Improved model for interfacial stresses accounting for the effect of shear deformation in plated beams

A significant increase in strength and performance of reinforced concrete, timber and metal beams may be achieved by adhesively bonding a fibre reinforced polymer composite, or metallic such as steel plate to the tension face of a beam. One of the major failure modes in these plated beams is the debonding of the plate from the original beam in a brittle manner. This is commonly attributed to the interfacial stresses between the adherends whose quantification has led to the development of many analytical solutions over the last two decades. The adherends are subjected to axial, bending and shear deformations. However, most analytical solutions have neglected the effect of shear deformation in adherends. Few solutions consider this effect approximately but are limited to one or two specific loading conditions. This paper presents a more rigorous solution for interfacial stresses in plated beams under an arbitrary loading with the shear deformation of the adherends duly considered in closed form using Timoshenko’s beam theory. The solution is general to linear elastic analysis of prismatic beams of arbitrary cross section under arbitrary loading with a plate of any thickness bonded either symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the span of the beam.

Dynamic State Estimation of Power Systems with Quantization Eects: A Recursive Filter Approach

In this paper, a recursive filter algorithm is developed to deal with the state estimation problem for power systems with quantized nonlinear measurements. The measurements from both the remote terminal units and the phasor measurement unit are subject to quantizations described by a logarithmic quantizer. Attention is focused on the design of a recursive filter such that, in the simultaneous presence of nonlinear measurements and quantization effects, an upper bound for the estimation error covariance is guaranteed and subsequently minimized. Instead of using the traditional approximation methods in nonlinear estimation that simply ignore the linearization errors, we treat both the linearization and quantization errors as norm-bounded uncertainties in the algorithm development so as to improve the performance of the estimator. For the power system with such kind of introduced uncertainties, a filter is designed in the framework of robust recursive estimation, and the developed filter algorithm is tested on the IEEE benchmark power system to demonstrate its effectiveness.

Severe plastic deformation of Al–Zn alloys

In this work, the R&D work mainly focused on the mechanical and microstructural analysis of severe plastic deformation (SPD) of Al–Zn alloys and the development of microstructure–based models to explain the observed behaviors is presented. Evolution of the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–30wt% Zn alloy after the SPD by the high–pressure torsion (HPT) has been investigated in detail regarding the increasing amount of deformation. SPD leads to the gradual grain refinement and decomposition of the Al–based supersaturated solid solution. The initial microstructure of the Al–30wt% Zn alloy contains Al and Zn phases with grains sizes respectively of 15 and 1 micron. The SPD in compression leads to a gradual decrease of the Al and Zn phase grain sizes down to 4 microns and 252 nm, respectively, until a plastic strain of 0.25 is reached. At the same time, the average size of the Zn particles in the bulk of the Al grains increases from 20 to 60 nm and that of the Zn precipitates near or at the grain boundaries increases as well. This microstructure transformation is accompanied at the macroscopic scale by a marked softening of the alloy. The SPD produced by HPT is conducted up to a shear strain of 314. The final Al and Zn grains refine down to the nanoscale with sizes of 370 nm and 170 nm, respectively. As a result of HPT, the Zn–rich (Al) supersaturated solid solution decomposes completely and reaches the equilibrium state corresponding to room temperature and its leads to the material softening. A new microstructure–based model is proposed to describe the softening process occurring during the compression of the supersaturated Al–30wt% Zn alloy. The model successfully describes the above–mentioned phenomena based on a new evolution law expressing the dislocation mean free path as a function of the plastic strain. The softening of the material behavior during HPT process is captured very well by the proposed model that takes into consideration the effects of solid solution hardening and its decomposition, Orowan looping and dislocation density evolution. In particular, it is demonstrated that the softening process that occurs during HPT can be attributed mainly to the decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution and, in a lesser extent, to the evolution of the dislocation mean free path with plastic strain.

Quantization effects in the polyphase N-path IIR structure

Polyphase IIR structures have recently proven themselves very attractive for very high performance filters that can be designed using very few coefficients. This, combined with their low sensitivity to coefficient quantization in comparison to standard FIR and IIR structures, makes them very applicable for very fast filtering when implemented in fixed-point arithmetic. However, although the mathematical description is very simple, there exist a number of ways to implement such filters. In this paper, we take four of these different implementation structures, analyze the rounding noise originating from the limited arithmetic wordlength of the mathematical operators, and check the internal data growth within the structure. These analyses need to be done to ensure that the performance of the implementation matches the performance of the theoretical design. The theoretical approach that we present has been proven by the results of the fixed-point simulation done in Simulink and verified by an equivalent bit-true implementation in VHDL.

Structural studies and gabbro mylonitization within the Barton Bay Deformation Zone, Geraldton, Ontario /

Structures related to ductile siMple shear parallel to the Bankf ield-Tonbill Fault, define a 5km wide zone, the Barton Bay Deformation Zone. Structures present within this zone Include; simple shear fabrics S, C and C , asymmetric Z shaped folds with rotated axes, boudinage and pinch and swell structures and a subhorlzontal extension llneation. The most highly deformed rock is a gabbro mylonite which occurs in the fault zone. The deformation of this gabbro has been traced in stages from a protomylonite to an ultramylonite In which feldspar and chlorite grainslze has been reduced from over 100 microns to as little as 5 microns. Evidence from the mylonite and the surrounding structure indicates that deformation within the Barton Bay Deformation Zone is related to a regional simple shear zone, the Bankf ield-Tombill Fault. Movement along this shear zone was in a south over north oblique strike slip fashion with a dextral sense of displacement.

Regional variations of deformation mechanisms in the Lorrain Quartzite near Whitefish Falls, Ontario, Canada /

The quartzite microfabric found in the Lorrain Formation was studied across the La Cloche syncline, along a regional north-south transect along highway 6, near Whitefish Falls, Ontario. The complete stratigraphic sequence across the syncline is preserved, and is present on each fold limb. The lithostratigraphic units with the smallest grains size and lowest mica content are located close to the core of the fold, while coarser grained mica and feldspar rich units are situated at the northern and southern most extent of the transect. Deformation mechanisms vary with lithology and with position across the fold. Pressure solution appears to be the dominant deformation mechanism in the feldspathic, micaceous and ferruginous units. In the finer grained, mica poor white medium grained and cherty sandstone units, grain boundary migration (GBM) characteristics show dominance over those of pressure solution and show high amounts of fracturing which cut migrated boundaries and therefore post date GBM. All samples across the fold display a preferred orientation of quartz c-axes. The senses of asymmetry of fabrics are found to be similar across the syncline, with the exception of the ferruginous sandstone unit. Formation of these similar fabrics synmietries can not be the result of strain related to first order folding. The mica content appears to be related to the percentage of quartz lost due to pressure solution as a result of strain; the more mica present, the less quartz was lost. Calculations based on the shape of initial grains suggest that conservatively 30% of the quartz volume has been dissolved out of the Lorrain quartzite, and potentially migrated hundreds of meters to other members of the Huronian Supergroup as there was no meso or macroscopic evidence observed in outcrop.

Structural analysis of the Paint Lake Deformation Zone, Northern Ontario /

The Paint Lake Deformation Zone (PLDZ), located within the Superior Province of Canada, demarcates a major structural and lithological break between the Onaman-Tashota Terrane to the north and the Beardmore-Geraldton Belt to the south. The PLDZ is an east-west trending lineament, approximately 50 km in length and up to 1 km in width, comprised of an early ductile component termed the Paint Lake Shear Zone and a late brittle component known as the Paint Lake Fault. Structures associated with PLDZ development including S-, C- and C'-fabrics, stretching lineations, slickensides, C-C' intersection lineations, Z-folds and kinkbands indicate that simple shear deformation dominated during a NW-SE compressional event. Movement along the PLDZ was in a dextral sense consisting of an early differential motion with southside- down and a later strike-slip motion. Although the locus of the PLDZ may in part be lithologically controlled, mylonitization which accompanied shear zone development is not dependent on the lithological type. Conglomerate, intermediate and mafic volcanic units exhibit similar mesoscopic and microscopic structures where transected by the PLDZ. Field mapping, supported by thin section analysis, defines five strain domains increasing in intensity of deformation from shear zone boundary to centre. A change in the dominant microstructural deformation mechanism from dislocation creep to diffusion creep is observed with increasing strain during mylonitization. C'-fabric development is temporally associated with this change. A decrease in the angular relationship between C- and C'-fabrics is observed upon attaining maximum strain intensity. Strain profiling of the PLDZ demonstrates the presence of an outer primary strain gradient which exhibits a simple profile and an inner secondary strain gradient which exhibits a more complex profile. Regionally metamorphosed lithologies of lower greenschist facies outside the PLDZ were subjected to retrograde metamorphism during deformation within the PLDZ.

The micromorphology of Paleoseismic soft sediment deformation structures in glacial deposits from three sample sites in Scotland /

The nature of this research is to investigate paleoseismic deformation of glacial soft sediments from three sampling sites throughout the Scottish Highlands; Arrat's Mills, Meikleour and Glen Roy. The paleoseismic evidence investigated in this research will provide a basis for applying criteria to soft sediment deformation structures, and the trigger mechanisms that create these structures. Micromorphology is the tool used in this to investigate paleoseismic deformation structures in thin section. Thin section analysis, (micromorphology) of glacial sediments from the three sampling sites is used to determine microscale evidence of past earthquakes that can be correlated to modem-day events and possibly lead to a better understanding of the impact of earthquakes throughout a range of sediment types. The significance of the three sampling locations is their proximity to two major active fault zones that cross Scotland. The fault zones are the Highland Boundary Fault and the Great Glen Fault, these two major faults that parallel each other and divide the country in half Sims (1975) used a set of seven criteria that identified soft sediment deformation structures created by a magnitude six earthquake in Cahfomia. Using criteria set forth by Sims (1975), the paleoseismic evidence can be correlated to the magnitude of the deformation structures found in the glacial sediments. This research determined that the microstructures at Arrat's Mill, Meikleour and Glen Roy are consistent with a seismically induced origin. It has also been demonstrated that, even without the presence of macrostructures, the use of micromorphology techniques in detecting such activity within sediments is of immense value.

DEFORMATION OF INTERIOR LAYERED DEPOSITS (ILD) AND THEIR ASSOCIATED LANDFORMS IN WEST CANDOR CHASMA, MARS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TIMING OF ILD DEPOSITION

On Mars, interior layered deposits (ILD) provide evidence that water was once stable at the surface of the planet and present in large quantities. In West Candor Chasma, the ILD and their associated landforms record the depositional history of the chasma, and the deformation of those deposits provide insight into the stresses acting on them and the chasma as a whole. The post ILD structural history of West Candor is interpreted by analyzing the spatial relationships and orientation trends of structural features within the ILD. Therecording of stresses through brittle deformation of ILDs implies that the ILD had been lithified before the stress was imposed. Based on the prominent orientation trends of deformation features, the orientation of the stress regime acting upon the ILD appears to be linked to the regime that initially created the chasma-forming faults. An additional minor stress orientation was also revealed and may be related to large structures outside west Candor Chasma. The late depositional history of Ceti Mensa is herein investigated by examining the attributes and spatial relationship between unique corrugated, linear formations (CLF). The CLFs appear to be aeolian in origin but display clear indications of brittle deformation, indicating they have been Iithified. Evidence of lithification and the mineral composition of the surrounding material support the interpretation of circulating water in the area.

Characteristics of near surface crustal deformation associated with shield seismicity

The purpose of the present study is to understand the surface deformation associated with the Killari and Wadakkancheri earthquake and to examine if there are any evidence of occurrence of paleo-earthquakes in this region or its vicinity. The present study is an attempt to characterize active tectonic structures from two areas within penisular India: the sites of 1993 Killari (Latur) (Mb 6.3) and 1994 Wadakkancheri (M 4.3) earthquakes in the Precambrian shield. The main objectives of the study are to isolate structures related to active tectonism, constraint the style of near – surface deformation and identify previous events by interpreting the deformational features. The study indicates the existence of a NW-SE trending pre-existing fault, passing through the epicentral area of the 1993 Killari earthquake. It presents the salient features obtained during the field investigations in and around the rupture zone. Details of mapping of the scrap, trenching, and shallow drilling are discussed here. It presents the geologic and tectonic settings of the Wadakkancheri area and the local seismicity; interpretation of remote sensing data and a detailed geomorphic analysis. Quantitative geomorphic analysis around the epicenter of the Wadakkancheri earthquake indicates suitable neotectonic rejuvenation. Evaluation of remote sensing data shows distinct linear features including the presence of potentially active WNW-ESE trending fault within the Precambrian shear zone. The study concludes that the earthquakes in the shield area are mostly associated with discrete faults that are developed in association with the preexisting shear zones or structurally weak zones

An analytical study of the power distribution pattterns of silica waveguides with high paraboloic cylindrical deformation

An attempt is made to determine the relative power distribution in a step-index parabolic cylindrical waveguide (PCW) with high deformation across the direction of propagation. The guide is assumed to be made of silica. The scalar field approximation is employed for the analysis under which a vanishing refractive-index (RI) difference in the waveguide materials is considered. Further, no approximation for folds- is used in the analytical treatment. Due to the geometry of such waceguides, PCWs lose the well-defined modal discreteness, and a kind of mode bunching is observed instead, which becomes much more prominent in PCWs with high bends. However, with the increase in cross-sectional size, the mode-bunching tendency is slightly reduced. The general expressions for power in the guiding and nonguiding sections are obtained, and the fractional power patterns in all of the sections are presented for PCWs of various cross-sectional dimensions. It is observed that the confinement of power in the core section is increased for PCWs of larger cross-sectional size. Moreover, a fairly uniform distribution of power is seen over the modes having intermediate values of propagation constants

Constraining the active tectonic deformation of Andaman-Nicobar Arc in the background of December 26,2004 Great Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

The Andaman-Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal lies in a zone where the Indian plate subducts beneath the Burmese microplate, and therefore forms a belt of frequent earthquakes. Few efforts, not withstanding the available historical and instrumental data were not effectively used before the Mw 9.3 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake to draw any inference on the spatial and temporal distribution of large subduction zone earthquakes in this region. An attempt to constrain the active crustal deformation of the Andaman-Nicobar arc in the background of the December 26, 2004 Great Sumatra-Andaman megathrust earthquake is made here, thereby presenting a unique data set representing the pre-seismic convergence and co-seismic displacement.Understanding the mechanisms of the subduction zone earthquakes is both challenging sCientifically and important for assessing the related earthquake hazards. In many subduction zones, thrust earthquakes may have characteristic patterns in space and time. However, the mechanism of mega events still remains largely unresolved.Large subduction zone earthquakes are usually associated with high amplitude co-seismic deformation above the plate boundary megathrust and the elastic relaxation of the fore-arc. These are expressed as vertical changes in land level with the up-dip part of the rupture surface uplifted and the areas above the down-dip edge subsided. One of the most characteristic pattern associated with the inter-seismic era is that the deformation is in an opposite sense that of co-seismic period.This work was started in 2002 to understand the tectonic deformation along the Andaman-Nicobar arc using seismological, geological and geodetic data. The occurrence of the 2004 megathrust earthquake gave a new dimension to this study, by providing an opportunity to examine the co-seismic deformation associated with the greatest earthquake to have occurred since the advent of Global Positioning System (GPS) and broadband seismometry. The major objectives of this study are to assess the pre-seismic stress regimes, to determine the pre-seismic convergence rate, to analyze and interpret the pattern of co-seismic displacement and slip on various segments and to look out for any possible recurrence interval for megathrust event occurrence for Andaman-Nicobar subduction zone. This thesis is arranged in six chapters with further subdivisions dealing all the above aspects.