Numerical analysis of different methods to calculate residual stresses in thin films based on instrumented indentation data

In this work, different methods to estimate the value of thin film residual stresses using instrumented indentation data were analyzed. This study considered procedures proposed in the literature, as well as a modification on one of these methods and a new approach based on the effect of residual stress on the value of hardness calculated via the Oliver and Pharr method. The analysis of these methods was centered on an axisymmetric two-dimensional finite element model, which was developed to simulate instrumented indentation testing of thin ceramic films deposited onto hard steel substrates. Simulations were conducted varying the level of film residual stress, film strain hardening exponent, film yield strength, and film Poisson's ratio. Different ratios of maximum penetration depth h(max) over film thickness t were also considered, including h/t = 0.04, for which the contribution of the substrate in the mechanical response of the system is not significant. Residual stresses were then calculated following the procedures mentioned above and compared with the values used as input in the numerical simulations. In general, results indicate the difference that each method provides with respect to the input values depends on the conditions studied. The method by Suresh and Giannakopoulos consistently overestimated the values when stresses were compressive. The method provided by Wang et al. has shown less dependence on h/t than the others.

Numerical analysis of control surface effects on AUV

Computational fluid dynamics, CFD, is becoming an essential tool in the prediction of the hydrodynamic efforts and flow characteristics of underwater vehicles for manoeuvring studies. However, when applied to the manoeuvrability of autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs, most studies have focused on the de- termination of static coefficients without considering the effects of the vehicle control surface deflection. This paper analyses the hydrodynamic efforts generated on an AUV considering the combined effects of the control surface deflection and the angle of attack using CFD software based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes formulations. The CFD simulations are also independently conducted for the AUV bare hull and control surface to better identify their individual and interference efforts and to validate the simulations by comparing the experimental results obtained in a towing tank. Several simulations of the bare hull case were conducted to select the k –ω SST turbulent model with the viscosity approach that best predicts its hydrodynamic efforts. Mesh sensitivity analyses were conducted for all simulations. For the flow around the control surfaces, the CFD results were analysed according to two different methodologies, standard and nonlinear. The nonlinear regression methodology provides better results than the standard methodology does for predicting the stall at the control surface. The flow simulations have shown that the occurrence of the control surface stall depends on a linear relationship between the angle of attack and the control surface deflection. This type of information can be used in designing the vehicle’s autopilot system.

Experimental and numerical analysis of dry contact in the pin on disc test

The reduction of friction and wear in systems presenting metal-to-metal contacts, as in several mechanical components, represents a traditional challenge in tribology. In this context, this work presents a computational study based on the linear Archard's wear law and finite element modeling (FEM), in order to analyze unlubricated sliding wear observed in typical pin on disc tests. Such modeling was developed using finite element software Abaqus® with 3-D deformable geometries and elastic–plastic material behavior for the contact surfaces. Archard's wear model was implemented into a FORTRAN user subroutine (UMESHMOTION) in order to describe sliding wear. Modeling of debris and oxide formation mechanisms was taken into account by the use of a global wear coefficient obtained from experimental measurements. Such implementation considers an incremental computation for surface wear based on the nodal displacements by means of adaptive mesh tools that rearrange local nodal positions. In this way, the worn track was obtained and new surface profile is integrated for mass loss assessments. This work also presents experimental pin on disc tests with AISI 4140 pins on rotating AISI H13 discs with normal loads of 10, 35, 70 and 140 N, which represent, respectively, mild, transition and severe wear regimes, at sliding speed of 0.1 m/s. Numerical and experimental results were compared in terms of wear rate and friction coefficient. Furthermore, in the numerical simulation the stress field distribution and changes in the surface profile across the worn track of the disc were analyzed. The applied numerical formulation has shown to be more appropriate to predict mild wear regime than severe regime, especially due to the shorter running-in period observed in lower loads that characterizes this kind of regime.

Analysis of the impact of rainfall assimilation during LBA atmospheric mesoscale missions in Southwest Amazon

The assimilation of satellite estimated precipitation data can be used as an efficient tool to improve the analysis of rainfall generated by numerical models of weather forecast. The system of data assimilation used in this study is cumulus parameterization inversion based on the Kuo scheme. Reanalysis were performed using the field experiment data of the LBA Project (WETAMC and DRYtoWET-AMC), where it was possible to verify an improvement in the simulations results, since the data assimilation corrects the position and the intensity of rainfall in the numerical model. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential impacts of polar fronts on sedimentation processes at Abrolhos coral reef (South-West Atlantic Ocean/Brazil)

Several reefs of the world have undergone changes in community due to sedimentation processes. It has been suggested that Abrolhos reefs (Brazil/South-West Atlantic) are subjected to a steady coastal influence, although there is still little information regarding this assumption. In this work, we have analyzed a set of environmental parameters concerning sedimentation characteristics at the Abrolhos reefs, near 18 degrees S-39 degrees W. The analysis included remote sensing, model and in situ data to provide a three-dimensional quantitative description of the processes that influence sediment apportionment to the reefs. Mineralogy and natural radioactivity of sediment trapped at three reef sites in a transect perpendicular to the coastline were used in conjunction with numerical weather prediction model and remote sensing databases. We have observed an increase of around 100% of sediment flux during the summer compared to the winter season. A comparison of regional rainfall regime, sediment plume dynamics and a year-around monitoring of polar fronts trajectories and surface wind showed that the wind-driven resedimentation due to polar front activity is the major contributor to the intensification of sedimentation processes at the offshore area of Abrolhos reefs, despite river runoff from mainland. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new method to analyze the subjective visual vertical in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the subjective visual vertical in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction and to propose a new method to analyze subjective visual vertical data in these patients. METHODS: Static subjective visual vertical tests were performed in 40 subjects split into two groups. Group A consisted of 20 healthy volunteers, and Group B consisted of 20 patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction. Each patient performed six measurements of the subjective visual vertical test, and the mean values were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: Analyses of the numerical values of subjective visual vertical deviations (the conventional method of analysis) showed that the mean deviation was 0.326 +/- 1.13 degrees in Group A and 0.301 +/- 1.87 degrees in Group B. However, by analyzing the absolute values of the subjective visual vertical (the new method of analysis proposed), the mean deviation became 1.35 +/- 0.48 degrees in Group A and 2.152 +/- 0.93 degrees in Group B. The difference in subjective visual vertical deviations between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05) only when the absolute values and the range of deviations were considered. CONCLUSION: An analysis of the absolute values of the subjective visual vertical more accurately reflected the visual vertical misperception in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction.

Fuzzy linguistic model for bioelectrical impedance vector analysis

Backgrounds Ea aims: The boundaries between the categories of body composition provided by vectorial analysis of bioimpedance are not well defined. In this paper, fuzzy sets theory was used for modeling such uncertainty. Methods: An Italian database with 179 cases 18-70 years was divided randomly into developing (n = 20) and testing samples (n = 159). From the 159 registries of the testing sample, 99 contributed with unequivocal diagnosis. Resistance/height and reactance/height were the input variables in the model. Output variables were the seven categories of body composition of vectorial analysis. For each case the linguistic model estimated the membership degree of each impedance category. To compare such results to the previously established diagnoses Kappa statistics was used. This demanded singling out one among the output set of seven categories of membership degrees. This procedure (defuzzification rule) established that the category with the highest membership degree should be the most likely category for the case. Results: The fuzzy model showed a good fit to the development sample. Excellent agreement was achieved between the defuzzified impedance diagnoses and the clinical diagnoses in the testing sample (Kappa = 0.85, p < 0.001). Conclusions: fuzzy linguistic model was found in good agreement with clinical diagnoses. If the whole model output is considered, information on to which extent each BIVA category is present does better advise clinical practice with an enlarged nosological framework and diverse therapeutic strategies. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Analysis, manufacture and characterization of Ni/Cu functionally graded structures

In this work, an experimental and numerical analysis and characterization of functionally graded structures (FGSs) is developed. Nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) materials are used as basic materials in the numerical modeling and experimental characterization. For modeling, a MATLAB finite element code is developed, which allows simulation of harmonic and modal analysis considering the graded finite element formulation. For experimental characterization, Ni-Cu FGSs are manufactured by using spark plasma sintering technique. Hardness and Young's modulus are found by using microindentation and ultrasonic measurements, respectively. The effective gradation of Ni/Cu FGS is addressed by means of optical microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy and hardness testing. For the purpose of comparing modeling and experimental results, the hardness curve, along the gradation direction, is used for identifying the gradation profile; accordingly, the experimental hardness curve is used for approximating the Young's modulus variation and the graded finite element modeling is used for verification. For the first two resonance frequency values, a difference smaller than 1% between simulated and experimental results is obtained. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental comparative study on vortex-induced motion (VIM) of a monocolumn platform

An analysis methodology is presented as well as a comparison of results obtained from vortex-induced motion (VIM) model tests of the MonoGoM platform, a monocolumn floating unit designed for the Gulf of Mexico. The choice of scale between the model and the platform in which the tests took place was a very important issue that took into account the basin dimensions and mooring design. The tests were performed in three different basins: the IPT Towing Tank in Brazil (Sept. 2005), the NMRI Model Ship Experimental Towing Tank in Japan (Mar. 2007), and the NMRI Experimental Tank in Japan (Jun. 2008). The purpose is to discuss the most relevant issues regarding the concept, execution, and procedures to comparatively analyze the results obtained from VIM model tests, such as characteristic motion amplitudes, motion periods, and forces. The results pointed out the importance of considering the 2DOF in the model tests, i.e., the coexistence of the motions in both in-line and transverse directions. The approach employed in the tests was designed to build a reliable data set for comparison with theoretical and numerical models for VIM prediction, especially that of monocolumn platforms. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4003494]

Analysis of energy dissipation in stirred suspension polymerisation reactors using computational fluid dynamics

This work evaluates the spatial distribution of normalised rates of droplet breakage and droplet coalescence in liquidliquid dispersions maintained in agitated tanks at operation conditions normally used to perform suspension polymerisation reactions. Particularly, simulations are performed with multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to represent the flow field in liquidliquid styrene suspension polymerisation reactors for the first time. CFD tools are used first to compute the spatial distribution of the turbulent energy dissipation rates (e) inside the reaction vessel; afterwards, normalised rates of droplet breakage and particle coalescence are computed as functions of e. Surprisingly, multiphase simulations showed that the rates of energy dissipation can be very high near the free vortex surfaces, which has been completely neglected in previous works. The obtained results indicate the existence of extremely large energy dissipation gradients inside the vessel, so that particle breakage occurs primarily in very small regions that surround the impeller and the free vortex surface, while particle coalescence takes place in the liquid bulk. As a consequence, particle breakage should be regarded as an independent source term or a boundary phenomenon. Based on the obtained results, it can be very difficult to justify the use of isotropic assumptions to formulate particle population balances in similar systems, even when multiple compartment models are used to describe the fluid dynamic behaviour of the agitated vessel. (C) 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering

Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography method for quantification of egonol and homoegonol in Styrax species

Styrax camporum Pohl, known in Brazil as estoraque do campo or cuia de brejo, has been used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The therapeutic action of S. camporum has been attributed to the ethyl acetate fraction, although the chemical composition of this fraction has not yet been analyzed. In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array detection (HPLC-PAD) method for analysis of Brazilian Styrax species has been developed. The compounds egonol (1) and homoegonol (2) were found to be present in all the samples investigated by HPLC. These compounds were isolated by open column chromatography followed by preparative TLC, and were identified by 1H NMR. Compounds 1 and 2 were thus proposed as phytochemical markers for Styrax, owing to their biological properties and presence in other Styrax species. The developed method has been validated and successfully applied for quantification of 1 and 2 in S. camporum dried leaves and crude ethanolic extracts from S. ferrugineus and S. pohlii aerial parts. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A new portal for the analysis of human splicing variants

Understanding alternative splicing is crucial to elucidate the mechanisms behind several biological phenomena, including diseases. The huge amount of expressed sequences available nowadays represents an opportunity and a challenge to catalog and display alternative splicing events (ASEs). Although several groups have faced this challenge with relative success, we still lack a computational tool that uses a simple and straightforward method to retrieve, name and present ASEs. Here we present SPLOOCE, a portal for the analysis of human splicing variants. SPLOOCE uses a method based on regular expressions for retrieval of ASEs. We propose a simple syntax that is able to capture the complexity of ASEs.

A modified Primal-Dual Logarithmic-Barrier Method for solving the Optimal Power Flow problem with discrete and continuous control variables

The aim of solving the Optimal Power Flow problem is to determine the optimal state of an electric power transmission system, that is, the voltage magnitude and phase angles and the tap ratios of the transformers that optimize the performance of a given system, while satisfying its physical and operating constraints. The Optimal Power Flow problem is modeled as a large-scale mixed-discrete nonlinear programming problem. This paper proposes a method for handling the discrete variables of the Optimal Power Flow problem. A penalty function is presented. Due to the inclusion of the penalty function into the objective function, a sequence of nonlinear programming problems with only continuous variables is obtained and the solutions of these problems converge to a solution of the mixed problem. The obtained nonlinear programming problems are solved by a Primal-Dual Logarithmic-Barrier Method. Numerical tests using the IEEE 14, 30, 118 and 300-Bus test systems indicate that the method is efficient. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BEM modeling of saturated porous media susceptible to damage

This paper deals with the numerical analysis of saturated porous media, taking into account the damage phenomena on the solid skeleton. The porous media is taken into poro-elastic framework, in full-saturated condition, based on Biot's Theory. A scalar damage model is assumed for this analysis. An implicit boundary element method (BEM) formulation, based on time-independent fundamental solutions, is developed and implemented to couple the fluid flow and two-dimensional elastostatic problems. The integration over boundary elements is evaluated using a numerical Gauss procedure. A semi-analytical scheme for the case of triangular domain cells is followed to carry out the relevant domain integrals. The non-linear problem is solved by a Newton-Raphson procedure. Numerical examples are presented, in order to validate the implemented formulation and to illustrate its efficacy. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interpolation estimate for a finite-element space with embedded discontinuities

We consider a recently proposed finite-element space that consists of piecewise affine functions with discontinuities across a smooth given interface Γ (a curve in two dimensions, a surface in three dimensions). Contrary to existing extended finite element methodologies, the space is a variant of the standard conforming Formula space that can be implemented element by element. Further, it neither introduces new unknowns nor deteriorates the sparsity structure. It is proved that, for u arbitrary in Formula, the interpolant Formula defined by this new space satisfies Graphic where h is the mesh size, Formula is the domain, Formula, Formula, Formula and standard notation has been adopted for the function spaces. This result proves the good approximation properties of the finite-element space as compared to any space consisting of functions that are continuous across Γ, which would yield an error in the Formula-norm of order Graphic. These properties make this space especially attractive for approximating the pressure in problems with surface tension or other immersed interfaces that lead to discontinuities in the pressure field. Furthermore, the result still holds for interfaces that end within the domain, as happens for example in cracked domains.