Rilevamento del segnale termoelastico a campo intero mediante analisi lock-in in modalità off-line

Il presente lavoro propone una procedura di post-processamento del segnale termografico misurato su provini sollecitati in modo ciclico al fine di ricavare il segnale termoelastico. Dopo aver descritto la Correlazione Lock-In, usata tradizionalmente dai sistemi commerciali per ricavare il segnale termoelastico, il lavoro mostra come tale procedura sia numericamente equivalente alla determinazione delle armoniche della Trasformata di Fourier Discreta (TFD) del segnale campionato. Viene quindi proposta ed implementata una procedura di filtraggio del segnale termoelastico basata sulla applicazione diretta della TFD, che ha il vantaggio di poter in alcune circostanze fare a meno di un segnale di riferimento esterno. Il lavoro mostra quindi i risultati di una campagna sperimentali condotta su provini con campo tensionale noto, dimostrando come la procedura proposta sia semplice da implementare, versatile e robusta

IMPLEMENTAZIONE DI TECNICHE NDT DI TERMOGRAFIA AD INFRAROSSI SU PANNELLI IN COMPOSITO GRP PER APPLICAZIONI NAUTICHE

Il presente lavoro descrive l’implementazione di due tecniche di termografia attiva ad infrarossi per il controllo non distruttivo (IRNDT) di delaminazioni sub-superficiali su pannelli in composito (GRP) di grosso spessore, tipicamente impiegati per uso navale. Si è in particolare fatto uso di attrezzature a basso costo consistenti in comuni lampade alogene a bassa potenza come sorgenti di calore esterne, ed una termocamera ad infrarossi a singolo sensore a bassa risoluzione termica e basso frame rate. Le due tecniche implementate sono la Pulsed Thermography (PT) ed una nuova variante di Lock-In Thermography denominata Pulse-Modulated Lock-In Thermography (PMLT), basata sull’analisi in frequenza del segnale termografico del provino riscaldato da una serie di impulsi modulati. Il lavoro descrive in particolare il trattamento del segnale termografico messo a punto al fine di ottimizzare la tracciabilità dei difetti e ricavare informazioni utili sulla loro natur

investigation of the crack tip stress field in a stainless steel sent specimen by means of thermoelastic stress analysis

Abstract In this work a Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) setup is implemented to investigates the Thermoelastic and Second Harmonic signals on a fatigue loaded Single Edge Notched Tension (SENT) specimen made of stainless steel AISI 304L. Three load ratios are in particular applied, R=-1, 0, 0.1. The thermoelastic signal is used to evaluate the Stress Intensity Factor via two approaches, the Stanley-Chan linear interpolation method and the over-deterministic least-square fitting (LSF) method using the Williams' series expansion. Regarding least-square fitting, an iterative procedure is proposed to identify the optimal crack tip position in the thermoelastic maps. The SIF and T-Stress are then evaluated considering the influence of the number of terms (up to 20) in the Williams' series function, and the extent and position of the area used for data input. The study also investigates the Second Harmonic signal observed on the wake of the crack with varying load ratio R. An interpretation is proposed that considers the rise of the Second Harmonic as the result of the modulation of the compression loads between the crack flanks, rather than dissipation phenomena. This interpretation enables the possibility to use this parameter to reveal the presence and extent of crack-closure

DELAMINAZIONE INTERLAMINARE DI COMPOSITI CFRP AL VARIARE DELLE CONDIZIONI DI CURA DELLA MATRICE

In questo lavoro si è condotto uno studio sperimentale del comportamento a delaminazione interlaminare in Modo I di laminati compositi unidirezionali in fibra di carbonio e matrice epossidica (CFRP), al variare delle condizioni di cura della matrice. Tutti i sistemi analizzati hanno utilizzato lo stesso tessuto e lo stesso monomero epossidico DGEBA. Variando il processo di cura (cura termica o mediante radiazioni), gli agenti di cura (ammine o anidridi per i sistemi curati termicamente), e l’impiego di additivi tenacizzanti (es. il PES per i sistemi irradiati), è stato possibile controllare e modificare sia il grado di adesione fibra/matrice, che il grado di fragilità della matrice (monitorato attraverso il Fattore Critico di Intensificazione degli Sforzi KIC). Il lavoro quindi propone una analisi critica dei meccanismi di resistenza alla delaminazione controllati dalla tenacità della matrice e dalla resistenza dell’interfaccia fibra-matrice, mediante la determinazione delle Curve di Resistenza e dei valori di GIC di Innesco e di Propagazione ottenuti per i diversi sistemi presi in esame

Standard mechanical testing is inadequate for the mechanical characterisation of shape-memory alloys: source of errors and a new corrective approach

Thanks to its unique behaviour characterised by a superelastic response, Nitinol has now become the material of preference in a number of critical applications, especially in the area of medical implants. However, the reversible phase transformation producing its exceptional comportment is also responsible for a number of phenomena that make its mechanical characterisation particularly complex, by hindering the assumptions at the very basis of common uniaxial tensile testing. This necessarily reduces the level of safety and design optimization of current applications, which rely on incorrect mechanical parameters. In this study, the spurious effects introduced by the unconventional material behaviour during uniaxial tensile testing are analysed by means of digital image correlation (DIC), identifying the onset of undesirable material inhomogeneities and bending moments that are dependent on the test setup and strongly limit the reliability of standard characterisation. Hence, a more accurate and systematic testing approach, exploiting the ability of DIC to analyse the local mechanical response at specific regions of the test specimen, is presented and discussed

Thermoelastic signal processing using an FFT lock-in based algorithm on extended sampled data

A fast infrared scanner is used to acquire the thermoelastic effect induced temperature changes along a line on the surface of cyclically loaded tensile samples. The raster scanning movement of the single detector allows the sampling of temperature versus time. This data are then post-processed by means of a lock-in algorithm coupled with 1D and 2D FFT analyses in order to filter out the thermoelastic signal from the noisy measured signal. A data extension algorithm is proposed which uses the information from different acquired frames to extend the data sampling window. The whole signal processing setup is evaluated on experimental data with successful results, proposing a potential tool for low cost Thermoelastic Stress Analysi

Effect of suturing the femoral portion of a four-strand graft during an ACL reconstruction.

Purpose A suture passed along the part of the graft that will be inserted into the femoral tunnel is widely used by surgeons, because it could prevent the graft sliding on the femoral fixation device during pulling from the tibial side. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical effects of suturing the intratunnel femoral part of the graft during an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Methods Bovine digital extensor tendons and tibias were harvested from 20 fresh-frozen mature bovine knees ranging in age from 18 to 24 months. Quadruple-strand bovine tendons were passed through the tibial tunnel and secured distally with a bioabsorbable interference screw. In one half of all grafts (N = 10), the looped-over part of the graft was sutured in a whipstitch technique over a distance of 30 mm (Group 1). In one half of all grafts (N = 10), the looped-over part was left free from any suture (Group 2). The grafts were preconditioned at 50 N for 10 min, fol- lowed by cyclic loading at 1 Hz between 50 N and 250 N for 1,000 cycles. Load-to-failure test was then carried out at a rate of 1 mm/s. Results There was no statistically significant difference between mean stiffness at pullout and yield load between the two groups. In all specimens on Group 1, failure occurred following to partial breaking and then slipping of the tendons between the screw and the tunnel. Concerning Group 2, in six cases failure occurred as described for Group 1 specimens. In the remaining four cases, failure occurred entirely through the ligament mid-substance. Conclusions Suturing in a whipstitch fashion the femoral portion of the graft doesn’t affect the mechanical proprie- ties of the ACL graft. When suspension fixation device is used, suturing the looped-over part of the graft could be helpful in order to provide equal tension in all of the strands of the graft at time of tibial fixation

Water diffusion and swelling stresses in highly crosslinked epoxy matrices

The present work investigates the swelling induced stresses arising in two epoxy systems during water uptake. The analysed systems are two epoxy resin based on DGEBA monomer and DGEBF monomer respectively, both fully cured by DDS amine. The systems achieve different cross-link density degrees, and are characterised by high glass transition temperatures ranging between 200 and 230 °C. Both epoxies have been conditioned in deionized water baths at two different temperatures (50 °C and 80 °C). A desorption process at room temperature in a dry airborne environment was performed after saturation. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis, carried out at the various stages of hydrothermal conditioning, has allowed to characterise the modifications occurring in the network structures during aging. Photoelastic Stress Analysis is adopted to monitor the evolution of stresses on rectangular beam samples during absorption and desorption of water. Correlation of water uptake, dynamic mechanical behaviour and transitory stress fields, has allowed to make some assumptions about the influence of the epoxy network on the swelling behaviour

ANALISI DELLO STATO TENSIONALE IN RESINE EPOSSIDICHE SOTTOPOSTE AD INVECCHIAMENTO IDROTERMICO MEDIANTE TECNICA FOTOELASTICA

In questo lavoro si è analizzato lo stato tensionale che nasce in sistemi epossidici DGEBA quando sono sottoposti ad invecchiamento idro-termico, tramite la tecnica fotoelastica a trasmissione, basata sul metodo a variazione di fase di Compensazione di Tardy. I provini, monitorati ad intervalli di tempo regolari durante i processi di assorbimento e desorbimento di acqua, sono stati osservati al polariscopio circolare. La tecnica ha permesso di analizzare, sia qualitativamente, sia quantitativamente, lo stato tensionale indotto dal non uniforme “swelling” durante l’intero processo di invecchiamento. Inoltre, lo studio ha analizzato anche provini criccati di tipo Single Edge Notched Bending; l’analisi fotoelastica ha evidenziato come all’apice della cricca si crea un sistema di frange fotoelastiche peculiari, influenzato dalla presenza della singolarit