Search results for "Mechanics of Material"

Dynamic stability of plane elastic frames

1982

Abstract The stability of plane elastic frames subjected to a vertical foundation motion of the stationary, ergodic type is investigated. The equations of motion are obtained in modal co-ordinates, with account taken of many modes of vibration. The problem is subsequently reduced to the study of only the first mode of vibration. By considering a particular case, the stability domains are sketched as functions of the variation of the rigidities of the beam-column connecting joints and as functions of the number of stories.

Global-Local model for guided wave scattering problems with application to defect characterization in built-up composite structures

2020

Abstract Predicting scattering of elastic guided waves in multi-layered solid plates with geometrical and/or material discontinuities is of great interest to many fields, including ultrasonic-based Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and health monitoring of critical structural components (SHM). The problem is complicated by the multimode and dispersive behaviour of the guided waves. This paper describes a unified Global-Local (GL) approach that is computationally efficient in cases that can be very complex in terms of geometry and/or material properties. One example of this is a composite built-up structure. The proposed GL procedure discretizes the “local” region with the scattering discontinui…

Solid opalescent films originating from urethanes of cellulose

1997

Co-adsorption of 1,2-dichloroethane and 1-bromo,2-chloroethane on zeolite ZSM-5 from the liquid and vapour phases, using the Myers-Prausnitz-Dubinin …

2002

Abstract The adsorption/co-adsorption of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) and 1-bromo,2-chloroethane (BCA) from the vapour and the liquid phases by zeolite ZSM-5 at ambient temperature is reported, using Dubinin's theory and the recent Myers-Prausnitz-Dubinin (MPD) theory. For adsorption from the liquid phase, the activity coefficients in the adsorbed and the liquid states are the same and no selectivity is observed. This is confirmed by the absence of an excess enthalpy of immersion of ZSM-5 into the mixtures. Adsorption from the vapour phase proceeds in two stages, as indicated by double Dubinin-Astakhov (DA) plots. If one considers only the domain of high relative pressure, co-adsorption is desc…

Green composites: A brief review

2011

The rising concern towards environmental issues and, on the other hand, the need for more versatile polymer-based materials has led to increasing interest about polymer composites filled with natural-organic fillers, i.e. fillers coming from renewable sources and biodegradable. The composites, usually referred to as "green", can find several industrial applications. On the other hand, some problems exist, such as worse processability and reduction of the ductility. The use of adhesion promoters, additives or chemical modification of the filler can help in overcoming many of these limitations. These composites can be further environment-friendly when the polymer matrix is biodegradable and c…

Numerical simulations demonstrate that the double tapering of the spatualae of lizards and insects maximize both detachment resistance and stability

2011

Many biological attachment devices of insects, spiders and geckos consist of arrays of hairs (setae), which are terminated by contact elements of different shapes. However, the most frequently observed shape is a thin plate-like spatula. In spite of a rather wide range of sizes, most spatulae of different animals are not uniform, but rather possess a gradient in thickness and width. Here we show that the spatulae of insects and geckos become gradually thinner and wider approaching the end. This geometrical effect is explained in the present paper, by using a numerical approach for the modelling of the van der Waals adhesion and friction between the contact elements and the substrate. The ap…

From local structure to nanosecond recrystallization dynamics in AgInSbTe phase-change materials

2010

Phase-change optical memories are based on the astonishingly rapid nanosecond-scale crystallization of nanosized amorphous 'marks' in a polycrystalline layer. Models of crystallization exist for the commercially used phase-change alloy Ge(2)Sb(2)Te(5) (GST), but not for the equally important class of Sb-Te-based alloys. We have combined X-ray diffraction, extended X-ray absorption fine structure and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments with density functional simulations to determine the crystalline and amorphous structures of Ag(3.5)In(3.8)Sb(75.0)Te(17.7) (AIST) and how they differ from GST. The structure of amorphous (a-) AIST shows a range of atomic ring sizes, whereas a-GS…

Green geopolymeric concrete using grits for applications in construction

2018

Abstract This work investigates the production a green geopolymer-based concrete for a sustainable construction material using biomass wastes from a kraft pulp industry: fly ash (as main alumina-silicate source) and grits (as aggregate). Moreover, a simple, reproducible, ambient temperature, and low-cost manufacture is followed. Mix design aims to maximize wastes incorporation and optimize the mechanical performance. Preliminary tests indicate that the used wastes may be successfully employed to produce green geopolymeric concretes with satisfying mechanical performance (up to 18 MPa), according to the European standards. Furthermore, they represent a viable solution to reduce the environme…

The performance of thin-film Li-ion batteries under flexural deflection

2006

A method is introduced to study the effects of flexural deformation on the electrical performance of thin-film lithium-ion batteries. Flexural deformation of thin films is of interest to engineers for applications that can be effective in conformal spaces in conjunction with multi-functional composite laminates in structural members under mechanical deflections such as thin airfoils used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A test fixture was designed and built using rapid prototyping techniques. A baseline reference charge/discharge cycle was initially obtained with the device in its un-flexed state, in order to later contrast the performance of the thin-film battery when subjected to defle…

Characterization of the Teeth Skeletal Matrix from <i>Arbacia lixula</i>

2016

The teeth of sea urchins are highly complex composite structures, composed predominantly of high magnesium calcite, and of a minor heterogeneous assemblage of organic macromolecules that are occluded within the mineral. The organic matrix fulfils important functions in mineralization, in addition to giving the mineral phase peculiar mechanical properties, different from that of purely inorganic calcite. Nevertheless, the composition and function of individual components of the organic matrix still remains largely unknown. Up to now, the detailed protein repertoire of teeth from a single sea urchin species (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, order Camarodonta) was investigated. In this study, we…