Lateral Straining Research Articles

Effects of winds on stratification and circulation in a partially mixed estuary

[1] Numerical experiments are conducted to investigate how axial winds affect stratification and circulation in the partially mixed estuary of Chesapeake Bay. In the absence of rotational effects, stratification in the estuary decreases following both down-estuary and up-estuary winds, but stratification experiences larger reduction and takes longer to recover under up-estuary winds. In the presence of rotational effects, wind-driven lateral circulations cause the lateral straining of density field and weaken the shear in the along-channel flows. Under the down-estuary winds, a counterclockwise lateral circulation steepens isopycnals in the cross-channel sections, while the Coriolis force acting on it decelerates the downwind current in the surface layer and the upwind-directed current in the bottom layer. Under the up-estuary winds, a clockwise lateral circulation flattens isopycnals in the cross-channel sections and reduces the shear between the surface and bottom currents. Hence, in the presence of rotational effects, the lateral straining offsets the effects of longitudinal straining such that the asymmetry in stratification reduction is significantly reduced between the down-estuary and up-estuary winds. Regime diagrams based on Wedderburn (W) and Kelvin (Ke) numbers are constructed to summarize the net effects of winds on estuarine stratification during both wind perturbation and postwind adjustment periods.

Straining of thin Si films by partially oxidized meso-porous Si substrates

A simple and low-cost technological approach for the straining of thin crystalline silicon (Si) films using porous silicon (PS) as stress generating nanomaterial is reported. Firstly, a technological approach allowing fabrication of thin Si films on a bulk meso-PS substrate is described. Secondly, low temperature (<700 °C) oxidation of the PS/Si structures provokes a huge mechanical stress at nanoscale level inside the PS substrate. Consequently, the lateral PS straining induces biaxial deformation of the monocrystalline thin Si layer in the (100) plane parallel to the wafer surface. Raman scattering spectroscopy is used for the evaluation of strain values across the strained thin Si films. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Modelling compressive strength of eccentrically loaded masonry

A mechanical model for explaining and quantifying the variation of the uniaxial compressive strength of brick masonry with load eccentricity has been developed. The model is based on the development of tensile cracks from shear plane flaws in the bricks and the stress intensity factor resulting from the applied loading and tensile stresses induced by lateral straining of the mortar. Calibration of the model requires knowledge of only the compressive strengths of the bricks, mortar and brick masonry under uniform compression. Theoretical predictions of the lower bound, mean and upper bound compressive strengths of brick masonry under non-uniform loading are compared and show close correlation with test data.

A fracture-based model for the compressive strength of masonry

A mechanical model for explaining and quantifying the uniaxial compressive strength of masonry has been developed. The mechanical model is based on the development of tensile cracks from shear plane flaws in the units and the stress intensity factor resulting from the applied loading and tensile stresses induced by lateral straining of the mortar. Calibration of the model requires knowledge of only the compressive strength of the units, and the corresponding compressive strength of the masonry for a single mortar compressive strength. Theoretical predictions are compared and show close correlation with characteristic compressive strengths given in codes of practice.

An analytical model of rumpling in thermal barrier coatings

Multilayer thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) deposited on superalloy turbine blades provide protection from combustion temperatures in excess of 1500 °C. One of the dominant failure modes comprises cracking from undulation growth, or rumpling, of the highly compressed oxide layer that grows between the ceramic top coat and the intermetallic bond coat. In this paper, a mechanistic model providing an analytical approximation of undulation growth is presented for realistic cyclic thermal histories. Thickening, lateral growth straining and high temperature yielding of the oxide layer are taken into account. Undulation growth in TBC systems is highly nonlinear and characterized by more than 20 material and geometric parameters, highlighting the importance of a robust yet computationally efficient model. At temperatures above 600 °C, the bond coat creeps. Thermal expansion mismatch occurs between the superalloy substrate and the oxide layer and, in some systems, the bond coat. In addition, some bond coats, such as PtNiAl, exhibit a martensitic phase transformation accompanied by nearly a 1% linear expansion, giving rise to a large effective mismatch. These two mismatches promote undulation growth. Nonlinear interaction between the stress in the bond coat induced by the constraining effect of the thick substrate and normal tractions applied at the surface of the bond coat by the compressed, undulating oxide layer produces an increment of undulation growth during each thermal cycle, before the stress decays by creep. A series of problems for systems without the ceramic top coat are used to elucidate the mechanics of undulation growth and to replicate trends observed in a series of experiments and in prior finite-element simulations. The model is employed to study for the first time the effect on undulation growth of a shift in the temperature range over which the transformation occurs, as well as the relative importance of the transformation compared to thermal expansion mismatch. The role of the top coat and other viable ways of reducing undulation growth are considered.

An investigation on the initiation and propagation of damaged zones in adhesively bonded lap joints

In this study, the initiation and propagation of damaged zones in the adhesive layer and adherends of adhesively bonded single and double lap joints were investigated considering the geometrical non-linearity and the non-linear material behaviour of the adhesive and adherends. The modified von Mises criteria for adherends and Raghava and Cadell's failure criteria (J. Mater. Sci. 8, 225 (1973) [1]) including the effects of the hydrostatic stress states for the epoxy adhesive were used to determine the damaged adhesive and adherend zones which exceeded the specified ultimate strains. The stiffness of all finite elements corresponding to these zones was reduced so that they could not contribute to the overall stiffness of the adhesive joint. This approach simplifies to observe the initiation and propagation of the damaged zones in both the adhesive layer and adherends. A tensile load caused first the damaged adhesive zones to appear at the right free end of the adhesive-lower adherend interface and at the left free end of the adhesive-upper adherend interface, and then to propagate through the adhesive regions near the adhesive-adherend interfaces (interfacial failure). In the bending test, the damaged zone initiated at the left free end of the adhesive-upper adherend interface in tension, and similarly propagated through the adhesive regions close to the adhesive-adherend interface (interfacial failure). In the double-lap joint subjected to a tensile load, the damaged adhesive zones initiated first at the right free end of the adhesive-middle adherend interface and then propagated through the adhesive region near the adhesive-adherend interface. After the damaged zone reached a specific length it also grew through the adhesive thickness, and the adhesive joint failed. The SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces around the free edges of the overlap region indicated that the failure was interfacial. An additional damaged zone growth was observed in the side adhesive regions due to lateral straining, called the Poisson effect.

Hele - Shaw flow and pattern formation in a time-dependent gap

We consider flow in a Hele - Shaw cell for which the upper plate is being lifted uniformly at a specified rate. This lifting puts the fluid under a lateral straining flow, sucking in the interface and causing it to buckle. The resulting short-lived patterns can resemble a network of connections with triple junctions. The basic instability - a variant of the Saffman - Taylor instability - is found in a version of the two-dimensional Darcy's law, where the divergence condition is modified to account for the lifting of the plate. For analytic data, we establish the existence, uniqueness and regularity of solutions when the surface tension is zero. We also construct some exact analytic solutions, both with and without surface tension. These solutions illustrate some of the possible behaviours of the system, such as cusp formation and bubble fission. Further, we present the results of numerical simulations of the bubble motion, examining in particular the distinctive pattern formation resulting from the Saffman - Taylor instability, and the effect of surface tension on a bubble evolution that in the absence of surface tension would fission into two bubbles. AMS classification scheme numbers: 76E30, 76D45

Lateral straining of turbulent boundary layers. Part 2. Streamline convergence

Experimental measurements are presented showing the effects of streamline convergence on developing turbulent boundary layers. The longitudinal pressure-gradient in these experiments is nominally zero so the only extra rate-of-strain is the lateral convergence. Measurements have been made of mean flow and turbulence quantities at two different Reynolds numbers. The results show that convergence leads to a significant reduction in the skin-friction and an increase in the boundary layer thickness. There are also large changes in the Reynolds stresses with reductions occurring in the inner region and some increase in the outer flow. This is in contrast to the results of Saddoughi &amp; Joubert (1991) for a diverging flow of the same included angle and zero pressure-gradient which show much smaller changes in the stresses and an approach to equilibrium. A new non-dimensional parameter, βD, is proposed to characterize the local effect of the convergence and it is shown how this parameter is related to Clauser's pressure-gradient parameter, βx. It is suggested that this is an equilibrium parameter for turbulent boundary layers with lateral straining. In the present flow case βD increases rapidly with streamwise distance leading to a significant departure from equilibrium. Measurement of terms in the transport equations suggest that streamline convergence leads to a reduction in production and generation and large increases in mean advection. The recovery of the flow after the removal of convergence has been shown to be characterized by a significant increase in the turbulent transport of shear-stress and turbulent kinetic energy from the very near-wall region to the flow further out where the stresses have been depleted by convergence.

Lateral straining of turbulent boundary layers. Part 1. Streamline divergence

The effect of prolonged streamline divergence on developing turbulent boundary layers is investigated using an experimental approximation of the source flow over a flat plate to achieve a simple divergence. Results are presented of hot-wire measurements for the planes of symmetry of two layers which had the same (low) Reynolds number and were developed in the presence of the same amount of simple divergence with a maximum divergence parameter of about 0.075 but with different (by a factor of 2) pressure-gradient parameters. It was found that there were two overlapping stages of development. In the initial stage, which covered a distance of about 20 initial boundary-layer thicknesses from the start of divergence, the coupled effects of both the pressure gradient and divergence were present. In the second region, which lasts nearly to the end of the diverging section, the pressure-gradient effects were negligible.

Basal osteotomy of the first metatarsal for the correction of metatarsus primus varus associated with hallux valgus.

At the University of Vienna Department of Orthopaedics, 26 feet in 21 patients were treated with a basal osteotomy for hallux valgus associated with metatarsus primus varus. In 85% of the cases, a satisfactory result was achieved. Critical analysis revealed shortening of the first metatarsal and elevation of its head, which resulted in excess lateral straining of the foot and metatarsalgia. In 15 cases, osteoarthritis in the metatarsocuneiform joint was also increased. Given these results, an osteotomy that prevents shortening of the first metatarsal and elevation of the head of the first metatarsal, or one that takes these facts into account, seems ideal.