Modelling of localization and propagation of phase transformation in superelastic SMA by a gradient nonlocal approach

In this work, a nonlocal phenomenological behavior model is proposed in order to describe the localization and propagation of stress-induced martensite transformation in shape memory alloy (SMA) wires and thin films. It is a nonlocal extension of an existing local model that was derived from a micromechanical-inspired Gibbs free energy expression. The proposed model uses, besides the local field of the internal variable, namely the martensite volume fraction, a nonlocal counterpart. This latter acts as an additional degree of freedom, which is determined by solving an additional partial differential equation (PDE), derived so as to be equivalent to the integral definition of a nonlocal quantity. This PDE involves an internal length parameter, dictating the global scale at which the nonlocal interactions of the underlying micromechanisms are manifested during phase transformation. Moreover, to account for the unstable softening behavior, the transformation yield force parameter is considered as a gradually decreasing function of the martensite fraction. Possible material and geometric imperfections that are responsible for localization initiation are also considered in this analysis. The obtained constitutive equations are implemented in the Abaqus® finite element code in one and two dimensions. This requires the development of specific finite elements having the nonlocal volume fraction variable as an additional degree of freedom. This implementation is achieved through the UEL user’s subroutine. The effect of martensitic localization on the superelastic global behavior of SMA wire and holed thin plate, subjected to tension loading, is analyzed. Numerical results show that the developed tool correctly captures the commonly observed unstable superelastic behavior characterized by nucleation and propagation of martensitic phase. In particular, they show the influence of the internal length parameter, appearing in the nonlocal model, on the size of the localization area and the stress nucleation peak.     

Check on a nonlocal Maxwellian theory of sound propagation in fluid-saturated rigid-framed porous media

A macroscopic nonlocal theory of sound propagation in homogeneous rigid-framed porous media permeated with a viscothermal fluid has been recently proposed in this journal. It accounts for the first time for the full temporal and spatial dispersion effects, independently of the nature of the microgeometry. In this paper this new Maxwellian theory is validated in the case of sound propagation in cylindrical circular tubes, by showing that it matches exactly the long-known direct Kirchhoff–Langevin’s solutions.     

On the behaviour of one-dimensional waves in thermo-viscoelastic fluids

Summary We investigate the behaviour of one-dimensional acceleration waves propagating into a thermo-viscoelastic fluid through a model characterized by constitutive equations with both thermal and viscous relaxation times. The differential equation governing the amplitude of thermomechanical longitudinal waves is shown to be a Bernoulli equation. Waves entering a region at rest in thermal equilibrium are precisely discussed: our results confirm that longitudinal waves are not exceptional. Finally, attention is confined to purely mechanical transverse waves: it is proved that the amplitude of such waves satisfies a linear equation, hence transverse waves propagating into a region at equilibrium are exceptional.

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Sommario Si analizza il comportamento delle onde di accelerazione unidimensionali che si propagano in un fluido termo-viscoelastico caratterizzato da equazioni costitutive con tempi di rilassamento sia termico che viscoso. Si dimostra che l'ampiezza delle onde longitudinali termomeccaniche soddisfa un'equazione differenziale del tipo di Bernoulli. Si esaminano più in dettaglio le onde che entrano in regioni in equilibrio, termico e meccanico: i risultati ottenuti confermano che le onde longitudinali ammesse dalla teoria non sono eccezionali. Infine, si concentra l'attenzione sulle onde trasversali puramente meccaniche: si prova che l'ampiezza di tali onde soddisfa un'equazione lineare, quindi le onde trasversali propagantisi in regioni in equilibrio sono eccezionali.

     

On a 2D hydro-mechanical lattice approach for modelling hydraulic fracture

A 2D lattice approach to describe hydraulic fracturing is presented. The interaction of fluid pressure and mechanical response is described by Biot's theory. The lattice model is applied to the analysis of a thick-walled cylinder, for which an analytical solution for the elastic response is derived. The numerical results obtained with the lattice model agree well with the analytical solution. Furthermore, the coupled lattice approach is applied to the fracture analysis of the thick-walled cylinder. It is shown that the proposed lattice approach provides results that are independent of the mesh size. Moreover, a strong geometrical size effect on nominal strength is observed which lies between analytically derived lower and upper bounds. This size effect decreases with increasing Biot's coefficient.     

Crack propagation simulation in brittle elastic materials by a phase field method

To overcome the difficulties of re-meshing and tracking the crack-tip in other computational methods for crack propagation simulations, the phase field method based on the minimum energy principle is introduced by defining a continuous phase field variable(x)∈[0,1] to characterize discontinuous cracks in brittle materials. This method can well describe the crack initiation and propagation without assuming the shape, size and orientation of the initial crack in advance. In this paper, a phase field method based on Miehe's approach [Miehe et al., Comp. Meth. App.Mech. Eng.(2010)] is applied to simulate different crack propagation problems in twodimensional(2 D), isotropic and linear elastic materials. The numerical implementation of the phase field method is realized within the framework of the finite element method(FEM). The validity, accuracy and efficiency of the present method are verified by comparing the numerical results with other reference results in literature. Several numerical examples are presented to show the effects of the loading type(tension and shear), boundary conditions, and initial crack location and orientation on the crack propagation path and force-displacement curve. Furthermore, for a single edge-cracked bi-material specimen, the influences of the loading type and the crack location on the crack propagation trajectory and force-displacement curve are also investigated and discussed. It is demonstrated that the phase field method is an efficient tool for the numerical simulation of the crack propagation problems in brittle elastic materials, and the corresponding results may have an important relevance for predicting and preventing possible crack propagations in engineering applications.     

Unsteady Motion of a Maxwellian Fluid Droplet in a Maxwellian Medium under the Action of Monotonic and Periodic Forces

Unsteady motion of a Maxwellian fluid droplet, which arises in a quiescent Maxwellian medium under the action of monotonic and periodic forces, is considered. In the initial period of time smaller than the relaxation time, the droplet is affected by elastic forces on the part of the fluid; moreover, the droplet itself is a viscoelastic material. A solution of the problem in the first approximation is found. The dependence of the amplitude of droplet velocity and the shift of the phase of oscillations on the relaxation time of the external and internal media and also on the frequency of oscillations of the driving force is analyzed. The passage to the limit in terms of density and viscosity of the internal medium is performed.__________Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 55–65, July–August, 2005.     

Quasistatic propagation of steps along a phase boundary

We study quasistatic propagation of steps along a phase boundary in a two-dimensional lattice model of martensitic phase transitions. For analytical simplicity, the formulation is restricted to antiplane shear deformation of a cubic lattice with bi-stable interactions along one component of shear strain and harmonic interactions along the other. Energy landscapes connecting equilibrium configurations with periodic and non-periodic arrangements of steps are constructed, and the energy barriers separating metastable states are calculated. We show that a sequential one-by-one step propagation along a phase boundary requires smaller energy barriers than simultaneous motion of several steps.      

Deformation and failure in nanomaterials via a data driven modelling approach

A data driven computational model that accounts for more than two material states has been presented in this work. Presented model can account for multiple state variables, such as stresses,strains, strain rates and failure stress, as compared to previously reported models with two states.Model is used to perform deformation and failure simulations of carbon nanotubes and carbon nanotube/epoxy nanocomposites. The model capability of capturing the strain rate dependent deformation and failure has been demonstrated through predictions against uniaxial test data taken from literature. The predicted results show a good agreement between data set taken from literature and simulations.     

Nucleation and phase propagation in a multistable lattice with weak nonlocal interactions

We study the overdamped gradient flow dynamics of a chain of massless points connected by bistable nearest-neighbor (NN) interactions and harmonic next-nearest-neighbor (NNN) interactions under quasistatic loads of assigned displacements. The model reproduces experimental observations on the phase transition of shape-memory wires with the possibility of different microstructure evolution strategies: internal or boundary nucleations and one or two coherently propagating phase fronts. The presence or absence of a stress peak is also obtained by considering nonlocal interaction effects with the loading device. Similar results are also obtained under the hypothesis of global energy minimization. The system also retains the described properties in the continuum limit. Some rate effects are numerically analyzed.      

A modified fractional-order thermo-viscoelastic model and its application to a polymer micro-rod heated by a moving heat source

Classical thermo-viscoelastic models may be challenged to predict the precise thermo-mechanical behavior of viscoelastic materials without considering the memorydependent effect. Meanwhile, with the miniaturization of devices, the size-dependent effect on elastic deformation is becoming more and more important. To capture the memory-dependent effect and the size-dependent effect, the present study aims at developing a modified fractional-order thermo-viscoelastic coupling model at the microscale...     

Ageing of polymer bonds: a coupled chemomechanical modelling approach

With the increasing number of requirements on joinings, it gets more and more important to understand and predict an assemblies properties. Nowadays, in industrial applications, combinations of different materials get more common. In most of those cases, it is, besides other advantages, useful to connect such parts with adhesives to avoid local cells. Thus, the knowledge about the mechanical behaviour of adhesives over the whole time of utilisation is an essential element of engineering. As it is well known, ageing due to environmental influences such as oxygen, radiation, ozone and others plays a major role in polymers properties. So, for the prediction of applicability over the whole lifetime of a technical component, the change in mechanical properties due to ageing is necessary. In this contribution, we introduce a material model which takes into account the internal structure of an adhesive. Therefore, an interphase zone is introduced. In the interphase, which is developed due to the contact of an adhesive with an adherent, the materials properties change continuously from the surface to the centre of the joint, where the polymer is in a bulky state. Built up on this geometry dependency, the materials ageing as a function of the position is described. To model the change of the polymers state, we use a parameter representing chain scission processes and another one for the reformation of a new network. In a last step, the model is transferred into a finite element code for exemplary calculations.     

On investigation of particle dispersion by a POD approach

The aim of this communication is to show the ability of POD to compute the instantaneous flow velocity when applying the Lagrangian technique to predict particle dispersion. The instantaneous flow velocity at the particle's location is obtained by solving a low-order dynamical model, deduced by a Galerkin projection of the Navier-Stokes equations onto each POD eigenfunction and it is coupled with the particle's equation of motion. This technique is applied to particle dispersion in a three-dimensional lid driven cavity. It yields a substantial decrease in computing time in comparison with LES computation and it enables treating different cases of particle dispersion Published in Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 133–142, January 2008.