Fatigue life prediction of out-of-plane gusset welded joints using strain energy density factor approach

Fatigue growth behavior of out-of-plane gusset welded joints is studied using the strain energy density factor approach. Fatigue tests on two types of specimens with curvatures of ρ = 0 and ρ = 30 were performed in order to estimate fatigue strength under tension. Fatigue crack growth analysis is carried out to show the effects of initial crack shape, initial crack length and stress ratio. Fatigue crack growth parameters were obtained from crack growth curves assuming constant crack shapes. The results of analysis for the assumed crack shapes agreed well with the experimental data. Fatigue propagation life of the ρ = 30 specimen was larger than that of the ρ = 0 specimen.     

Behaviour of thick composite tubes considering of delamination

The present paper deals with plane finite element analysis of thick composite tubes. Thick composite tubes are commonly used in marine industry and in deep-water offshore applications. Two kinds of interlaminar delamination type defect in a thick walled cylinder subjected to external pressure were confronted; an annular or ring like delamination and a strip delamination. Two finite element models were developed to predict the strain energy release rate at the delamination fronts. In these models the effects of the processing history of the composite material in the form of a uniform thermal load were also included to simulate the state of the residual stress in the composite. The considered defects are studied by means of the effect of buckling, investigating the annular and the strip delamination buckling, and the subsequent loss of load carrying capacity of the delaminated region.     

塑性异性材料轴对称平面应力问题的应变硬化解析解法

对塑性异性和应变硬化材料在轴对称平面应力状态下变形的这类问题，本文建立了一种用解析解求解的方法并给出了一般性的解析解答，分析简明扼要；解答应用方便。     

Three-dimensional Full-field Measurements of Large Deformations in Soft Materials Using Confocal Microscopy and Digital Volume Correlation

A three-dimensional (3-D) full-field measurement technique was developed for measuring large deformations in optically transparent soft materials. The technique utilizes a digital volume correlation (DVC) algorithm to track motions of subvolumes within 3-D images obtained using fluorescence confocal microscopy. In order to extend the strain measurement capability to the large deformation regime (>5%), a stretch-correlation algorithm was developed and implemented into the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)-based DVC algorithm. The stretch-correlation algorithm uses a logarithmic coordinate transformation to convert the stretch-correlation problem into a translational correlation problem under the assumption of small rotation and shear. Estimates of the measurement precision are provided by stationary and translation tests. The proposed measurement technique was used to measure large deformations in a transparent agarose gel sample embedded with fluorescent particles under uniaxial compression. The technique was also employed to measure non-uniform deformation fields near a hard spherical inclusion under far-field uniaxial compression. Introduction of the stretch-correlation algorithm greatly improved the strain measurement accuracy by providing better precision especially under large deformation. Also, the deconvolution of confocal images improved the accuracy of the measurement in the direction of the optical axis. These results shows that the proposed technique is well-suited for investigating cell-matrix mechanical interactions as well as for obtaining local constitutive properties of soft biological materials including tissues in 3-D.     

On the evolution of crystallographic dislocation density in non-homogeneously deforming crystals

A set of evolution equations for dislocation density is developed incorporating the combined evolution of statistically stored and geometrically necessary densities. The statistical density evolves through Burgers vector-conserving reactions based in dislocation mechanics. The geometric density evolves due to the divergence of dislocation fluxes associated with the inhomogeneous nature of plasticity in crystals. Integration of the density-based model requires additional dislocation density/density-flux boundary conditions to complement the standard traction/displacement boundary conditions. The dislocation density evolution equations and the coupling of the dislocation density flux to the slip deformation in a continuum crystal plasticity model are incorporated into a finite element model. Simulations of an idealized crystal with a simplified slip geometry are conducted to demonstrate the length scale-dependence of the mechanical behavior of the constitutive model. The model formulation and simulation results have direct implications on the ability to explicitly model the interaction of dislocation densities with grain boundaries and on the net effect of grain boundaries on the macroscopic mechanical response of polycrystals.     

Magnetic and electric poling effects associated with crack growth in BaTiO3–CoFe2O4 composite

Magnetoelectroelastic composite possesses the dual feature that the application of magnetic field induces electric polarization and electric field induces magnetization. The poling directions introduced magnetically and electrically can be different in addition to those for the applied magnetic and electric field. Their choices can influence the character of crack growth which could be enhanced or retarded. The details of how the directions of poling and applied field would affect crack initiation and growth are discussed in relation to the volume fraction of inclusions for a BaTiO₃–CoFe₂O₄ two phase composite. The multi-functional aspects of magnetoelectroelastic materials are involved since they entail multi-scaling features. Failure criteria that applies to isotropic elastic materials may not hold for composites exhibiting piezomagnetic and piezoelectric properties. For instance, a negative energy release rate has been obtained for cracks in piezoelectric materials.In view of what has been said with reference to the energy release rate approach, it is desirable to use the strain energy density function as a failure criterion, even if it is only for its positive definiteness character. Physically speaking, it is attractive to have a function that could rank the proportion of energy related to volume and shape change. They determine the proportion of the hard and soft phase of the composite and hence the volume fraction of the constituent. Strength and toughness parameters used for ranking isotropic and homogeneous materials will not apply for anisotropic and/or nonhomogeneous materials if these microstructure effects could not be suppressed to a lower scale and represented as an average at the macroscopic scale. Too much emphases cannot be placed on the need to clarify the multi-scaling aspects of piezoelectric and piezomagnetic materials. Their behavior as affected by the presence of crack-like defects should be understood prior to deciding whether the material characterization approach would be suitable. That is whether simplicity could justify at the expense of conceptual rigor. Much of this would depend on scaling the time and size related to loading and material structure interaction. The magnetoelectroelastic crack model selected in the work to follow perhaps will provide an insight into the complexicity of the state of affairs for treating the finer details of material behavior with rigor.The proposed test model shows that crack growth in the magnetoelectroelastic materials can be suppressed by increasing the magnitude of the piezomagnetic constants in relation to those for piezoelectricity. A more rational means of evaluating the resistance of materials against fracture is thus proposed, particularly when anisotropy and inhomogeneity might be present.     

Influence of lateral confinement on dynamic damage evolution during uniaxial compressive response of brittle solids

A dynamic damage growth model applicable to brittle solids subjected to biaxial compressive loading is developed. The model incorporates a dynamic fracture criterion based on wing-crack growth model with a damage evolution theory based on a distribution of pre-existing microcracks in a solid. Influences of lateral confinement pressure (dynamic or static) as well as frictional coefficient on the rate dependence of fracture strength of basalt-rock are investigated systematically. It is found that the failure strength, damage accumulation and wing-crack growth rate are strongly influenced by the nature and the magnitude of confinement pressure. It is also verified that the effect of strain rate on fracture strength of brittle solids is independent of confinement pressure in a certain range of strain rate.     

Green’s functions for anti-plane deformations of a circular arc-crack at the interface of piezoelectric materials

Summary The anti-plane deformation problem of an interfacial debounding crack between a circular piezoelectric inclusion and a piezoelectric matrix is investigated by means of the complex variables method. For a line load applied within the matrix or inside the inclusion, Greens functions are presented for the complex potentials, intensity factors and electric fields on the crack faces, respectively, in closed and explicit form. The solutions are valid for both permeable and impermeable crack models. It is shown that, in the general case of permeable cracks, the electric field singularity is always proportional to the stress singularity.The first author (C.F.Gao) would like to express his gratitude for the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany).     

A unified treatment of strain gradient plasticity

A theoretical framework is presented that has potential to cover a large range of strain gradient plasticity effects in isotropic materials. Both incremental plasticity and viscoplasticity models are presented. Many of the alternative models that have been presented in the literature are included as special cases. Based on the expression for plastic dissipation, it is in accordance with Gurtin (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 48 (2000) 989; Int. J. Plast. 19 (2003) 47) argued that the plastic flow direction is governed by a microstress q_ij and not the deviatoric Cauchy stress σ_ij′ that has been assumed by many others. The structure of the governing equations is of second order in the displacements and the plastic strains which makes it comparatively easy to implement in a finite element programme. In addition, a framework for the formulation of consistent boundary conditions is presented. It is shown that there is a close connection between surface energy of an interface and boundary conditions in terms of plastic strains and moment stresses. This should make it possible to study boundary layer effects at the interface between grains or phases. Consistent boundary conditions for an expanding elastic-plastic boundary are as well formulated. As examples, biaxial tension of a thin film on a thick substrate, torsion of a thin wire and a spherical void under remote hydrostatic tension are investigated.     

Plated and Intact Femur Strains in Fracture Fixation Using Fiber Bragg Gratings and Strain Gauges

This paper presents an experimental methodology to determine plated and intact femur strains using fiber Bragg gratings and strain gauges. A plated and an intact synthetic femur were used and loaded under a simplistic static load of 600 N. A stainless steel (316L) plate was used to fixate a simulated 45° fracture on one femur. Strains were recoded at the same sites on both femurs. Strain shielding is shown to be more pronounced at the distal region of the plated femur. The experimental methodology based on fiber Bragg grating sensors is a novel approach to assess bone plate strains, which could also be used to obtain biologic tissue and implant surface strains in locations where conventional strain gauge use is not technically feasible.