Study of structural joints with composite materials to enhance the mechanical response of bus superstructures

Steel structures have an ubiquitous presence in several industries due to their availability and low price. Bus super-structures are typically built using structural steel hollow shapes and serve a major role during crashes and rollovers, as they protect the passengers by absorbing the kinetic energy of impacts and dissipating it as plastic deformations. In recent years, composite materials have gained protagonism in numerous applications due to their high specific strength and stiffness. However, costs and manufacturing complexity have made all-composite automotive structures economically unfeasible. Thus, the current tendency is the use of multimaterial structures: using composites only in the zones where they are needed, while keeping an inexpensive material, like steel, elsewhere. Hollow structural shapes, used in bus structures, are susceptible to bending collapse failure during rollover and crashes, which must be precisely predicted and calculated. Existing theoretical models for this failure mechanism have certain limitations to account for larger thickness, plastic hardening, and composite reinforcements. The present work aims to address these limitations through the development of new theoretical models for the so-called medium-thin-walled hollow shapes, as well as for reinforced CFRP-Steel hollow shapes. Both materials are joined using structural adhesives due to their ease-of-use and relatively low price. Experimental test results have shown the validity and accuracy of the proposed models. These proposed models are then implemented in a concept model of a bus structure to address its crashworthiness and the effectiveness of the reinforced shapes

Análisis de los componentes estructurales de un aerogenerador de 3 kW mediante simulación numérica

En el mundo actual es cada vez más evidente la tendencia de cambiar las fuentes de energías tradicionales por otras que sean más limpias, eficientes, y que además estén al alcance del sector rural. Una de estas alternativas energéticas es la energía eólica, para la cual se utilizan máquinas conocidas como aerogeneradores; los cuales convierten la energía cinética del viento en energía eléctrica. Dado que la velocidad del viento aumenta con la altura, se prefiere que los aerogeneradores se ubiquen a cierta distancia suelo, para lo cual cuentan con estructuras que las posicionan a la altura ideal. Dichas estructuras son típicamente torres esbeltas y deben soportar el peso de los equipos, el empuje del viento a lo largo de la estructura, cargas sísmicas, entre otras; por tal motivo el diseño de estos componentes estructurales debe tener en cuenta todos los factores de diseño para asegurar el correcto funcionamiento del aerogenerador. La presente tesis tiene como objetivo conocer el comportamiento estático y dinámico de un aerogenerador prototipo de 3kW, como una iniciativa de apoyo al sector rural, utilizando simulación numérica por el método de elementos finitos (MEF). Para lograr el objetivo planteado se realizó un estudio previo analítico de los componentes estructurales para poder obtener valores de esfuerzos, desplazamientos y reacciones referenciales, así como un estudio vibratorio de la torre para obtener valores de frecuencias naturales referenciales. Al comparar los valores obtenidos se encontró que los errores porcentuales entre los distintos métodos estuvieron alrededor de 10% Posteriormente se realizaron diversos ensayos en modelos cada vez más complejos hasta llegar a modelos que se asemejaron en gran medida a la estructura del aerogenerador y que también cumplieron los criterios y resultados analíticos. Luego de tener un modelo totalmente validado se procedió a cargar el modelo con distintas combinaciones de carga para evaluar el comportamiento de la estructura bajo diversas condiciones. Después de evaluar los diversos resultados obtenidos se determinó que el mayor problema de la torre se encuentra en la unión entre la torre y cables tensores (factor de seguridad de 1.14); las cuales en caso de fallar comprometerían toda la estructura de la torre. Por lo tanto se propusieron modificaciones para evitar un colapso inmediato en caso alguna de las uniones falle.Tesi

Non-linear beam theory in context of bio-inspired sensing of flows

The thesis at hand is part of a research project that attempts to study and develop vibrissa inspired tactile sensors for object and fluid flow detection. The main focus of the thesis is on the development of a model for a vibrissa-like sensor for obstacle contour recognition under fluid loads. To this end, a mechanical model – based on the non-linear Euler-Bernoulli beam theory – is established. The model includes the main characteristics found in a natural vibrissa, such as elasticity of the base, that acts as the vibrissa follicle; the intrinsic curvature; and conicity. The characteristics are represented as parameters of the model. The model is subjected to a contact load and a fluid flow load, represented by a concentrated load and a distributed load, respectively. Then, the model is transformed into a dimensionless representation for further studies to achieve more general assertions. A variation of the magnitude of these loads, as well as the vibrissa parameters is also analyzed. A direct numerical approximation using the finite difference method, along with the shooting method, is used to obtain a solution of the model. Subsequently, the model is used to simulate an ideal contact between an obstacle and the vibrissa. This simulation considers a quasi-static sweep of the artificial vibrissa with the contour of a profile, while measuring and recording the forces and moment at the base. This procedure is then repeated in combination of a distributed force acting on the vibrissa, simulating the effect of a fluid flow. Two types of contact phases are identified and the conditions for each one are set. Finally, the measured quantities, which represent the observables an animal solely relies on, are used to obtain the magnitude of the fluid load and to reconstruct the profile contour of the obstacle. The developed model is used again for the reconstruction, an analysis of the observables is performed to identify and predict which contact phase the vibrissa is in. The results successfully show identification of the fluid flow load as well as reconstruction of the profile, the difference between the reconstructed profile and the original profile is then calculated as a measure of reconstruction quality.Tesi

Bending collapse analysis for thin and medium-thin-walled square and rectangular hollow shapes

Thin-walled hollow shapes are of great interest in many industries with weight constraints due to their availability, low price, and strength to weight ratio. However, they are also prone to localized bending collapse, which can be used as an energy absorption mechanism during deformation. Up until now, industrial applications have relied on numerical simulations, non-standardized tests, and a handful of theories to address the bending collapse behavior. In this paper, a modification to the most widely used theory is presented and adapted for hollow shapes with greater thickness that cannot be considered. To verify the accuracy of the proposed modification, a comparison with a detailed FEM model, validated through various three-point bending collapse experimental tests, has been performed. The results seem to show that the proposed modifications can predict the maximum load and collapse stage behavior of hollow shapes with more accuracy than the original analytical model. Thus, the proposed modification may be used to predict the collapse behavior of commercially available square and rectangular hollow shapes in different fields of application.D. Lavayen would like to recognize the financial support providedby CONCYTEC (Peru) and The World Bank, through the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and FONDECYT (Peru): Funding Contract;10-2018-FONDECYT/WB PhD programs in strategic and generalareas. Part of this work has also been supported by Comunidad de Madrid - multiannual agreement with UC3M (Excelencia para el Profesorado Universitario - EPUC3M21 ) - Fifth regional research plan2016-202

Estudio de uniones estructurales con materiales compuestos para mejorar el comportamiento mecánico de super-estructuras de autobuses

Steel structures have an ubiquitous presence in several industries due to their availability and low price. Bus super-structures are typically built using structural steel hollow shapes and serve a major role during crashes and rollovers, as they protect the passengers by absorbing the kinetic energy of impacts and dissipating it as plastic deformations. In recent years, composite materials have gained protagonism in numerous applications due to their high specific strength and stiffness. However, costs and manufacturing complexity have made all-composite automotive structures economically unfeasible. Thus, the current tendency is the use of multimaterial structures: using composites only in the zones where they are needed, while keeping an inexpensive material, like steel, elsewhere. Hollow structural shapes, used in bus structures, are susceptible to bending collapse failure during rollover and crashes, which must be precisely predicted and calculated. Existing theoretical models for this failure mechanism have certain limitations to account for larger thickness, plastic hardening, and composite reinforcements. The present work aims to address these limitations through the development of new theoretical models for the so-called medium-thin-walled hollow shapes, as well as for reinforced CFRP-Steel hollow shapes. Both materials are joined using structural adhesives due to their ease-of-use and relatively low price. Experimental test results have shown the validity and accuracy of the proposed models. These proposed models are then implemented in a concept model of a bus structure to address its crashworthiness and the effectiveness of the reinforced shapes.Programa de Doctorado en Ingeniería Mecánica y de Organización Industrial por la Universidad Carlos III de MadridPresidente: Vicente Díaz López.- Secretario: José Luis Muñoz Sanz.- Vocal: Jorge Alencastre Mirand