Elastic behaviour of matter under very high pressures - Uniform compression

In order to study the elastic behaviour of matter when subjected to very large pressures, such as occur for example in the interior of the earth, and to provide an explanation for phenomena like earthquakes, it is essential to be able to calculate the values of the elastic constants of a substance under a state of large initial stress in terms of the elastic constants of a natural or stress-free state. An attempt has been made in this paper to derive expressions for these quantities for a substance of cubic symmetry on the basis of non-linear theory of elasticity and including up to cubic powers of the strain components in the strain energy function. A simple method of deriving them directly from the energy function itself has been indicated for any general case and the same has been applied to the case of hydrostatic compression. The notion of an effective elastic energy-the energy require to effect an infinitesimal deformation over a state of finite strain-has been introduced, the coefficients in this expression being the effective elastic constants. A separation of this effective energy function into normal co-ordinates has been given for the particular case of cubic symmetry and it has been pointed out, that when any of such coefficients in this normal form becomes negative, elastic instability will set in, with associated release of energy.

Adhesively-bonded Patch Repair with Composites

Adhesively-bonded composite patch repairs over cracked or corrosion-damaged metallic aircraft structures have shown great promise for extending life of ageing structures. This study presents the numerical investigation into the interface behaviour of adhesively-bonded cracked aluminum alloy substrate patched with fibre-reinforced composite material. The adhesive is modelled as an elasto-plastic bilinear material to characterise the debond behaviour, while the defective substrate is regarded as linear elastic continuum. Two typical patch shapes were selected based on information available in the literature. Geometric and material nonlinear analyses for square and octagonal patches were performed to capture peel and shear stresses developed between the substrate and the patch to examine the possibility of interface delamination/debonding. Parametric studies on adhesive thickness and patch thickness were carried out to predict their infuence on damage tolerance of repaired structures.

A novel approach for large-scale polypeptide folding based on elastic networks using continuous optimization

We present a new computationally efficient method for large-scale polypeptide folding using coarse-grained elastic networks and gradient-based continuous optimization techniques. The folding is governed by minimization of energy based on Miyazawa–Jernigan contact potentials. Using this method we are able to substantially reduce the computation time on ordinary desktop computers for simulation of polypeptide folding starting from a fully unfolded state. We compare our results with available native state structures from Protein Data Bank (PDB) for a few de-novo proteins and two natural proteins, Ubiquitin and Lysozyme. Based on our simulations we are able to draw the energy landscape for a small de-novo protein, Chignolin. We also use two well known protein structure prediction software, MODELLER and GROMACS to compare our results. In the end, we show how a modification of normal elastic network model can lead to higher accuracy and lower time required for simulation.

Numerical simulations of crack tip fields in polycrystalline plastic solids

In this paper, modes I and II crack tip fields in polycrystalline plastic solids are studied under plane strain, small scale yielding conditions. Two different initial textures of an Al–Mg alloy, viz., continuous cast AA5754 sheets in the recrystallized and cold rolled conditions, are considered. The former is nearly-isotropic, while the latter displays distinct anisotropy. Finite element simulations are performed by employing crystal plasticity constitutive equations along with a Taylor-type homogenization as well as by using the Hill quadratic yield theory. It is found that significant texture evolution occurs close to the notch tip which profoundly influences the stress and plastic strain distributions. Also, the cold rolling texture gives rise to higher magnitude of plastic strain near the tip.

Numerical simulations of crack tip fields in polycrystalline plastic solids

In this paper, modes I and II crack tip fields in polycrystalline plastic solids are studied under plane strain, small scale yielding conditions. Two different initial textures of an Al-Mg alloy, viz.,continuous cast AA5754 sheets in the recrystallized and cold rolled conditions, are considered. The former is nearly-isotropic, while the latter displays distinct anisotropy. Finite element simulations are performed by employing crystal plasticity constitutive equations along with a Taylor-type homogenization as well as by using the Hill quadratic yield theory. It is found that significant texture evolution occurs close to the notch tip which profoundly influences the stress and plastic strain distributions. Also, the cold rolling texture gives rise to higher magnitude of plastic strain near the tip. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behaviour of Bi-adhesive Joints

The use of relatively low modulus adhesive at the ends of overlap in a bi-adhesive bondline of a bonded joint can reduce the stress concentration significantly and, therefore, potentially lead to higher strength of the joint. This study presents the two-dimensional and three-dimensional nonlinear (geometric and material) finite element analyses of adhesively bonded single lap joints having modulus-graded bondline under monotonic loading conditions. The adhesives were modelled as an elasto-plastic multi-linear material, while the substrates were regarded as both linear elastic and bi-linear elasto-plastic material. The computational simulations have been performed to investigate the bondline behaviour by studying the stress and strain distributions both at the mid-plane as well as at the interface of the bondline. It has been observed that the static strength is higher for joints with bi-adhesive bondlines compared to those with single adhesives in bondline. Higher joint strength has also been observed for optimum bi-adhesive bondline ratio through parametric studies. Effects of load level, and bondline thickness on stress distribution in the bi-adhesive bondline have also been studied. 3D analysis results reveal the existence of complex multi-axial stress/strain state at the ends of the overlap in the bondline which cannot be observed in 2D plane strain analysis. About 1/3rd of the width of the joint from the free edge in the width direction has 3D stress state, especially in the compliant adhesive of the bondline. Magnitudes of longitudinal and lateral stress/strain components are comparable to peel stress/strain components. It has also been analytically shown that the in-plane global stiffness of the joint remains unaffected by modulus gradation of the bondline adhesive. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010.

Plastic response of orthotropic spherical shells under blast loading

The plastic response of a segment of a simply supported orthotropic spherical shell under a uniform blast loading applied on the convex surface of the shell is presented. The blast is assumed to impart a uniform velocity to the shell surface initially. The material of the shell is orthotropic obeying a modified Tresca yield hypersurface conditions and the associated flow rules. The deformation of the shell is determined during all phases of its motion by considering the motion of plastic hinges in different regimes of flow. Numerical results presented include the permanent deformed configuration of the shell and the total time of shell response for different degrees of orthotropy. Conclusions regarding the plastic behaviour of spherical shells with circumferential and meridional stiffening under uniform blast load are presented.

Elastic property estimation using Ultrasound Assisted Optical Elastography through Remote Palpation - A simulation study - art. no. 61640Q

We propose an effective elastography technique in which an acoustic radiation force is used for remote palpation to generate localized tissue displacements, which are directly correlated to localized variations of tissue stiffness and are measured using a light probe in the same direction of ultrasound propagation. The experimental geometry has provision to input light beam along the ultrasound propagation direction, and hence it can be prealigned to ensure proper interception of the focal region by the light beam. Tissue-mimicking phantoms with homogeneous and isotropic mechanical properties of normal and malignant breast tissue are considered for the study. Each phantom is insonified by a focusing ultrasound transducer (1 MHz). The focal volume of the transducer and the ultrasound radiation force in the region are estimated through solving acoustic wave propagation through medium assuming average acoustic properties. The forward elastography problem is solved for the region of insonification assuming the Lame's parameters and Poisson's ratio, under Dirichlet boundary conditions which gives a distribution of displacement vectors. The direction of displacement, though presented spatial variation, is predominantly towards the ultrasound propagation direction. Using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation we have traced the photons through the phantom and collected the photons arriving at the detector on the boundary of the object in the direction of ultrasound. The intensity correlations are then computed from detected photons. The intensity correlation function computed through MC simulation showed a modulation whose strength is found to be proportional to the amplitude of displacement and inversely related to the storage (elastic) modulus. It is observed that when the storage modulus in the focal region is increased the computed displacement magnitude, as indicated by the depth of modulation in the intensity autocorrelation, decreased and the trend is approximately exponential.

Adhesively-bonded Patch Repair with Composites

Adhesively-bonded composite patch repairs over cracked or corrosion-damaged metallic aircraft structures have shown great promise for extending life of ageing structures. This study presents the numerical investigation into the interface behaviour of adhesively-bonded cracked aluminum alloy substrate patched with fibre-reinforced composite material. The adhesive is modelled as an elasto-plastic bilinear material to characterise the debond behaviour, while the defective substrate is regarded as linear elastic continuum. Two typical patch shapes were selected based on information available in the literature. Geometric and material nonlinear analyses for square and octagonal patches were performed to capture peel and shear stresses developed between the substrate and the patch to examine the possibility of interface delamination/debonding. Parametric studies on adhesive thickness and patch thickness were carried out to predict their infuence on damage tolerance of repaired structures.

Increasing ionic conductivity of polymer-sodium salt complex by addition of a non-ionic plastic crystal

Ionic conductivity and other physico-chemical properties of a soft matter composite electrolyte comprising of a polymer-sodium salt complex and a non-ionic plastic crystal are discussed here. The electrolyte under discussion comprises of polyethyleneoxide (PEO)-sodium triflate (NaCF3SO3) and succinonitrile (SN). Addition of SN to PEO-NaCF3SO3 resulted in significant enhancement in ionic conductivity. At 50% SN concentration (with respect to weight of polymer), the polymer-plastic composite electrolyte room temperature (= 25 degrees C) ionic conductivity was similar to 1.1 x 10(-4) Omega(-1) cm(-1), approximately 45 times higher than PEO-NaCF3SO3. Observations from ac-impedance spectroscopy along with X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform inrared spectroscopy strongly suggest the enhancement in the composite is ionicconductivity due to enhanced ion mobility via decrease in crystallinity of PEO. The free standing composite polymer-plastic electrolytes were more compliable than PEO-NaCF3SO3 thus exhibiting no detrimental effects of succinonitrile addition on the mechanical stability of PEO-NaCF3SO3. We propose that the exploratory PEO-NaCF3SO3-SN system.discussed here will eventually be developed as a prototype electrolyte.for sodium-sulfur batteries capable of operating at ambient and.sub-ambient conditions. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elastic Properties of Alkali Phosphomolybdate Glasses

Ultrasonic velocities at 10 MHz have been measured in two series of lithium, sodium, and potassium phosphomolybdate glasses with two fixed P2O5 concentrations. Elastic moduli, Poisson's ratio, and Debye temperature have been calculated. The composition dependence of most of the properties of lithium glasses exhibits a trend opposite to that of potassium glasses. Properties of sodium glasses lie between the other two alkali systems. Alkali oxide modification is suggested to be accompanied by ring reformation in lithium and sodium glasses. Ring size effects have been shown to account for all of the composition dependence.

Elastic properties of phosphotungstate glasses

Elastic properties of potassium and lead phosphotungstate glasses have been investigated using ultrasonic velocity measurements. The composition dependence of elastic moduli in WO3-K2O-P2O5 glasses suggests that at low alkali oxide concentrations the atomic ring size increases by network modification, which results in the decrease of elastic moduli. In the highly modified regime, due to the presence of coulombic interaction, the rate of decrease of elastic moduli is reduced. In the WO3-PbO-P2O5 glasses the behaviour of elastic moduli suggests that PbO behaves both as a network former and network modifier. The incorporation of PbO into the network is quantitatively determined by the concentration of P2O5 in the system. The results are consistent with the structural model proposed earlier, based on characterization studies.

Ultrasonic measurement of the elastic constants of sodium p-nitrophenolate dihydrate single crystals

Sodium p-nitrophenolate dihydrate single crystals possess excellent nonlinear optical properties such that they can be used for optical second-harmonic generation. It belongs to the orthorhombic system with the space group Ima2. Slow evaporation or slow cooling techniques can be used to grow good optical quality single crystals from supersaturated solution. All the nine elastic constants of this crystal have been measured using an ultrasonic technique. Samples for measurements have been cut along desired crystallographic axes and the pulse echo overlap technique has been used to measure longitudinal and shear ultrasonic wave velocities along appropriate symmetry directions in the crystal. The McSkimin Delta t criterion has been applied to determine the round trip travel time accurately, from which the nine elastic constants have been evaluated. Temperature variation of selected elastic constants in a limited range have also been measured and reported.

Radioimmunoassay of polypeptide hormones using immunochemically coated plastic tubes

A method has been developed for immobilisation of antisera on fresh plastic tubes through an immunochemical bridge. This type of immobilisation has been shown to be more consistent than direct adsorption on plastic. Such immunochemically coated antisera on plastic tube has been used in the development of a noncentrifugation radioimmunoassay. This assay system has been found to be technically as sound as the conventional method.

Deformation and failure of a film/substrate system subjected to spherical indentation: Part 1. Experimental validation of stresses and strains derived using Hankel transform technique in an elastic film/substrate system

Our concern here is to rationalize experimental observations of failure modes brought about by indentation of hard thin ceramic films deposited on metallic substrates. By undertaking this exercise, we would like to evolve an analytical framework that can be used for designs of coatings. In Part I of the paper we develop an algorithm and test it for a model system. Using this analytical framework we address the issue of failure of columnar TiN films in Part II [J. Mater. Res. 21, 783 (2006)] of the paper. In this part, we used a previously derived Hankel transform procedure to derive stress and strain in a birefringent polymer film glued to a strong substrate and subjected to spherical indentation. We measure surface radial strains using strain gauges and bulk film stresses using photo elastic technique (stress freezing). For a boundary condition based on Hertzian traction with no film interface constraint and assuming the substrate constraint to be a function of the imposed strain, the theory describes the stress distributions well. The variation in peak stresses also demonstrates the usefulness of depositing even a soft film to protect an underlying substrate.