Experiences with a preliminary NICE/SPAR structural analysis system

Development of a new structural analysis system based on the original SPAR finite element code and the NICE system is described. The system is denoted NICE/SPAR. NICE was designed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory and contains data management utilities, a command language interpreter, and a command language definition for integrating engineering computational modules. SPAR is a system of programs used for finite element structural analysis developed for NASA by Engineering Information Systems, Inc. It includes many complementary structural analysis and utility functions which communicate through a common database. The work on NICE/SPAR was motivated by requirements for a highly modular and flexible structural analysis system to use as a tool in carrying out research in computational methods and exploring new computer hardware. Analysis examples are presented which demonstrate the benefits gained from a combination of the NICE command language with the SPAR computational modules

Minimum mass sizing of a large low-aspect ratio airframe for flutter-free performance

A procedure for sizing an airframe for flutter-free performance is demonstrated on a large, flexible supersonic transport aircraft. The procedure is based on using a two level reduced basis or modal technique for reducing the computational cost of performing the repetitive flutter analyses. The supersonic transport aircraft exhibits complex dynamic behavior, has a well-known flutter problem and requires a large finite element model to predict the vibratory and flutter response. Flutter-free designs were produced with small mass increases relative to the wing structural weight and aircraft payload

Deflections of beam columns on multiple supports

Lateral deflections of beam columns on multiple equally spaced supports are calculated using the STAGS nonlinear structural analysis computer program. Three lateral loadings are considered, uniform, linear, and uniform over only the center bay. Two types of boundary conditions are considered at the end supports, clamped, and simple support. The effect of an initial sinusoidal imperfection are considered. Deflections in the center and end bays of the beam columns are presented as a function of applied axial compressive load. As the number of bays becomes large, the effect of boundary conditions on the deflections in the center bays diminishes. For cases involving a uniform or linearly varying load, imperfections can have a much larger effect on deflections in the center bays than can lateral pressure

Current research on shear buckling and thermal loads with PASCO: Panel Analysis and Sizing Code

The PASCO computer program to obtain the detailed dimensions of optimum stiffened composite structural panels is described. Design requirements in terms of inequality constraints can be placed on buckling loads or vibration frequencies, lamina stresses and strains, and overall panel stiffness for each of many load conditions. General panel cross sections can be treated. An analysis procedure involving a smeared orthotropic solution was investigated. The conservatism in the VIPASA solution and the danger in a smeared orthotropic solution is explored. PASCO's capability to design for thermal loadings is also described. It is emphasized that design studies illustrate the importance of the multiple load condition capability when thermal loads are present

Buckling loads for stiffened panels subjected to combined longitudinal compression and shear loadings: Results obtained with PASCO, EAL, and STAGS computer

The shear buckling analyses used in PASCO are summarized. The PASCO analyses include the basic VIPASA analysis, which is essentially exact for longitudinal and transverse loads, and a smeared orthotropic solution which was added to alleviate a shortcoming in the VIPASA analysis. Buckling results are presented for six stiffened panels loaded by combinations of longitudinal compression and shear. The buckling results were obtained with the PASCO, EAL, and STAGS computer programs. The EAL and STAGS solutions were obtained with a fine finite element mesh and provide calculations for the entire range of combinations of longitudinal compression and shear loadings

Buckling loads of stiffened panels subjected to combined longitudinal compression and shear: Results obtained with PASCO, EAL, and STAGS computer programs

Buckling analyses used in PASCO are summarized with emphasis placed on the shear buckling analyses. The PASCO buckling analyses include the basic VIPASA analysis, which is essentially exact for longitudinal and transverse loads, and a smeared stiffener solution, which treats a stiffened panel as an orthotropic plate. Buckling results are then presented for seven stiffened panels loaded by combinations of longitudinal compression and shear. The buckling results were obtained with the PASCO, EAL, and STAGS computer programs. The EAL and STAGS solutions were obtained with a fine finite element mesh and are very accurate. These finite element solutions together with the PASCO results for pure longitudinal compression provide benchmark calculations to evaluate other analysis procedures

Comment on "Spectroscopic Evidence for Multiple Order Parameter Components in the Heavy Fermion Superconductor CeCoIn5_5"

Recently, Rourke et al. reported point-contact spectroscopy results on the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn$_5$ [1]. They obtained conductance spectra on the c-axis surfaces of CeCoIn$_5$ single crystals. Their major claims are two-fold: CeCoIn$_5$ has i) d-wave pairing symmetry and ii) two coexisting order parameter components. In this Comment, we show that these claims are not warranted by the data presented. [1] Rourke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 107005 (2005).Comment: accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett., final for

Feshbach Resonance Cooling of Trapped Atom Pairs

Spectroscopic studies of few-body systems at ultracold temperatures provide valuable information that often cannot be extracted in a hot environment. Considering a pair of atoms, we propose a cooling mechanism that makes use of a scattering Feshbach resonance. Application of a series of time-dependent magnetic field ramps results in the situation in which either zero, one, or two atoms remain trapped. If two atoms remain in the trap after the field ramps are completed, then they have been cooled. Application of the proposed cooling mechanism to optical traps or lattices is considered.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; v.2: major conceptual change