3,612 research outputs found
Optimal fabrication processes for unidirectional metal-matrix composites: A computational simulation
A method is proposed for optimizing the fabrication process of unidirectional metal matrix composites. The temperature and pressure histories are optimized such that the residual microstresses of the composite at the end of the fabrication process are minimized and the material integrity throughout the process is ensured. The response of the composite during the fabrication is simulated based on a nonlinear micromechanics theory. The optimal fabrication problem is formulated and solved with non-linear programming. Application cases regarding the optimization of the fabrication cool-down phases of unidirectional ultra-high modulus graphite/copper and silicon carbide/titanium composites are presented
Metal matrix composite micromechanics: In-situ behavior influence on composite properties
Recent efforts in computational mechanics methods for simulating the nonlinear behavior of metal matrix composites have culminated in the implementation of the Metal Matrix Composite Analyzer (METCAN) computer code. In METCAN material nonlinearity is treated at the constituent (fiber, matrix, and interphase) level where the current material model describes a time-temperature-stress dependency of the constituent properties in a material behavior space. The composite properties are synthesized from the constituent instantaneous properties by virtue of composite micromechanics and macromechanics models. The behavior of metal matrix composites depends on fabrication process variables, in situ fiber and matrix properties, bonding between the fiber and matrix, and/or the properties of an interphase between the fiber and matrix. Specifically, the influence of in situ matrix strength and the interphase degradation on the unidirectional composite stress-strain behavior is examined. These types of studies provide insight into micromechanical behavior that may be helpful in resolving discrepancies between experimentally observed composite behavior and predicted response
Metal Matrix Laminate Tailoring (MMLT) code: User's manual
The User's Manual for the Metal Matrix Laminate Tailoring (MMLT) program is presented. The code is capable of tailoring the fabrication process, constituent characteristics, and laminate parameters (individually or concurrently) for a wide variety of metal matrix composite (MMC) materials, to improve the performance and identify trends or behavior of MMC's under different thermo-mechanical loading conditions. This document is meant to serve as a guide in the use of the MMLT code. Detailed explanations of the composite mechanics and tailoring analysis are beyond the scope of this document, and may be found in the references. MMLT was developed by the Structural Mechanics Branch at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC)
Computational simulation of high temperature metal matrix composites cyclic behavior
A procedure was developed and is described which can be used to computationally simulate the cyclic behavior of high temperature metal matrix composites (HTMMC) and its degradation effects on the structural response. This procedure consists of HTMMC mechanics coupled with a multifactor interaction constituent material relationship and with an incremental iterative nonlinear analysis. The procedure is implemented in a computer code that can be used to computationally simulate the thermomechanical behavior of HTMMC starting from the fabrication process and proceeding through thermomechanical cycling, accounting for the interface/interphase region. Results show that combined thermal/mechanical cycling, the interphase, and in situ matrix properties have significant effects on the structural integrity of HTMMC
A growth walk model for estimating the canonical partition function of Interacting Self Avoiding Walk
We have explained in detail why the canonical partition function of
Interacting Self Avoiding Walk (ISAW), is exactly equivalent to the
configurational average of the weights associated with growth walks, such as
the Interacting Growth Walk (IGW), if the average is taken over the entire
genealogical tree of the walk. In this context, we have shown that it is not
always possible to factor the the density of states out of the canonical
partition function if the local growth rule is temperature-dependent. We have
presented Monte Carlo results for IGWs on a diamond lattice in order to
demonstrate that the actual set of IGW configurations available for study is
temperature-dependent even though the weighted averages lead to the expected
thermodynamic behavior of Interacting Self Avoiding Walk (ISAW).Comment: Revised version consisting of 12 pages (RevTeX manuscript, plus three
.eps figure files); A few sentences in the second paragraph on Page 4 are
rewritten so as to make the definition of the genealogical tree, , clearer. Also, the second equality of Eq.(1) on Page 4, and its
corresponding statement below have been remove
Metal matrix composite analyzer (METCAN) user's manual, version 4.0
The Metal Matrix Composite Analyzer (METCAN) is a computer code developed at Lewis Research Center to simulate the high temperature nonlinear behavior of metal matrix composites. An updated version of the METCAN User's Manual is presented. The manual provides the user with a step by step outline of the procedure necessary to run METCAN. The preparation of the input file is demonstrated, and the output files are explained. The sample problems are presented to highlight various features of METCAN. An overview of the geometric conventions, micromechanical unit cell, and the nonlinear constitutive relationships is also provided
How rare are diffusive rare events?
We study the time until first occurrence, the first-passage time, of rare
density fluctuations in diffusive systems. We approach the problem using a
model consisting of many independent random walkers on a lattice. The existence
of spatial correlations makes this problem analytically intractable. However,
for a mean-field approximation in which the walkers can jump anywhere in the
system, we obtain a simple asymptotic form for the mean first-passage time to
have a given number k of particles at a distinguished site. We show
numerically, and argue heuristically, that for large enough k, the mean-field
results give a good approximation for first-passage times for systems with
nearest-neighbour dynamics, especially for two and higher spatial dimensions.
Finally, we show how the results change when density fluctuations anywhere in
the system, rather than at a specific distinguished site, are considered.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Europhysics Letters
(http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/EPL
Incidence of cetonid beetles, Protaetia alboguttata (Vigors) on karonda, Carissa carandas
Severe infestation of cetonid beetles, Protaetia alboguttata (Vigors) has been noticed on karonda at the experimental station of Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru during the year 2013. The mean damage on the ripe fruits was found to be 22.40+2.50% with a range of 15.00 – 30.00%. Considering the polyphagy of cetoniids, these beetles can pose direct threat to the cultivation of karonda
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