• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
• /
• v.5 no.6
• /
• pp.633-652
• /
• 2018

The present paper focuses on the development of a model for simulating the thermoelectric behavior of CNTs/CFRP Organic Matrix Composite (OMC) laminates for aeronautical applications. The model is developed within the framework of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and implemented into commercial ABAQUS Finite Element software and validated by comparison with experimental thermoelectric tests on two types of composites materials, namely Type A with Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) and Type B without CNT. A simplified model, neglecting heat conduction, is also developed for simplifying the identification process. The model is then applied for FEM numerical simulation of the thermoelectric response of aircraft panel structures subjected to electrical loads, in order to discuss the potential danger coming from electrical solicitations. The structural simulations are performed on quasi-isotropic stacking sequences (QI) $[45/-45/90/0]_s$ using composite materials of type A and type B and compared with those obtained on plates made of metallic material (aluminum). For both tested cases-transit of electric current of intermediate intensity (9A) and electrical loading on panels made of composite material-higher heating intensity is observed in composites materials with respect to the corresponding metallic ones.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.502-507
• /
• 2019

Macro-porous carbon foams are fabricated using cured spherical phenolic resin particles as a matrix and furfuryl alcohol as a binder through a simple casting molding. Different sizes of the phenolic resin particles from 100-450 ㎛ are used to control the pore size and structure. Ethylene glycol is additionally added as a pore-forming agent and oxalic acid is used as an initiator for polymerization of furfuryl alcohol. The polymerization is performed in two steps; at 80℃ and 200℃ in an ambient atmosphere. The carbonization of the cured body is performed under Nitrogen gas flow (0.8 L/min) at 800℃ for 1 h. Shrinkage rate and residual carbon content are measured by size and weight change after carbonization. The pore structures are observed by both electron and optical microscope and compared with the porosity results achieved by the Archimedes method. The porosity is similar regardless of the size of the phenolic resin particles. On the other hand, the pore size increases in proportion to the phenol resin size, which indicates that the pore structure can be controlled by changing the raw material particle size.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.1405-1421
• /
• 2015

Semi-rigid connections are the actual behavior of beam-to-column connections in steel frames. However, the behavior of semi-rigid connections is not taken into account for the simplicity in the conventional analysis and design of steel frames. A computer-based analysis and design has been studied for the three-dimensional steel frames with semi-rigid connections. The nonlinear analysis which includes the effects of the flexibility of connections is used for this study. It is designed according to the buckling and combined stress constraints under the present loading after the joint deformations and the member end forces of the space frame are determined by the stiffness matrix method. The semi-rigid connection type is limited to the top and bottom angles with a double web angle connection. The Frye-Morris polynomial model is used to describe the non-linear behavior of semi-rigid connections. Various design examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the method. The results of design and analysis of unbraced semi-rigid frames are compared to the results of unbraced rigid frames under the same design requirements.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.939-952
• /
• 2015

In this paper, brake pad performance of two organic matrix composites namely, Sample 1 (contains no brass filler) and Sample 2 (contains 1.5% brass filler), is studied based on tribological and squeal noise behavior. In the first stage, a pin-on-disc tribometer is used to evaluate the frictional behavior of the two pads. On the following stage, these pads are tested on squeal noise occurrence using a drag-type brake dynamometer. From the two type of tests, the results show that; (i) brass fillers play a dual role; firstly as reinforcing element of the brake pad providing primary contact sites, and secondly as solid lubricant by contributing to the formation of a layer of granular material providing velocity accommodation between the pad and the disc; (ii) brass fillers contribute to friction force stabilization and smooth sliding behavior; (iii) the presence of small weight quantity of brass filler strongly contributes to squeal occurrences; (iv) there is close correlation between pin-on-disc tribometer and brake dynamometer tests in terms of tribological aspect.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.53-65
• /
• 2010

The rigid body inertia properties of a structure including the mass, the center of gravity location, the mass moments and principal axes of inertia are required for structural dynamic analysis, modeling of mechanical systems, design of mechanisms and optimization. The analytical approaches such as solid or finite element modeling can not be used efficiently for estimating the rigid body inertia properties of complex structures. Several experimental approaches have been developed to determine the rigid body inertia properties of a structure via Frequency Response Functions (FRFs). In the present work two experimental methods are used to estimate the rigid body inertia properties of a frame. The first approach consists of using the amount of mass as input to estimate the other inertia properties of frame. In the second approach, the property of orthogonality of modes is used to derive the inertia properties of a frame. The accuracy of the estimated parameters is evaluated through the comparison of the experimental results with those of the theoretical Solid Work model of frame. Moreover, a thorough discussion about the effect of accuracy of measured FRFs on the estimation of inertia properties is presented.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.295-322
• /
• 2013

Steel fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFRSCC) is a relatively new composite material which congregates the benefits of self-compacting concrete (SCC) technology with the profits derived from the fiber addition to a brittle cementitious matrix. Steel fibers improve many of the properties of SCC elements including tensile strength, toughness, energy absorption capacity and fracture toughness. Modification in the mix design of SCC may have a significant influence on the SFRSCC mechanical properties. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all of the assumed hypotheses for steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) are also valid for SFRSCC structures. Although available research regarding the influence of steel fibers on the properties of SFRSCC is limited, this paper investigates material's mechanical properties. The present study includes: a) evaluation and comparison of the current analytical models used for estimating the mechanical properties of SFRSCC and SFRC, b) proposing new relationships for SFRSCC mixtures mechanical properties. The investigated mechanical properties are based on the available experimental results and include: compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, strain at peak compressive strength, tensile strength, and compressive and tensile stress-strain curves.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.4 no.5
• /
• pp.629-640
• /
• 2008

A new algorithm is proposed to determine optimal accelerometer locations (OAL) when a structure is identified by frequency domain system identification (SI) method. As a result, a guideline is presented for selecting OAL which can reflect modal response of a structure properly. The guideline is to provide a minimum number of necessary accelerometers with the variation in the number of measurable target modes. To determine OAL for SI applications effectively, the modal sensitivity effective independence distribution vector (MS-EIDV) is developed with the likelihood function of measurements. By maximizing the likelihood of the occurrence of the measurements relative to the predictions, Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) is derived as a function of mode shape sensitivity. This paper also proposes a statistical approach in determining the structural parameters with a presumed parameter error which reflects the epistemic paradox between the determination of OAL and the application of a SI scheme. Numerical simulations have been carried out to examine the proposed OAL algorithm. A two-span multi-girder bridge and a two-span truss bridge were used for the simulation studies. To overcome a rank deficiency frequently occurred in inverting a FIM, the singular value decomposition scheme has been applied.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.65-77
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this research is to study the nonlinear free vibration and post-buckling analysis of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) beams resting on a nonlinear elastic foundation. Uniformly and functionally graded distributions of single walled carbon nanotubes as reinforcing phase are considered in the polymeric matrix. The modified form of rule of mixture is used to estimate the material properties of CNTRC beams. The governing equations are derived employing Euler-Bernoulli beam theory along with energy method and Hamilton's principle. Applying von $K\acute{a}rm\acute{a}n's$ strain-displacement assumptions, the geometric nonlinearity is taken into consideration. The developed governing equations with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities are solved using variational iteration method (VIM) and the analytical expressions and numerical results are obtained for vibration and stability analysis of nanocomposite beams. The presented comparative results are indicative for the reliability, accuracy and fast convergence rate of the solution. Eventually, the effects of different parameters, such as foundation stiffness, volume fraction and distributions of carbon nanotubes, slenderness ratio, vibration amplitude, coefficients of elastic foundation and boundary conditions on the nonlinear frequencies, vibration response and post-buckling loads of FG-CNTRC beams are examined. The developed analytical solution provides direct insight into parametric studies of particular parameters of the problem.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.67 no.4
• /
• pp.403-415
• /
• 2018

In the present study, nonlinear dynamic response of polymer-CNT-fiber multiscale nanocomposite plate resting on elastic foundations in thermal environments using the finite element method is performed. In this regard, the governing equations are derived based on Inverse Hyperbolic Shear Deformation Theory and von $K{\acute{a}}rm{\acute{a}}n$ geometrical nonlinearity. Three type of distribution of temperature through the thickness of the plate namely, uniform linear and nonlinear are considered. The considered element is C1-continuous with 15 DOF at each node. The effective material properties of the multiscale composite are calculated using Halpin-Tsai equations and fiber micromechanics in hierarchy. The carbon nanotubes are assumed to be uniformly distributed and randomly oriented through the epoxy resin matrix. Five types of impulsive loads are considered, namely the step, sudden, triangular, half-sine and exponential pulses. After examining the validity of the present work, the effects of the weight percentage of SWCNTs and MWCNTs, nanotube aspect ratio, volume fraction of fibers, plate aspect, temperature, elastic foundation parameters, distribution of temperature and shape of impulsive load on nonlinear dynamic response of CNT reinforced multi-phase laminated composite plate are studied in details.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.802-810
• /
• 2007

Fibrobacter succinogenes, a Gram-negative, anaerobic ruminal bacterium is a major fibre digesting species in the rumen. It intensively degrades plant cell walls by an erosion type of mechanism, burrowing its way through the complex matrix of cellulose and hemicellulose with the release of digestible and undigested cell wall fragments. The enzymes involved in this process include a combination of glucanases, xylanases, arabinofuranosidase(s) and esterases. The genome of the bacterium has been sequenced and this has revealed in excess of 100 putative glycosyl hydrolase, pectate lyase and carbohydrate esterase genes, which is greater than the numbers reported present in other major cellulolytic organisms for which genomes have been sequenced. Modelling of the amino acid sequences of two glycanases, CedA and EGB, by reference to crystallized homologs has enabled prediction of the major features of their tertiary structures. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis in conjunction with mass spectroscopy has permitted the documentation of proteins over expressed in F. succinogenes grown on cellulose, and analysis of the cell surfaces of mutant strains unable to bind to cellulose has enabled the identification of candidate proteins with roles in adhesion to the plant cell wall substrate, the precursor to cellulose biodegradation.