• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.97-108
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• 2020

The time-consuming and less objectivity are the main problems of conventional micromechanical parameters calibration method of Particle Flow Code simulations. Thus this study aims to address these two limitation of the conventional "trial-and-error" method. A new calibration method for the linear parallel bond model (CM-LPBM) is proposed. First, numerical simulations are conducted based on the results of the uniaxial compression tests on limestone. The macroscopic response of the numerical model agrees well with the results of the uniaxial compression tests. To reduce the number of the independent micromechanical parameters, numerical simulations are then carried out. Based on the results of the orthogonal experiments and the multi-factor variance analysis, main micromechanical parameters affecting the macro parameters of rocks are proposed. The macro-micro parameter functions are ultimately established using multiple linear regression, and the iteration correction formulas of the micromechanical parameters are obtained. To further verify the validity of the proposed method, a case study is carried out. The error between the macro mechanical response and the numerical results is less than 5%. Hence the calibration method, i.e., the CM-LPBM, is reliable for obtaining the micromechanical parameters quickly and accurately, providing reference for the calibration of micromechanical parameters.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.255-271
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• 2018

This paper deals with the transient dynamic analysis and elastic wave propagation in a functionally graded graphene platelets (FGGPLs)-reinforced composite thick hollow cylinder, which is subjected to shock loading. A micromechanical model based on the Halpin-Tsai model and rule of mixture is modified for nonlinear functionally graded distributions of graphene platelets (GPLs) in polymer matrix of composites. The governing equations are derived for an axisymmetric FGGPLs-reinforced composite cylinder with a finite length and then solved using a hybrid meshless method based on the generalized finite difference (GFD) and Newmark finite difference methods. A numerical time discretization is performed for the dynamic problem using the Newmark method. The dynamic behaviors of the displacements and stresses are obtained and discussed in detail using the modified micromechanical model and meshless GFD method. The effects of the reinforcement of the composite cylinder by GPLs on the elastic wave propagations in both displacement and stress fields are obtained for various parameters. It is concluded that the proposed micromechanical model and also the meshless GFD method have a high capability to simulate the composite structures under shock loadings, which are reinforced by FGGPLs. It is shown that the modified micromechanical model and solution technique based on the meshless GFD method are accurate. Also, the time histories of the field variables are shown for various parameters.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.797-806
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• 2009

The mechanical and thermal behaviors of polyamide-6/clay nanocomposites were studied using the continuum-based, micromechanical models such as Mori-Tanaka, Halpin-Tsai and shear lag. Mechanic-based model prediction provides a better understanding regarding the dependence of the nanocomposites' reinforcement efficiency on conventional filler structural parameters such as filler aspect ratio ($\alpha$), filler orientation (S), filler weight fraction (${\Psi}_f$), and filler/matrix stiffness ratio ($E_f/E_m$). For an intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposite, an effective, filler-based, micromechanical model that includes effective filler structural parameters, the number of platelets per stack (n) and the silicate inter-layer spacing ($d_{001}$), is proposed to describe the mesoscopic intercalated filler and the nanoscopic exfoliated filler. The proposed model nicely captures the experimental modulus behaviors for both intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposites. In addition, the model prediction of the heat distortion temperature is examined for nanocomposites with different filler aspect ratio. The predicted heat distortion temperature appears to be reasonable compared to the heat distortion temperature obtained by experimental tests. Based on both the experimental results and model prediction, the reinforcement efficiency and heat resistance of the polyamide-6/clay nanocomposites definitely depend on both conventional (${\alpha},\;S,\;{\Psi}_f,\;E_f/E_m$) and effective (n, $d_{001}$) filler structural parameters.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.153-174
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• 2012

Micromechanical facture models can be used to predict ductile fracture in steel structures. In order to calibrate the parameters in the micromechanical models for the largely used Q345 steel in China, uniaxial tensile tests, smooth notched tensile tests, cyclic notched bar tests, scanning electron microscope tests and finite element analyses were conducted in this paper. The test specimens were made from base metal, deposit metal and heat affected zone of Q345 steel to investigate crack initiation in welded steel connections. The calibrated parameters for the three different locations of Q345 steel were compared with that of the other seven varieties of structural steels. It indicates that the toughness index parameters in the stress modified critical strain (SMCS) model and the void growth model (VGM) are connected with ductility of the material but have no correlation with the yield strength, ultimate strength or the ratio of ultimate strength to yield strength. While the damage degraded parameters in the degraded significant plastic strain (DSPS) model and the cyclic void growth model (CVGM) and the characteristic length parameter are irrelevant with any properties of the material. The results of this paper can be applied to predict ductile fracture in welded steel connections.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.191-206
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• 2023

The present research investigates how micromechanical models affect the behavior of Functionally Graded (FG) plates under different boundary conditions. The study employs diverse micromechanical models to assess the effective material properties of a two-phase particle composite featuring a volume fraction of particles that continuously varies throughout the thickness of the plate. Specifically, the research examines the vibrational response of the plate on a Winkler-Pasternak elastic foundation, considering different boundary conditions. To achieve this, the governing differential equations and boundary conditions are derived using Hamilton's principle, which is based on a four-variable shear deformation refined plate theory. Additionally, the Galerkin method is utilized to compute the plate's natural frequencies. The study explores how the plate's natural frequencies are influenced by various micromechanical models, such as Voigt, Reuss, Hashin-Shtrikman bounds, and Tamura, as well as factors such as boundary conditions, elastic foundation parameters, length-to-thickness ratio, and aspect ratio. The research results can provide valuable insights for future analyses of FG plates with different boundaries, utilizing different micromechanical models.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.89 no.3
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• pp.265-281
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• 2024

The sound radiation responses of multi-layer composite plates subjected to harmonic mechanical excitation in hygrothermal environment is numerically investigated. A homogenized micromechanical finite element (FE) based on the higher-order mid-plane kinematics replicating quadratic function as well as the through the thickness stretching effect together with the indirect boundary element (IBE) scheme has been first time employed. The isoparametric Lagrangian element (ten degrees of freedom per node) is used for discretization to attain the hygro-thermo-elastic natural frequencies and the modes of the plate via Hamilton's principle. The effective material properties under combined hygrothermal loading are considered via a micromechanical model. An IBE method is then implemented to attain structure-surrounding coupling and the Helmholtz wave equation is solved to compute the sound radiation responses. The effectiveness of the model is tested by converging it with the similar analytical/numerical results as well as the experimentally acquired data. The present scheme is further hold out for solving diverse numerical illustrations. The results revealed the relevance of the current higher-order FE-IBE micromechanical model in realistic estimation of hygro-thermo-acoustic responses. The geometrical parameters, volume fraction of fiber, layup, and support conditions alongside the hygrothermal load is found to have significant influence on the vibroacoustic characteristics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2004.03b
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• pp.129-136
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• 2004

Anisotropic characteristics of deformation are important to understand the particular behavior in the pre-failure state of soils. Recent experiments shows that cross-anisotropic moduli of granular soils can be expressed by functions of normal stresses in the corresponding directions, which is closely linked to micromechanical characteristics of particles. Granular soils are composed of a number of particles so that the force-displacement relationship at each contact point governs the macroscopic stress-strain relationship. Therefore, the micromechanical approach in which the deformation of granular soils is regarded as a mutual interaction between particle contacts is one of the best ways to investigate the anisotropic deformation of soils. In this study, a numerical program based on the theory of micromechanics is developed. Modified Hertz-Mindlin model is adopted to represent the force-displacement relationship in each contact point for the realistic prediction of anisotropic moduli. To evaluate the model parameters, a set of analytical solutions of anisotropic moduli is derived in the isotropic stress condition. By comparing the analytical solutions with exact values, we confirm that the analytical solutions can be utilized to evaluate model parameters within the acceptable range of error of 10%.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.5
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• pp.575-589
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• 2022

In order to enhance the greenness in the strain-hardening composites and to reduce the high cost of typical polyvinyl alcohol fiber reinforced engineered cementitious composite (PVA-ECC), an affordable strain-hardening composite with green binder content has been proposed. For optimizing the strain-hardening behavior of cementitious composites, this paper investigates the effects of polypropylene fibers on the first cracking strength, fracture properties, and micromechanical parameters of cementitious composites. For this purpose, digital image correlation (DIC) technique was utilized to monitor crack propagation. In addition, to have an in-depth understanding of fiber/matrix interaction, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was used. To understand the effect of fibers on the strain hardening behavior of cementitious composites, ten mixes were designed with the variables of fiber length and volume. To investigate the micromechanical parameters from fracture tests on notched beam specimens, a novel technique has been suggested. In this regard, mechanical and fracture tests were carried out, and the results have been discussed utilizing both fracture and micromechanical concepts. This study shows that the fiber length and volume have optimal values; therefore, using fibers without considering the optimal values has negative effects on the strain-hardening behavior of cementitious composites.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.167-177
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• 2023

A probabilistic micromechanical framework is proposed to quantify numerically the self-healing capabilities of polymers containing microcapsules. A two-step self-healing process is designed in this study: A probabilistic micromechanical framework based on the ensemble volume-averaging method is derived for the polymers, and a hitting probability model combined with a crack nucleation model is then utilized for encountering microcapsules and microcracks. Using this framework, a series of parametric investigations are performed to examine the influence of various model parameters (e.g., the volume fraction of microcapsules, microcapsule radius, radius ratio of microcracks to microcapsules, microcrack aspect ratio, and scale parameter) on the self-healing capabilities of the polymers. The proposed framework is also implemented into a finite element code to solve the self-healing behavior of tapered double cantilever beam specimens.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.279-301
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• 2008

This paper develops a 3D homogenization based continuum damage mechanics (HCDM) model for fiber reinforced composites undergoing micromechanical damage under monotonic and cyclic loading. Micromechanical damage in a representative volume element (RVE) of the material occurs by fiber-matrix interfacial debonding, which is incorporated in the model through a hysteretic bilinear cohesive zone model. The proposed model expresses a damage evolution surface in the strain space in the principal damage coordinate system or PDCS. PDCS enables the model to account for the effect of non-proportional load history. The loading/unloading criterion during cyclic loading is based on the scalar product of the strain increment and the normal to the damage surface in strain space. The material constitutive law involves a fourth order orthotropic tensor with stiffness characterized as a macroscopic internal variable. Three dimensional damage in composites is accounted for through functional forms of the fourth order damage tensor in terms of components of macroscopic strain and elastic stiffness tensors. The HCDM model parameters are calibrated from homogenization of micromechanical solutions of the RVE for a few representative strain histories. The proposed model is validated by comparing results of the HCDM model with pure micromechanical analysis results followed by homogenization. Finally, the potential of HCDM model as a design tool is demonstrated through macro-micro analysis of monotonic and cyclic damage progression in composite structures.