Crack path instabilities in DCDC experiments in the low speed regime

We studied the low speed fracture regime (10⁻⁴-10⁻⁹ m s⁻¹) in different glassy materials (soda-lime glass, glass ceramics) with variable but controlled length scale of heterogeneity. The chosen mechanical system enabled us to work in pure mode I (tensile) and at a fixed load on double cleavage drilled compression specimen. The internal residual stresses of studied samples were carefully relaxed by appropriate thermal treatment. By means of optical and atomic force microscopy techniques fracture surfaces have been examined. We have shown for the first time that the crack front line underwent an out-of-plane oscillating behavior as a result of a reproducible sequence of instabilities. The wavelength of such a phenomenon is in the micrometer range and its amplitude in the nanometer range. These features were observed for different glassy materials providing that a typical length scale characterizing internal heterogeneities was lower than a threshold limit estimated to few nanometers. This effect is the first clear experimental evidence of crack path instabilities in the low speed regime in a uniaxial loading experiment. This phenomenon has been interpreted by referring to the stability criterion for a straight crack propagation as presented by Adda-Bedia et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 76 (1996) 1497].     

20-relative neighborhood graphs are hamiltonian

For any two points p and q in the Euclidean plane, define LUN_pq = { v | v ∈ R², d_pv < d_pq and d_qv < d_pq}, where d_uv is the Euclidean distance between two points u and v . Given a set of points V in the plane, let LUN_pq(V) = V ∩ LUN_pq. Toussaint defined the relative neighborhood graph of V, denoted by RNG(V) or simply RNG, to be the undirected graph with vertices V such that for each pair p,q ∈ V, (p,q) is an edge of RNG(V) if and only if LUN_pq (V) = ?. The relative neighborhood graph has several applications in pattern recognition that have been studied by Toussaint. We shall generalize the idea of RNG to define the k-relative neighborhood graph of V, denoted by kRNG(V) or simply kRNG, to be the undirected graph with vertices V such that for each pair p,q ∈ V, (p,q) is an edge of kRNG(V) if and only if | LUN_pq(V) | < k, for some fixed positive number k. It can be shown that the number of edges of a kRNG is less than O(kn). Also, a kRNG can be constructed in O(kn₂) time. Let E_c = {e_pq| p ∈ V and q ∈ V}. Then G_c = (V,E_c) is a complete graph. For any subset F of E_c, define the maximum distance of F as max_epq∈Fd_pq. A Euclidean bottleneck Hamiltonian cycle is a Hamiltonian cycle in graph G_c whose maximum distance is the minimum among all Hamiltonian cycles in graph G_c. We shall prove that there exists a Euclidean bottleneck Hamiltonian cycle which is a subgraph of 20RNG(V). Hence, 20RNGs are Hamiltonian.     

A new alternating‐direction finite element method for hyperbolic equation

A modified backward difference time discretization is presented for Galerkin approximations for nonlinear hyperbolic equation in two space variables. This procedure uses a local approximation of the coefficients based on patches of finite elements with these procedures, a multidimensional problem can be solved as a series of one‐dimensional problems. Optimal order H₀¹ and L² error estimates are derived. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2007     

A new generalized algebra method and its application in the (2 + 1) dimensional Boiti–Leon–Pempinelli equation

In the present paper, some types of general solutions of a first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with six degree are given and a new generalized algebra method is presented to find more exact solutions of nonlinear differential equations. As an application of the method and the solutions of this equation, we choose the (2 + 1) dimensional Boiti Leon Pempinelli equation to illustrate the validity and advantages of the method. As a consequence, more new types and general solutions are found which include rational solutions and irrational solutions and so on. The new method can also be applied to other nonlinear differential equations in mathematical physics.     

Finite element computations of two-dimensional arterial flow in the presence of a transverse magnetic field

A finite element solution of the Navier-Stokes equations for steady flow under the magnetic effect through a double-branched two-dimensional section of a three-dimensional model of the canine aorta is discussed. The numerical scheme involves transforming the physical co-ordinates to a curvilinear boundary-fitted co-ordinate system. The shear stress at the wall is calculated for a Reynolds number of 1000 with the branch-to-main aortic flow rate ratio as a parameter. The results are compared with earlier works involving experimental data and found to be in reasonable qualitative agreement. The steady flow, shear stress and branch flow under the effect of a magnetic field have been discussed in detail.     

Adaptive regulation for deterministic systems

For the linear deterministic system with unknown orders and coefficients adaptive controls are given so that the closed-loop system is stabilized and the unknown parameters are consistently estimated. Moreover, if the parameter estimation is ignored, then the system input and output can be reduced to zero with an exponential rate.This project is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.In Commemoration of the 15th Anniversary of the Acta Mathematicae Applicatae Sinica.     

VECTOR FIELDS IN R2 WITH MAXIMAL INDEX

We consider the method of Poincaré to investigate thelocal index of vector fields in the plane. If m is the degreeof the first non-zero jet, X_m, of the vector field X at an isolatedzero, we explore the geometry of the pencil generated by thecoordinate functions of X_m when the absolute value of the indexof X, |ind (X)|, is m. We also find necessary and sufficientconditions for |ind (X)| to be m.     

Equilibrium distributions of stochastic networks without detailed balance

We present results for the determination of the equilibrium microstate probability distribution of a class of strongly interacting systems obeying stochastic dynamics but without the necessity of detailed balance. The specific case of Ising systems is highlighted, with applications to non-symmetric synaptic neural networks and more general recurrent Boolean networks.