Stress wave interference effects during fracture of silicon micromachined specimens

We report on unique measurements of multiple microsecond-duration arrest periods during the propagation of high speed (>1 km s⁻¹) cracks in micromachined single-crystal silicon specimens. These events were recorded electronically and in physical features remaining on the fracture plane. Using time-of-flight calculations, we have determined that these arrest patterns are due to the interference of boundary-reflected stress waves with the propagating crack tip. The specimen size, the measurement method, and the low acoustic attenuation in cyrstalline silicon facilitated the observation of these phenomena.     

一个新的等参数奇异单元

本文推导得到了一个新的等参数奇异单元,它仍然是四边形四分之一节点奇异元。数值实验表明,它要比常用的四边形四分之一节点奇异元精度更好,使用这种单元可以使断裂问题的有限元计算效果更好。在计算过程中还利用到改进等参变换。     

核压力容器防止辐照脆化的安全评定

本文结合我国核动力反应堆的实例,首先介绍了设计规范中采用的断裂分析图的评定方法,然后着重讨论一种新的断裂力学的评定方法。结合对容器材料断裂韧性的实验测定,给出了计算结果,绘制了全寿期的安全运行工况图,并对两种方法的结果作了比较讨论。     

Weathering of rock,corrosion of stone and rusting of iron

The central purpose of this paper is to present a survey of the extrinsic and intrinsic factors which influence the durability of masonry. In approaching this subject other themes are developed; in particular a study is made of the damage due to the volume changes which accompany all biological, physical and chemical changes. Light can be thrown on the corrosion of stone from a knowledge of the weathering of rocks throughout geological time, and this aspect is explored in the opening section of the paper. The final part of the paper consists of a study of the stresses and cracking of stone which can result from the expansive rusting of iron or steel reinforcements. Although mechanical damage dominates the discussion, some comments are made on the staining and dissolution of stone and examples are illustrated.

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Sommario Scopo del presente articolo e'presentare una rassegna dei fattori intrinseci ed estrinseci che influenzano la durabilita' della muratura. All'interno di tale rassegna si sviluppano altri temi, ed in particolare uno studio sui danni provocati dai cambiamenti di volume che accompagnano le modificatzioni biologiche, fisiche, chimiche. Nella prima parte dell'articolo ci si sofferma sulle modificazioni degli ammassi rocciosi durante le ere geologiche, e sul nesso tra i dati desunti da tale analisi e il problema della corroasione della pietra. La parte finale dell'articolo e'invece dedicata ad uno studio degli stati tensionali e fessurativi risultanti dall'espansione legata alla corrosione di elementi metallici di rinforzo posti all'interno della muratura. Benche' il danno strutturale sia l'argomento centrale della discussione, vengono anche presi in considerazione i problemi conness alla dissoluzione e alla comparsa di macchie, e si illustrano alcuni.

     

On the Characterization of the Dynamic Performances of Planar Manipulators

The characterization of the dynamic performances of a manipulator is important both to compare different manipulators and to improve the dynamic performances of a manipulator during the design stage. In a previous paper the concepts of swiftness and of dynamic isotropy were used to characterize some dynamic performances of 3-dof manipulators. This paper analyzes the usefulness of these concepts for three-dof planar manipulators and shows that the concept of swiftness is still significant, whereas the concept of dynamic isotropy has no practical interest. Moreover, it introduces three new dynamic properties that are useful in the design of a 3-dof planar manipulator. Finally, it proposes some indices that measure both the swiftness and the three new dynamic properties and shows how to use them, both for evaluating the dynamic performances of a given 3-dof planar manipulator and for improving the dynamic performances during its design.     

A generalization of Hamiltonian mechanics

For a symplectic manifold the Poisson bracket on the space of functions is (uniquely) extended to a graded Lie bracket on the space of differential forms modulo exact forms. A large portion of the Hamiltonian formalism is still working.     

Natural time analysis of critical phenomena: The case of acoustic emissions in triaxially deformed Etna basalt

Acoustic emissions exhibit complex correlations between space, time, and magnitude. As such, they present a unique example for a complex time series. We apply the recently introduced method of natural time analysis, which enables the detection of long-range temporal correlations even in the presence of heavy tails and find that the acoustic emissions exhibits features similar to that of other equilibrium or non-equilibrium critical systems such as worldwide seismicity as presented in the Centennial earthquake catalogue which includes global seismicity events with magnitude _Mw>7.0$M_w>7.0$. These results support the universal behaviour of the fracturing processes from the laboratory to the global scale.     

Conformational Analysis of (S)-4,5,6,7-Tetrahydro-5-Methylimidazo [4,5,1-jk][1,4]-Benzodiazepin-2(1H)-one (R78362)

The solution and solid state conformation of (S)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-5-methylimidazo [4,5,1-jk][1,4]-benzodiazepin-2(1H)-one (R78362) have been investigated by low temperature NMR and x-ray diffraction studies. The ¹H NMR spectrum of R78362 shows no evidence of the presence of multiple conformers in the temperature range 340K - 177K. Molecular mechanisms and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations suggest that the nitrogen and ring inversion barriers of R78362 are small and thus a time-averaged ¹H NMR spectrum is probably occurring at 298K. The x-ray diffraction data indicated that there were two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the crystal. The two molecules had similar conformations with the benzoimidazole ring being planar and the diazepine ring in a “half-chair” conformation.     

Toughening effect of ferroelectric ceramics induced by domain switching and dislocations

The multi-scale analysis of fracture toughness of ferroelectric ceramics under complicate mechanical–electrical coupling effect is carried out in this paper. The generalized stress intensity factor (SIF) arising from spontaneous strains and polarization transformation in switching domain zones is accurately obtained by using an extended Eshelby theory. Taking BaTiO₃ ferroelectric ceramic for example, it is discovered that the crack propagation can be induced by domain switching arising from negative electrical field when the crack surface is parallel to the isotropic plane, and the obtained critical electric displacement intensity factor (EDIF) approximates closely to that obtained by the Green’s function method. Additionally, as pinning dislocations and slip dislocations can strongly influence properties of ferroelectric devices and induce the property degradation, it is necessary to investigate the dislocation toughening effects on fatigue and fracture mechanisms. The results show that the dislocation shielding and anti-shielding effects on mode II SIF, mode I SIF and EDIF are obviously different when a dislocation locates at a position near the crack tip. Through the calculation of the critical applied EDIF for crack propagation by using mechanical energy release rate (MERR) theory, it is discovered that the slip angles obviously influence fracture toughness, and the mode II SIF arising from dislocation has little influence on fracture toughness, however, the mode I SIF and EDIF arising from dislocation have great influences on fracture toughness.     

An approach to characterization of the agricultural self-propelled machines stability

This paper presents an analytical algorithm with appropriate software specified for the approximation of the allowed critical slope of the solid flat terrain that guarantees static and/or dynamic stability of the specified self-propelled agricultural machines and their aggregates. This algorithm assumes machine as a rigid body, having 3 or 4 contact points (defined by wheels or crawlers), under uniform motion at different constant velocities and radii of curvature trajectories. Using this algorithm, based on the principles of theoretical mechanics combined with 3D analytical geometry, the computer program SSPM (stability of the self-propelled agricultural machines) has been coded. This software is intended to facilitate the analysis, comparison and optimization of different configurations of self-propelled agricultural machines in operation on horizontal and sloped flat terrains at constant velocities and radii of trajectory with respect to their static and dynamic stability. It calculates critical pitch and roll angles of the self-propelled machine and the maximum allowed slope of the flat terrain under the given conditions. The algorithm and the appropriate SSPM software were experimentally verified using the platform and low-scale tractor model. Average difference between calculated and experimental critical values of roll and pitch angles were about 4°