The study on the mechanical characteristics of articular cartilage in simulated microgravity

The microgravity environment of a long-term space flight may induce acute changes in an astronaut’s musculo-skeletal systems. This study explores the effects of simulated microgravity on the mechanical characteristics of articular cartilage. Six rats underwent tail suspension for 14 days and six additional rats were kept under normal earth gravity as controls. Swelling strains were measured using high-frequency ultrasound in all cartilage samples subject to osmotic loading. Site-specific swelling strain data were used in a triphasic theoretical model of cartilage swelling to determine the uniaxial modulus of the cartilage solid matrix. No severe surface irregularities were found in the cartilage samples obtained from the control or tail-suspended groups. For the tail-suspended group, the thickness of the cartilage at a specified site, as determined by ultrasound echo, showed a minor decrease. The uniaxial modulus of articular cartilage at the specified site decreased significantly, from (6.31 ± 3.37)MPa to (5.05 ± 2.98)MPa (p < 0.05). The histology-stained image of a cartilage sample also showed a reduced number of chondrocytes and decreased degree of matrix staining. These results demonstrated that the 14 d simulated microgravity induced significant effects on the mechanical characteristics of articular cartilage. This study is the first attempt to explore the effects of simulated microgravity on the mechanical characteristics of articular cartilage using an osmotic loading method and a triphasic model. The conclusions may provide reference information for manned space flights and a better understanding of the effects of microgravity on the skeletal system.     

An analytical poroelastic model for laboratorial mechanical testing of the articular cartilage (AC)

The articular cartilage (AC) can be seen as a biphasic poroelastic material. The cartilage deformation under compression mainly leads to an interstitial fluid flow in the porous solid phase. In this paper, an analytical poroelastic model for the AC under laboratorial mechanical testing is developed. The solutions of interstitial fluid pressure and velocity are obtained. The results show the following facts. (i) Both the pressure and fluid velocity amplitudes are proportional to the strain loading amplitude. (ii) Both the amplitudes of pore fluid pressure and velocity in the AC depend more on the loading amplitude than on the frequency. Thus, in order to obtain the considerable fluid stimulus for the AC cell responses, the most effective way is to increase the loading amplitude rather than the frequency. (iii) Both the interstitial fluid pressure and velocity are strongly affected by permeability variations. This model can be used in experimental tests of the parameters of AC or other poroelastic materials, and in research of mechanotransduction and injury mechanism involved interstitial fluid flow.     

A phenomenological model of damage in articular cartilage under impact loading

Damage progression in high-strain rate and impact tests on articular cartilage is considered. A new type of kinetic damage evolution law is proposed and used to draw implications about the accumulated damage and the coefficient of restitution. Based on the developed damage model, a new fracture criterion is introduced.     

Effects of the dilatancy of joints and of the size of the building blocks on the mechanical behavior of masonry structures

The effect of the dilatancy of masonry interfaces and of the size of the building blocks on the strength of masonry structures is quantified herein. The study focuses mainly on out-of-plane loadings, which can appear due to various factors such as wind, earthquakes or explosions. The analysis is performed using the Discrete Element Method (DEM), which allows to access directly various micro-mechanical parameters, such as the joints dilatancy angle and the size of the building blocks. Detailed DEM numerical models of existing experimental configurations are presented. The numerical results are first compared and validated towards the experimental observations and then they are used to derive qualitative and quantitative conclusions regarding the effects of joints dilatancy and blocks size. It is shown that dilatancy plays an important role on the overall strength of masonry even under low confinement. The size of the blocks is also an important parameter that needs to be considered in the modeling of masonry structures.     

Repair of articular cartilage in rabbit osteochondral defects promoted by extracorporeal shock wave therapy

Shock Waves - This study investigated the stimulative effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the articular cartilage regeneration in the rabbit osteochondral defect model for the...     

Size effect on mechanical behavior of random fiber networks

Bonded random fiber networks are heterogeneous on multiple scales. This leads to a pronounced size effect on their mechanical behavior. In this study we quantify the size effect and determine the minimum model size required to eliminate the size effect for given set of system parameters. These include the network density, the fiber length and the fiber bending and axial stiffness. The results may guide the definition of models and the selection of the size of representative volume elements in sequential multiscale models of fiber networks. To underline the origins of the size effect, we characterize the network heterogeneity by analyzing the geometry of the network (density distribution), the strain field and the strain energy distribution. The dependence of the heterogeneity on the scale of observation and system parameters is discussed.     

A study on wrinkling characteristics and dynamic mechanical behavior of membrane

An eigenvalue method considering the membrane vibration of wrinkling out-of-plane deformation is introduced, and the stress distributing rule in membrane wrinkled area is analyzed. A dynamic analytical model of rectangular shear wrinkled membrane and its numerical analysis approach are also developed. Results indicate that the stress in wrinkled area is not uniform, i.e. it is larger in wrinkling wave peaks along wrinkles and two ends of wrinkle in vertical direction. Vibration modes of wrinkled membrane are strongly correlated with the wrinkling configurations. The rigidity is larger due to the heavier stress in the part of wrinkling wave peaks. Therefore, wave peaks are always located at the node lines of vibration mode. The vibration frequency obviously increases with the vibration of wave peaks.     

The influence of a space environment on the mechanical behavior of metals

The effect of low pressures on the fatigue, tensile and creep behavior is discussed. The data are interpreted in terms of the accumulation of dislocations in the surface region. It is suggested that the mechanical behavior is influenced by the rate of escape of dislocations through the surface. Initially, the oxide layer plays an important role; however, as the strain increases, the dislocation layer exerts a large influence.     

Effect of formulation of alginate beads on their mechanical behavior and stiffness

The aim of this work was to determine the effect of formulation of alginate beads on their mechani-cal behavior and stiffness when compressed at high speed. The alginate beads were formulated using different types and concentrations of alginate and gelling cations and were produced using an extrusion-dripping method. Single wet beads were compressed at a speed of 40 mm/min,and their elastic limits were investigated,and the corresponding force versus displacement data were obtained. The Young's moduli of the...     

Influence of microstructural parameters on mechanical behavior of polymer gels

The swelling deformation behavior of polymer gels is often described in terms of the Flory–Rehner framework, in which the Flory–Rehner free energy function is based on the simplest affine network model, does not take entanglements into account. However, the real polymer networks have many chain entanglements. In this paper, a new hybrid free energy function composed of the Edwards–Vilgis slip-link model and the Flory–Huggins solution theory is presented for the prediction of the influence of chain entanglements on mechanical behavior of gels. The simulation results of mechanical behavior in free swelling, uniaxial extension, biaxial constraint and simple shear are presented. It is shown that in the nonentangled state, this new hybrid free energy function reduces to the Flory–Rehner free energy function; in the entangled state, the influence of entanglements on the mechanical behavior of gels is significant, the more entangled networks exhibit higher stress.     

Effect of phase-transformation on mechanical behavior of dual-phase steel plate

The mechanical behavior of dual phase steel plates is affected by internal stresses created during martensite transformation. Analytical modelling of this effect is made by considering a unit cell made of martensite inclusion in a ferrite matrix. A large strain finite element analysis is then performed to obtain the plane stress deformation state. Displayed numerically are the development of the plastic zone and distribution of local state of stress and strain. Studied also are the shape configuration of the martensite (hard-phase) that influences the interfacial condition as related to stress transmission and damage. Internal stresses are found to enhance the global flow stress after yield initiation in the ferrite matrix. Good agreement is obtained between the analytical results and experimental observations.     

老化作用下沥青集料界面力学行为研究

为了探究老化对沥青混合料界面力学性能的影响,将不同温度老化处理的沥青制成的三明治试件进行剪切试验以模拟实际路面发生的破坏情况。通过分析应力-剪切位移的关系与界面破坏情况,研究在不同程度老化作用下沥青集料界面剪切破坏与沥青内部剪切破坏机理,并根据本试验的情况在已有的模型基础上完善出相对符合本试验的理论模型。试验结果表明:每组试验均产生单波峰与双波峰曲线,通过开尔文模型可知,之所以出现双波峰情况,是沥青弹性与粘性的共同作用导致的。随着沥青老化程度的加深,沥青流变性能降低,沥青集料界面的粘附性呈下降趋势,沥青的凝聚性呈先下降后上升趋势,老化加深到一定程度时,双波峰迅速减少,单波峰迅速增加,原因是随着老化程度的加深,沥青凝聚性反向增强,界面破坏只发生在沥青集料界面。     

级联碰撞对层状珠光体力学行为的影响

铁素体合金钢是目前在核能工程界应用最为广泛的一种金属结构材料,以渗碳体和铁素体基体构成的层状珠光体是铁素体合金钢中常见的金相结构。深入理解辐照效应对层状珠光体力学性能的影响对高辐照条件下铁素体钢的材料设计与寿命评估有着重要的理论参考意义。基于以上考虑,本文采用分子动力学（MD）模拟,研究了连续低能铁原子级联碰撞对渗碳体/铁素体两相界面的破坏情况,探讨了经历不同程度级联碰撞的两相结构在单向拉伸以及压缩荷载下的初始屈服情况。通过对MD模拟结果的深入分析,得到了以下主要结论：a.辐照会破坏渗碳体/铁素体两相界面的失配位错结构,引起渗碳体的分解,并促进碳原子向铁素体的扩散;b.在单轴拉伸荷载作用下,级联碰撞会使初始屈服机制由{112}<111>位错滑移系的开动转变为间隙原子团簇附近位错环的形核与长大;c.在单轴压缩荷载作用下,级联碰撞会使初始塑性变形机制由{110}<111>滑移系的开动转变为{112}<111>滑移系的开动;d)无论在单轴拉伸还是压缩情况下,级联碰撞（及辐照效应）都会导致位错初始形核应力的提升。本文的研究结果为铁素体合金钢的辐照硬化和辐照脆化行为提供了新的微观解释,对于辐照条件下铁素体合金钢材料的优化设计有一定的参考意义。     

不锈钢材料的动态力学性能及本构模型

利用带有温度调控系统的SHPB实验装置测定了0Cr17Mn5Ni4Mo3Al不锈钢在3种应变率(300、1 000、2 700 s-1)、4种环境温度（25、300、500和700 ℃）下的应力应变关系;在液压伺服材料试验机(MTS)上进行了3种温度下的准静态（0.0005 s-1）压缩实验。实验结果表明:该不锈钢有明显的应变率强化效应和温度软化效应,并且随着环境温度的升高,应变率强化效应减弱。对Johnson-Cook模型进行了修正,考虑了冲击过程中绝热温升引起的软化效应。修正后的Johnson-Cook模型与实验结果吻合较好。