded Optical-grade Polycarbonate

The low-velocity, low-energy impact response of optical-grade polycarbonate (PC) was characterized by the Izod impact testing at ambient temperature. The following factors affecting impact response were investigated: mold temperatures (80, 90, 100, 110, and 120°C) and annealing treatment (120°C for 12 h). The results showed that the annealing treatment remarkably reduced the impact strength. The maximum impact strength was obtained when the mold temperature was 100°C for both unannealed samples and annealed ones. Moreover, the annealing treatment changed the failure mode of specimens from ductile failure to brittle failure, which was confirmed by fracture morphology analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ductile failure was attributed to shearing behavior, and the fracture surfaces were rough and irregular with many river-shaped striations. The brittle fracture was caused by a craze failure mechanism. The brittle fracture sections could be divided into three regions: fracture origin, mist region, and end-wall banded region.     

Dynamic fracture behavior of syntactic epoxy foams: optical measurements using coherent gradient sensing

Dynamic fracture behavior of syntactic foams made of thin-walled microballoons dispersed in epoxy matrix is studied. Monotonically decreasing dynamic Young's modulus with increasing volume fraction of microballoons is observed using ultrasonic pulse-echo and density measurements. The results are also in good agreement with the Hashin–Shtrikman lower-bound predictions for elastic porous solids. Dynamic crack initiation toughness and crack growth behaviors are examined using instrumented drop-tower tests and optical measurements. Crack initiation toughness shows a linear relationship with Young's modulus over the entire range of volume fraction of microballoons studied. A proposed model based on simple extension of micromechanics prediction agrees well with the measurements. The optical method of coherent gradient sensing (CGS) has been used along with high-speed photography to record crack tip deformation histories in syntactic foam samples subjected to impact loading. Pre- and post-crack initiation events have been successfully captured and apparent dynamic stress intensity factor histories are extracted from the interferograms. Results suggest increasing crack speeds with volume fraction of microballoons. No significant dependence of dynamic fracture toughness on crack speed in any of the volume fractions is observed.     

铍青铜柱壳膨胀断裂研究

 利用高速摄影和金相分析研究了不同热处理状态的铍青铜（QBe2）柱壳在爆轰加载下的膨胀断裂特性。研究表明：材料的细观组织决定材料的静态力学性能与动态断裂性能。当同种材料的组织结构有较大差异时,材料的静态力学性能及动态断裂性能均会有较大改变;当材料的基体组织没有明显变化、只是基体中强化相的多少发生改变时,材料的静态力学性能会有较大差异,而材料的动态断裂性能将没有明显变化,原因在于造成静态力学性能差异的强化相在爆轰加载下的性能趋于一致。     

Singularity of Crushing Behavior of Single Particles near Their Natural Period

Within grinding machines the load acting on the particles and the loading rate are widely distributed. According to studies on the breakage mechanism of brittle materials, the mechanical properties which relate to breakage vary with the loading rate. In order to elucidate the grinding mechanism within the grinding machines, it is necessary to obtain the relationships between these properties and loading rate. In this study, the variation of strength, fracture energy, new surface area produced by fracture and fracture energy with the loading rate (ranging from 10^?1 to 10⁹ N/s) was investigated by means of compression tests on a large number of spherical specimens. As a result, a singularity of crushing behavior was observed under an impact loading corresponding to a duration of time of loading the same as the natural period of the spherical specimen. The crushing efficiency is especially at its maximum.     

Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Polylactide Composites with Acrylic Impact Modifier

Polylactide (PLA) composites with acrylic impact modifier BPM, i.e., PLA/BPM composites, were produced by the melt blending method. The effects of BPM on the thermal properties, melting behaviors, and dynamic mechanical properties of the PLA/BPMs were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. Tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of the injection molded specimens were measured by an Instron tensile machine. The influence of BPM on the impact strength of injection molded PLA/BPM composites was examined using an impact tester. The morphology of cryofractured surfaces and fracture surfaces of the composites after the tensile and impact testing was also investigated using scanning electron microscope. The test results show that the composites with BPM possess better flexibility when compared with neat PLA. However, the notched Izod impact strength showed improvement only when the BPM content was higher than 15 wt%.     

An experimental investigation of dynamic crack propagation in a brittle material reinforced with a ductile layer

The fracture behavior of a dynamically loaded edge crack in a brittle-ductile layered material, as a function of applied loading rate, was experimentally investigated. Layered specimens were prepared by sandwiching a thin layer of ductile aluminum between two thick layers of brittle Homalite-100. The layers were bonded using Loctite Depend 330 adhesive, and a naturally sharp edge crack was introduced in one of the Homalite-100 layers. These single-edge notched specimens were loaded in dynamic three-point bending using a modified Hopkinson bar. The fracture process was imaged in real time using dynamic photoelasticity in conjunction with digital high-speed photography, and the applied load and load-point displacement histories were determined from the strain signals recorded at two locations on the Hopkinson bar. The results of this study indicated two distinct mechanisms of dynamic failure, depending on the applied loading rate. At lower loading rates, the starter crack arrested on reaching the aluminum layer and then caused delamination along the aluminum–Homalite interface. On the contrary, as the loading rate was increased, interfacial delamination was followed by crack re-initiation in the Homalite layer opposite to the initial starter crack. It was determined that the times required for crack initiation, delamination and crack re-initiation decreased as the loading rate was increased. However, it was also observed that the applied load values associated with each event increased with increasing loading rate. These observations indicate that both the dynamic failure process and plausibly the failure mode transition are affected by the rate-dependent properties of Homalite, aluminum and the interfacial bond. Finally, based on the measured peak loads and the observed failure mechanisms it was concluded that the incorporation of a thin ductile reinforcement layer can increase both the overall fracture toughness and strength of a nominally brittle material.     

Nonlinear inversion of ultrasonic guided waves for in vivo evaluation of cortical bone properties

Ultrasonic guided waves (UGWs), which propagate throughout the entire thickness of cortical bone, are attractive for the early diagnosis of osteoporosis. However, this is challenging due to the impact of soft tissue and the inherent difficulties related to multiparametric inversion of cortical bone quality factors, such as cortical thickness and bulk wave velocity. Therefore, in this research, a UGW-based multi-parameter inversion algorithm is developed to predict strength-related factors. In simulation, a free plate (cortical bone) and a bilayer plate (soft tissue and cortical bone) are used to validate the proposed method. The inversed cortical thickness (CTh), longitudinal velocity (V_L) and transverse velocity (V_T) are in accordance with the true values. Then four bovine cortical bone plates were used in in vitro experiments. Compared with the reference values, the relative errors for cortical thickness were 3.96%, 0.83%, 2.87%, and 4.25%, respectively. In the in vivo measurements, UGWs are collected from the tibias of 10 volunteers. The theoretical dispersion curves depicted by the estimated parameters (V_T, V_L, CTh) match well with the extracted experimental ones. In comparison with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, our results show that the estimated transverse velocity and cortical thickness are highly sensitive to osteoporosis. Therefore, these two parameters (CTh and V_T) of long bones have potential to be used for diagnosis of bone status in clinical applications.     

Measuring the critical energy release rate in mode II of tough,structural adhesive joints using the tapered end-notched flexure (TENF) test

This paper shows and discusses results of the Tapered End-Notched Flexure (TENF) test, investigating the fracture behaviour of high-strength structural adhesive joints under shear loading. The TENF test has been previously applied to brittle joints by different authors and has been re-designed to be applicable to ductile adhesives in the presented work. Furthermore, the tests are performed at two velocities, a quasi-static and a dynamic one, to investigate rate effects on the fracture behaviour of the joint. All experimental work has been performed using the structural adhesive DOW Betamate 1496V.     

Coded excitation of ultrasonic guided waves in long bone fracture assessment

Ultrasonic guided wave (GW) assessment of long bone fracture have conventionally been based on pulse excitation. However, the high attenuation during propagation diminishes the amplitude of received GWs and results in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The Barker code (BC) excitation and the optimal binary code (OBC) excitation were utilized in this study to overcome this limitation. Both simulations and in vitro experiments were performed on the fractured cortical bone plate model, and measured signals from both the BC and OBC excitations were decoded using the finite impulse response least squares inverse filter (FIR-LSIF) and then compared with sine pulse (SP) excited signals. The results suggest the efficiency of coded excitation for amplitude and SNR improvement. Furthermore, time–frequency representation (TFR) analysis was applied to experimental signals; with increasing fracture depth, energy transformation between predominate GW modes A1 and S2 was confirmed. These results show the potential of using BC and OBC excitations to evaluate the depth of long bone fracture.     

某PBX炸药的动态力学性能研究

 PBX炸药作为现代武器的主装药,它的力学行为决定着武器的生存能力。为了研究PBX炸药的动态力学特性,采用分离式霍普金森压杆（Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar,SHPB）作为加载手段,结合半导体应变片测试技术和压电晶体监测技术,保证了实验数据的有效性。利用SHPB加载波整形技术,实现了材料两端应力平衡和常应变率加载,得到了不同应变率（90~410 s^-1）下材料的应力-应变曲线。根据材料的模量、破坏强度和破坏应变随应变率的变化规律,采用粘性修正的Sargin模型,得到了该PBX炸药在单轴压缩下的唯象本构模型,模拟结果与实验曲线符合较好。     

Structure of magnetic noise in dynamic fracture

We present an experimental study of magnetic emission spectra recorded during impact fracture of steel. Novel features of dynamic fracture are revealed, i.e., the distribution of the voltage signals of the spectra; furthermore, the areas and energies of voltage peaks exhibit a power law behavior. The value of the exponents of the distributions proved to be characteristic for the failure mode: ductile failure gives rise to exponents significantly higher than brittle failure. The results imply that magnetic crackling noise accompanying impact fracture has a scale invariant structure which reveals new aspects of the dynamics of the fracture process.     

Blow-up Modes in Fracture of Rock Samples and Earth’s Crust Elements

It is well known that the final stage of macroscopic fracture develops as a catastrophe in a superfast blow-up mode. However, the specific features of this stage are well studied only on large scales of earthquakes. Of particular interest for fracture prediction are both the stage of superfast catastrophic fracture and the mechanical behavior of the medium in the state of self-organized criticality prior to transition of fracture to the blow-up mode in order to reveal precursors of fracture transition to the catastrophic stage. This paper studies experimentally and theoretically the mechanical behavior of the medium prior to the catastrophic stage and transition to the blow-up mode. Rock samples (marble and artificial marble) were tested in three-point bending and uniaxial compression tests. The lateral surface velocities of loaded samples were recorded using a laser Doppler vibrometer. The recording frequency in measurements was 48 kHz, and the determination accuracy of the velocity amplitude was 0.1 μm/s. The estimated duration of the blow-up fracture stage is 10–20 ms. The mechanical behavior of samples in the experimental conditions, including the catastrophic fracture stage, is simulated numerically. The damage accumulation model parameters are determined from a comparison with the experimental data. Certain features of the mechanical response prior to catastrophic fracture are revealed which can be interpreted as fracture precursors.     

Experimental and simulated studies on the plastic mechanical characteristics of osteoporotic vertebral trabecular bone

Osteoporotic vertebral fractures present a major health care burden worldwide, thereby prompting vigorous investigation of the mechanical properties of vertebral bone. Because most vertebral fractures occur gradually and asymptomatically, they are thought to result from loading in daily activities rather than traumatic events. Hence, with respect to stress resistance, the elastic properties of osteoporotic vertebral trabecular bone have generated many studies. A large part of this data describes the linear elastic properties of the bone, with relatively less focus on the plastic mechanical characteristics which may be closely associated with load-induced fracture. We performed experimental and simulated studies of the plastic mechanical characteristics of osteoporotic trabecular bone using non-destructive technologies, rapid-prototyping (RP), and finite element (FE) analysis to build models based on high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) data. Two-dimensional geometries for RP and FE models were derived from micro-CT scans of specimens from the central part of the lumbar vertebrae of aged female donors. A cubic specimen (6.5 mm) and a cylindrical specimen (7 mm in diameter and 5 mm long) were generated for the RP and FE models and analysed in place of real bone specimens. We performed simulated compression tests with the FE models to indirectly validate results of the experimental compression tests. To a remarkable degree, results obtained from experimental and simulated compression tests with the RP and FE models concurred. The results of this study support the use of RP technology and FE analysis in the non-destructive evaluation of the plastic mechanical characteristics of osteoporotic bone.     

Ultrasonic non-destructive measurements of cortical bone thickness in human cadaver femur

The knowledge of the cortical bone thickness profile in human bone has a two-fold clinical significance: to study the stress occurring in a loaded bone structure to optimize the design of prostheses; and to predict the onset of advanced bone disease such as osteoporosis. In this study, the cortical bone thickness in three embalmed human cadaver femora were measured non-destructively using an ultrasonic technique. These thickness measurements were also made using a computed tomographic (CT) scanning method. Subsequently bones were sectioned and the actual bone thicknesses in the same regions were measured using a micrometer. The correlation coefficient between the actual thickness and the ultrasonically measured thickness was 0.95 and with the CT was 0.62. Thus, these results show that, under present experimental conditions, ultrasonic thickness measurements compare well with the micrometer actual thickness results. This technique, when fully developed, can be used as a non-destructive tool for quantitative cortical bone thickness measurements. Moreover, the ultrasonic technique does not use ionizing radiation.     

超声导波评价长骨骨折的仿体实验研究

定量超声评价长骨骨折已成为近年来的研究热点之一,超声导波模式转换理论可被应用于长骨骨折状况的评价。采用三维时域有限差分法分析骨折长骨中导波模式转换的基本规律,提取模式转换定量评价参数;进而结合亚克力管仿体实验,分析不同裂纹程度下导波模式的转换情况。仿真与仿体实验表明,导波模式能量参数与裂纹程度具有很好的相关性,可用于评价长骨骨折状况。     

Rheological and Mechanical Characterization of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/Polypropylene Nanocomposites

The rheology and morphology of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites prepared via melt blending was investigated. The minor phase content of MWNT varied between 0.25 and 8 wt%. From morphological studies using a scanning electron microscopy technique a good dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the PP matrix was observed. The rheological studies were performed by a capillary rheometer, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were studied using a tensile and flexural tester. Both PP and its nanocomposites showed non-Newtonian behavior. At low shear rates the addition of MWNT content causes an increase in viscosity; however, viscosity is less sensitive to addition of MWNT content at higher shear rates. Flow activation energy for the nanocomposites was calculated using an Arrhenius type equation. From this calculation it was concluded that the temperature sensitivity of nanocomposites was increased by increasing of nanotube content. An increase in tensile and flexural moduli and Izod impact strength was also observed by increasing the MWNT content. From rheological and mechanical tests it was concluded that the mechanical and rheological percolation threshold is at 1.5 wt%.     

Soda lime玻璃材料中失效波形成和传播研究

 为了研究冲击载荷作用下Soda lime玻璃材料中失效波的形成和传播,通过轻气炮加载平板撞击实验,采用双螺旋锰铜压阻传感器,在一发实验中同时测量4种不同厚度试件背面与有机玻璃背板间界面处的纵向应力时程曲线,根据测量结果得到试件中失效波的传播轨迹。通过改变碰撞速度,对不同加载条件下的失效波形成和传播规律进行了研究,结果表明,Soda lime玻璃材料在冲击作用下产生失效波所需的延迟时间随冲击载荷的增加而减小,失效波传播速度随冲击载荷的增加而增加。最后采用弹性微裂纹统计模型描述冲击载荷作用下Soda lime玻璃的破坏机制,并将模型嵌入LS-DYNA有限元程序中,模拟试件在不同加载条件下的平板碰撞,所得横向应力和自由面粒子速度曲线均可用于表征失效波破坏现象。根据数值模拟结果分析失效波的传播轨迹,与实验测量结果符合较好。     

Dynamic cracking resistance of structural materials predicted from impact fracture of an aircraft alloy

A new approach to studying the dynamic strength properties of structural materials is demonstrated with fracture of 2024-T3 aircraft aluminum alloy. The central idea of this approach is the incubation time to failure. In [1], experimental data for dynamic fracture of this alloy were analyzed in terms of the classical fracture criterion, which is based on the principle of maximum critical stress intensity factor [2]. In [1], the dependence of the stress intensity factor limiting value (the dynamic fracture toughness K_Id, which was assumed to be a functional characteristic of the material) on the loading rate was also measured. The same experimental data were analyzed in terms of an alternative structure-time approach [3]. In this approach, the dynamic fracture toughness K_Id is considered as an estimable characteristic of the problem, so that determination of limiting loads does not require a priori knowledge of the loading-rate dependence of the dynamic fracture toughness. The incubation time to failure of the aircraft aluminum alloy is calculated. The difference in the loading-rate dependences of the dynamic fracture toughness, which is observed for various structural materials, is explained. The dynamic fracture toughness of the alloy under pulsed threshold loads is calculated.     

锥头弹丸穿透薄钢板的实验研究

 为了研究延性薄靶的穿透性能,进行了90°锥头弹丸穿透薄钢板的准静态和动态实验。通过准静态实验,得到了4种不同厚度钢板的载荷-压入位移曲线及破坏模式;结合膜力理论模型及纯弯静塑性破坏模型,对实验结果进行了分析,得出：对于薄靶,大变形膜力起主导作用,随着靶厚增加,弯距在板整体变形过程中的影响逐渐增大。通过动态穿透实验,得到了弹丸穿透4种不同厚度钢板的入射速度、残余速度及靶板破坏模式,计算得到穿透耗能。最后,将准静态实验与动态实验结果进行了对比讨论。