A consistent second-order plate theory for monotropic material

Mathematical homogenization (or averaging) of composite materials, such as fibre laminates, often leads to non-isotropic homogenized (averaged) materials. Especially the upcoming importance of these materials increases the need for accurate mechanical models of non-isotropic shell-like structures. We present a second-order (or: Reissner-type) theory for the elastic deformation of a plate with constant thickness for a homogeneous monotropic material. It is equivalent to Kirchhoff's plate theory as a first-order theory for the special case of isotropy and, furthermore, shear-deformable and equivalent to R. Kienzler's theory as a second-order theory for isotropy, which implies further equivalences to established shear-deformable theories, especially the Reissner-Mindlin theory and Zhilin's plate theory. Details of the derivation of the theory will be published in a forthcoming paper [3]. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Layer-wise theory and finite elements for laminated poroelastic shells

In order to consider growing expectations on vibro-acoustic performance of products within the design process, reliable simulation tools are necessary. In this paper, we present a approach for the simulation of laminated shells composed of elastic and poroelastic layers. We assume that the shell is given by a parametrization, which allows us to work witn the exact geometry. The three-dimensional problem is reduced to a two-dimensional one, by choosing a set of through-the-thickness functions for each quantity and through-the-thickness integration. The implemented high order finite element approach for the reduced problem on the reference surface relays on hierarchical shape functions. In a numerical example, we show the influence of poroelastic materials attached to a aluminium shell. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Conservation laws for a consistent plate theory

Within the framework of a consistent second-order plate theory, three material conservation laws are established, which are useful to describe the energy-release rates and the material forces connected with the change of configuration of inhomogeneities or defects within the plate. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A consistent counterexample in the theory of collectionwise Hausdorff spaces

It is shown to be consistent that there is a normal first countable locally countable space which is not collectionwise Hausdorff and in which there is a closed discrete non-G _δ set which provides the counterexample to collectionwise Hausdorffness. This answers a question of P. Nyikos. Publication 349, partially supported by the BSF.     

A simple four-unknown refined theory for bending analysis of functionally graded plates

In the present paper, a refined trigonometric higher-order plate theory is simply derived, which satisfies the free surface conditions. Moreover, the number of unknowns of this theory is the least one comparing with other shear theories. The effects of transverse shear strains as well as the transverse normal strain are taken into account. The number of unknown functions involved in the present theory is only four as against six or more in case of other shear and normal deformation theories. The bending response of FG rectangular plates is presented. A comparison with the corresponding results is made to check the accuracy and efficiency of the present theory. Additional results for all displacements and stresses are investigated through-the-thickness of the FG rectangular plate.     

A theory of dislocations and disclinations in elastic plates

The problem of the stress state of a thin elastic plate, containing dislocations and disclinations, is considered using Kirchhoff's theory. The problem of the equilibrium of a multiply connected plate with Volterra dislocations with specified characteristics is formulated. The problem of the flexure of an annular slab resulting from a screw dislocation and a twisting disclination is solved. The solutions of problems of concentrated (isolated) dislocations and disclinations in an unbounded plate as well as the dipoles of dislocations and disinclinations are found. It is shown that a screw dislocation in a thin plate is equivalent to the superposition of two orthogonal dipoles of torsional disclinations. By taking the limit from a discrete set of defects to their continuous distribution, a theory of thin plates with distributed dislocations and disclinations is constructed. Solutions of problems of the flexure of circular and elliptic plates with continuously distributed disclinations are obtained. An analogy is established between the problem of the flexure of a plate with defects and the plane problem of the theory of elasticity with mass forces, and also between a plane problem with dislocations and disclinations and the problem of the flexure of a plate with specified distributed loads.     

Second-approximation shear theory for shallow layered shells and plates

Analysis of a second-approximation refined shear model for shallow layered composite shells and plates with a substantially inhomogeneous structure over the thickness is presented. The tangential displacements and corresponding normal stresses are expressed in the form of a polynomial of the fith degree in the transverse coordinate and contain squared rigidity characteristics. In this way, the accuracy of results and practical coincidence with the 3D solutions is ensured. Based on the refined model, a theory of shallow layered shells is developed. A system of resolving equations of sixteenth power together with appropriate boundary conditions was obtained and solved analytically. It is shown that the area of application of the formed model is extended as compared with the model of the first approximation. The model proposed allows us to examine the stress-strain state of layered composite structures of substantially different thickness and physical-mechanical characteristics of the layers, including the possibility of simulating relatively large shear deformations of rigid layers separated by a low-modulus thin interlayer pliable to transverse shear.Presented at the 10th International Conference on the Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, April 20–23, 1998).Ukrainian Transport University, Kiev, Ukraine. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 363–370, May–June, 1998.     

On generalizations of the theory of consistent orderings for successive over-relaxation methods

Summary A definition of consistent ordering for a matrix is generalized to include the scope of more recent definitions. The facility with which this generalized definition can be applied is exhibited.     

Generalized shear deformation theory for bending analysis of functionally graded plates

In this study, the static response is presented for a simply supported functionally graded rectangular plate subjected to a transverse uniform load. The generalized shear deformation theory obtained by the author in other recent papers is used. This theory is simplified by enforcing traction-free boundary conditions at the plate faces. No transversal shear correction factors are needed because a correct representation of the transversal shearing strain is given. Material properties of the plate are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The equilibrium equations of a functionally graded plate are given based on a generalized shear deformation plate theory. The numerical illustrations concern bending response of functionally graded rectangular plates with two constituent materials. The influences played by transversal shear deformation, plate aspect ratio, side-to-thickness ratio, and volume fraction distributions are studied. The results are verified with the known results in the literature.     

Boundary-value problems of the asymmetric theory of elasticity for thin plates

Boundary-value problems of the three-dimensional asymmetric micropolar, moment theory of elasticity with free rotation are considered for thin plates. It is assumed that the total stress-strain state is the sum of the internal stress-strain state and the boundary layers, which are determined in an approximation using asymptotic analysis. Three different asymptotic forms are constructed for the three-dimensional boundary-value problem posed, depending on the values of dimensionless physical constants of the plate material. The initial approximation for the first asymptotic form leads to a theory of micropolar plates with free rotation, the initial approximation for the second asymptotic form leads to a theory of micropolar plates with constrained rotation, and the initial approximation for the third asymptotic form leads to a theory of micropolar plates with “small shear stiffness.” The corresponding micropolar boundary layers are constructed and studied. The regions of applicability of each of the theories of micropolar plates constructed are indicated.     

Development of size-dependent consistent couple stress theory of Timoshenko beams

In this paper, a linear size-dependent Timoshenko beam model based on the consistent couple stress theory is developed to capture the size effects. The extended Hamilton's principle is utilized to obtain the governing differential equations and boundary conditions. The general form of boundary conditions and the concentrated loading are employed to determine the exact static/dynamic solution of the beam. Utilizing this solution for the beam's deformation and rotation, the exact shape functions of the consistent couple stress theory (C-CST) is extracted, which leads to the stiffness and mass matrices of a two-node C-CST finite element beam. Due to the complexity and high computational cost of using the exact solution's shape functions, in addition to the Ritz approximate solution, a two primary variable finite element model of C-CST is proposed, and the corresponding general deformation and rotation fields, shape functions, mass and stiffness matrices are calculated. The C-CST is validated by comparing the prediction of different beam models for a benchmark problem. For the fully and partially clamped cantilever, and free-free beams, the size dependency of the formulations is investigated. The static solutions of the classical and consistent couple stress Timoshenko beam models are compared, and a criterion for selecting the proper model is proposed. For a wide range of material properties, the relation between the beam length and length scale parameter is derived. It is shown that the validity domain of the consistent couple stress Timoshenko model barely depends on the beam's constituent material.     

Algebraic preconditioning for Biot-Barenblatt poroelastic systems

Poroelastic systems describe fluid flow through porous medium coupled with deformation of the porous matrix. In this paper, the deformation is described by linear elasticity, the fluid flow is modelled as Darcy flow. The main focus is on the Biot-Barenblatt model with double porosity/double permeability flow, which distinguishes flow in two regions considered as continua. The main goal is in proposing block diagonal preconditionings to systems arising from the discretization of the Biot-Barenblatt model by a mixed finite element method in space and implicit Euler method in time and estimating the condition number for such preconditioning. The investigation of preconditioning includes its dependence on material coefficients and parameters of discretization.     

A thermodynamically consistent constitutive model for fluid mud

In this contribution, an approach towards a thermodynamically consistent constitutive model for fluid mud is presented. Fluid mud exhibits highly non-Newtonian, thixotropic behaviour. It can be classified as a structured fluid. Typically, its viscosity is modeled using Bingham-type rheological models of different complexity [1, 2]. Here, the three-dimensional non-Newtonian constitutive behaviour will be modeled based on a visco-elasto-plastic model. At the current stage, a Drucker-Prager-like yield function has been formulated. Viscosity is assumed to be a function of shear viscosity. First results show the general ability to represent experimental data. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A fast Kaczmarz-Kovarik algorithm for consistent least-squares problems

In some previous papers the author extended two algorithms proposed by Z. Kovarik for approximate orthogonalization of a finite set of linearly independent vectors from a Hilbert space, to the case when the vectors are rows (not necessary linearly independent) of an arbitrary rectangular matrix. In this paper we describe combinations between these two methods and the classical Kaczmarz’s iteration. We prove that, in the case of a consistent least-squares problem, the new algorithms so obtained converge to any of its solutions (depending on the initial approximation). The numerical experiments described in the last section of the paper on a problem obtained after the discretization of a first kind integral equation ilustrate the fast convergence of the new algorithms.     

A consistent diffusion approximation for finite-capacity multiserver queues

A diffusion approximation is developed for general multiserver queues with finite waiting spaces, which are typical models of manufacturing systems as well as computer and communication systems. The model is the standard GI/G/s/s + r queue with s identical servers in parallel, r extra waiting spaces, and the first-come, first-served discipline. The main focus is on the steady-state distribution of the number of customers in the system. The process of the number of customers is approximated by a time-homogeneous diffusion process on a closed interval in the nonnegative real line. A conservation law plus some heuristics standing on solid theoretical ground generate approximation formulas for the steady-state distribution and other congestion measures. These formulas are consistent with the exact results for the M/G/s/s and M/M/s/s + r queues. The accuracy of approximations for principal congestion measures are numerically examined for some particular cases.     

Buckling of laminated plates - A simple finite element based on higher-order theory

A four-noded rectangular element with seven degrees of freedom at each node is developed for buckling analysis of laminated plate structures having any number of layers with a constant thickness of individual layers. The displacement model is so chosen that it can explain adequately the parabolic distribution of transverse shear stresses and the non-linearity of in-plane displacements across the thickness. A geometrical stiffness matrix is developed using in-plane stresses. A wide range of plates from thick to thin are examined under uniaxial loading conditions. The results are compared with the existing analytical and numerical solutions. The present formulations confirm its applicability for buckling analysis of a wide range of plates.