Specimen Thickness Research Articles

Methodology for the mechanical characterisation of hyperelastic adhesives. Experimental validation on joints of different thicknesses

This work focuses on the mechanical characterisation of adhesives with hyperelastic behaviour and on the determination of the behavioural laws that best represent it, in order to introduce them in simulation models. First, a test plan is carried out on simple specimens: uniaxial and planar configuration. These are designed to measure the non-linear behaviour of adhesives in both tensile and pure shear. Unlike the uniaxial specimen, which is governed by a test standard (UNE-ISO 37) that defines its geometry, the planar specimen does not have a standard that defines its dimensions. Therefore, in this research it is proposed to carry out tests with specimens of different width-length sizes to evaluate how these dimensions affect the stress-strain curves.For mechanical characterisation, finite element programs provide the tool to evaluate the predicted behaviour of a hyperelastic material from the experimental results, displaying in the same graph the degree of approximation obtained for the results of each test (Dumbbell and planar) with different hyperelastic models, allowing us to select the hyperelastic model that best fits the experimental data.The Mooney-Rivlin model was found to be the best fitting model and therefore the most appropriate to describe the behaviour of hyperelastic adhesives used in this study. To conclude this study, the obtained law was validated by comparing the results of tests carried out on single lap joint (SLJ) specimens of different thickness.

Mechanical characteristics of diabetic and non-diabetic plantar skin

Diabetic foot ulceration is linked to high amputation and mortality rates, with the substantial associated annual spend on the at-risk diabetic foot reflecting the intensive time and labour involved in treatment. Assessing plantar interactions and developing improved understanding of the formation pathways of diabetic ulceration is important to orthotic interventions and patient outcomes. Plantar skin surrogates which emulate the mechanical and tribological characteristics can help improve physical models of ulceration, reduce reliance on cadaveric use and inform more complex computational modelling approaches. The information available from existing studies to characterise plantar skin is limited, typically featuring ex-vivo representations of skin and subcutaneous tissue combined and given focus to shear studies with time dependency. The aim of this study is to improve understanding of plantar tissue mechanics by assessing the mechanical characteristics of plantar skin in two groups; (1) non-diabetic and (2) diabetic donors without the subcutaneous tissue attachment of previous work in this field. Digital image correlation was used to assess inherent skin pre-tension of the plantar rearfoot prior to dissection. Young’s modulus, storage and loss moduli were tested for using tensile stress–strain failure analysis and tensile and compressive dynamic mechanical analysis, which was conducted on excised plantar rearfoot donor specimens for both disease state cohorts at frequencies reflecting those achieved in activities of daily living. Plantar skin thickness for donor specimens were comparable to values obtained using ultrasound acquired in vivo values. Median tensile storage and loss moduli, along with Young’s modulus, was higher in the diabetic cohort. With a mean Young’s modulus of 0.83 ± 0.49 MPa and 1.33 ± 0.43 MPa for non-diabetic and diabetic specimens respectively. Compressive studies showed consistency between cohorts for median storage and loss moduli. The outcomes from this study show mechanical characteristics of plantar skin without the involvement of subcuteanous tissues under reflective daily achieved loading regimes, showing differences in the non-diabetic and diabetic specimens trialled to support improved understanding of plantar tissue response under tribological interactions.

Hardening Behavior and Model of a 316L Sheet Considering Macro and Micro Size Effects

316L stainless steel is often used as the metal bipolar plate, which is a key component of fuel cells. For the thinner metal bipolar plates, the mechanical properties may be different for different specimen sizes. In this paper, the mechanical properties, metallographic structure, and hardening behavior of 316L stainless steel sheets with different grain sizes and specimen thickness were studied. Several mathematical models were selected to describe the hardening behavior of 316L stainless steel sheet. A correlated hardening model of 316L stainless steel was established, considering the specimen and grain size effect. The results show that the specimen thickness has no effect on the microstructure and grain size, but the austenite grain size increases gradually with an increase in holding time. With a decrease in plate thickness and an increase in grain size, the strength decreases. Compared to the 0.1 mm sheet, the yield strength and tensile strength for the 0.9 mm sheet are increased by 48% and 24%, respectively. The yield strength and tensile strength are decreased by nearly half after 20 min heat treatment due to the grain size growth. The thicker the sample and higher the grain size is, the higher the hardening rate is. The predicted stress–strain by established correlated hardening model has a good agreement with the experiment curves.

Fracture energy and cohesive law analysis of adhesives using a recently developed SCB joint: The influence of joint geometry and mode mixity

In a prior study, the current authors proposed the utilization of semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens for analyzing the fracture energy of adhesive materials. However, similar to standard fracture test specimens, the geometry and size of the joint can impact the measured fracture energy when using SCB samples. Therefore, the objective of this research is to investigate the influence of adhesive layer thickness, substrate thickness, and disk radius of SCB specimens on cohesive law parameters and fracture energy of the adhesive. The study examines the fracture energy under different loading conditions, including pure mode I, pure mode II, and two mixed-mode conditions. By employing an inverse data reduction method, the cohesive law parameters of the tested adhesive are determined for various joint geometries. The results demonstrate that the disk radius does not affect the cohesive law of the joint. Furthermore, it is observed that bondline thicknesses of 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm lead to similar cohesive laws, whereas an adhesive thickness of 1 mm results in lower initial stiffness but higher fracture energy and damage initiation traction. Moreover, the study reveals that an increase in substrate thickness reduces the final fracture separation, indicating a more brittle fracture behavior. This can be attributed to a smaller fracture process zone caused by the plane strain load distribution in the adhesive layer.

EFFECT OF LOW-POWER LASER IRRADIATION ON THE SHEAR BOND STRENGTH AND THERMAL CHANGES ACROSS DIFFERENT ZIRCONIA THICKNESSES USING DIFFERENT IRRADIATION TIMES.

To investigate the effect of irradiation time and zirconia thickness using low power Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradia)on (for debonding purposes) on the thermal changes and shear bond strength (SBS) of resin-bonded 3% mol yIrium oxide stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3YTZP) specimens. 3Y-TZP slices of 0.5-, 2-, and 3- mm thick were used. The temperatures during laser irradiation using single spot irradiation at different times (30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, and 120 seconds) and line scanning irradiation from one spot to another at three different distances (2, 4, and 6 mm) were recorded. Single spot and line scanning irradiation data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA (α = .05) and generalized linear mixed model, respectively. Nonirradiated (control) and irradiated resin-bonded 3Y-TZP specimens were shear tested, and the data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (α = .05). Under single spot irradiation, the laser-induced temperature was higher through thin 3Y-TZP at any time compared to thick 3Y-TZP. For the line scanning method, short distances (2 and 4 mm) resulted in a significant increase in temperature for 0.5-mm thick specimens. Laser irradiation significantly decreased the SBS of the 0.5-mm group compared to the nonirradiated group. After irradiation, the bond strength of the 2- and 3-mm thick 3Y-TZP was similar to the nonirradiated group. The temperature and bond strength of low-power laser irradiated 3Y-TZP specimens was affected by the specimen thickness but not by the irradiation time tested. Low-power laser irradiation is an effective debonding method for thin Y-TZP restorations.

In-situ observation on the δ to γ transformation behavior of carbon steels

In recent in-situ observations on the solidification of thin carbon steel experiments, the primary δ-phase appears to be highly undercooled into the single γ phase region of the phase diagram, where the massive δ to γ transformation occurred without the intervention of the liquid phase following a typical peritectic reaction. Whether such a massive transformation is the main mode, even in bulk steel alloys, is of prime importance because it would drastically change our view on the defect generation mechanism during steel solidification in continuous casting. In this research, the in-situ imaging technique using synchrotron white X-ray beam was conducted to investigate the effects of carbon content and the specimen thickness on the δ to γ transformation behaviors in the carbon steel. The moment of δ to γ transformation is identified through synchronized recording of Laue diffraction patterns and in-situ images. The relative average brightness (RAB) change during solidification was evaluated to analyze the transformation. The results revealed that hypo-peritectic steel grades predominantly underwent a massive transformation, while hyper-peritectic steel grades showed a combination of massive and diffusional transformations. The sudden drop in liquid fraction after massive transformation was detected, while diffusional transformation exhibited a gradual decrease in the present study. The findings demonstrated that specimen thickness influenced the transformation mode in hyper-peritectic steel grades. The study provides insights into the behavior of δ to γ transformation and its implications for carbon steel solidification processes.

Effect of the crack layer theory parameters on the discontinuous slow crack growth of high density polyethylene under fatigue loading

For engineering thermoplastics, particularly high density polyethylene (HDPE), the crack layer (CL) theory is an effective proposition for modeling slow crack growth and predicting their lifetime. Nevertheless, the associated excessive input parameters needed in its implementation sets a difficulty for its use. Therefore, an understanding of the role of each parameter and how they affect the CL growth is needed. The effect of the parameters has been studied in the past, however, under creep conditions only. Their effects under other loading conditions, e.g., fatigue, and geometries, e.g., compact tension (CT) specimen, is still unclear. For instance, increasing the natural drawing ratio λ was found to non-linearly reduce failure time tf, whereas a rise in the drawing stress σdr increased tf which correlates logarithmically with the loading frequency f. Furthermore, tf was found to increase with the transformation energy γtr, specimen thickness B, plane stain elastic modulus E′, drawing stress σdr, characteristic time t∗, and the specific fracture energy γ0. Therefore, outcomes of this work extend the applicability of the CL theory in the design and lifetime prediction of various industrial products within oil and gas, nuclear, automotive, and aerospace.

3D-printed highly stretchable curvy sandwich metamaterials with superior fracture resistance and energy absorption

This paper focuses on the potential of curvy mechanical metamaterials to show how topological design can significantly enhance fracture toughness along the in-plane and out-of-plane (through-depth) directions. The conventional re-entrant unit cell is first reformulated by introducing local curvy ligaments and then additively manufactured by three-dimensional (3D) printing to form a center/edge-notch lattice metamaterial. The new conceptual design provides multi-stiffness unit cells, helping to control stress distribution within a structure under tensile load, specifically in the vicinity of the notches where stress concentrations occur. In other words, curvy unit cells are capable of arresting and blunting the notch under tensile loads and toughening the metamaterials. The crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) method calculates the fracture toughness. Not only can the fracture of lattice metamaterials be controlled along the in-plane direction by replacing unit cells in the sensitive parts of the metamaterials, but a new assembly method is also proposed. This offers that different thin plates of metamaterials with different layouts can be sandwiched to control out-of-plane fracture propagation (through-depth propagation of opening mode fracture) for the first time in fracture mechanics. This novel sandwiching method offers a multi-step fracture and significantly improves the fracture behavior of the lattice metamaterials from brittle to ductile by taking advantage of multiple through-thickness thin plates instead of considering one thick specimen. A detailed analysis of the effects of the ligament curvature value on the fracture behavior is presented. The results reveal that the more curvature, the more extension (ductility) will be realized, but too large curvature design can provide lower energy absorption capacity.

Rolling Shear Strength of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)—Testing, Evaluation, and Design

Cross laminated timber (CLT), with its typical orthogonal layering and exposure to out-of-plane bending, develops inherent rolling shear stresses. These stresses need to be checked during the ultimate limit state design process. With the ongoing revision of Eurocode 5, a discussion regarding the characteristic value of the rolling shear strength of CLT has arisen. One obstacle in the discussion is seen in the lack of harmonized regulations concerning how to determine rolling shear properties. This circumstance manifests in the greatly diverging test results of different institutions testing the rolling shear strength. The paper at hand aims to propose a candidate for such harmonized regulations. To achieve this, the most common test setups, such as the inclined shear test, three- and four-point bending tests, etc., were numerically and experimentally investigated. Within the numerical investigations, a comparison of the most common calculation methods (Timoshenko beam theory, modified γ-method, Shear Analogy Method, and Finite Element Analysis) for evaluating rolling shear stresses was included. In the experimental program, parameters such as the specimen width, number, and thickness of the cross layer(s), shear length, optional reinforcement against the stresses perpendicular to the grain, and the overall test setup were varied. It was found that the used test setups themselves and the area of the cross layer(s) (shear length, number, and thickness of the cross layer(s)) have a major impact on the rolling shear strength. In contrast, no effect was found from the calculation methods. Based on these findings and on a database of approx. 300 four-point bending rolling shear tests on CLT specimens from five well-established CLT manufacturers, a model for the regulation of the rolling shear strength of CLT is proposed, in combination with a corresponding four-point bending test setup. Afterwards, with two additionally conducted four-point bending test series, the proposed model is successfully validated. The conclusions and recommendations in respect to the test setup (four-point bending), evaluation procedure (Timoshenko beam theory), reference characteristic rolling shear strength, and the model, which allows adapting the reference rolling shear strength to individual conditions, are seen as a worthy basis for a more objective discussion on this topic.

Comparison of electrical sensing and image analysis for in situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing of thin films

An in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device has been designed to utilize TEM imaging for measuring stress and strain of thin film micro-specimens while simultaneously recording the microstructure evolution. Digital image correlation is also used to measure local normal strain values by tracking edge features of the specimens. The device performance is compared to that of a similar MEMS device that utilizes capacitive sensors for stress and strain measurements, using 100-nm thick Au thin film specimens. It is shown that there is a significant improvement in the noise levels from ∼1–2 MPa to ∼0.2 MPa and increased sensitivity with the capability of measuring small stress changes. The device can be used to perform both in situ TEM monotonic and transient tests (for activation volume measurements) to investigate the active plastic deformation mechanisms.

Understanding the effect of char oxidation on wood temperature profiles for varying heating and oxygen conditions

The use of mass timber framing as a sustainable material, particularly in high-rise buildings, requires detailed structural fire performance calculations. Thermal models describing only the solid phase are cost-effective alternatives to provide information to structural behavior models. Their accuracy depends on an adequate description of drying, pyrolysis, charring and eventually flaming phenomena. While in recent years there have been considerable contributions to the development of such models, there are still open questions. This work proposes a thermal model which incorporates char oxidation, describing both the kinetic- and diffusion-controlled regimes. The model was used to replicate two sets of experimental results which used standard fire calorimeters to study the ignition of thick wood specimens within a range of incident heat fluxes and oxygen concentrations, respectively. The model yields adequate temperature predictions in the early heating stages, but fails to replicate the behavior at later stages, when the effect of the surface combustion is noticeable. In terms of mass loss rates, a poorer performance is observed. To change from one oxidation regime to another, a Damköhler number is proposed, based on char oxidation reaction rates. It is found that for compartment fire conditions, char oxidation will mostly occur develop under diffusion-controlled conditions.

Low-velocity impact and compression-after-impact behaviors of S2-glass/epoxy laminated composites under impact loading at low temperatures

This study presents the effects of temperature, impact energy, and specimen thickness on low-velocity impact (LVI) and compression-after-impact (CAI) behaviors of composites. LVI tests were conducted by an impact test machine at 20 °C and low temperatures. CAI tests were applied to the specimens at 20 °C. Studies have revealed that a drop in temperature results in an up to 40% increase in maximum contact force. Impact damage increases significantly as impact energy increases for thick specimens. The strength of CAI reduces with a drop in temperature and an increase in impact energy while increasing with a rise in thickness.

Heterostrain‐Driven Bandgap Increase in Twisted WS2: A Nanoscale Study

AbstractTwisted 2D materials present an enticing platform for exploring diverse electronic properties owning to the tunability of their bandgap energy. However, the intricate relationship between local heterostrain fields, thickness, and bandgap energy remains insufficiently understood, particularly at the nanoscale. Here, it presents a comprehensive nanoscale study elucidating the remarkable sensitivity of the bandgap energy to both thickness and heterostrain fields within twisted WS2 nanostructures. This approach integrates electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (EELS) enhanced by machine learning with 4D scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Through this synergistic methodology, enhancements up to 20% in the bandgap energy is unveiled depending on the specimen thickness. This phenomenon is traced back to sizable deformation angles present within individual layers, which can be directly linked to distinct variations in local heterostrain fields. The findings represent a significant advancement in comprehending the electronic behavior of twisted 2D materials and introduce a novel methodological framework with far‐reaching implications for twistronics and the investigation of other materials within the nanoscience domain.

Ductile-to-brittle transition of ferritic steels: A historical sketch and some recent trends

The phenomenon of ductile-to-brittle transition in ferritic steels has been a ubiquitous research challenge for the last 50 years. The characterization of this problem using the fracture mechanics concept, from the earliest studies based on the linear-elastic fracture mechanics to the application of the elastic–plastic fracture mechanics, has become inevitable over time. The fracture toughness is not an intrinsic material property but depends on geometrical factors (such as the specimen shape, thickness, and surface roughness), defect type and distribution, loading mode, and environmental conditions. The pronounced scatter of experimental data on fracture toughness, characteristic of all ferritic steels in the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature region, necessitated the use of statistical methods for data processing. That approach, which emerged in the 1970 s, can still be found today as the basis for interpreting fracture toughness data in ductile-to-brittle transition problems. This paper presents a brief historical overview of such studies along with the problems that have arisen as a consequence of using fracture mechanics concepts, such as constraint effects, as an example. In the time-honored research tradition, all the proposed methods and models, as well as their criticisms, provided the basis for the development of new approaches to the ductile-to-brittle characterization of ferritic steels. Specifically, these include size effects and scaling of geometrically similar samples, with the aim of predicting material behavior beyond experimental limits. Brief outlines of two new approaches are provided in this succinct review. The criticisms of all presented methods are oriented mostly on the application domain, as well as their capability to predict fracture toughness, with short overview of their most conspicuous advantages and disadvantages.

Bed joint reinforcement of shear walls using threaded titanium rods

Shear walls in historic constructions often require retrofit. The lateral load capacity is frequently insufficient to withstand seismic actions. Threaded titanium rods embedded in mortar bed joints have emerged as a viable solution to reinforce brickwork shear walls. The use of a high tensile strength and ductile material (titanium alloys), with a high degree of reversibility of the retrofit intervention, is promising as it represents a new opportunity in masonry conservation. Aiming at studying the effectiveness of the titanium rod repair, this research had a twofold goal: 1. laboratory tests were performed to investigate the structural response of reinforced walls at macro-scale level; 2. a numerical modelling strategy was implemented to fill the knowledge gap regarding the material properties of brickwork masonry (English and Flemish bond). Quasi-static cycling loading tests performed on full scale (1200x1200 mm, two wythes thickness) specimens demonstrated how bed joint reinforcement using threaded titanium rods produced a significant increase in the lateral load and deformation capacities. To provide an effective tool for predicting all material parameters, as input data, and for designing the proposed strengthening system, a step-by-step procedure - based on the use of digital image processing (DIP) techniques, homogenization theories and micro-modelling strategies - was therefore proposed.

Engineering the future of 3D pathology.

In recent years, technological advances in tissue preparation, high-throughput volumetric microscopy, and computational infrastructure have enabled rapid developments in nondestructive 3D pathology, in which high-resolution histologic datasets are obtained from thick tissue specimens, such as whole biopsies, without the need for physical sectioning onto glass slides. While 3D pathology generates massive datasets that are attractive for automated computational analysis, there is also a desire to use 3D pathology to improve the visual assessment of tissue histology. In this perspective, we discuss and provide examples of potential advantages of 3D pathology for the visual assessment of clinical specimens and the challenges of dealing with large 3D datasets (of individual or multiple specimens) that pathologists have not been trained to interpret. We discuss the need for artificial intelligence triaging algorithms and explainable analysis methods to assist pathologists or other domain experts in the interpretation of these novel, often complex, large datasets.

Effect of specimen size on creep crack growth rate in superalloys IN625 and IN783

To further clarify the relation between the intensity of specimen size effect on creep crack growth (CCG) rate and operative creep fracture mechanisms, CCG testing and mechanism observation were carried out for two superalloys IN625 and IN783. Results show that the CCG data of different specimen types for IN625 basically coincide at 650 °C. In contrast, strong specimen size effect was observed in IN783 at 560 °C, that is, the CCG rate increases with the increase in specimen thickness, producing the largest CCG ratio of approximately seven. The load-line displacement and fracture mechanism analyses indicate that the IN625 specimens failed in a ductile and intergranular manner, while the IN783 specimens in a brittle and intergranular manner. The present study suggests that the influence of creep fracture mechanisms should be considered in the characterization of the specimen size effect on CCG rate.

Effects of Ultra-Low Temperatures on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure Evolution of a Ni-Co-Based Superalloy Thin Sheet during Micro-Tensile Deformation.

With the development of product miniaturization in aerospace, the nuclear industry, and other fields, Ni-Co-based superalloys with excellent overall properties have become key materials for micro components in these fields. In the microforming field, size effects significantly impact the mechanical properties and plastic deformation behavior of materials. In this paper, micro-tensile experiments at room temperature and an ultra-low temperature were carried out to study the effects of initial microstructure and deformation temperature on the deformation behavior of Ni-Co-based superalloy thin sheets. The results show that as the ratio of specimen thickness to grain size (t/d) decreased from 8.6 to 2.4, the tensile strength σb decreased from 1221 MPa to 1090 MPa, the yield strength σs decreased from 793 MPa to 622 MPa, and the elongation decreased from 0.26 to 0.21 at room temperature. When t/d decreased from 8.6 to 2.4, σb decreased from 1458 MPa to 1132 MPa, σs decreased from 917 MPa to 730 MPa, and the elongation decreased from 0.31 to 0.28 at ultra-low temperatures. When t/d decreased from 8.6 to 2.4, the surface roughness of the specimen increased from 0.769 to 0.890 at room temperature and increased from 0.648 to 0.809 at ultra-low temperatures. During the microplastic deformation process of Ni-Co-based superalloy thin sheets, the coupled effects of surface roughening caused by free surface grains and hindered dislocation movement induced by grain boundary resulted in strain localization, which caused fracture failure of Ni-Co-based superalloy thin sheets.

Experimental evaluation of usable specimen thickness of Si for lattice imaging by transmission electron microscopy at 300 kV

We evaluated the usable specimen thickness of Si for lattice imaging on a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) instrument operating at 300 kV and equipped with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor camera by using an original reference material (RM) and comparing the lattice images obtained from Si patterns of the RM with various thicknesses. Lattice images of the {111} planes of crystalline Si are successfully observed for patterns with thicknesses of up to 508 nm. However, the contrast of these lattice fringes at a thickness of 508 nm is not distinct, even when recorded using a longer exposure time (5.0 s) than that required to obtain lattice images of patterns with thicknesses of 316 nm or less (0.5 s). Based on these results, we conclude that the practical thickness of crystalline Si specimens for accurate structural analysis and TEM magnification calibration via lattice imaging is less than approximately 500 nm under the experimental conditions.

Study of Wire-Cut Electro-Discharge Machining of Heat-Resistant Nickel Alloys.

This paper presents an analysis and theoretical model for assessing the quality and accuracy of wire-cut electro-discharge machining (WEDM) of products made from novel heat-resistant nickel alloys such as CrNi56KVMTYB. It is observed that WEDM processing of Ni alloy led to high surface roughness for the thick specimens, and electrical parameters such as pulse duration for the selected range depict an insignificant role in the value of surface roughness. On the other hand, the cut width of the machined surface decreases as the pulse duration increases, while the cut width is elevated for thick workpieces. Secondary discharges developed in WEDM have negative effects that cause sludge adhering and deterioration in the quality and productivity of processing. The regression model is developed to predict the surface roughness and cut width of machined surfaces, which holds significant importance in modern engineering. The workpiece is examined for surface integrity and material deposition. It is observed that an increase in the height of the specimen leads to the occurrence of secondary discharges, which in turn results in the formation of cracks on the surfaces of high-temperature nickel alloys. These cracks have a detrimental effect on the performance of critical products made from next-generation heat-resistant nickel alloys.