Mechanical properties of brittle materials

Brittle materials are difficult to tensile test because of gripping problems. They either crack in conventional grips or they are crushed. Furthermore, they may be difficult to make into tensile specimens having, for example, threated ends or donut shapes. To overcome the problem, simple rectangular shapes can be used in bending (i.e., a simple beam) in order to obtain the modulus of rupture and the elastic modulus. The equipment necessary consists of a fixture for supporting the specimens horizontally at two points, these points contact points being rollers which are free to rotate. The force necessary to bend the specimen is produced by a tup attached to the crosshead of an Instron machine. Here, the experimental procedure is explained

Results of tests OA26 and IA16 in the NASA/ARC 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel on an 0.015-scale model (36-OTS) of the space shuttle configuration 140A/B to obtain pressures for venting analysis

Tests were conducted, from November 15 to December 4, 1973, to obtain surface pressure data on an 0.015-scale replica of the Space Shuttle Vehicle 4. Data were obtained at Mach numbers of 5.3, 7.4, and 10.3, to support the venting analysis for both launch and entry conditions. These tests were the final tests in a series covering a Mach number range from 0.6 to 10.3. The model was instrumented with pressure orifices in the vicinity of the cargo bay door hinge and parting lines, and on the side of the fuselage at the crew compartment, and below the orbital maneuvering system pods at the aft compartment. The model was tested at angles of attack and sideslip consistent with expected divergencies from the nominal trajectory

Investigation of fatigue strength of multilayer advanced fiber composites

The analytical characterization of a multilayer fiber composite plate (without hole) was accomplished for both static and dynamic loading conditions using the finite difference technique. Thornel 300/5208 composites with and without holes were subjected to static and tensile fatigue testing. Five (5) fiber orientations were submitted to test. Tensile fatigue testing also included three (3) loading conditions and two (2) frequencies. The low-cycle test specimens demonstrated a shorter tensile fatigue life than the high-cycle test specimens. Failure surfaces demonstrated effect of testing conditions. Secondary failure mechanisms, such as: delamination, fiber breakage, and edge fiber delamination were present. Longitudinal delamination between plies also occurred in these specimens

Imaging haemodynamic changes related to seizures: comparison of EEG-based general linear model, independent component analysis of fMRI and intracranial EEG

Background: Simultaneous EEG-fMRI can reveal haemodynamic changes associated with epileptic activity which may contribute to understanding seizure onset and propagation. Methods: Nine of 83 patients with focal epilepsy undergoing pre-surgical evaluation had seizures during EEG-fMRI and analysed using three approaches, two based on the general linear model (GLM) and one using independent component analysis (ICA): 1. EEGs were divided into up to three phases: early ictal EEG change, clinical seizure onset and late ictal EEG change and convolved with a canonical haemodynamic response function (HRF) (canonical GLM analysis). 2. Seizures lasting three scans or longer were additionally modelled using a Fourier basis set across the entire event (Fourier GLM analysis). 3. Independent component analysis (ICA) was applied to the fMRI data to identify ictal BOLD patterns without EEG. The results were compared with intracranial EEG. Results: The canonical GLM analysis revealed significant BOLD signal changes associated with seizures on EEG in 7/9 patients, concordant with the seizure onset zone in 4/7. The Fourier GLM analysis revealed changes in BOLD signal corresponding with the results of the canonical analysis in two patients. ICA revealed components spatially concordant with the seizure onset zone in all patients (8/9 confirmed by intracranial EEG). Conclusion: Ictal EEG-fMRI visualises plausible seizure related haemodynamic changes. The GLM approach to analysing EEG-fMRI data reveals localised BOLD changes concordant with the ictal onset zone when scalp EEG reflects seizure onset. ICA provides additional information when scalp EEG does not accurately reflect seizures and may give insight into ictal haemodynamics

Fossil biomass preserved as graphitic carbon in a late paleoproterozoic banded iron formation metamorphosed at more than 550°C

Metamorphism is thought to destroy microfossils, partly through devolatilization and graphitization of biogenic organic matter. However, the extent to which there is a loss of molecular, elemental and isotope signatures from biomass during high-temperature metamorphism is not clearly established. We report on graphitic structures inside and coating apatite grains from the c. 1850 Ma Michigamme silicate banded iron formation from Michigan, metamorphosed above 550°C. Traces of N, S, O, H, Ca and Fe are preserved in this graphitic carbon and X-ray spectra show traces of aliphatic groups. Graphitic carbon has an expanded lattice around 3.6 Å, forms microscopic concentrically-layered and radiating polygonal flakes and has homogeneous δ13C values around −22‰, identical to bulk analyses. Graphitic carbon inside apatite is associated with nanometre-size ammoniated phyllosilicate. Precursors of these metamorphic minerals and graphitic carbon originated from ferruginous clayrich sediments with biomass. We conclude that graphite coatings and inclusions in apatite grains indicate fluid remobilization during amphibolite-facies metamorphism of precursor biomass. This new evidence fills in observational gaps of metamorphosed biomass into graphite and supports the existence of biosignatures in the highly metamorphosed iron formation from the Eoarchean Akilia Association, which dates from the beginning of the sedimentary rock record

y scaling in electron-nucleus scattering

Data on inclusive electron scattering from A = 4, 12, 27, 56, 197 nuclei at large momentum transfer are presented and analyzed in terms of y scaling. We find that the data do scale for y 1), and we study the convergence of the scaling function with the momentum transfer Q^2 and A

Contact Resistances in Spot Welding Various electrodes were tested to determine the effect of surface condition on contact resistance

ABSTRACT. The contact resistance of several aluminum alloys with different surface conditions was measured as a function of the applied current and under different applied loads. The magnitude of the contact resistance varied over a wide range of values, depending upon load and surface condition. Usually the contact resistance decreased with an increase in load, but if a surface lubricant was present, an increase in resistance was observed. Extensive plastic deformation occulred under the loading conditions imposed by the electrode tips. A cup and cone profile was found at the contact region of the faying surface after unloading. Under slowly varying currents, -1 A/s, electrical breakdown effects were observed when the potential across the surfaces was -0.2 V. The nature of the change was ascribed to metallic conduction and local fusion rather than oxide film breakdown. Under rapidly varying currents, -107 A/s, typical of a spot welding operation, the contact resistance was found to decrease to -20 [a~ within the first quarter cycle of weld current, irrespective of the initial surface condition of the aluminum alloy. Continued weld current inputs caused a further decrease in the contact resistance to -10 p~. It is concluded that the results of contact resistance tests may be influenced by the test procedure if large currents are used that develop a significant potential difference, >0.2 V, across the interface