Analysis of crystallographic slip and grain boundary sliding in a Ti-45Al-2Nb-2Mn (at%)-0.8 vol%TiB2 alloy by high temperature in situ mechanical testing

This work aims to contribute to a further understanding of the fundamentals of crystallographic slip and grain boundary sliding in the γ-TiAl Ti–45Al–2Nb–2Mn (at%)–0.8 vol%TiB2 intermetallic alloy, by means of in situ high-temperature tensile testing combined with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Several microstructures, containing different fractions and sizes of lamellar colonies and equiaxed γ-grains, were fabricated by either centrifugal casting or powder metallurgy, followed by heat treatment at 1300 °C and furnace cooling. in situ tensile and tensile-creep experiments were performed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at temperatures ranging from 580 °C to 700 °C. EBSD was carried out in selected regions before and after straining. Our results suggest that, during constant strain rate tests, true twin γ/γ interfaces are the weakest barriers to dislocations and, thus, that the relevant length scale might be influenced by the distance between non-true twin boundaries. Under creep conditions both grain/colony boundary sliding (G/CBS) and crystallographic slip are observed to contribute to deformation. The incidence of boundary sliding is particularly high in γ grains of duplex microstructures. The slip activity during creep deformation in different microstructures was evaluated by trace analysis. Special emphasis was placed in distinguishing the compliance of different slip events with the Schmid law with respect to the applied stress.

Effect of layer thickness on the high temperature mechanical properties of Al/SiC nanolaminates

Composite laminates on the nanoscale have shown superior hardness and toughness, but little is known about their high temperature behavior. The mechanical properties (elastic modulus and hardness) were measured as a function of temperature by means of nanoindentation in Al/SiC nanolaminates, a model metal–ceramic nanolaminate fabricated by physical vapor deposition. The influence of the Al and SiC volume fraction and layer thicknesses was determined between room temperature and 150 °C and, the deformation modes were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, using a focused ion beam to prepare cross-sections through selected indents. It was found that ambient temperature deformation was controlled by the plastic flow of the Al layers, constrained by the SiC, and the elastic bending of the SiC layers. The reduction in hardness with temperature showed evidence of the development of interface-mediated deformation mechanisms, which led to a clear influence of layer thickness on the hardness.

High-temperature mechanical properties of aluminium alloys reinforced with titanium diboride (TiB2) particles

The physical and mechanical properties of metal matrix composites were improved by the addition of reinforcements. The mechanical properties of particulate-reinforced metal-matrix composites based on aluminium alloys (6061 and 7015) at high temperatures were studied. Titanium diboride (TiB2) particles were used as the reinforcement. All the composites were produced by hot extrusion. The tensile properties and fracture characteristics of these materials were investigated at room temperature and at high temperatures to determine their ultimate strength and strain to failure. The fracture surface was analysed by scanning electron microscopy. TiB2 particles provide high stability of the aluminium alloys (6061 and 7015) in the fabrication process. An improvement in the mechanical behaviour was achieved by adding TiB2 particles as reinforcement in both the aluminium alloys. Adding TiB2 particles reduces the ductility of the aluminium alloys but does not change the microscopic mode of failure, and the fracture surface exhibits a ductile appearance with dimples formed by coalescence.

Microstructure and mechanical properties degradation at high temperature of tungsten alloys processed by forging

One of the challenges of science and engineering nowadays is to develop new ways to supply energy in a sustainable and ecological mode. The fussion energy could be the final answer but a myriad of problems must be solved previously.

Microstructure and mechanical properties at high temperature of SiC-matrix by electrophoretic deposition and polymer infiltration and pyrolysis process

The EFDA-ITER programme for materials wants to develop new structural materials for future nuclear magnetic fusion reactors. In this context, special attention must be paid in the development of new composite materials that could support the hard working conditions of the nuclear fusion reactors: high temperature, high stresses, and high radiation.

Thermal and mechanical properties of recycled poly(Lactic acid)

Biodegradable polymers have experienced increased attention in recent years because of their wide range of applications in biomedical, packaging and agriculture fields. PLA, poly(lactic acid), is a linear aliphatic biodegradable thermoplastic polyester, with good mechanical properties, thermal stability, processability and low environmental impact, widely used as an alternative to conventional polymers. PLA products can be recycled after use either by remelting and reprocessing the material, or by hydrolysis to basic lactic acid [1]. The object of this communication is the study of the possible variation in physical properties induced by sub sequent reprocessing cycles of PLA.

Mechanical Characterization of Lead-Free Sn-Ag-Cu Solder Joints by High-Temperature Nanoindentation

The reliability of Pb-free solder joints is controlled by their microstructural constituents. Therefore, knowledge of the solder microconstituents’ mechanical properties as a function of temperature is required. Sn-Ag-Cu lead-free solder alloy contains three phases: a Sn-rich phase, and the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) Cu6Sn5 and Ag3Sn. Typically, the Sn-rich phase is surrounded by a eutectic mixture of β-Sn, Cu6Sn5, and Ag3Sn. In this paper, we report on the Young’s modulus and hardness of the Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn IMCs, the β-Sn phase, and the eutectic compound, as measured by nanoindentation at elevated temperatures. For both the β-Sn phase and the eutectic compound, the hardness and Young’s modulus exhibited strong temperature dependence. In the case of the intermetallics, this temperature dependence is observed for Cu6Sn5, but the mechanical properties of Cu3Sn are more stable up to 200°C.

Gas sensor based on room temperature optical properties of Surface QDs

Self-organized InGaAs QDs are intensively studied for optoelectronic applications. Several approaches are in study to reach the emission wavelengths needed for these applications. The use of antimony (Sb) in either the capping layer or into the dots is one example. However, these studies are normally focused on buried QD (BQD) where there are still different controversial theories concerning the role of Sb. Ones suggest that Sb incorporates into the dot [1], while others support the hypothesis that the Sb occupies positions surrounding the dot [2] thus helping to keep their shape during the capping growth.

Optimum high temperature strength of two-dimensional nanocomposites

High-temperature nanoindentation was used to reveal nano-layer size effects on the hardness of two-dimensional metallic nanocomposites. We report the existence of a critical layer thickness at which strength achieves optimal thermal stability. Transmission electron microscopy and theoretical bicrystal calculations show that this optimum arises due to a transition from thermally activated glide within the layers to dislocation transmission across the layers. We demonstrate experimentally that the atomic-scale properties of the interfaces profoundly affect this critical transition. The strong implications are that interfaces can be tuned to achieve an optimum in high temperature strength in layered nanocomposite structures.

Technology and characterization of GaN-HEMTs devices: high temperature and trapping effects

Los transistores de alta movilidad electrónica basados en GaN han sido objeto de una extensa investigación ya que tanto el GaN como sus aleaciones presentan unas excelentes propiedades eléctricas (alta movilidad, elevada concentración de portadores y campo eléctrico crítico alto). Aunque recientemente se han incluido en algunas aplicaciones comerciales, su expansión en el mercado está condicionada a la mejora de varios asuntos relacionados con su rendimiento y habilidad. Durante esta tesis se han abordado algunos de estos aspectos relevantes; por ejemplo, la fabricación de enhancement mode HEMTs, su funcionamiento a alta temperatura, el auto calentamiento y el atrapamiento de carga. Los HEMTs normalmente apagado o enhancement mode han atraído la atención de la comunidad científica dedicada al desarrollo de circuitos amplificadores y conmutadores de potencia, ya que su utilización disminuiría significativamente el consumo de potencia; además de requerir solamente una tensión de alimentación negativa, y reducir la complejidad del circuito y su coste. Durante esta tesis se han evaluado varias técnicas utilizadas para la fabricación de estos dispositivos: el ataque húmedo para conseguir el gate-recess en heterostructuras de InAl(Ga)N/GaN; y tratamientos basados en flúor (plasma CF4 e implantación de F) de la zona debajo de la puerta. Se han llevado a cabo ataques húmedos en heteroestructuras de InAl(Ga)N crecidas sobre sustratos de Si, SiC y zafiro. El ataque completo de la barrera se consiguió únicamente en las muestras con sustrato de Si. Por lo tanto, se puede deducir que la velocidad de ataque depende de la densidad de dislocaciones presentes en la estructura, ya que el Si presenta un peor ajuste del parámetro de red con el GaN. En relación a los tratamientos basados en flúor, se ha comprobado que es necesario realizar un recocido térmico después de la fabricación de la puerta para recuperar la heteroestructura de los daños causados durante dichos tratamientos. Además, el estudio de la evolución de la tensión umbral con el tiempo de recocido ha demostrado que en los HEMTs tratados con plasma ésta tiende a valores más negativos al aumentar el tiempo de recocido. Por el contrario, la tensión umbral de los HEMTs implantados se desplaza hacia valores más positivos, lo cual se atribuye a la introducción de iones de flúor a niveles más profundos de la heterostructura. Los transistores fabricados con plasma presentaron mejor funcionamiento en DC a temperatura ambiente que los implantados. Su estudio a alta temperatura ha revelado una reducción del funcionamiento de todos los dispositivos con la temperatura. Los valores iniciales de corriente de drenador y de transconductancia medidos a temperatura ambiente se recuperaron después del ciclo térmico, por lo que se deduce que dichos efectos térmicos son reversibles. Se han estudiado varios aspectos relacionados con el funcionamiento de los HEMTs a diferentes temperaturas. En primer lugar, se han evaluado las prestaciones de dispositivos de AlGaN/GaN sobre sustrato de Si con diferentes caps: GaN, in situ SiN e in situ SiN/GaN, desde 25 K hasta 550 K. Los transistores con in situ SiN presentaron los valores más altos de corriente drenador, transconductancia, y los valores más bajos de resistencia-ON, así como las mejores características en corte. Además, se ha confirmado que dichos dispositivos presentan gran robustez frente al estrés térmico. En segundo lugar, se ha estudiado el funcionamiento de transistores de InAlN/GaN con diferentes diseños y geometrías. Dichos dispositivos presentaron una reducción casi lineal de los parámetros en DC en el rango de temperaturas de 25°C hasta 225°C. Esto se debe principalmente a la dependencia térmica de la movilidad electrónica, y también a la reducción de la drift velocity con la temperatura. Además, los transistores con mayores longitudes de puerta mostraron una mayor reducción de su funcionamiento, lo cual se atribuye a que la drift velocity disminuye más considerablemente con la temperatura cuando el campo eléctrico es pequeño. De manera similar, al aumentar la distancia entre la puerta y el drenador, el funcionamiento del HEMT presentó una mayor reducción con la temperatura. Por lo tanto, se puede deducir que la degradación del funcionamiento de los HEMTs causada por el aumento de la temperatura depende tanto de la longitud de la puerta como de la distancia entre la puerta y el drenador. Por otra parte, la alta densidad de potencia generada en la región activa de estos transistores conlleva el auto calentamiento de los mismos por efecto Joule, lo cual puede degradar su funcionamiento y Habilidad. Durante esta tesis se ha desarrollado un simple método para la determinación de la temperatura del canal basado en medidas eléctricas. La aplicación de dicha técnica junto con la realización de simulaciones electrotérmicas han posibilitado el estudio de varios aspectos relacionados con el autocalentamiento. Por ejemplo, se han evaluado sus efectos en dispositivos sobre Si, SiC, y zafiro. Los transistores sobre SiC han mostrado menores efectos gracias a la mayor conductividad térmica del SiC, lo cual confirma el papel clave que desempeña el sustrato en el autocalentamiento. Se ha observado que la geometría del dispositivo tiene cierta influencia en dichos efectos, destacando que la distribución del calor generado en la zona del canal depende de la distancia entre la puerta y el drenador. Además, se ha demostrado que la temperatura ambiente tiene un considerable impacto en el autocalentamiento, lo que se atribuye principalmente a la dependencia térmica de la conductividad térmica de las capas y sustrato que forman la heterostructura. Por último, se han realizado numerosas medidas en pulsado para estudiar el atrapamiento de carga en HEMTs sobre sustratos de SiC con barreras de AlGaN y de InAlN. Los resultados obtenidos en los transistores con barrera de AlGaN han presentado una disminución de la corriente de drenador y de la transconductancia sin mostrar un cambio en la tensión umbral. Por lo tanto, se puede deducir que la posible localización de las trampas es la región de acceso entre la puerta y el drenador. Por el contrario, la reducción de la corriente de drenador observada en los dispositivos con barrera de InAlN llevaba asociado un cambio significativo en la tensión umbral, lo que implica la existencia de trampas situadas en la zona debajo de la puerta. Además, el significativo aumento del valor de la resistencia-ON y la degradación de la transconductancia revelan la presencia de trampas en la zona de acceso entre la puerta y el drenador. La evaluación de los efectos del atrapamiento de carga en dispositivos con diferentes geometrías ha demostrado que dichos efectos son menos notables en aquellos transistores con mayor longitud de puerta o mayor distancia entre puerta y drenador. Esta dependencia con la geometría se puede explicar considerando que la longitud y densidad de trampas de la puerta virtual son independientes de las dimensiones del dispositivo. Finalmente se puede deducir que para conseguir el diseño óptimo durante la fase de diseño no sólo hay que tener en cuenta la aplicación final sino también la influencia que tiene la geometría en los diferentes aspectos estudiados (funcionamiento a alta temperatura, autocalentamiento, y atrapamiento de carga). ABSTRACT GaN-based high electron mobility transistors have been under extensive research due to the excellent electrical properties of GaN and its related alloys (high carrier concentration, high mobility, and high critical electric field). Although these devices have been recently included in commercial applications, some performance and reliability issues need to be addressed for their expansion in the market. Some of these relevant aspects have been studied during this thesis; for instance, the fabrication of enhancement mode HEMTs, the device performance at high temperature, the self-heating and the charge trapping. Enhancement mode HEMTs have become more attractive mainly because their use leads to a significant reduction of the power consumption during the stand-by state. Moreover, they enable the fabrication of simpler power amplifier circuits and high-power switches because they allow the elimination of negativepolarity voltage supply, reducing significantly the circuit complexity and system cost. In this thesis, different techniques for the fabrication of these devices have been assessed: wet-etching for achieving the gate-recess in InAl(Ga)N/GaN devices and two different fluorine-based treatments (CF4 plasma and F implantation). Regarding the wet-etching, experiments have been carried out in InAl(Ga)N/GaN grown on different substrates: Si, sapphire, and SiC. The total recess of the barrier was achieved after 3 min of etching in devices grown on Si substrate. This suggests that the etch rate can critically depend on the dislocations present in the structure, since the Si exhibits the highest mismatch to GaN. Concerning the fluorine-based treatments, a post-gate thermal annealing was required to recover the damages caused to the structure during the fluorine-treatments. The study of the threshold voltage as a function of this annealing time has revealed that in the case of the plasma-treated devices it become more negative with the time increase. On the contrary, the threshold voltage of implanted HEMTs showed a positive shift when the annealing time was increased, which is attributed to the deep F implantation profile. Plasma-treated HEMTs have exhibited better DC performance at room temperature than the implanted devices. Their study at high temperature has revealed that their performance decreases with temperature. The initial performance measured at room temperature was recovered after the thermal cycle regardless of the fluorine treatment; therefore, the thermal effects were reversible. Thermal issues related to the device performance at different temperature have been addressed. Firstly, AlGaN/GaN HEMTs grown on Si substrate with different cap layers: GaN, in situ SiN, or in situ SiN/GaN, have been assessed from 25 K to 550 K. In situ SiN cap layer has been demonstrated to improve the device performance since HEMTs with this cap layer have exhibited the highest drain current and transconductance values, the lowest on-resistance, as well as the best off-state characteristics. Moreover, the evaluation of thermal stress impact on the device performance has confirmed the robustness of devices with in situ cap. Secondly, the high temperature performance of InAlN/GaN HEMTs with different layouts and geometries have been assessed. The devices under study have exhibited an almost linear reduction of the main DC parameters operating in a temperature range from room temperature to 225°C. This was mainly due to the thermal dependence of the electron mobility, and secondly to the drift velocity decrease with temperature. Moreover, HEMTs with large gate length values have exhibited a great reduction of the device performance. This was attributed to the greater decrease of the drift velocity for low electric fields. Similarly, the increase of the gate-to-drain distance led to a greater reduction of drain current and transconductance values. Therefore, this thermal performance degradation has been found to be dependent on both the gate length and the gate-to-drain distance. It was observed that the very high power density in the active region of these transistors leads to Joule self-heating, resulting in an increase of the device temperature, which can degrade the device performance and reliability. A simple electrical method have been developed during this work to determine the channel temperature. Furthermore, the application of this technique together with the performance of electro-thermal simulations have enabled the evaluation of different aspects related to the self-heating. For instance, the influence of the substrate have been confirmed by the study of devices grown on Si, SiC, and Sapphire. HEMTs grown on SiC substrate have been confirmed to exhibit the lowest self-heating effects thanks to its highest thermal conductivity. In addition to this, the distribution of the generated heat in the channel has been demonstrated to be dependent on the gate-to-drain distance. Besides the substrate and the geometry of the device, the ambient temperature has also been found to be relevant for the self-heating effects, mainly due to the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of the layers and the substrate. Trapping effects have been evaluated by means of pulsed measurements in AlGaN and InAIN barrier devices. AlGaN barrier HEMTs have exhibited a de crease in drain current and transconductance without measurable threshold voltage change, suggesting the location of the traps in the gate-to-drain access region. On the contrary, InAIN barrier devices have showed a drain current associated with a positive shift of threshold voltage, which indicated that the traps were possibly located under the gate region. Moreover, a significant increase of the ON-resistance as well as a transconductance reduction were observed, revealing the presence of traps on the gate-drain access region. On the other hand, the assessment of devices with different geometries have demonstrated that the trapping effects are more noticeable in devices with either short gate length or the gate-to-drain distance. This can be attributed to the fact that the length and the trap density of the virtual gate are independent on the device geometry. Finally, it can be deduced that besides the final application requirements, the influence of the device geometry on the performance at high temperature, on the self-heating, as well as on the trapping effects need to be taken into account during the device design stage to achieve the optimal layout.

High temperature nanoindentation behavior of Al/SiC multilayers

Nanoscale Al/SiC composite laminates have unique properties, such as high strength, high toughness, and damage tolerance. In this article, the high-temperature nanoindentation response of Al/SiC nanolaminates is explored from room temperature up to 300_C. Selected nanoindentations were analyzed postmortem using focused ion beam and transmission electron microscopy to ascertain the microstructural changes and the deformation mechanisms operating at high temperature.

Mechanical behaviour at high temperature of alkali-activated aluminosilicates (geopolymers)

This study was designed to determine the effect of temperature on the mechanical strength (in both in vivo and post-exposure trials) of two alkaline cements (without OPC): (a) 100% fly ash (FA) and (b) 85% FA + 15% bauxite, the activated alkaline solution used was 85% 10-M NaOH + 15% sodium silicate. A Type I 42.5 R Portland cement was used as a control. Two series of trials were conducted: (i) in vivo trials in which bending and compressive strength, fracture toughness and modulus of elasticity were determined at different temperatures; and (ii) post-firing trials, assessing residual bending and compres-sive strength after a 1-h exposure to high temperatures and subsequent cooling. The findings showed that from 25 to 600 C, irrespective of the type of test (in vivo or post-firing), compressive mechanical strength rose, with the specimens exhibiting elastic behaviour and consequently brittle failure. At tem-peratures of over 600 C, behaviour differed depending on the type of test: (i) in the in vivo trials the high temperature induced pseudo-plastic strain and a decline in mechanical strength that did not necessarily entail specimen failure; (ii) in the post-firing trials, compressive strength rose.

Fabrication and characterization at high temperature of AlGaN/GaN enhancement HEMTs

Enhancement-mode (E-mode) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on a standard AlGaN/GaN heterostructure have been fabricated using two different methods: 19F implantation and fluorine-based plasma treatment. The need of a thermal annealing after both treatments has been proven in order to restore the ID and gm levels. DC characterization at high temperature has demonstrated that ID and gm decrease reversibly due to the reduction of the electron mobility and the drift velocity. Pulsed measurements (state period and variable pulse width) have been performed to study the self-heating effects.

Thermal and mechanical effects of different excitation modes based on low frequency laser modulation in optical hyperthermia

The low frequency modulation of the laser source (menor que30KHz) allows the generation of a pulsed signal that intermittently excites the gold nanorods. The temperature curves obtained for different frequencies and duty cycles of modulation but with equal average power and identical laser parameters, show that the thermal behavior in continuous wave and modulation modes is the same. However, the cell death experiments suggest that the percentage of death is higher in the cases of modulation. This observation allows us to conclude that there are other effects in addition to temperature that contribute to the cellular death. The mechanical effects like sound or pressure waves are expected to be generated from thermal expansion of gold nanorods. In order to study the behavior and magnitude of these processes we have developed a measure device based on ultrasound piezoelectric receivers (25KHz) and a lock-in amplifier that is able to detect the sound waves generated in samples of gold nanorods during laser irradiation providing us a voltage result proportional to the pressure signal. The first results show that the pressure measurements are directly proportional to the concentration of gold nanorods and the laser power, therefore, our present work is focused on determine the real influence of these effects in the cell death process.

Esfuerzos inducidos en presas, arco-gravedad en operación por la acción térmica medioambiental : una aportación a su análisis y evaluación

Cyclic fluctuations of the atmospheric temperature on the dam site, of the water temperature in the reservoir and of the intensity of solar radiation on the faces of the dam cause significant stresses in the body of concrete dams. These stresses can be evaluated first by introducing in analysis models a linear temperature distribution statically equivalent to the real temperature distribution in the dam; the stress valúes obtained from this first step must be complemented (especially in the área of dam faces) with the stress valúes resuiting from the difference between the real temperature law and the linear law at each node. In the case of arch gravity dams, and because of their characteristics of arch dam featuring a thick section, both types of temperature-induced stresses are of similar importance. Thermal stress valúes are directly linked to a series of factors: atmospheric and water temperature and intensity of solar radiation at dam site, site latitude, azimuth of the dam, as well as geometrical characteristics of the dam and thermal properties of concrete. This thesis first presents a complete study of the physical phenomenon of heat exchange between the environment and the dam itself, and establishes the participation scheme of all parameters involved in the problem considered. A detailed documental review of available methods and techniques is then carried out both for the estimation of environmental thermal loads and for the evaluation of the stresses induced by these loads. Variation ranges are also established for the main parameters. The definition of the geometrical parameters of the dam is provided based on the description of a wide set of arch gravity dams built in Spain and abroad. As a practical reference of the parameters defining the thermal action of the environment, a set of zones, in which thermal parameters reach homogeneous valúes, was established for Spain. The mean valué and variation range of atmospheric temperature were then determined for each zone, based on a series of historical valúes. Summer and winter temperature increases caused by solar radiation were also defined for each zone. Since the hypothesis of thermal stratification in the reservoir has been considered, máximum and mínimum temperature valúes reached at the bottom of the reservoir were determined for each climatic zone, as well as the law of temperature variation in function of depth. Various dam-and-foundation configurations were analysed by means of finite element 3D models, in which the dam and foundation were each submitted to different load combinations. The seasonal thermal behaviour of sections of variable thickness was analysed through the application of numerical techniques to one-dimensional models. Contrasting the results of both analyses led to conclusions on the influence of environmental thermal action on the stress conditions of the structure. Las oscilaciones periódicas de la temperatura ambiente en el emplazamiento y de la temperatura del agua en el embalse, así como de la incidencia de la radiación solar sobre los paramentos de la presa, son causa de tensiones importantes en el cuerpo de las presas de hormigón. Estas tensiones pueden ser evaluadas en primer lugar introduciendo en los modelos tridimensionales de análisis, distribuciones lineales de temperatura estáticamente equivalentes a las correspondientes distribuciones reales en el cuerpo de la presa; las tensiones así obtenidas han de complementarse (sobre todo en las cercanías de los paramentos) con tensiones cuyo origen está en la temperatura diferencia entre la ley real y la lineal en cada punto. En el caso de las presas arco-gravedad y en razón de su doble característica de presas arco y de sección gruesa, ambas componentes de la tensión inducida por la temperatura son de magnitud similar. Los valores de estas tensiones de origen térmico están directamente relacionados con la temperatura del emplazamiento y del embalse, con la intensidad de la insolación, con la latitud y el azimut de la presa, con las características geométricas de la estructura y con las propiedades térmicas del hormigón. En esta tesis se realiza, en primer lugar, un estudio completo del fenómeno físico del intercambio de calor entre el medio ambiente y el cuerpo de la presa, estableciendo el mecanismo de participación de todos los parámetros que configuran el problema. En segundo lugar se realiza a cabo una revisión documental detallada de los métodos y técnicas utilizables tanto en la estimación de las cargas térmicas ambientales como en la evaluación de las tensiones inducidas por dichas cargas. En tercer lugar se establecen rangos de variación para los principales parámetros que configuran el problema. Los parámetros geométricos de la presa se definen a partir de la descripción de un amplio conjunto de presas arco-gravedad tanto españolas como del resto del mundo. Como referencia práctica de los parámetros que definen la acción térmica ambiental se establecen en España un conjunto de zonas caracterizadas por que, en cada una de ellas, los parámetros térmicos alcanzan valores homogéneos. Así, y en base a series de valores históricos, se establecen la media y la amplitud de la variación anual de la temperatura ambiental en cada una de las zonas. Igualmente, se han definido para cada zona los incrementos de temperatura que, en invierno y en verano, produce la insolación. En relación con el agua del embalse y en la hipótesis de estratificación térmica de este, se han definido los valores, aplicables en cada una de las zonas, de las temperaturas máxima y mínima en el fondo así como la ley de variación de la temperatura con la profundidad. Utilizando modelos tridimensionales de elementos finitos se analizan diferentes configuraciones de la presa y la cimentación sometidas, cada una de ellas, a diferentes combinaciones de carga. Aplicando técnicas numéricas a modelos unidimensionales se analiza el comportamiento térmico temporal de secciones de espesor variable. Considerando conjuntamente los resultados de los análisis anteriores se obtienen conclusiones parametrizadas de detalle sobre la influencia que tiene en el estado tensional de la estructura la consideración de la acción térmica ambiental.