436 research outputs found
The compressive failure of graphite/epoxy plates with circular holes
The behavior of fiber reinforced composite plates containing a circular cutout was characterized in terms of geometry (thickness, width, hole diameter), and material properties (bending/extensional stiffness). Results were incorporated in a data base for use by designers in determining the ultimate strength of such a structure. Two thicknesses, 24 plies and 48 plies were chosen to differentiate between buckling and strength failures due to the presence of a cutout. Consistent post-buckling strength was exhibited by both laminate configurations
Integral equations of a cohesive zone model for history-dependent materials and their numerical solution
A nonlinear history-dependent cohesive zone (CZ) model of quasi-static crack propagation in
linear elastic and viscoelastic materials is presented. The viscoelasticity is described by a linear
Volterra integral operator in time. The normal stress on the CZ satisfies the history-dependent yield
condition, given by a nonlinear Abel-type integral operator. The crack starts propagating, breaking
the CZ, when the crack tip opening reaches a prescribed critical value. A numerical algorithm for
computing the evolution of the crack and CZ in time is discussed along with some numerical
results
Endothelin stimulates PDGF secretion in cultured human mesangial cells
Endothelin stimulates PDGF secretion in cultured human mesangial cells. Endothelin, a 17-DKa peptide originally described as a potent vasoconstrictor, also stimulates the release of important regulators of glomerular hemodynamics such as atrial natriuretic factor and renin. In the present study we investigated the role of endothelin in the release of another potent vasoconstrictor and mitogen of human mesangial cells, the platelet-derived growth factor. Endothelin stimulated PDGF release at 12 hours and the effect was sustained for 36 hours. This effect was associated with the enhanced induction of mRNAs encoding PDGF A-and B-chain. Endothelin also induced mitogenesis in human mesangial cells which was accompanied by activation of phospholipase C with increased inositol phosphate turnover. These data suggest a mechanism by which endothelin may regulate mesangial cell function in disease states
Critical examination of cohesive-zone models in the theory of dynamic fracture
We have examined a class of cohesive-zone models of dynamic mode-I fracture,
looking both at steady-state crack propagation and its stability against
out-of-plane perturbations. Our work is an extension of that of Ching, Langer,
and Nakanishi (CLN) (Phys. Rev. E, vol. 53, no. 3, p. 2864 (1996)), who studied
a non-dissipative version of this model and reported strong instability at all
non-zero crack speeds. We have reformulated the CLN theory and have discovered,
surprisingly, that their model is mathematically ill-posed. In an attempt to
correct this difficulty and to construct models that might exhibit realistic
behavior, we have extended the CLN analysis to include dissipative mechanisms
within the cohesive zone. We have succeeded to some extent in finding
mathematically well posed systems; and we even have found a class of models for
which a transition from stability to instability may occur at a nonzero crack
speed via a Hopf bifurcation at a finite wavelength of the applied
perturbation. However, our general conclusion is that these cohesive-zone
models are inherently unsatisfactory for use in dynamical studies. They are
extremely difficult mathematically, and they seem to be highly sensitive to
details that ought to be physically unimportant.Comment: 19 pages, REVTeX 3.1, epsf.sty, also available at
http://itp.ucsb.edu/~lobkovs
Scattering from supramacromolecular structures
We study theoretically the scattering imprint of a number of branched
supramacromolecular architectures, namely, polydisperse stars and dendrimeric,
hyperbranched structures. We show that polydispersity and nature of branching
highly influence the intermediate wavevector region of the scattering structure
factor, thus providing insight into the morphology of different aggregates
formed in polymer solutions.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures To appear in PR
Elastic forces that do no work and the dynamics of fast cracks
Elastic singularities such as crack tips, when in motion through a medium
that is itself vibrating, are subject to forces orthogonal to the direction of
motion and thus impossible to determine by energy considerations alone. This
fact is used to propose a universal scenario, in which three dimensionality is
essential, for the dynamic instability of fast cracks in thin brittle
materials.Comment: 8 pages Latex, 1 Postscript figur
Instanton Contribution to the Quark Form Factor
The nonperturbative effects in the quark form factor are considered in the
Wilson loop formalism. The properties of the Wilson loops with cusp
singularities are studied taking into account the perturbative and
nonperturbative contributions, where the latter are considered within the
framework of the instanton liquid model. For the integration path corresponding
to this form factor -- the angle with infinite sides -- the explicit expression
for the vacuum expectation value of the Wilson operator is found to leading
order. The calculations are performed in the weak-field limit for the instanton
vacuum contribution and compared with the one- and two-loop order results for
the perturbative part. It is shown that the instantons produce the powerlike
corrections to the perturbative result, which are comparable in magnitude with
the perturbative part at the scale of order of the inverse average instanton
size. It is demonstrated that the instanton contributions to the quark form
factor are exponentiated to high orders in the small instanton density
parameter.Comment: Version coincident with the journal publication. LaTeX, 15 pages, 1
figur
High pressure water pyrolysis of coal to evaluate the role of pressure on hydrocarbon generation and source rock maturation at high maturities under geological conditions
This study investigates the effect of water pressure on hydrocarbon generation and source rock maturation at high maturities for a perhydrous Tertiary Arctic coal, Svalbard. Using a 25 ml Hastalloy vessel, the coal was pyrolysed under low water pressure (230–300 bar) and high water pressure (500, 700 and 900 bar) conditions between 380 °C and 420 °C for 24 h. At 380 °C and 420 °C, gas yields were not affected by pressure up to 700 bar, but were reduced slightly at 900 bar. At 380 °C, the expelled oil yield was highest at 230 bar, but reduced significantly at 900 bar. At 420 °C cracking of expelled oil to gas was retarded at 700 and 900 bar. As well as direct cracking of the coal, the main source of gas generation at high pressure at both 380 °C and 420 °C is from bitumen trapped in the coal, indicating that this is a key mechanism in high pressure geological basins. Vitrinite reflectance (VR) was reduced by 0.16 %Ro at 380 °C and by 0.27 %Ro at 420 °C at 900 bar compared to the low pressure runs, indicating that source rock maturation will be more retarded at higher maturities in high pressure geological basins
A high-pressure atomic force microscope for imaging in supercritical carbon dioxide
A high-pressure atomic force microscope (AFM) that enables in situ, atomic scale measurements of topography of solid surfaces in contact with supercritical CO{sub 2} (scCO{sub 2}) fluids has been developed. This apparatus overcomes the pressure limitations of the hydrothermal AFM and is designed to handle pressures up to 100 atm at temperatures up to ∼350 K. A standard optically-based cantilever deflection detection system was chosen. When imaging in compressible supercritical fluids such as scCO{sub 2} , precise control of pressure and temperature in the fluid cell is the primary technical challenge. Noise levels and imaging resolution depend on minimization of fluid density fluctuations that change the fluid refractive index and hence the laser path. We demonstrate with our apparatus in situ atomic scale imaging of a calcite (CaCO{sub 3}) mineral surface in scCO{sub 2}; both single, monatomic steps and dynamic processes occurring on the (10{overbar 1}4) surface are presented. This new AFM provides unprecedented in situ access to interfacial phenomena at solid–fluid interfaces under pressure
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