Failure and impact behavior of facade panels made of glass fiber reinforced cement(GRC)

GRC is a cementitious composite material made up of a cement mortar matrix and chopped glass fibers. Due to its outstanding mechanical properties, GRC has been widely used to produce cladding panels and some civil engineering elements. Impact failure of cladding panels made of GRC may occur during production if some tool falls onto the panel, due to stone or other objects impacting at low velocities or caused by debris projected after a blast. Impact failure of a front panel of a building may have not only an important economic value but also human lives may be at risk if broken pieces of the panel fall from the building to the pavement. Therefore, knowing GRC impact strength is necessary to prevent economic costs and putting human lives at risk. One-stage light gas gun is an impact test machine capable of testing different materials subjected to impact loads. An experimental program was carried out, testing GRC samples of five different formulations, commonly used in building industry. Steel spheres were shot at different velocities on square GRC samples. The residual velocity of the projectiles was obtained both using a high speed camera with multiframe exposure and measuring the projectile’s penetration depth in molding clay blocks. Tests were performed on young and artificially aged GRC samples to compare GRC’s behavior when subjected to high strain rates. Numerical simulations using a hydrocode were made to analyze which parameters are most important during an impact event. GRC impact strength was obtained from test results. Also, GRC’s embrittlement, caused by GRC aging, has no influence on GRC impact behavior due to the small size of the projectile. Also, glass fibers used in GRC production only maintain GRC panels’ integrity but have no influence on GRC’s impact strength. Numerical models have reproduced accurately impact tests.

Analysis of the Fracture of Reinforced Concrete Flat Elements Subjected to Explosions. Experimental Procedure and Numerical Validation

Many of the material models most frequently used for the numerical simulation of the behavior of concrete when subjected to high strain rates have been originally developed for the simulation of ballistic impact. Therefore, they are plasticity-based models in which the compressive behavior is modeled in a complex way, while their tensile failure criterion is of a rather simpler nature. As concrete elements usually fail in tensión when subjected to blast loading, available concrete material models for high strain rates may not represent accurately their real behavior. In this research work an experimental program of reinforced concrete fíat elements subjected to blast load is presented. Altogether four detonation tests are conducted, in which 12 slabs of two different concrete types are subjected to the same blast load. The results of the experimental program are then used for the development and adjustment of numerical tools needed in the modeling of concrete elements subjected to blast.

Importancia del ablandamiento térmico en simulaciones de impactos en placas de acero a altas temperaturas

En el presente trabajo se presenta un estudio experimental y numérico de impactos balísticos sobre placas de acero inoxidable martensítico a altas temperaturas (400ºC y 700ºC), que pone de manifiesto la importancia del ablandamiento térmico en simulaciones de impactos a altas temperaturas. Mediante un estudio metalográfico de la zona de impacto, se ha observado la aparición de bandas adiabáticas de cortante formadas por el aumento brusco de la temperatura debido a la acumulación del trabajo plástico en el interior del material. La correcta predicción en la formación de estas bandas durante el proceso de penetración es crítica a la hora de obtener resultados representativos de los experimentos realizados. Basándose en datos experimentales de ensayos previamente realizados, se ha calibrado un modelo de material de Johnson-Cook (JC) para su uso con simulaciones numéricas en el código no lineal de elementos finitos LSDYNA. Mediante estas simulaciones numéricas se demuestra la importancia del ablandamiento térmico en el proceso de perforación de placas, al igual que la incapacidad que un modelo tipo JC tiene para representar el dicho ablandamiento para material estudiado. Esta investigación presenta, finalmente, una modificación a un modelo tipo JC programado como subrutina de material de usuario para LS-DYNA que permite simular correctamente estos procesos de impacto a alta temperatura

Comportamiento mecánico a alta temperatura y alta velocidad de deformación de la superaleación de niquel MAR-M247DS

Las súper-aleaciones de níquel tienen gran utilidad en aplicaciones estructurales en condiciones de trabajo a m uy alta temperatura. Uno de las aplicaciones más empleadas es en los alabes de turbina de aeromotores, en los que los alabes se producen por solidificación direccional, con propiedades muy variables en las direcciones longitudinal y transversal. En el presente trabajo se exponen 1 os resultados obtenidos en la investigación llevada a cabo para det erminar el comportamiento mecánico de la aleaci ón de níquel Mar-M247DS en condiciones de alta tem peratura y analizar el efecto de la velocidad de deform ación. Para ello se realizaron ensayos está ticos de tracción a baja velocidad de deformación y a al ta velocidad de deform ación mediante una máquina convencional de ensay os y mediante el dispositivo experimental de 1 a barra Hopkinson respectivamente. Los ensay os se real izaron a t emperaturas comprendidas entre los 25°C y los 850°C. Para ayudar a expli car el comportamiento mecánico obtenido, se realizó un estudio metalográfico que m uestra una es tructura con una fuerte anisotropía debida al proceso de fabricación del material. Así mismo las superficies de fractura se ana lizaron mediante microscopía electrónica de barrí do. Los resultados obtenidos en los ensayos m uestran una sensibilidad a la velocida d de deformación y un endurecimiento por deformación muy acusado. Los resul tados muestran una gran dispersión en la deformación a rotura producto de la inhomogeneidad de los precipitados y de la gran variabilidad en el tamaño y dirección de los granos..

Medidas de propiedades dieléctricas de materiales de construcción mediante elipsometría

A set of measurements of electromagnetic properties of building materials is presented in this work. The method is based on the measurement of the polarization state of the reflected signal from the material under study at a fixed angle of incidence. From the measured data, by using the Fresnel equations, it has been obtained the dielectric constant. Measurements were done by using two horn antennas at the frequency of 9 GHz. The obtained results are compared with the free space reflexion and transmission Fresnel method and other reflection methods based on a conductor waveguide. The method explained in this work can be used for other type of materials and its main advantage is the non-destructive character and the ease implementation.

An Experimental and Numerical Study of Ballistic Impacts on a Turbine Casing Material at Varying Temperatures

An experimental and numerical study of ballistic impacts on steel plates at various temperatures (700ºC, 400ºC and room temperature) has been carried out. The motivation for this work is the blade‐off event that may occur inside a jet engine turbine. However, as a first attempt to understand this complex loading process, a somewhat simpler approach is carried out in the present work. The material used in this study is the FV535 martensitic stainless steel, which is one of the most commonly used materials for turbine casings. Based on material test data, a Modified Johnson‐Cook (MJC) model was calibrated for numerical simulations using the LS‐DYNA explicit finite element code (see Figure 1). To check the mesh size sensitivity, 2D axisymmetric finite element models with three different mesh sizes and configurations were used for the various temperatures. Two fixed meshes with 64 and 128 elements over the 2mm thick plate and one mesh with 32 elements over the thickness with adaptive remeshing were used in the simulations. The formation of adiabatic shear bands in the perforation process has been found critical in order to achieve good results. Adiabatic shear bands are formed by the temperature rise due to the accumulation of plastic strain during impact (see Figure 2). The influence of the thermal softening in the plastic model has hence been analyzed for the room temperature impact tests, where the temperature gradient is highest

Virtual Instruments in Dimensional Metrology

During the last five years, in order to improve understanding of content related to "Coordinate Metrology", the Laboratorio de Metrología y Metrotecnia (LMM) from the Polytechnic University of Madrid offers its PhD students, as a course work, the construction of a virtual instrument. This virtual instrument simulates the imaging of a part to be measured by optical dimensional metrology instruments (microscopes, profile projectors, vision machines). The LMM provides students with images similar to those they would obtain with real instrumentation for the instrument adjustment and calibration process. Working with these images, students should determine the adjustment parameters of the virtual instrument. Once these parameters are set, the student can perform the proper calibration of the virtual instrument. Beyond this process, the instrument is already able to perform traceable measurement. In order to do that, LMM offers students some images of parts. Students should perform some measurements using those images and estimate the corresponding uncertainties.

Importancia del ablandamiento térmico en simulaciones de impactos en placas de acero a altas temperaturas

En el presente trabajo se presenta un estudio experimental y numérico de impactos balísticos sobre placas de acero inoxidable martensítico a altas temperaturas (400ºC y 700ºC), que pone de manifiesto la importancia del ablandamiento térmico en simulaciones de impactos a altas temperaturas. Mediante un estudio metalográfico de la zona de impacto, se ha observado la aparición de bandas adiabáticas de cortante formadas por el aumento brusco de la temperatura debido a la acumulación del trabajo plástico en el interior del material. La correcta predicción en la formación de estas bandas durante el proceso de penetración es crítica a la hora de obtener resultados representativos de los experimentos realizados. Basándose en datos experimentales de ensayos previamente realizados, se ha calibrado un modelo de material de Johnson-Cook (JC) para su uso con simulaciones numéricas en el código no lineal de elementos finitos LSDYNA. Mediante estas simulaciones numéricas se demuestra la importancia del ablandamiento térmico en el proceso de perforación de placas, al igual que la incapacidad que un modelo tipo JC tiene para representar el dicho ablandamiento para material estudiado. Esta investigación presenta, finalmente, una modificación a un modelo tipo JC programado como subrutina de material de usuario para LS-DYNA que permite simular correctamente estos procesos de impacto a alta temperatura.

Evaluación y análisis de la trazabilidad metrológica en redes para la verificación y calibración de instrumental GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)

Los estudios realizados hasta el momento para la determinación de la calidad de medida del instrumental geodésico han estado dirigidos, fundamentalmente, a las medidas angulares y de distancias. Sin embargo, en los últimos años se ha impuesto la tendencia generalizada de utilizar equipos GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) en el campo de las aplicaciones geomáticas sin que se haya establecido una metodología que permita obtener la corrección de calibración y su incertidumbre para estos equipos. La finalidad de esta Tesis es establecer los requisitos que debe satisfacer una red para ser considerada Red Patrón con trazabilidad metrológica, así como la metodología para la verificación y calibración de instrumental GNSS en redes patrón. Para ello, se ha diseñado y elaborado un procedimiento técnico de calibración de equipos GNSS en el que se han definido las contribuciones a la incertidumbre de medida. El procedimiento, que se ha aplicado en diferentes redes para distintos equipos, ha permitido obtener la incertidumbre expandida de dichos equipos siguiendo las recomendaciones de la Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement del Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology. Asimismo, se han determinado mediante técnicas de observación por satélite las coordenadas tridimensionales de las bases que conforman las redes consideradas en la investigación, y se han desarrollado simulaciones en función de diversos valores de las desviaciones típicas experimentales de los puntos fijos que se han utilizado en el ajuste mínimo cuadrático de los vectores o líneas base. Los resultados obtenidos han puesto de manifiesto la importancia que tiene el conocimiento de las desviaciones típicas experimentales en el cálculo de incertidumbres de las coordenadas tridimensionales de las bases. Basándose en estudios y observaciones de gran calidad técnica, llevados a cabo en estas redes con anterioridad, se ha realizado un exhaustivo análisis que ha permitido determinar las condiciones que debe satisfacer una red patrón. Además, se han diseñado procedimientos técnicos de calibración que permiten calcular la incertidumbre expandida de medida de los instrumentos geodésicos que proporcionan ángulos y distancias obtenidas por métodos electromagnéticos, ya que dichos instrumentos son los que van a permitir la diseminación de la trazabilidad metrológica a las redes patrón para la verificación y calibración de los equipos GNSS. De este modo, ha sido posible la determinación de las correcciones de calibración local de equipos GNSS de alta exactitud en las redes patrón. En esta Tesis se ha obtenido la incertidumbre de la corrección de calibración mediante dos metodologías diferentes; en la primera se ha aplicado la propagación de incertidumbres, mientras que en la segunda se ha aplicado el método de Monte Carlo de simulación de variables aleatorias. El análisis de los resultados obtenidos confirma la validez de ambas metodologías para la determinación de la incertidumbre de calibración de instrumental GNSS. ABSTRACT The studies carried out so far for the determination of the quality of measurement of geodetic instruments have been aimed, primarily, to measure angles and distances. However, in recent years it has been accepted to use GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) equipment in the field of Geomatic applications, for data capture, without establishing a methodology that allows obtaining the calibration correction and its uncertainty. The purpose of this Thesis is to establish the requirements that a network must meet to be considered a StandardNetwork with metrological traceability, as well as the methodology for the verification and calibration of GNSS instrumental in those standard networks. To do this, a technical calibration procedure has been designed, developed and defined for GNSS equipment determining the contributions to the uncertainty of measurement. The procedure, which has been applied in different networks for different equipment, has alloweddetermining the expanded uncertainty of such equipment following the recommendations of the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement of the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology. In addition, the three-dimensional coordinates of the bases which constitute the networks considered in the investigationhave been determined by satellite-based techniques. There have been several developed simulations based on different values of experimental standard deviations of the fixed points that have been used in the least squares vectors or base lines calculations. The results have shown the importance that the knowledge of experimental standard deviations has in the calculation of uncertainties of the three-dimensional coordinates of the bases. Based on high technical quality studies and observations carried out in these networks previously, it has been possible to make an exhaustive analysis that has allowed determining the requirements that a standard network must meet. In addition, technical calibration procedures have been developed to allow the uncertainty estimation of measurement carried outby geodetic instruments that provide angles and distances obtained by electromagnetic methods. These instruments provide the metrological traceability to standard networks used for verification and calibration of GNSS equipment. As a result, it has been possible the estimation of local calibration corrections for high accuracy GNSS equipment in standardnetworks. In this Thesis, the uncertainty of calibration correction has been calculated using two different methodologies: the first one by applying the law of propagation of uncertainty, while the second has applied the propagation of distributions using the Monte Carlo method. The analysis of the obtained results confirms the validity of both methodologies for estimating the calibration uncertainty of GNSS equipment.

System Integration in a UAS design. An example of undergraduate student's tasks.

Systems integration is the origin of most major difficulties found in the engineering design of aeronautical vehicles. The whole design team must assure that each subsystem accomplishes its particular goals and that, together with the rest of the systems, they all meet the general aircraft requirements.Design and building of UAS is a field of actuation to which leading Universities, research Centers and Aeronautical designers have dedicated a lot of effort. In recent years, a team of students, lecturers and professors at the Escuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Técnica Aeronáutica (EUITA) have been working on the design and building of a UAS for civil observation. The design of multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has seen a rapid progress in the last years. A wide variety of designs and applications, some of them really ingenious, have been proposed. The project, which has been going on as a teamwork experience for the last ten years, consists of the design and building of a UAV, and its peculiarity is that it has been carried out entirely by undergraduate students, as part of their Final Research Project. The students face a challenge that includes all the features and stages of an authentic engineering project. We present the current moment of evolution in the process, together with a description of the main difficulties the project has undergone, as a global experience in engineering design and development.

Flow and fracture behaviour of FV535 steel at different triaxialities, strain rates and temperatures

The new generation jet engines operate at highly demanding working conditions. Such conditions need very precise design which implies an exhaustive study of the engine materials and behaviour in their extreme working conditions. With this purpose, this work intends to describe a numerically-based calibration of the widely-used Johnson–Cook fracture model, as well as its validation through high temperature ballistic impact tests. To do so, a widely-used turbine casing material is studied. This material is the Firth Vickers 535 martensitic stainless steel. Quasi-static tensile tests at various temperatures in a universal testing machine, as well as dynamic tests in a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar, are carried out at different triaxialities. Using ABAQUS/Standard and LS-DYNA numerical codes, experimental data are matched. This method allows the researcher to obtain critical data of equivalent plastic strain and triaxility, which allows for more precise calibration of the Johnson–Cook fracture model. Such enhancement allows study of the fracture behaviour of the material across its usage temperature range.

Simulación numérica de elementos estructurales de hormigón armado de alta resistencia sometidos a explosiones

En los últimos años ha crecido el interés por el uso del hormigón de alta resistencia en la construcción de estructuras resistentes a explosiones y de elementos de protección frente a impactos y explosiones. En el presente trabajo se analiza la capacidad de los modelos numéricos existentes a la hora de reproducir resultados experimentales obtenidos sobre hormigones de alta resistencia sometidos a cargas explosivas y cargas estáticas. Para ello se emplea una campaña experimental desarrollada por la Agencia de Defensa de Suecia sobre vigas de este material. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran la capacidad de las herramientas numéricas para reproducir adecuadamente el comportamiento del hormigón si bien, paradójicamente, proporcionan mejores resultados en régimen dinámico que en régimen estático. Las simulaciones numéricas, junto con el análisis de los resultados experimentales, permiten obtener conclusiones acerca del diferente comportamiento de los elementos estructurales sometidos a altas velocidades de deformación frente a su comportamiento en régimen estático.

Numerical simulation of tangling in jet engine turbines

The numerical analysis of certain safety related problems presents serious difficulties, since the large number of components present leads to huge finite elementmodels that can only be solved by using large and expensive computers or by making rough approaches to the problem. Tangling, or clashing, in the turbine of a jet engine airplane is an example of such problems. This is caused by the crash and friction between rotor and stator blades in the turbine after an eventual shaft failure. When facing the study of an event through numerical modelling, the accurate simulation of this problem would require the engineer to model all the rotor and stator blades existing in the turbine stage, using a small element size in all pieces. Given that the number of stator and rotor blades is usually around 200, such simulations would require millions of elements. This work presents a new numerical methodology, specifically developed for the accurate modelling of the tangling problem that, depending on the turbine configuration, is able to reduce the number of nodes up to an order of magnitude without losing accuracy. The methodology, which benefits from the cyclic configuration of turbines, is successfully applied to the numerical analysis of a hypothetical tangling event in a turbine, providing valuable data such as the rotating velocity decrease of the turbine, the braking torque and the damage suffered by the blades. The methodology is somewhat general and can be applied to any problem in which damage caused by the interaction between a rotating and static piece is to be analysed.

Provisos for classic linear oscillator design methods. New linear oscillator design based on the NDF/RRT

In this paper, the classic oscillator design methods are reviewed, and their strengths and weaknesses are shown. Provisos for avoiding the misuse of classic methods are also proposed. If the required provisos are satisfied, the solutions provided by the classic methods (oscillator start-up linear approximation) will be correct. The provisos verification needs to use the NDF (Network Determinant Function). The use of the NDF or the most suitable RRT (Return Relation Transponse), which is directly related to the NDF, as a tool to analyze oscillators leads to a new oscillator design method. The RRT is the "true" loop-gain of oscillators. The use of the new method is demonstrated with examples. Finally, a comparison of NDF/RRT results with the HB (Harmonic Balance) simulation and practical implementation measurements prove the universal use of the new methods.

Transpose return relation method for designing low noise oscillators

In this paper, a new linear method for optimizing compact low noise oscillators for RF/MW applications will be presented. The first part of this paper makes an overview of Leeson's model. It is pointed out, and it is demonstrates that the phase noise is always the same inside the oscillator loop. It is presented a general phase noise optimization method for reference plane oscillators. The new method uses Transpose Return Relations (RRT) as true loop gain functions for obtaining the optimum values of the elements of the oscillator, whatever scheme it has. With this method, oscillator topologies that have been designed and optimized using negative resistance, negative conductance or reflection coefficient methods, until now, can be studied like a loop gain method. Subsequently, the main disadvantage of Leeson's model is overcome, and now it is not only valid for loop gain methods, but it is valid for any oscillator topology. The last section of this paper lists the steps to be performed to use this method for proper phase noise optimization during the linear design process and before the final non-linear optimization. The power of the proposed RRT method is shown with its use for optimizing a common oscillator, which is later simulated using Harmonic Balance (HB) and manufactured. Then, the comparison of the linear, HB and measurements of the phase noise are compared.