Thermal/mechanical damage of 6061-T6 aluminum tensile specimen

As a 6061-T6 aluminum coupon specimen is stretched, energy is being converted from mechanical work to heat. This irreversible process of material damage is detected experimentally by measuring the change in surface temperature. Contrary to the ordinary notion that the material would heat up when loaded, it actually cools before returning to the ambient condition. The recovery time was approximately 26 sec for a displacement rate of 8.467·10⁻⁵ m/sec and 200 sec when the displacement rate is reduced by one of magnitude. Cooling and heating is a rate dependent process. Three sets of temperature data were obtained for each of the displacement rates and they coincide with those prediced from the energy density theory that accounts for the nonhomogeneous dissipation of energy at every location in the specimen.Unlike any classical theories in mechanics, the energy density theory determines the stress and strain response of each element in the specimen only from a knowledge of the initial material stiffness and the displacement time rate. This is necessary because the local strain rates for elements near the center and edge of the specimen can differ by a wide margin. The so-called uniaxial stress and strain curve is then obtained by taking the average of all the elements. The results agreed extremely well with those measured experimentally for the 6061-T6 aluminum. Obtained analytically are also the thermal conductivity coefficients that are loading rate dependent and anisotropic in character due to stretching in the longitudinal direction. Their values tend to stabilize beyond the cooling/heating period.     

Irreversibility and damage of SAFC-40R steel specimen in uniaxial tension

Macroscopic material damage is detected and assessed for the SAFC-40R steel specimen in uniaxial tension even when the stress responded linearly with strain. As the loading increased monotonically at a rate of 0.2 cm/min, the specimen first absorbed heat from the surrounding and then released heat when the strain is almost five times beyond the so-called “elastic limit”. In other words, the specimen undergoes cooling and heating with reference to the ambient temperature. This phenomenon is predicted theoretically for the first time by application of the energy density theory and the results agreed well with experimental data. Obtained is the H-function that possesses a distinct threshold at time between 21 and 22 seconds after loading. This transition is defined as the onset of disorder at which point the energy dissipation density D increases suddenly by one order of magnitude. The corresponding uniaxial stress and strain are 194.4 MPa and 0.9764·10⁻³ cm/cm, respectively. These values are lower than those normally referred to at the yield point.     

Residual fracture energy of cement paste, mortar and concrete subject to high temperature

Quantifying high temperature damage is an issue that can hardly be dealt with experimentally because of the complexity of the loading control, of temperature and of moisture. The experimental investigation was carried out. The measurement of the mechanical characteristics (fracture energy, tensile strength, elastic modulus and thermal damage parameter) of five cementitious materials, cement paste, mortar, ordinary concrete and two HPC concretes were performed by three-point bending tests after heating/cooling cycles at 120, 250 and 400 °C. The tests showed that the cementitious materials behave almost identical when the fracture energy G_f is considered as a function of maximum temperature. The thermal damage due to heating from 120 to 400 °C increases the fracture energy by 50% with the reference tests at room temperature. A more tortuous crack surface is one reasonable explanation for the significant increase in G_f. It is demonstrated that the temperature exposure makes all cementitious materials tested significantly more ductile and less resistant.     

Effects of deformed volume, volume fraction and particle size on the deformation behaviour of W/Cu composites

Tungsten/copper (W/Cu) particle reinforced composites were used to investigate the scaling effects on the deformation and fracture behaviour. The effects of the volume fraction and the particle size of the reinforcement (tungsten particles) were studied. W/Cu-80/20, 70/30 and 60/40 wt.% each with tungsten particle size of 10 μm and 30 μm were tested under compression and shear loading. Cylindrical compression specimens with different volumes (D_S = H) were investigated with strain rates between 0.001 s⁻¹ and about 5750 s⁻¹ at temperatures from 20 °C to 800 °C. Axis-symmetric hat-shaped shear specimens with different shear zone widths were examined at different strain rates as well. A clear dependence of the flow stress on the deformed volume and the particle size was found under compression and shear loading. Metallographic investigation was carried out to show a relation between the deformation of the tungsten particles and the global deformation of the specimens. The size of the deformed zone under either compression or shear loading has shown a clear size effect on the fracture of the hat-shaped specimens.The quasi-static flow curves were described with the material law from Swift. The parameters of the material law were presented as a function of the temperature and the specimen size. The mechanical behaviour of the composite materials were numerically computed for an idealized axis-symmetric hat-shaped specimen to verify the determined material law.     

Fatigue behavior of E-glass fiber reinforced phenolic composites: effect of temperature, mean stress and fiber surface treatment

Phenolic matrix is reinforced by unidirectional E-glass fibers with volume fractions of 0.30 and 0.45. Three different surface treatments are applied to the E-glass fibers. The composite specimens are tested at ambient condition and temperatures of 100°C 150° and 200°C with stress levels of R(σ_min/σ_max) equal to 0 and 0.4 for load frequencies of 1.5, 10 and 25 Hz. Data are presented in terms of S/N curves and assessed by degradation of modulus based on compliance. For a particular fiber glass surface treatment and volume fraction, the composite specimen is notched and tested at room temperature and 200°C. A fatigue strength reduction factor K_f is defined and obtained such that the results could be compared with those of the unnotched specimens. Notch effect is small if the hole diameter is equal to the specimen thickness; it would be important for larger hole sizes. Fractured surfaces are examined by the scanning electron microscope.     

Failure resistance of intermetallic matrix reinforced by wires

Composite materials with brittle matrices such as ceramics and intermetallic compounds have gained increased importance in application. Ceramics and intermetallic compounds possess unique heat-resistance at high temperatures. They are, however, vulnerable to brittle fracture. This problem can be overcome by reinforcing the intermetallic compounds with wires. NiAl-tungsten composite wire was manufactured by hot diffusion welding of alternate layers of the matrix and wires. These specimens were subjected to a three-point bending in the temperature range from 20° to 1000°C. Temperature dependence of the bending strength exhibited brittle to ductile transition behavior. At room temperature, unstable failure by bending is terminated in a stable fashion. Brittle fracture of the matrix and wire were observed. For text temperatures of 300°, 500° and 700°C, subcritical crack growth occurred where the matrix and wire showed brittle and ductile fracture, respectively. A pronounced necking of the specimen was observed as the temperature is increased. Substantial plastic deformation occurred when the test is performed at 1000°C. The critical stress intensity factor K_1c and specific work of fracture were measured and found to be two to three times larger than the intermetallic compounds without wire reinforcement.     

Strain-field analysis acquired through correlation of X-ray radiographs of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate

The strain fields can be determined on the surface of fiber-reinforced composites by correlation analysis of X-ray radiographs of the specimen. One radiograph is taken of the specimen in an unloaded state and another radiograph of the same specimen is taken in a deformed state. Each radiograph is then imaged by a video camera and digitized using a Matrox digitization board. The displacement map is obtained from the two radiographs by dividing one image into subsets of 20 pixels by 20 pixels and using a correlation algorithm to identify the corresponding subsets in the second image. The correlation is completed between patterns of the grey-level intensities for each subset. The appropriate discrete derivatives can then be evaluated by first difference taken to form the in-plane strains. The X-ray radiographs correlation analysis strain-field method outlined above was applied to a uniaxially loaded [90, 0] _s Gl-Ep coupon. Simultaneously, an extensometer measured the average longitudinal strain over a 2.54-cm (1-in.) gage length. The error between the two methods was less than three percent of the applied strain of 1.3 percent. The same specimen was impacted and re-examined. A radical shift in the strain field was observed when the specimen was reloaded. Further investigation showed the method reliable down to 0.5-percent strain. Paper was presented at the 1986 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in New Orleans, LA on June 8–13.     

Effect of transverse cracks on the effective thermal expansion coefficient of aged angle-ply composites laminates

A modified shear-lag analysis, taking into account the concept of stress perturbation function, is developed and applied to evaluate the effect of transverse cracks on the effective thermal expansion coefficient of aged angle-ply composites laminates. Effects of number of 90° layers and number of θ° layers in the outer angle-ply laminates on the reduction of the effective axial coefficient of thermal expansion have also been studied. The results of this paper represent well the dependence of the reduction of the effective axial coefficient of thermal expansion on the hygrothermal conditions, the fibre orientation angle of the outer layers, the number of cracked cross-ply layers and the number of un-cracked outer θ° layers in laminate.     

Fatigue damage of APC-2 composite assessed from material degradation and non-destructive evaluation data

Quasi-isotropic 45° APC-2 specimens are fatigued under constant amplitude stress reversal load condition. Fatigue induced degradation of the mechanical properties is correlated to data obtained from non-destructive evaluation. C-scan readings were used to define a generic damage severity factor D. It refers to the current fatigue damage state and accounts for the varying severity of damage at the different specimen locations. Analytical expressions are developed to relate D to the axial stiffness, residual strength and interlaminar shear strength. An indication of damage tolerance can thus be made for evaluating the integrity of structural components.     

Prediction of thermally induced fracture from notch and crack front

The strain energy density criterion is applied to predict fracture trajectories emanating from existing notch and crack front in nonisothermal environments. When temperature gradients are raised sufficiently high across a notch or crack, the resulting fracture trajectories are non-self-similar and curved in shape. Influence of mechanical loading is also considered in addition to stresses induced by thermal changes. Increase in the applied mechanical load tends to shift or restore the fracture trajectories toward the plane of notch or crack symmetry. The notch sharpness can be varied by adjusting the ration of the minor to major axes of an elliptical cavity. Narrowing the notch primarily increases the local intensity of the strain energy density function dW/dV that is inversely proportional to the radial distance measured from the focal point of the ellipse. This singular character of dW/dV prevails, in general, for all materials and loadings. Numerical results are obtained and displayed graphically for several examples involving fracture trajectory shapes that are not intuitively obvious.     

Unixial compression testing of M30 and JA2 gun propellants using a statistical design strategy

A statistical factorial design strategy is used to determine the uniaxial compressive mechanical response of two energetic polymers, M30 and JA2 gun propellants, as a function of strain rate,, temperature,T, specimen aspect ratio,l/d, and specimen-end lubrication,L. A model of the mechanical response,y=y(,T,l/d,L) is formed using least-squares minimization of observed behavior with a secondorder polynomial model in the independent variables. It is found that aspect ratio and end-lubrication variables can influence the overall mechanical behavior of these materials, so that their effects must be quantitatively evaluated and screened prior to the development of constitutive models. Model predictions and global root-mean-square, RMS, errors in yield stress and strain, strain-energy density at yield, compressive and failure moduli for these materials compare favorably with historical values obtained from a replicate test design strategy.     

Influence of stress triaxiality and temperature on void growth and ductile/brittle transition behavior of 40 Cr steel

Examined experimentally are the influence of stress triaxiality and temperature on the growth of microvoids and the ductile/brittle transition (DBT) macrobehavior of 40 Cr steel subjected to two different heat treatments. This is accomplished by testing more than 300 smooth and notched specimens over a temperature range of 20°C to −196°C. Changes in the microstructure morphology are examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and identified with fracture data on a surface constructed from the uniaxial strain ε_c at fracture, the stress triaxiality R_σ and the temperature T. While stress triaxiality has a significant influence on the DBT temperature T_c, it does not affect the ratio of the average radius of voids R_o to that of inclusions R_i. The ratio R_o/R_i is found to increase with temperature and remains constant in specimens with different notch radii regardless of the temperature. Empirical relations between T_c and R_σ⁻ and R_o/R_i and T are proposed to better understand how macrofracture parameters are influenced by microstructure entities.     

Enhancement of fracture toughness of steel with defects by warm-prestressing

The technique of warm-prestressing to improve the resistance of structural steel with defects against low temperature fracture has received considerable attention. It is found that warm-prestressing can improve the fracture toughness and change the COD or δ_c, especially the crack tip plastic opening δ_p.The experimental results obtained from three-point bending tests of 42Mn2 steel specimens at −60°C and −20°C are analyzed. Experiments are also made on the bursting of pressure vessels manufactured from #20 steel. The results indicate that warm-prestressing at room temperature increased the bursting pressure at −40°C for d/t = 0.2 to 0.4, where d is the depth of surface crack and t the vessel thickness.     

Canonical ensemble for static elastic structures with random microstructures

A constant-(N,V,T,θ) ensemble is proposed to describe the elastostatics of random solid structures. Within the harmonic approximation, the energy of such a solid structure is the sum of a thermal and a strain component without mutual interaction. Systems in this ensemble thus draw energies from two separate baths: one thermal and the other mechanical. A mechanical entropy and an effective temperature (θ) can then be defined on the same rigorous basis as the thermal entropy and the Kelvin temperature (T). This ensemble approach can be used to calculate the properties of solid structures sharing similar microstructural randomness.     

Contraction of a highly nonequilibrium current-bearing plasma

Contracted is the term applied to that inhomogeneous state of a plasma in which it withdraws from the enclosing walls and concentrates in a more or less thin layer through which a current passes. Contraction is the result of instability developed in the original homogeneous state and may be related to the existence of a volt-ampere characteristic segment with negative differential conductivity. This phenomenon is known in semiconductor physics, and various instability mechanisms leading to contraction have been studied [1], Well known in a low-temperature plasma is thermal contraction connected with superheating instability of the electron gas [2–4]. In the present study we will consider a highly nonequilibrium plasma in which contraction may develop as a result of disproportion in the number of electrons, i.e., contraction of a recombination-ionization character. We consider below the homogeneous state of a nonequilibrium weakly ionized plasma with charged-particle concentration n_e- 10¹¹-10¹³ cm^–3 (electron temperature T of the order of thousands of degrees, with gas cold). Disequilibrium is produced by the departure of radiation beyond the limits of the plasma volume. Such a state will be considered with respect to the instability noted, but not studied, in [5]. As a consequence of this instability the plasma may transform to an inhomogeneous (contracted) state, which is considered under conditions such that Joulean electron heating is compensated by losses due to elastic collisions with atoms of the gas. Charge diffusion plays the basic role in establishing the boundaries dividing the currentbearing region from that without current. More complex is the situation where radiation losses of energy are also significant and superheating, as well as ionization instability, is possible. This case is evaluated briefly at the close of the study.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 1, pp. 45–54, January–February, 1975.     

Modeling of vibration-dissociation oxygen kinetics at temperatures of 4,000-11,000 K

The time profiles of vibrational molecular oxygen temperature T _v measured earlier in experiments behind a strong shock wave were used for testing the theoretical and empirical models of thermal nonequilibrium dissociation of molecules. To do this, dissociating gas flows behind the strong shock wave front were calculated with account for these models. If the initial gas temperature behind the wave front T ₀ < 6.5×10³ K, the models well describe changing the temperature with time. However, for T ₀ > 7×10³ K neither of the models tested describes the measured temperature profiles satisfactorily. Using the empirical model proposed in the present study made it possible to satisfactorily describe the vibrational temperature evolution observed in experiments at temperatures up to 11×10³ K.     

Reversible strain gage

A reversible strain gage was developed for accurately measuring thermal strains, especially for use on large structures where strain gages cannot be welded. These strain gages can be peeled after taking required apparentstrain measurements in a furnace and can be attached reverse-side-up at the points of interest on a test structure. After many trials, a polyimide strain gage was developed that is the same on both the base side and the cover side. The thermal characteristics of the reversible strain gage—repeatability of apparent strain, gage-factor change, creep, drift and the output for a given mechanical strain—were investigated. The repeatability of apparent strains for 100 reversible gages was within 60 microstrain of difference at 250°C. The output of reversible gages for mechanical strain, after 2 to 3 heat cycles which were peeled and cemented in the reverse-side-up position, almost coincided with those of virgin reversible gages.Paper was presented at Fourth SESA International Congress on Experimental Mechanics held in Boston, MA on May 25–30, 1980     

Effect of transverse cracks on the mechanical properties of angle-ply composites laminates

A modified shear lag analysis, taking into account the notion of stress perturbation function, is employed to evaluate the effect of transverse cracks on the stiffness reduction in [±θ_n/90_m]_S angle-ply laminated composites. Effects of number of 90° layers and number of ±θ layers on the laminate stiffness have also been studied. The present results represent well the dependence of the degradation of mechanical properties on the fibre orientation angle of the outer layers, the number of cracked cross-ply layers and the number of uncracked outer ±θ layers in the laminate.