Strain Distribution Research Articles

Self-centering concrete-filled steel tubular column-steel beam joint: Experiment and numerical modeling

This paper studied the seismic behavior of a novel self-centering concrete-filled steel tubular column-steel beam (SCSTCSB) joint. The restoring force was provided by the post-tensioned tendons arranged in the CFST columns. Cyclic loading tests were performed on five 1/3 scaled specimens by varying the parameters of steel tendon type, concrete strength (fc), and axial compression ratio (n). The failure modes, hysteresis behavior, stiffness and strength degradation, energy dissipation, post-tensioned tendons response, residual deformation, and strain distribution were studied in detail. The finite element models were established to capture the stress distribution of the joints. In addition, parameter analysis was performed by expanding 17 finite element models. The results show that the ratio of residual deformation to beam rotation angle of the specimens ranged from 0.068 to 0.172. And the proposed joints demonstrated excellent self-centering ability. The self-centering (SC) performance of joints with ordinary steel tendons was better than that of joints with high-strength steel tendons. With the increase of n, the SC performance of the joints intensified at the lower ratio (n from 0.1 to 0.3) and weakened after n = 0.3. The flexural capacity of the joints improved with the increase of axial compression ratio (n), width-thickness ratio (D/t), diameter of steel tendons (d), and assembly part strength (fy,a).

Experimental study on the flexural behaviour of lap-spliced rapid hardening concrete beams

Rapid-hardening concrete (RHC) has recently garnered significant attention because of its potential to expedite construction schedules and enhance structural performance. However, the flexural behaviour of lap-spliced RHC beams requires further investigation to provide valuable insights into the performance of this innovative construction material and splice technique. This study examined the flexural behavior of 22 lap-spliced RHC beams with varying lap splice lengths and compared them with four normal-strength concrete (NSC) beams. The key parameters investigated included lap splice length, concrete type, concrete cover, bar diameter, and splice end shape. The flexural performance of the beams was evaluated by analysing the load-deflection response, crack patterns, reinforcement strain distribution, and failure modes. Rapid-hardening concrete beams were tested three days after casting, whereas normal-strength concrete beams were tested 28 days later. The results of the study revealed that lap-spliced RHC beams exhibited increased ductility and load capacity by an average of 76 % and 32 %, respectively. In addition, the lap splice length in RHC beams could be reduced by up to 30 %.

Stressful crystal histories recorded around melt inclusions in volcanic quartz

Magma ascent and eruption are driven by a set of internally and externally generated stresses that act upon the magma. We present microstructural maps around melt inclusions in quartz crystals from six large rhyolitic eruptions using synchrotron Laue X-ray microdiffraction to quantify elastic residual strain and stress. We measure plastic strain using average diffraction peak width and lattice misorientation, highlighting dislocations and subgrain boundaries. Quartz crystals across studied magma systems preserve similar and relatively small magnitudes of elastic residual stress (mean 53–135 MPa, median 46–116 MPa) in comparison to the strength of quartz (~ 10 GPa). However, the distribution of strain in the lattice around inclusions varies between samples. We hypothesize that dislocation and twin systems may be established during compaction of crystal-rich magma, which affects the magnitude and distribution of preserved elastic strains. Given the lack of stress-free haloes around faceted inclusions, we conclude that most residual strain and stress was imparted after inclusion faceting. Fragmentation may be one of the final strain events that superimposes stresses of ~ 100 MPa across all studied crystals. Overall, volcanic quartz crystals preserve complex, overprinted deformation textures indicating that quartz crystals have prolonged deformation histories throughout storage, fragmentation, and eruption.

Experiment and numerical study on the static and fatigue behavior of a novel deck joint

To increase the prestressing efficiency and alleviate the longitudinal cracking in the concrete slab of composite cable-stayed bridges, a novel deck joint was proposed. The joint is composed of epoxy joint and concrete wet joint, which allows to introduce the prestress before the precast deck slabs are connected to the steel girder, therefore significantly increases the prestressing efficiency. Full-scale test models were fabricated and tested under repeated negative bending load, with the main variables being prestress level and fatigue load amplitude, and the evolutions of displacement, strain, crack width and moment distribution were investigated. A numerical study was conducted to investigate the effects of joint geometries and prestress level on the joint strength, the moment distribution and the neutral axes. The failure mechanism of the joint was revealed and a calculation method was recommended. Results show that the failure modes of the test models are rebar fracture in the tension zone, and the prestress has significant benefits on the joint behavior. The moment distribution between the precast and the post-cast sections is affected by the prestress level and the width ratio of epoxy and wet joints. The recommended method can predict the static flexural resistance of the joint with accuracy.

Preliminary Failure Analyses of Loaded Hot Water Bottles

Hot water bottles are widely utilised for their therapeutic advantages, such as relieving muscle tension and imparting warmth. However, the increasing frequency and potential risks associated with bursting or failure necessitate a detailed examination of the contributing factors as their failure is not fully understood in a scientific manner. With the apparent lack of analysis of hot water bottles in the literature, this study employs, for the first time, a dual methodology involving finite-element (FE) analysis conducted in ABAQUS and experimental validation to systematically investigate the underlying mechanisms leading to failure incidents. Through FE modelling and analysis, the stress and strain distribution within typical hot water bottles is modelled under compression loading conditions, facilitating the identification of vulnerable areas prone to failure. Experimental validation encompasses uniaxial loading compression tests on distinct specimens, generating load–displacement curves that elucidate material responses to compressive forces and highlight variations in load-bearing capacities. The study explores diverse failure modes, attributing them to stress concentration at geometric transitions and contact regions. Stress–strain curves contribute valuable insights into material characteristics, with ultimate stress values as crucial indicators of resistance to deformation and rupture. The FE analysis simulation results visualise deformation patterns and stress concentration zones. The findings illustrate that the highest stress concentration areas exist in the internal boundary of hot water bottles near the neck and cap region. This is experimentally confirmed through the bursting failures of four samples, with three failures occurring in this specific region. The findings support the guidance that users should avoid sleeping with a hot water bottle as it may fail under compression if they lay on top of it. Meanwhile, this result guides manufacturers to strengthen the weak areas of hot water bottles around the nicks and edges. This study significantly enhances our understanding of hot water bottle mechanics, thereby guiding design practice to improve overall performance and user safety. In summary, hot water bottles are commonly used but have not been investigated scientifically regarding external loading conditions and their related failure, as the current study has achieved. Identifying the weak points through experiment and simulation directs manufacturers towards required improvements in particular regions, such as the bottleneck and edge reinforcement during the design and manufacturing phases.

High-strain rate deformation of aluminum during the Taylor test

The aim of the study is to develop a methodology for assessing changes in the microstructure of aluminum under dynamic deformation in a rather wide range of the strain rate and strain degree. The distribution of the microstructure and the strength properties in the cross-section of pure aluminum samples (A99) after dynamic deformation according to the Taylor test were studied. The tests were carried out at room temperature using a PG-20 light-gas cannon, at sample throwing speeds of 127 and 165 m/sec. An interference microscope (Leica IM DRM) and a scanning electron microscope (Jeol JSM-6490) were used to study the aluminum microstructure; the microhardness measurements were carried out on an HVS-1000 device to study the uniformity of the strain distribution in samples. It is shown that three characteristic areas can be distinguished in aluminum samples after Taylor test: the elastic deformation zone, the plastic deformation zone, and the zone of severe plastic deformation, which is located in the area of collision of the sample with a steel barrier. It is shown that dynamic deformation reduced the grain structure from 1 – 1.1 mm to 2.5 – 3 μm at high impact velocities. An elongated grain shape is observed in the collision zone. The proposed method provided determination of the critical strain degree necessary for the onset of grain fragmentation and allowed us to explain the formation of zones of weak and severe plastic deformation. It is shown that the critical strain degree corresponding to the beginning of grain fragmentation increases from 0.18 to 0.21 with an increase in the throwing speed of the sample from 127 to 165 m/sec. In the zone of weak deformation, plastic deformation proceeds by intragrain riveting and the initial stages of grain fragmentation. In the zone of severe plastic deformation, a fine-grained microstructure is formed, which leads to an increase in the microhardness of aluminum in accordance with the Hall – Petch equation.

Nonuniformity in stress transfer across FRP width of FRP-concrete interface

The nonuniformity of stress and strain analysis is an important consideration that describes the bond behavior between concrete and externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates. The interfacial stress transfer between FRP and concrete generates a longitudinal strain gradient in the longitudinal (or FRP fiber) direction. Most of the available studies in this area have focused on nonuniformity in the longitudinal direction. In this paper, the nonuniformity in the FRP width direction is investigated by studying the strain distribution using digital image correlation (DIC) full-field optical techniques. In the direction along the FRP width, there is an area in the middle that has consistent strain and stress, while the edge regions have strain and stress gradients. During the complete debonding process, the width of the central area is found to be insignificantly affected by the concrete strength but significantly affected by the FRP stiffness. The fracture characteristics below the central region are purely Mode II fracture. However, the complex curved cracks and high in-plane shear strains at the interface near the FRP edge regions show a mixed mode with Modes II and III. This boundary effect results in a significant difference in the bond–slip characteristics of FRP along the width direction. The maximum bond stress of the central region is higher than that of the edge region. However, for FRP with higher stiffness, the inhomogeneity of the stress distribution is weakened. Moreover, it is reasonable to find that calculating the sum of the bearing capacity of the single FRP strips along the width direction is close to the experimental bond strength. Based on the research findings in this study, it is qualitatively recommended that the width factor model in calculating FRP-concrete bond strength should include the significant effect of FRP stiffness.

Phase noise suppression of optic flexural disk accelerometer by studying the thermal stability of optical fiber ring

As the core sensing elements of ultra-long fiber interferometer, the distributed thermal strain difference of the fiber rings can cause extra noise of the flexural disk, resulting in a penalty of the deterioration accuracy. In this paper, the thermal strain distribution characteristics of the fiber ring are firstly analyzed by the finite element method (FEM), and the distribution result is consistent with that demonstrated by the Rayleigh optical frequency-domain reflectometry (R-OFDR) strain measurement. The interferometer phase noise caused by the distributed strain difference is further studied by constructing a fully symmetric polarization-maintaining fiber-ring Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) with an arm length of over 100 meters. The results show that the distributed thermal strain difference of two fiber rings will cause additional phase fluctuation, which leads to higher low-frequency noise. Therefore, a dual-fiber-ring MZI with matched distributed thermal strains is proposed to suppress the phase noise caused by the thermal strain, and the best suppression is as high as 45.6 dB. This is very important for the research and design of low noise fiber seismometer.

Investigating fretting wear mechanisms in Ti-6Al-4V: insights from residual stress and equivalent plastic strain analysis

Purpose The study delves into the influence of wear cycles on these parameters. The purpose of this paper is to identify characteristic patterns of σRS and εPEEQ that discern varying wear situations, thereby contributing to the enrichment of wear theory. Furthermore, the findings serve as a foundational basis for nondestructive and in situ wear detection methodologies, such as nonlinear ultrasonic detection, known for its sensitivity to σRS and εPEEQ. Design/methodology/approach This paper elucidates the wear mechanism through the lens of residual stress (σRS) and plastic deformation within distinct fretting regimes, using a two-dimensional cylindrical/flat contact model. It specifically explores the impact of the displacement amplitude and cycles on the distribution of residual stress and equivalent plastic strain (εPEEQ) in both gross slip regime and partial slip regimes. Findings Therefore, when surface observation of wear is challenging, detecting the σRS trend at the center/edge, region width and εPEEQ distribution, as well as the maximum σRS distribution along the depth, proves effective in distinguishing wear situations (partial or gross slip regimes). However, discerning wear situations based on εPEEQ along the depth direction remains challenging. Moreover, in the gross slip regime, using σRS distribution or εPEEQ along the width direction rather than the depth direction can effectively provide feedback on cycles and wear range. Originality/value This work introduces a novel perspective for investigating wear theory through the distribution of residual stress (σRS) and equivalent plastic strain (εPEEQ). It presents a feasible detection theory for wear situations using nondestructive and in situ methods, such as nonlinear ultrasonic detection, which is sensitive to σRS and εPEEQ. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-01-2024-0005/

Experimental and Numerical Investigations on the Relaxation Behavior of Power Plant Flange Connections Under Steady State and Transient Conditions

Abstract An essential part of today's power plants are flanges, for example, as connection between turbine housings and pipes. They allow for revisions, inspections, and maintenance measures. Ongoing changes toward higher amounts of renewable energy sources leading to higher demands in flexibility to counterbalance weather-related fluctuations. This flexibility leads to changing load types with more frequent warm and hot starts, causing uncertainties for the design and the determination of maintenance intervals of bolted flange connections. In this context, results of a recently finished research project and ongoing numerical investigations are presented. Tests were conducted on a model of an IP turbine flange under near-to-service loads, such as internal pressure and temperature, using a test rig allowing heating on the flange's inner surface. Concerning different influences on the stress relaxation behavior, results are shown for tests with martensitic and nickel-based bolted joints. The total test time of 5000 h for each bolted joint consist of 2000 h under steady-state conditions and 3000 h under transient conditions. Comparisons of the results with the martensitic and nickel-based bolted joint show an opposite creep strain distribution in the bolt and flange. In addition, a significant influence of the already existing creep deformation from previous load periods can be observed. Comparative simulations with a modified Graham–Walles creep model are carried out. The results confirm the differences in creep behavior with both bolted joints and reproduce the observed influence of the previous creep deformation.

Obtaining the effective number of reinforcements progressively inserted and optimized to reduce the strain energy of cantilever plates with a different relationship between height and length

To achieve more efficient structures, research into material properties is important in mechanical designs. The anisotropy of fiber composites is increasingly being exploited. This is particularly true for curved and continuous composites. The position and orientation of the filaments have a major influence on mechanical properties. So, the application of these fibers at specific paths is very important to obtain excellent structures. When developing components for high-performance applications, it is necessary to use optimization methods to find the best reinforcement paths. To achieve high efficiency, it is necessary to reduce the volume of the reinforcements to improve the strength-to-weight ratio. This reduction not only directly reduces the mass, but also decreases manufacturing costs. The present work aims to gradually add reinforcements to carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs). It observes the exact number of fibers required to achieve the greatest possible reduction in strain energy. The results prove that the use of more reinforcements than ideal is unnecessary because it increases the volume of reinforcements but doesn’t improve the properties. Optimization is achieved by parameterizing B-splines using sequential linear programming (SLP). Four cases analyzed concern a cantilevered plate. A force is applied to the free edge, causing bending. The boundary conditions are identical, and only the length of the plate changes. The strain is plotted to observe the strain distribution. Then, the results show that adding three to four reinforcements can reduce the strain energy by 92.6% to 98.0% compared to a structure without reinforcements.

Flexural performance of concrete reinforced with ultra-high ductility magnesium phosphate cement-based composites and CFRP

With the aim to develop and assess an effective reinforcement technique for concrete beams, the approach of the combination of ultra-high ductility magnesium phosphate cement-based composites (UHDMC) and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) was analyzed and established based on the measured parameters, including failure mode, load-deflection curve and feature points. The results showed that, for specimens reinforced by UHDMC alone or the combination of UHDMC and CFRP, several cracks in the concrete layer and multi-cracks in the UHDMC layer were both shown, presenting a ductile failure and three distinct stages in the load-deflection curve. Moreover, compared with the specimens reinforced by CFRP alone and UHDMC alone, the ultimate load and ultimate deflection both were improved in the specimens reinforced by UHDMC and CFRP. Furthermore, the strain distribution of CFRP was symmetrical along both sides of the test specimen, presenting a general law of large in the middle and small in the two ends, and its more and more obvious phenomenon with the increase of the number of CFRP layer. To some extent, the inclination trend of the overall strain of CFRP can be used to determine the location of the weak surface.

The impact of chewing force simulation on stress distribution of implant retained mandibular overdenture with locator attachment system having matrix of PEEK versus nylon insert

The current study investigates the impact of chewing force simulation on stress strain distribution of Mandibular overdentures retained with locator attachment system having matrix of PEEK versus nylon insert. Twenty completely edentulous mandibular digitally printed models were fabricated with beds for two implants, which had been inserted in the estimated canine positions with two grooves mesial and distal at each implant site for the attachment of the strain gauges for each model. Nova loc group NLG with ten implant assisted mandibular complete overdentures were fabricated over ten printed models with nova loc attachments while locator group LG had ten implant assisted mandibular complete overdentures over ten printed models with locator attachments of same retaining force and geometric height. Bilateral vertical load was applied with a universal testing machine and strain induced to the implants was measured around the two implants medially and distally in each group using strain gauges pre & post one year simulated functional aging. Student t test was used for comparing the two types of attachments while paired t test was used for comparison of strain induced to the implants after one year of functional aging, with probability level p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Individual statistical analysis of the data revealed increase in the number of measured strains for both attachments which was statistically significant for locator. Comparing the two groups, significant increase for the locator attachment after one year simulated functional aging was detected compared to nova loc. Within the limitations of this study, one year simulated functional aging seems to cause disturbance in the load conveyed to the supporting structures of mandibular implant assisted overdenture retained with locator in contrast to nova loc that showed more resistance to aging process, thus nova loc attachment transmit less stresses than locator attachment to the surrounding implants supporting structures specially after time of service related to its combined materials superior physical properties.

Experimental study of taper shape bistable beam for improved vibration energy harvesting

Unwanted vibrations cause discomfort and affect the accuracy of the machinery. Vibrations of low frequency (<30 Hz) are usually inutile. Various researchers focus on harvesting and enhancing energy output through low-frequency vibrations. This paper focuses on improving energy harvesting from low-frequency vibration sources through taper shape (TAP) bistable beam fabricated using thin Piezoelectric Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film sandwiched between thin copper and aluminium films on both sides. Voltage power output through a PVDF film depends on the film’s strain distribution; hence, in this study, five different beam designs are studied for strain distribution through the ANSYS workbench. Further, an experimental harmonic analysis study for voltage output is performed on rectangular beam (RECT) and TAP beam for both straight and bistable configuration using three different harmonic input conditions, which concluded that the voltage output for the TAP beam is much more than that of the RECT beam, with a much more significant voltage output increase in bistable conditions for all three harmonic input conditions.

Epidemiology of Streptococcus pyogenes upper respiratory tract infections in Poland (2003-2017).

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) is a major human pathogen and causes every year over 600 millions upper respiratory tract onfections worldwide. Untreated or repeated infections may lead to post-infectional sequelae such as rheumatic heart disease, a major cause of GAS-mediated mortality. There is no comprehensive, longitudinal analysis of the M type distribution of upper respiratory tract strains isolated in Poland. Single reports describe rather their antibiotic resistance patterns or focus on the invasive isolates. Our goal was to analyse the clonal structure of the upper respiratory tract GAS isolated over multiple years in Poland. Our analysis revealed a clonal structure similar to the ones observed in high-income countries, with M1, M12, M89, M28, and M77 serotypes constituting over 80% of GAS strains. The M77 serotype is a major carrier of erythromycin resistance and is more often correlated with upper respiratory tract infections than other serotypes.

Flexural Behavior of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels with Environmentally Friendly Timber Edge Connections

As a sustainable construction material, timber is more promoted than steel, concrete, and aluminum nowadays. The building industry benefits from using timber based on several perspectives, including decarbonization, improved energy efficiency, and easier recycling and disposal processes. The cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel is one of the widely utilized engineered wood products in construction for floors, which is an ideal alternative option for replacing reinforced concrete. One single CLT panel has an outstanding flexural behavior. However, CLT cannot be extended independently without external connections, which are normally made of steel. This article proposes two innovative adhesive-free edge connections made of timber, the double surface (DS) and half-lapped (HL) connections. These connections were designed to connect two CLT panels along their weak direction. Parametric studies consisting of twenty models were conducted on the proposed edge connections to investigate the effects of different factors and the flexural behavior of CLT panels with these edge connections under a four-point bending test. Numerical simulations of all the models were done in the current study by using ABAQUS 2022. Furthermore, the employed material properties and other relevant inputs (VUSDFLD subroutines, time steps, meshes, etc.) of the numerical models were validated through existing experiments. The results demonstrated that the maximum and minimum load capacities among the studied models were 6.23 kN and 0.35 kN, respectively. The load–displacement responses, strain, stress, and defection distributions were collected and analyzed, as well as their failure modes. It was revealed that the CLT panels’ load capacity was distinctly improved due to the increment of the connectors’ number (55.05%) and horizontal length (80.81%), which also reinforced the stability. Based on the findings, it was indicated that adhesive-free timber connections could be used for CLT panels in buildings and replace traditional construction materials, having profound potential for improving buildings’ sustainability and energy efficiency.

Impact Response Features and Penetration Mechanism of UHMWPE Subjected to Handgun Bullet.

Ensuring military and police personnel protection is vital for urban security. However, the impact response mechanism of the UHMWPE laminate used in ballistic helmets and vests remains unclear, making it hard to effectively protect the head, chest, and abdomen. This study utilized 3D-DIC technology to analyze UHMWPE laminate's response to 9 mm lead-core pistol bullets traveling at 334.93 m/s. Damage mode and response characteristics were revealed, and an effective numerical calculation method was established that could reveal the energy conversion process. The bullet penetrated by 1.03 mm, causing noticeable fiber traction, resulting in cross-shaped failure due to fiber compression and aggregation. Bulge transitioned from circular to square, initially increasing rapidly, then slowing. Maximum in-plane shear strain occurred at ±45°, with values of 0.0904 and -0.0928. Model accuracy was confirmed by comparing strain distributions. The investigation focused on bullet-laminate interaction and energy conversion. Bullet's kinetic energy is converted into laminate's kinetic and internal energy, with the majority of erosion energy occurring in the first four equivalent sublaminates and the primary energy change in the system occurring at 75 μs in the fourth equivalent sublayer. The results show the damage mode and energy conversion of the laminate, providing theoretical support for understanding the impact response mechanism and improving the efficiency of protective energy absorption.

Microstructural evolution in 12% Cr heat-resistant steel during compression deformation at 650°C

Microstructural evolution in 12% Cr heat-resistant steel during compression deformation at 650°C

Seismic performance of external diaphragm joints of steel beam-to-CFST column encasing fiber reinforced polymer confined UHPC core

A novel composite column was introduced by integrating a concrete-filled steel tube column encasing a Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) confined ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) core. In this paper, the seismic performance of four SCF-UHPC composite column-to-steel beam connections using external diaphragm joints was experimentally investigated under the quasi-static test. All specimens failed due to the formation of plastic hinges at the beams and the tearing failure on the beam flanges at the plastic hinge zone. The local buckling at the column end and the panel zone was observed for the specimens receiving the higher axial compression ratio. The increase of FRP tube thickness is more effective in improving the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the joints than increasing the UHPC core diameter. On the contrary, increasing the UHPC core diameter led to better resistance to the shear deformation of the panel zone. The proportion of shear deformation to the total deformation of the panel zone and the strain distributions were investigated to determine the effect of each component. The composite column in the panel zone mainly carried the compression-bending effort, and the external diaphragm mainly took the shear effort. All joints were eventually classified as semi-rigid type joints, according to the initial rotational stiffness.

3D Printed MXene-Based Wire Strain Sensors with Enhanced Sensitivity and Anisotropy.

Stretchable strain sensors play a crucial role in intelligent wearable systems, serving as the interface between humans and environment by translating mechanical strains into electrical signals. Traditional fiber strain sensors with intrinsic uniform axial strain distribution face challenges in achieving high sensitivity and anisotropy. Moreover, existing micro/nano-structure designs often compromise stretchability and durability. To address these challenges, a novel approach of using 3D printing to fabricate MXene-based flexible sensors with tunable micro and macrostructures. Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) as a pore-inducing agent is added into 3D printable inksto achieve controllable microstructural modifications. In addition to microstructure tuning, 3D printing is employedfor macrostructural design modifications, guided by finite element modeling (FEM) simulations. As a result, the 3D printed sensors exhibit heightened sensitivity and anisotropy, making them suitable for tracking static and dynamic displacement changes. The proposed approach presents an efficient and economically viable solution for standardized large-scale production of advanced wire strain sensors.