27,997 research outputs found
ZIP3D: An elastic and elastic-plastic finite-element analysis program for cracked bodies
ZIP3D is an elastic and an elastic-plastic finite element program to analyze cracks in three dimensional solids. The program may also be used to analyze uncracked bodies or multi-body problems involving contacting surfaces. For crack problems, the program has several unique features including the calculation of mixed-mode strain energy release rates using the three dimensional virtual crack closure technique, the calculation of the J integral using the equivalent domain integral method, the capability to extend the crack front under monotonic or cyclic loading, and the capability to close or open the crack surfaces during cyclic loading. The theories behind the various aspects of the program are explained briefly. Line-by-line data preparation is presented. Input data and results for an elastic analysis of a surface crack in a plate and for an elastic-plastic analysis of a single-edge-crack-tension specimen are also presented
Blocking and Persistence in the Zero-Temperature Dynamics of Homogeneous and Disordered Ising Models
A ``persistence'' exponent theta has been extensively used to describe the
nonequilibrium dynamics of spin systems following a deep quench: for
zero-temperature homogeneous Ising models on the d-dimensional cubic lattice,
the fraction p(t) of spins not flipped by time t decays to zero like
t^[-theta(d)] for low d; for high d, p(t) may decay to p(infinity)>0, because
of ``blocking'' (but perhaps still like a power). What are the effects of
disorder or changes of lattice? We show that these can quite generally lead to
blocking (and convergence to a metastable configuration) even for low d, and
then present two examples --- one disordered and one homogeneous --- where p(t)
decays exponentially to p(infinity).Comment: 8 pages (LaTeX); to appear in Physical Review Letter
Clustering and preferential attachment in growing networks
We study empirically the time evolution of scientific collaboration networks
in physics and biology. In these networks, two scientists are considered
connected if they have coauthored one or more papers together. We show that the
probability of scientists collaborating increases with the number of other
collaborators they have in common, and that the probability of a particular
scientist acquiring new collaborators increases with the number of his or her
past collaborators. These results provide experimental evidence in favor of
previously conjectured mechanisms for clustering and power-law degree
distributions in networks.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure
MgB2 tunnel junctions with native or thermal oxide barriers
MgB2 tunnel junctions (MgB2/barrier/MgB2) were fabricated using a native
oxide grown on the bottom MgB2 film as the tunnel barrier. Such barriers
therefore survive the deposition of the second electrode at 300oC, even over
junction areas of ~1 mm2. Studies of such junctions, and those of the type
MgB2/native or thermal oxide/metal (Pb, Au, or Ag) show that tunnel barriers
grown on MgB2 exhibit a wide range of barrier heights and widths.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure
Sign-time distributions for interface growth
We apply the recently introduced distribution of sign-times (DST) to
non-equilibrium interface growth dynamics. We are able to treat within a
unified picture the persistence properties of a large class of relaxational and
noisy linear growth processes, and prove the existence of a non-trivial scaling
relation. A new critical dimension is found, relating to the persistence
properties of these systems. We also illustrate, by means of numerical
simulations, the different types of DST to be expected in both linear and
non-linear growth mechanisms.Comment: 4 pages, 5 ps figs, replaced misprint in authors nam
Strong-coupling behaviour in discrete Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equations
We present a systematic discretization scheme for the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang
(KPZ) equation, which correctly captures the strong-coupling properties of the
continuum model. In particular we show that the scheme contains no finite-time
singularities in contrast to conventional schemes. The implications of these
results to i) previous numerical integration of the KPZ equation, and ii) the
non-trivial diversity of universality classes for discrete models of `KPZ-type'
are examined. The new scheme makes the strong-coupling physics of the KPZ
equation more transparent than the original continuum version and allows the
possibility of building new continuum models which may be easier to analyse in
the strong-coupling regime.Comment: 21 pages, revtex, 2 figures, submitted to J. Phys.
Effect of stoichiometry on oxygen incorporation in MgB2 thin films
The amount of oxygen incorporated into MgB2 thin films upon exposure to
atmospheric gasses is found to depend strongly on the material's stoichiometry.
Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy was used to monitor changes in oxygen
incorporation resulting from exposure to: (a) ambient atmosphere, (b) humid
atmospheres, (c) anneals in air and (d) anneals in oxygen. The study
investigated thin-film samples with compositions that were systematically
varied from Mg0.9B2 to Mg1.1B2. A significant surface oxygen contamination was
observed in all of these films. The oxygen content in the bulk of the film, on
the other hand, increased significantly only in Mg rich films and in films
exposed to humid atmospheres.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl
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