• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.4
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• pp.403-415
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• 2024

We looked at how the damping qualities of epoxy composites changed when different amounts of graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) were added, from 0% to 6% by weight. A mix of free and forced vibration tests helped us find the key GNP content that makes the damper ability better the most. We also created a Representative Volume Element (RVE) model to guess how the alloys would behave mechanically and checked these models against testing data. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was also used to guess how these compounds would react to motion. With proper hyperparameter tweaking, the ANN model showed good correlation (R²=0.98) with actual data, indicating its ability to predict complex material behavior. Combining these methods shows how GNPs impact epoxy composite mechanical properties and how machine learning might improve material design. We show how adding GNPs to epoxy composites may considerably reduce vibration. These materials may be used in industries that value vibration damping.

• Composites Research
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.206-210
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• 2019

As the use of composite materials of woven structure has expanded to various fields such as automobile and aviation industry, there has been a need for reliability problems and prediction of mechanical properties of woven composites. In this study, finite element analysis for predicting the mechanical properties of composite materials with different weaving structures was conducted to verify similarity with experimental static properties and an effective modeling method was developed. To reflect the characteristics of the weave structure, the meso-scale representative volume element (RVE) was used in modeling. Three-dimensional modeling was carried out by separating the yarn and the pure matrix. Hashin's failure criterion was used to determine whether the element was failed, and the simulation model used a progressive failure model which was suitable for the composite material. Finally, the accordance of the modeling and simulation technique was verified by successfully predicting the mechanical properties of the composite material according to the weave structure.

• Advances in biomechanics and applications
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.23-40
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• 2014

This paper examines the blood chamber of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) under static loading conditions and standard operating temperatures. The LVAD's walls are made of a temperature-sensitive polymer (ChronoFlex C 55D) and are covered with a titanium nitride (TiN) nano-coating (deposited by laser ablation) to improve their haemocompatibility. A loss of cohesion may be observed near the coating-substrate boundary. Therefore, a micro-scale stress-strain analysis of the multilayered blood chamber was conducted with FE (finite element) code. The multi-scale model included a macro-model of the LVAD's blood chamber and a micro-model of the TiN coating. The theories of non-linear elasticity and elasto-plasticity were applied. The formulated problems were solved with a finite element method. The micro-scale problem was solved for a representative volume element (RVE). This micro-model accounted for the residual stress, a material model of the TiN coating, the stress results under loading pressures, the thickness of the TiN coating and the wave parameters of the TiN surface. The numerical results (displacements and strains) were experimentally validated using digital image correlation (DIC) during static blood pressure deformations. The maximum strain and stress were determined at static pressure steps in a macro-scale FE simulation. The strain and stress were also computed at the same loading conditions in a micro-scale FE simulation.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.276-281
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• 2018

In this paper, elastic behavior of woven fabric composites with various fiber yarn structure were predicted through a theoretical calculation model. A representative volume elements (RVE) that can represent the mechanical properties of the woven composites were selected and crimp angle of the weave yarn was defined by several sinusoidal functions. The effective material properties of the woven composite such as young's modulus, shear modulus and poisson's ratio was predicted by classical laminate theory (CLT). The fiber volume fractions were calculated according to the shape and pattern (plain, twill weave) of the fiber yarn, and the elastic behavior of each woven composite was obtained through a theoretical calculation model. Also, to verify the theoretical predictions, woven composite specimens of plain and twill weave were fabricated by vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process and then mechanical test was conducted. As a results, a good correlation between theoretical and experimental results for the elastic behavior of woven composites could be achieved.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.367-375
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• 2023

Composite materials, known for their excellent mechanical properties and lightweight characteristics, are applied in various engineering fields. Recently, efforts have been made to develop an automotive battery protection panel using a plain-woven composite composed of glass fiber and polypropylene to reduce the weight of automobiles. However, excessive warpage occurs during the GF/PP compression molding process, which makes car assembly challenging. This study aims to develop a model that predicts the warpage during the compression molding process. Obtaining out-of-plane properties such as elastic or shear modulus, essential for predicting warpages, is tricky. Existing mechanical methods also have limitations in calculating these properties for woven composite materials. To address this issue, finite element analysis is conducted using representative volume elements (RVE) for woven composite materials. A warpage prediction model is developed based on the estimated physical properties of GF/PP composite materials obtained through representative volume elements. This model is expected to be used for reducing warpages in the compression molding process.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2016

A poroelastic composite material, containing different material phases and filled with fluids, serves as a model to formulate the overall ablative behaviors of such materials. This article deals with the assessment of variation in nondeterministic poroelastic properties of two-phase composite materials using micromechanical representative volume element (RVE) models. Considering the configuration and arrangement of pores in a matrix phase, various RVEs are modeled and analyzed according to their porosity. In order to quantitatively investigate the effects of microstructure, changes in effective elastic moduli and poroelastic parameters are measured via finite element (FE) analysis. The poroelastic parameters are calculated from the effective elastic moduli and the pore-pressure-induced strains. The reliability of the numerical results is verified through image-based FE models with the actual shape of pores in carbon-phenolic ablative materials. Additionally, the variation of strain energy density is measured, which can possibly be used to evaluate microstress concentrations.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.221-240
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• 2017

The modeling of the mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle materials is still a challenge task, mainly in failure processes when fracture and plasticity phenomena become important actors in dissipative processes which occur in materials like concrete, as instance. Many homogenization-based approaches have been proposed to deal with heterogeneous materials in the last years. In this context, a computational homogenization modeling for concrete is presented in this work using the concept of Representative Volume Element (RVE). The material is considered as a three-phase material consisting of interface zone (ITZ), matrix and inclusions-each constituent modeled by an independent constitutive model. The Representative Volume Element (RVE) consists of inclusions idealized as circular shapes symmetrically and nonsymmetrically placed into the specimen. The interface zone is modeled by means of cohesive contact finite elements. The inclusion is modeled as linear elastic and matrix region is considered as elastoplastic material. A set of examples is presented in order to show the potentialities and limitations of the proposed modeling. The consideration of the fracture processes in the ITZ is fundamental to capture complex macroscopic characteristics of the material using simple constitutive models at mesoscopic level.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.289-299
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• 2022

Based on the random cracking theory, the cylinder RVE model of reinforced concrete is established and the damage process is divided into three stages as the evolution of the cracks. The stress distribution along longitude direction of the concrete and the steel bar in the cylinder model are derived. The equivalent elastic modulus of the RVE are derived and the user-defined field variable subroutine (USDFLD) for the equivalent elastic modulus is well integrated into the ABAQUS. Regarding the tensile rebars and the concrete surrounding the rebars as the equivalent homogeneous transversely isotropic material, and the FEM analysis for the reinforced concrete beams is conducted with the USDFLD subroutine. Considering the concrete cracking and interfacial debonding, the macroscopic damage process of the reinforced concrete beam under four-point bending loading in the simulation. The volume fraction of rebar and the cracking degree are mainly discussed to reveal their influence on the macro-performance and they are calibrated with experimental results. Comparing with the bending experiment performed with 8 reinforced concrete beams, the bending stiffness of the second stage and the ultimate load simulated are in good agreement with the experimental values, which verifies the effectiveness and the accuracy of the improved finite element method for reinforced concrete beam.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.6
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• pp.713-722
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• 2019

Micromechanics is a technique for the analysis of composites or heterogeneous materials which focuses on the components of the intended structure. Each one of the components can exhibit isotropic behavior, but the microstructure characteristics of the heterogeneous material result in the anisotropic behavior of the structure. In this research, the general mechanical properties of a 3D anisotropic and heterogeneous Representative Volume Element (RVE), have been determined by applying periodic boundary conditions (PBCs), using the Asymptotic Homogenization Theory (AHT) and strain energy. In order to use the homogenization theory and apply the periodic boundary conditions, the ABAQUS scripting interface (ASI) has been used along with the Python programming language. The results have been compared with those of the Homogeneous Boundary Conditions method, which leads to an overestimation of the effective mechanical properties. According to the results, applying homogenous boundary conditions results in a 33% and 13% increase in the shear moduli G₂₃ and G₁₂, respectively. In polymeric composites, the fibers have linear and brittle behavior, while the resin exhibits a non-linear behavior. Therefore, the nonlinear effects of resin on the mechanical properties of the composite material is studied using a user-defined subroutine in Fortran (USDFLD). The non-linear shear stress-strain behavior of unidirectional composite laminates has been obtained. Results indicate that at arbitrary constant stress as 80 MPa in-plane shear modulus, G₁₂, experienced a 47%, 41% and 31% reduction at the fiber volume fraction of 30%, 50% and 70%, compared to the linear assumption. The results of this study are in good agreement with the analytical and experimental results available in the literature.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.251-259
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• 2018

In this paper, statistical volume element modeling method was developed for multi-scale progressive failure analysis of fiber reinforced composite materials. Big-size statistical volume elements (BSVEs) was considered to minimize the size effect in the micro-scale, by including as many fibers as possible. For that purpose, a mesh cutting method is suggested and adapted into the fiber model generator that creates finite element domain rapidly. The fiber defect model was also developed based on the experimental distribution of the fiber strength. The size effects from the local load sharing (LLS) are evaluated by increasing the fiber inclusion in the micro-scale model. Finally, continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model to the fiber direction was extracted from numerical analysis on BSVEs. And it was compared with strength prediction from typical representative volume element (RVE) model.