Failure in notched tension bars due to high-temperature creep: Interaction between nucleation controlled cavity growth and continuum cavity growth

For axi-symmetrically notched tension bars [Dyson, B.F., Loveday, M.S., 1981, Creep Fracture in Nimonic 80A under Tri-axial Tensile Stressing, In: Ponter A.R.S., Hayhurst, D.R. (Eds.), Creep in Structures, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 406–421] show two types of damage propagation are shown: for low stress, failure propagates from the outside notch surface to the centre-line; and for high stress, failure propagates from the centre-line to the outside notch surface. The objectives of the paper are to: identify the physics of the processes controlling global failure modes; and, describe the global behaviour using physics-based constitutive equations.Two sets of constitutive equations are used to model the softening which takes place in tertiary creep of Nimonic 80A at 750 °C. Softening by multiplication of mobile dislocations is firstly combined, for low stress, with softening due to nucleation controlled creep constrained cavity growth; and secondly combined, for high stress, with softening due to continuum void growth. The Continuum Damage Mechanics, CDM, Finite Element Solver DAMAGE XX has been used to study notch creep fracture. Low stress notch behaviour is accurately predicted provided that the constitutive equations take account of the effect of stress level on creep ductility. High stress notch behaviour is accurately predicted from a normalized inverse cavity spacing d/2? = 6, and an initial normalized cavity radius r_hi/? = 3.16 × 10^?3, where 2? is the cavity spacing, and d is the grain size; however, the constants in the strain rate equation required recalibration against high stress notch data. A void nucleation mechanism is postulated for high stress behaviour which involves decohesion where slip bands intersect second phase grain boundary particles. Both equation sets accurately predict experimentally observed global failure modes.     

Stress singularity analysis around the singular point on the stress singularity line in three-dimensional joints

The characteristics of the stress fields around a singular point on the stress singularity line of dissimilar materials in three-dimensional joints are investigated using BEM. Contour for the order of stress singularity around the point is mapped on Dundurs’ parameters plane using eigen value analysis by FEM. The results in 3D joints are compared with those in 2D joints having the same cross section and material combination. The order of stress singularity around the singular point on the stress singularity line in 3D joints is almost identical with that in 2D joints in the singularity region. However, the zero boundary of singularity in 3D joints is slightly different from that in 2D joints. Furthermore, the multiple root of p = 1 exists in the eigen value analysis by FEM. Therefore, logarithmic singularity possibly occurs around the singular point on the stress singularity line. Then, the stress distributions around this point are expressed by the combination of the r^λ term and logarithmic singularity terms. Finally, the characteristics of the stress intensity factors of the r^λ term and logarithmic singularity terms around the singular points are investigated.     

Some exact solutions for rotating flows of a generalized Burgers’ fluid in cylindrical domains

The velocity field and the adequate shear stress corresponding to the flow of a generalized Burgers’ fluid model, between two infinite co-axial cylinders, are determined by means of Laplace and finite Hankel transforms. The motion is due to the inner cylinder that applies a time dependent torsional shear to the fluid. The solutions that have been obtained, presented in series form in terms of usual Bessel functions J₁( ? ), J₂( ? ), Y₁( ? ) and Y₂( ? ), satisfy all imposed initial and boundary conditions. Moreover, the corresponding solutions for Burgers’, Oldroyd-B, Maxwell, second grade, Newtonian fluids and large-time transient solutions for generalized Burgers’ fluid are also obtained as special cases of the present general solutions. The effect of various parameters on large-time and transient solutions of generalized Burgers’ fluid is also discussed. Furthermore, for small values of the material parameters, λ₂ and λ₄ or λ₁, λ₂, λ₃ and λ₄, the general solutions corresponding to generalized Burgers’ fluids are going to those for Oldroyd-B and Newtonian fluids, respectively. Finally, the influence of the pertinent parameters on the fluid motion, as well as a comparison between models, is shown by graphical illustrations.     

Coalescence of sessile droplets of varying viscosities for line printing

Coalescence of sessile droplets is studied experimentally with water–glycerin mixtures of different viscosities. Effects of viscosity on the dimensionless spreading length (Ψ) and the center-to-center distance (L) are investigated for two droplets; the first droplet (D_s) is stationary on a substrate and the second droplet (D₀) landing at a center-to-center distance L from the first droplet. For a low viscosity fluid, Ψ is maximum when L approaches zero (or λ → 1, where λ = 1 − L/D_s), which represents a head-on collision. For a high viscosity fluid, Ψ is minimum when λ → 0.6. The effect of λ on line printing for various viscosities is also examined by printing multiple droplets. We found that the larger the viscosity, the less the breakup between droplets; viscosities smaller than 60 wt% glycerin yielded line breakup. The overlap ratio of λ > 0.3 produced not a line, but a bigger droplet or puddle because of coalescence. Data obtained in this work can provide insights for the fabrication of conductive microtracks or microinterconnects in printed-electronics applications where a line breakup between droplets would lead to an electrical circuit short.     

A new version of the Neuber rule accounting for the influence of the notch opening angle for out-of-plane shear loads

The paper deals with nonlinear stress and strain distributions at the root of sharp and rounded notches with different opening angles under antiplane shear loading and small scale yielding. In order to make an easier comparison with the Neuber rule, the material is thought of as obeying the particular nonlinear law used in the past just by Neuber.By solving the linear differential equation resulting from the use of the hodograph transformation, a new relationship linking linear and nonlinear stress and strain concentrations is found. The relationship is written also in terms of the relevant notch stress intensity factors. In contrast with the Neuber rule, this relationship strictly depends on the notch opening angle. Even when the notch opening angle is zero, it does not match the Neuber Rule, but results in an additional factor 2 which is in agreement with Hult and McClintock’s solution when the notch tip radius tends to zero and the notch becomes a crack.     

Analysis of deformation-induced crack tip toughening in ductile single crystals by nano-indentation

This paper reports on the experimental examination of the deformation characteristics near a crack tip in a cyclically work-hardened copper single crystal using a 2D surface scans with nano-indentation. The experimental methodology enables the characterization of the primary deformation field near a crack tip via the modulation of the imposed secondary deformation field by a nano-indentation. In a heavily deformed 4-point bend specimen, the measurements showed an existence of an asymptotic field around the crack tip at a distance of R ⩾ 2.5J/σ₀. The measurements also showed the qualitative details of toughness evolution within the high-gradient deformation field around the crack tip. The nature of dislocation distribution (i.e. statistically distributed vs. distributions necessitated by geometry) around the crack tip is quantified. The measurements indicate the dominance of the geometrically necessary dislocation within the finite deformation zone ahead of the tip up to a distance of R ≈ 3J/σ₀. Thereafter, it is confined in radial rays coinciding with the sector boundaries around the crack tip. These measurements elucidate the origin of the inhomogeneous hardening and the size dependent macroscopic response close to crack tip.     

Tip gap flow characteristics in a turbine cascade equipped with pressure-side partial squealer rims

Tip gap flow characteristics and aerodynamic loss generations in a turbine cascade equipped with pressure-side partial squealer rims have been investigated with the variation of its rim height-to-span ratio (h_p/s) for a tip gap height of h/s = 1.36%. The results show that the tip gap flow is characterized not only by the incoming leakage flow over the pressure-side squealer rim but also by the upstream flow intrusion behind the rim. The incoming leakage flow tends to decelerate through the divergent tip gap flow channel and can hardly reach the blade suction side upstream of the mid-chord, due to the interaction with the upstream flow intrusion as well as due to the flow deceleration. A tip gap flow model has been proposed for h_p/s = 3.75%, and the effect of h_p/s on the tip surface flow is discussed in detail. With increasing h_p/s, the total-pressure loss coefficient mass-averaged all over the present measurement plane decreases steeply, has a minimum value for h_p/s = 1.88%, and then increases gradually. Its maximum reduction with respect to the plane tip result is evaluated to be 11.6%, which is found not better than that in the cavity squealer tip case.     

缺口根部和裂纹尖端残余应力的X射线法测定

X射线法用于缺口根部和裂纹尖端等徽区的残余应力测试的先决条件是解决缩小光束直径、提高衍射束的强度和准确设置试样等技术问题.在X射线衍射仪上借助于自行设计制造的限束对光装置和侧倾对中附件,成功地测定了缺口根部半径为1mm的喷丸残余应力场和板形试样压-压周期载荷下裂纹尖端的残余拉应力场.     

Heat-transfer characteristics of climbing film evaporation in a vertical tube

Heat-transfer characteristics of climbing film evaporation were experimentally investigated on a vertical climbing film evaporator heated by tube-outside hot water. The experimental setup was designed for determining the effect of the height of feed water inside a vertical tube and the range of temperature difference on local heat transfer coefficient inside a vertical tube (h_i). In this setup, the height of feed water was successfully controlled and the polypropylene shell effectively impedes the heat loss to the ground. The results indicated that a reduction in the height of feed water contributed to a significant increase in h_i if no dry patches around the wall of the heated tube appeared inside the tube. The height ratio of feed water R_h = 0.3 was proposed as the optimal one as dry patches destroyed the continuous climbing film when R_h is under 0.3. It was found that the minimum temperature difference driving climbing film evaporation is suggested as 5 °C due to a sharp reduction in h_i for temperature difference below 5 °C. The experiment also showed that h_i increased with an increase in temperature difference, which proved the superiority of climbing film evaporation in utilizing low-grade surplus heating source due to its wide range of driving temperature difference. The experimental results were compared with the previous literature and demonstrated a satisfactory agreement.     

Photoelastic determination of stress-intensity factors

The increasing number of analytical and numerical solutions for the crack-tip stress-intensity factor has greatly widened the scope of application of linear elastic fracture-mechanics technology. Experimental verification of a particular solution by elastic stress analysis is often a necessary supplement to provide the criteria for proper application to actual design problems. In this paper, it is shown that the photoelastic technique can be used to obtain rather good estimates of the stress-intensity factor for various specimen geometries and loading conditions. Treated are the following cases: wedge-opening load specimen, several notched rotating-disk configurations, and a notched pressure vessel. A sharp crack is simulated by a relatively narrow notch terminating in a root radius of 0.010 in or less. Stress distributions along the section of symmetry ahead of the notch tip are obtained using three-dimensional frozen-stress photoelasticity. The results are used to determine the stress-intensity factor, cK _I , by three methods. Two of these are based on Irwin's expressions for the elastic stress field at the tip cf a crack, and the other is a result of Neuber's hyperbolic-notch analysis. Agreement, with available analytical solutions is good.     

Simple constitutive modelling of nonlinear viscoelasticity under general extension

We study the behaviour of a single integral constitutive equation, capable of providing analytic expressions for the viscoelastic stress in extensional flows of a variety of deformation histories and geometries, ranging from uniaxial to equibiaxial. It is based on the use of a stress damping function, with a power-law dependence on the elongation, λ: h(λ) = 1/λⁿ. The parameter n (0 ≤ n ≤ 2) signifies the nonlinear viscoelastic character of the material and, therefore, is an inverse measure of network connectivity strength of the underlying microstructure. This renders the constitutive approach applicable to incompressible polymers of a variable degree of branching, strain hardening and stress thinning behavior. Methods of connecting n with the macromolecular architecture and the alignment strength of the flow are also explored.     

Assessing how changes to a structure can create gaps in the natural frequency spectrum

Structures vibrate with discrete natural frequencies, which divide the frequency spectrum into frequency-free ranges, or spectral gaps. We may need a structure to have a particular spectral gap, and if this range is found to contain frequencies then the structure must be changed. The extent of the changes depends on the number of natural frequencies that are contained in the required spectral gap – the rank of the bracing must be at least the number of frequencies to be removed. This paper first deals with bracing of this minimal rank, connecting to the least number of freedoms possible, and later generalises this to higher rank bracing, with connections to any number of freedoms. The question is thus If a required spectral gap contains n natural frequencies, can changes to the structure stiffness of rank r ⩾ n, connecting to c ⩾ r freedoms i₁, i₂,… , i_c remove them? In all cases, a simple criterion is developed for answering this question, and if the answer is yes, all successful changes are identified as mappings from more fundamental sets. The cases are developed separately even though later cases imply earlier ones, for clarity of the argument.     

Effect of notch depth on strain-concentration factor of rectangular bars with a single-edge notch under pure bending

The FEM is employed to study the effect of notch depth on a new strain-concentration factor (SNCF) for rectangular bars with a single-edge notch under pure bending. The new SNCF $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ is defined under the triaxial stress state at the net section. The elastic SNCF increases as the net-to-gross thickness ratio h₀/H₀ increases and reaches a maximum at h₀/H₀ = 0.8. Beyond this value of h₀/H₀ it rapidly decreases to the unity with h₀/H₀. Three notch depths were selected to discuss the effect of notch depth on the elastic–plastic SNCF; they are the extremely deep notch (h₀/H₀ = 0.20), the deep notch (h₀/H₀ = 0.60) and the shallow notch (h₀/H₀ = 0.95). The new SNCF increases from its elastic value to the maximum as plastic deformation develops from the notch root. The maximum $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ of the shallow notch is considerably greater than that of the deep notch. The elastic $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ of the shallow notch is however less than that of the deep notch. Plastic deformation therefore has a strong effect on the increase in $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ of the shallow notch. The variation in $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ with M/M_Y, the ratio of bending moment to that at yielding at the notch root, is slightly dependent up to the maximum $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ for the shallow notch. This dependence is remarkable beyond the maximum $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$. On the other hand, the variation in $K_{\epsilon }^{\mathrm{new}}$ with M/M_Y is independent of the stress–strain curve for the deep and extremely deep notches.     

Constant moving crack in a magnetoelectroelastic material under anti-plane shear loading

Analytical solutions for an anti-plane Griffith moving crack inside an infinite magnetoelectroelastic medium under the conditions of permeable crack faces are formulated using integral transform method. The far-field anti-plane mechanical shear and in-plane electrical and magnetic loadings are applied to the magnetoelectroelastic material. Expressions for stresses, electric displacements and magnetic inductions in the vicinity of the crack tip are derived. Field intensity factors for magnetoelectroelastic material are obtained. The stresses, electric displacements and magnetic inductions at the crack tip show inverse square root singularities. The moving speed of the crack have influence on the dynamic electric displacement intensity factor (DEDIF) and the dynamic magnetic induction intensity factor (DMIIF), while the dynamic stress intensity factor (DSIF) does not depend on the velocity of the moving crack. When the crack is moving at very lower or very higher speeds, the crack will propagate along its original plane; while in the range of M_c1 < M < M_c2, the propagation of the crack possibly brings about the branch phenomena in magnetoelectroelastic media.     

Over-tip leakage flow and loss in a turbine cascade equipped with suction-side partial squealers

Over-tip leakage flow and loss in a turbine cascade equipped with suction-side partial squealer rims have been investigated for the squealer rim height-to-span ratios (h_st/s) of 0.94%, 1.88%. 3.75%, and 5.63% in the case of a tip gap height-to-span ratio of h/s = 1.36%. The casing wall and tip surface visualizations for h_st/s = 3.75% show that most of the incoming tip leakage flow tends to accelerate through a convergent (nozzle-like) tip gap flow channel and penetrates into the neighboring blade flow passage even upstream of the mid-chord in the form of a wall jet, whereas the rest of it is entrapped by the suction-side squealer rim, flows backward, and is separated from the tip surface along a backward flow separation line. Therefore, the tip surface can be divided into a separation bubble and a backward flow area by the backward flow separation line. A qualitative tip gap flow model for the suction-side squealer tip is suggested in this study. For the present suction-side squealer tip, the total pressure loss coefficient mass-averaged throughout the present measurement plane decreases consistently with increasing h_st/s and is higher than that for the cavity squealer tip or the pressure-side squealer tip regardless of h_st/s.     

Theoretical stress analysis of intersecting cylindrical shells subjected to external loads transmitted through branch pipes

A thin shell theoretical solution of two normally intersecting cylindrical shells subjected to thrust-out force and three kinds of moments transmitted through branch pipes is presented in this paper. The solutions of modified Morley equation, which can be applicable up to ρ₀ = d/D ⩽ 0.8 and λ = d/(DT)^1/2 ⩽ 8 and the order of accuracy is raised to O(T/D), for the four loading cases are given. The accurate continuity conditions of generalized forces and displacements at the intersecting curve of two cylindrical shells for the four loading cases and the condition of the uniqueness of displacements are derived in this paper. The presented results are verified by experimental and numerical results successfully. They are in agreement with WRC Bulletin 297 when d/D is small.     

Asymptotic crack-tip fields for dynamic crack growth in compressive power-law hardening materials

The effect of material compressibility on the stress and strain fields for a mode-I crack propagating steadily in a power-law hardening material is investigated under plane strain conditions. The plastic deformation of materials is characterized by the J₂ flow theory within the framework of isotropic hardening and infinitesimal displacement gradient. The asymptotic solutions developed by the present authors [Zhu, X.K., Hwang K.C., 2002. Dynamic crack-tip field for tensile cracks propagating in power-law hardening materials. International Journal of Fracture 115, 323–342] for incompressible hardening materials are extended in this work to the compressible hardening materials. The results show that all stresses, strains, and particle velocities in the asymptotic fields are fully continuous and bounded without elastic unloading near the dynamic crack tip. The stress field contains two free parameters σ_eq0 and s₃₃₀ that cannot be determined in the asymptotic analysis, and can be determined from the full-field solutions. For the given values of σ_eq0 and s₃₃₀, all field quantities around the crack tip are determined through numerical integration, and then the effects of the hardening exponent n, the Poisson ratio ν, and the crack growth speed M on the asymptotic fields are studied. The approximate behaviors of the proposed solutions are discussed in the limit of ν → 0.5 or n → ∞.     

Quantifying the intensity of vehicle impacts using vehicle tracking devices during live training exercises

The operation of off-road vehicles during military training exercises can affect the environmental conditions of training lands by removing or disturbing vegetation. To quantify the impact of vehicle based military training, global positioning system (GPS)-based vehicle tracking systems were used to characterize the movement of vehicles during live training exercises. Methods were developed to spatially estimate the tracking intensity (number of vehicle passes per area) resulting from the training exercises. This method was then combined with previous developed methods that identified off-road trail formation and vehicle dynamic properties to quantify the overall training mission impacts of specific training events on installation resources. This approach to characterizing training impacts results in mission impact profiles that more accurately quantify live training mission impacts.Search radius and output grid size are important parameters of the proposed traffic intensity approximation method. Traffic intensities estimated using a variety of search radii and grid sizes were compared. Results indicated that a 10 m search radius and a 10-by-10 m output grid size worked the best for the study dataset. Approximately, 89% accuracy was found for traffic intensity (number of passes) estimation when using a 10 m search radius and a 10-by-10 m output grid size.     

Flow fields and packing states in the discharge flow of noncircular particles—A SIPHPM simulation

Although the discharge flow of spherical materials has been extensively explored, the effect of particle shape on discharge is still poorly understood. The present work explores the two-dimensional discharge flow fields of noncircular particles using the soft-sphere-imbedded pseudo-hard particle model method. Rectangular particles having different aspect ratios (R_a = 1, 1.5, 2–5) and regular polygonal particles having different numbers of sides (N_s = 3–8, 10) are discharged through hopper beds having different orifice widths (D_i = 40, 70.77, 99.13, 125.74, 151.13 mm). The discharge rates of differently shaped particles in different beds are consistent with Beverloo’s relation. Moreover, the flow fields are computed and evaluated to study the effects of R_a, N_s, and D_i on particle discharge. The characteristics of particle–particle connections in the discharge process are evaluated according to the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the contact points. Additionally, the effect of the initial packing on the discharge profile is investigated. The findings help clarify the discharge of noncircular particles.     

Influence of narrow starter notches on the initial crack growth resistance curve of ceramics

In experimental R-curve investigations crack development usually starts from notches. The validity of R-curves depends on the size of the notch root radius. This influence is completely ignored in most cases. In this theoretical study it is shown how the notch radius affects the formally computed crack resistance curve. First, the influence of the notch radius on the starting point of the R-curve, the so-called crack-tip toughness K _I0, will be addressed. Then, the effect of the notch on the shielding stress intensity factor will be discussed, and, finally, the influence on T-stress and the consequences on local path stability will be shown.