Adaptive sliding mode control of chaotic dynamical systems with application to synchronization

We address the problem of control and synchronization of a class of uncertain chaotic systems. Our approach follows techniques of sliding mode control and adaptive estimation law. The adaptive algorithm is constructed based on the sliding mode control to ensure perfect tracking and synchronization in presence of system uncertainty and external disturbance. Stability of the closed-loop system is proved using Lyapunov stability theory. Our theoretical findings are supported by simulation results.     

Chemical sputtering of deuterated carbon surfaces at various surface temperatures

The chemical sputtering of deuterated amorphous carbon (a-C:D) surfaces irradiated by 1-50 eV deuterium atoms at surface temperatures between 300 and 1000 K was studied using classical molecular dynamics. A quasi-stationary state was reached by cumulative bombardment for each energy and temperature. Results were compared with available experimental data and previous modeling results and the applicability of molecular dynamics for thermally generated processes was discussed. An attempt is made to correct the absence of the thermally stimulated desorption/degassing of hydrogen from the MD simulations, which evolve at the longer time scales.     

Analysis of axisymmetric upsetting based on flow pattern observations

A flow-based model for upset forging of cylindrical billets is presented. Four deformation zones are recognized. The size of the elastic zone (Zone I) is determined from empirical equations. Kinematically admissible velocity field equations are obtained for the other three zones. These equations are in terms of two arbitrary parameters which are optimized based on flow pattern observations.From the numerical solution of the velocity and strain rate equations the deformed grid patterns and the localized strains are determined. In general, good agreement with FEM solutions is observed. The phenomenon of side-surface foldover is also predicted with sufficient accuracy by the present solution.     

In situ oxidation of zirconium binary alloys by environmental SEM and analysis by AFM, FIB, and TEM

Binary Zr-alloys containing 1%Fe and 1% Ni (large precipitates) and 1% Cr and 0.6% Nb (small precipitates), as well as a pure Zr sample were exposed in situ at 130 Pa water vapour pressure at 415 °C in an environmental SEM. The surface topography and composition of each sample was characterised before in situ experiments, during and after oxidation. After oxidation the surface was characterised by SEM and EDS, AFM and TEM combined with EDS. Focused ion beam was used to prepare cross sections of the metal-oxide interface and for the preparation of TEM thin foils.The oxidation behaviour of precipitates for these alloying elements can be characterised into two large families, those which show a rapid oxidation and those which induce a delayed oxidation in comparison with the Zr-matrix.At 415 °C after 1 h of oxidation for Zr1%Fe and Zr1%Ni, the formation of protrusions could be detected at the surface, being related to underlying SPP in the oxide. On Zr1%Cr and Zr0.6%Nb unoxidised SPPs were observed in the oxide, close to the metal-oxide interface. These SPPs were, however, oxidised close to the outer surface of the oxide. The surface roughness was increased for all materials after in situ oxidation, however, only for Zr1%Fe and Zr1%Ni protrusions appeared on the surface during oxidation. It was subsequently demonstrated that these latter correspond to the position of SPPs. For Zr1%Fe the surface roughness increased more than in the other materials and on these protrusions small iron oxide crystals have been observed at the surface. These observations confirm that Fe has a different behaviour compared to the other SPP forming elements, and it diffuses out to the free surface of the material.These alloying elements being the constituents of the commercial alloys (Fe and Cr for Zircaloy-4; Fe, Cr and Ni for Zircaloy-2 and Nb for all Nb-containing alloys), this study allows to separate their individual influence and can allow a subsequent comparison to the behaviour of those more complex alloys.     

Processing-microstructure relationships for Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0.1Si

The detailed relationships between thermal-mechanical processing parameters and resulting microstructures for Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0.1 Si (Ti-6242) have been established through compression testing and heat treatment. Beginning with either an equiaxed alpha or Widmanstätten alpha preform microstructure, isothermal compression tests were run at strain rates typical of isothermal forging (10^?3 to 10^?1 s^?1) and conventional forging (1 to 100 s^?1). Metallographic investigation of these test specimens in as-deformed and heat treated conditions was used to characterize deformation-induced microstructures and transformations. For the equiaxed alpha microstructure, it was shown that deformation, as well as post-deformation heat treatment, were more effective in promoting microstructures close to the expected equilibrium ones than heat treatment alone, a finding similar to that for other alloy systems. For the metastable Widmanstätten alpha microstructure, the deformation and heat treatment parameters that promote the development of an equilibrium, equiaxed alpha microstructure have been determined. For this microstructure, two separate temperature-strain rate regimes have been identified, and the resulting microstructures correlated with the measured flow stress behavior. For the low temperature regime, deformation is highly nonuniform, and the microstructural features are shown to be similar to those in pearlitic steels and other lamellar alloys. In the higher temperature regime, on the other hand, deformation is much more uniform. The results presented can be applied to select hot forging parameters for the control of final microstructure and properties in Ti-6242 and similarα/β titanium alloys.     

Characterization and modeling for forging deformation of Ti-6Ai-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0.1 Si

The deformation behavior during upset forging has been determined for Ti-6242 in both the (α + β) and β starting microstructures. For (α + β), flow softening attributed to deformation heating was observed. Deformation heating accounted for only a fraction of the extensive flow softening of the β microstructure. The dependence of log σ on 1/T was linear for (α + β) and bilinear for the β microstructure, with an approximate transition temperature of 930 °C. The two temperature regimes for β corresponded to distinct deformed microstructures which were manifestations of different softening mechanisms, all promoting the flow-induced transformation of metastable β microstructure to the equilibrium (α + β) microstructure. Based on the experimental data, flow stress equations for both microstructures, and empirical equations describing the flow softening behavior of β have been developed. WithT and ġe as the only input variables, these equations can accurately predict the σ - ε relationships for process modeling of this alloy.     

An efficient hybrid approach based on Harris Hawks optimization and imperialist competitive algorithm for structural optimization

In this paper, a new hybrid algorithm is introduced, combining two Harris Hawks Optimizer (HHO) and the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) to achieve a better search strategy. HHO is a new population-based, nature-inspired optimization algorithm that mimics Harris Hawks cooperative behavior and chasing style in nature called surprise pounce HHO. It is a robust algorithm in exploitation, but has an unfavorable performance in exploring the search space, while ICA has a better performance in exploration; thus, combining these two algorithms produces an effective hybrid algorithm. The hybrid algorithm is called Imperialist Competitive Harris Hawks Optimization (ICHHO). The proposed hybrid algorithm's effectiveness is examined by comparing other nature-inspired techniques, 23 mathematical benchmark problems, and several well-known structural engineering problems. The results successfully indicate the proposed hybrid algorithm's competitive performance compared to HHO, ICA, and some other well-established algorithms.

     

Voltage Control of the Resonance Frequency of Dielectric Electroactive Polymer (DEAP) Membranes

We report on the characterization, active tuning, and modeling of the first mode resonance frequency of dielectric electroactive polymer (DEAP) membranes. Unlike other resonance frequency tuning techniques, the tuning procedure presented here requires no external actuators or variable elements. Compliant electrodes were sputtered or implanted on both sides of 20-35-mum-thick and 2-4-mm-diameter polydimethylsiloxane membranes. The electrostatic force from an applied voltage adds compressive stress to the membrane, effectively softening the device and reducing its resonance frequency, in principle to zero at the buckling threshold. A reduction in resonance frequency up to 77% (limited by dielectric breakdown) from the initial value of 1620 Hz was observed at 1800 V for ion-implanted membranes. Excellent agreement was found between our measurements and an analytical model we developed based on the Rayleigh-Ritz theory. This model is more accurate in the tensile domain than the existing model for thick plates applied to DEAPs. By varying the resonance frequency of the membranes (and, hence, their compliance), they can be used as frequency-tunable attenuators. The same technology could also allow the fine-tuning of the resonance frequencies in the megahertz range of devices made from much stiffer polymers.     

Pure plastic bending of sheet laminates under plane strain condition

Pure plastic bending of two- and three-ply laminates in plane strain condition has been investigated. Rigid-strain hardening material behavior has been assumed. For fibers which have been overtaken by the neutral axis and have experienced load reversal, a linear $\text{}\text{?}$gs ? $\text{}\text{?}$ge relationship has been adopted. Different deformation zones have been recognized and relevant equations for the distributions of radial and tangential stresses in terms of material parameters and unknown variables have been determined. In each case, from continuity of radial stress at interlaminate boundaries, an expression for the current location of the neutral axis, in terms of the relative curvature, χ, and the relative thickness, η, has been obtained. A numerical scheme for the simultaneous solution of this expression, along with a thickness equation, has been developed. As a result, distributions of radial and tangential stresses, fiber movements, and bending moments have been calculated.The effect of material properties in terms of core/clad strength differential, and rate of strain hardening has been determined. Also, the influence of laminate geometry in two-ply, as well as symmetric and non-symmetric three-ply laminates, has been investigated.     

Optimum stacking sequence design of composite laminates for maximum buckling load capacity using parameter-less optimization algorithms

This paper presents a comparative study of the application of parameter-less meta-heuristic algorithms in optimum stacking sequence design of com of composite laminates for maximum buckling load capacity. Here, JAYA algorithm, along with Salp Swarm Algorithm, Colliding Bodies Optimization, Grey Wolf Optimizer, and Genetic Algorithm with standard setting and self-adaptive version are implemented to the problem of composite laminates with 64 graphite/epoxy plies with conventional ply angles, under several bi-axial cases and panel aspect ratios. Optimization objective is to maximize the buckling load of symmetric and balanced laminated plate. Statistical analysis are performed for six cases and the results are compared in terms of mean, standard deviation, the coefficient of variation, best and worst solutions, accompanied by the percentage of the independent runs that found the global optimum \(\left( {{R_{{\text{op}}}}} \right)\) and near global optimum \(\left( {{R_{{\text{no}}}}} \right)\). The Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric test is also utilized to make further confidence in the examinations. Numerical results show the high capability of the JAYA algorithm for maximizing the buckling capacity of composite plates.