NZ‐flows in strong products of graphs

We prove that the strong product G₁? G₂ of G₁ and G₂ is ?₃‐flow contractible if and only if G₁? G₂ is not T? K₂, where T is a tree (we call T? K₂ a K₄‐tree). It follows that G₁? G₂ admits an NZ 3 ‐flow unless G₁? G₂ is a K₄ ‐tree. We also give a constructive proof that yields a polynomial algorithm whose output is an NZ 3‐flow if G₁? G₂ is not a K₄ ‐tree, and an NZ 4‐flow otherwise. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 64: 267–276, 2010     

On the free‐edge effect in piezoelectric laminated plates

The present paper considers the effect of electromechanical coupling on the interlaminar stresses and the electric field strengths at free edges of laminated plates with piezoelectric material properties. The results of coupled and uncoupled piezoelectric analyses performed by use of the finite element method are compared. Exemplarily, a symmetric cross‐ply and a symmetric angle‐ply laminate are investigated under uniaxial tension and without any electrical loading. It is shown that the interlaminar stresses at the free edge are significantly higher in the coupled case for the symmetric cross‐ply laminate, whereas the coupling effect for the symmetric angle‐ply laminate is of minor significance. In addition, the occurrence of electric field strengths with singular character is revealed. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Weight‐Reduction of Sandwich Structures by an Efficient Topology Optimization Technique

A heuristic algorithm for the weight minimization of sandwich structures by a specific kind of topology optimization is presented. The method employs a preexisting algorithm for the layerwise topology optimization of symmetric laminates under in‐plane loads and expands this method for the case of bending. During the optimization procedure the algorithm adds or subtracts material from the layers of the face sheets and the core of the sandwich plate in regions of high or low stresses respectively. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Matter–antimatter asymmetry and neutrino properties

The cosmological baryon asymmetry can be explained as remnant of heavy Majorana neutrino decays in the early universe. We study this mechanism for two models of neutrino masses with a large ν_μ−ν_τ mixing angle which are based on the symmetries SU(5)×U(1)_F and SU(3)_c×SU(3)_L×SU(3)_R×U(1)_F, respectively. In both cases B−L is broken at the unification scale Λ_GUT. The models make different predictions for the baryogenesis temperature and the gravitino abundance.     

Asymptotic Analysis of Free-Edge and Free-Corner Effects in Laminate Structures

Stress fields in the vicinity of free edges and corners of composite laminates exhibit singular characteristics and may lead to premature interlaminar failure modes like delamination fracture. It is of practical interest to investigate the nature of the arising free-edge and free-corner stress singularities - i.e. the singularity orders and modes - closely. The present investigations are performed using the Boundary Finite Element Method (BFEM) which in essence is a fundamental-solution-less boundary element method employing standard finite element formulations. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)