Fatigue crack growth of PMMA in organic agents

Crack growth tests under cyclic loading were executed at 295 K in various organic agents using compact tension and pure bending specimens of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The cyclic frequencies f for the two kinds of test were 0.4 to 1 and 33 Hz, respectively. Two interesting features are pointed out: (i) transitional behaviour is observed on a crack growth rate against stress intensity factor range K diagram, and (ii) the fatigue fracture surfaces tested in highly viscous agents are covered with a new type of striation named wavy striation, as reported previously. The crack growth rate at the transition was analysed based on fluid flow through the pores within the craze forming at the crack tip. The wavy striation was also investigated by use of the theory of meniscus instability. It is found that both the phenomena may be well described by a parameter P = T(K) ²/f where T and are the surface tension and viscosity of the organic agents, respectively.     

Effects of pressure sensitivity on the η factor and the J integral estimation for compact tension specimens

In this paper, the effects of pressure-sensitive yielding on the factor and the J integral estimation for compact tension specimens are investigated. The analytical expressions for and J for pressure-insensitive von Mises materials are generalized to pressure-sensitive Drucker-Prager materials using a lower bound approach. The factor as a function of the pressure sensitivity and the normalized crack depth for compact tension specimens is derived under plane stress and plane strain conditions. The numerical results indicate that the factor decreases as the pressure sensitivity increases. The effects are more pronounced under plane strain conditions than under plane stress conditions. However, the effects of the pressure sensitivity on are found to be mild in general. For rigid perfectly-plastic materials, the J estimation for pressure-sensitive materials is also reduced to a simple expression of the tensile yield stress times the crack tip opening displacement as for the von Mises materials.     

Viscoelastic and rheological behavior of concentrated colloidal suspensions

Molecular approaches are discussed to the density (), viscoeleastic (), and rheological () behavior of the viscosity(,,) of concentrated colloidal suspensions with 0.3 < < 0.6, where, is the volume fraction, the applied frequency, and ; the shear rate. These theories are based on the calculation of the pair distribution functionP ₂(r,,), wherer is the relative position of a pair of colloidal particles. The linear viscoelastic behavior(,,=0) follows from an equation forP ₂(r,,) derived from the Smoluchowski equation for small, generalized to large by introducing the spatial ordering and (cage) diffusion typical for concentrated suspensions. The rheological behavior(,,=0) follows from an equation forP ₂(r,) of a dense hard-sphere fluid derived from the Liouville equation. This leads to a hard-sphere viscosity^hs(,) which yields the colloidal one(,) by the scaling relation(,) ₀=^hs(,) _B, where ₀ is the solvent viscosity. _B is the dilute hard-sphere (Boltzmann ) viscosity and the's are appropriately scaled,(,) and(,) agree well with experiment. A unified theore for(,,) is clearly needed and pursued.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994. Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Effect of annealing upon decomposition of electrodeposited iron-zinc alloy coatings

As-deposited electrodeposited iron-zinc alloy coatings containing phase, decompose upon heating through a sequence of metastable phases. The h c p phase transforms to b c c G, or -like phase via a rapid diffusional phase transformation in the vicinity of 150 °C. For bulk iron contents of 8–13 wt%, transforms to 100% G phase. The G phase subsequently transforms at 240 °C to phase, which in turn transforms to or ₁ phase near 300 °C by depletion of iron from the surrounding matrix. The decomposition process may be driven by supersaturation of with iron.     

Separable functions in load separation for the ηpl and ηpl CMOD plastic factors estimation

The objective of this paper is to develop the load separation method for evaluating the _pl and _pl ^CMOD plastic factors used in the J estimation approach based on load versus displacement records. Appropriate forms for the geometry and deformation functions have been suggested from the EPRI Handbook solutions to produce the separable form for the load. The obtained functions are applied to evaluate the _pl and _pl ^CMOD plastic factors for center cracked tension specimen. The present load separation method gave results which are somewhat different from the estimated values of _pl given in the literature. For shallow cracks, the _pl and ^CMOD _pl plastic factors show considerable variation with crack size and the strain hardening exponent. For a deeply cracked CCT specimen, the ^CMOD _pl factor tends to the _pl factor and equals approximately unity. Abbreviations: CCT – center cracked specimen; CMOD – Crack Mouth Opening Displacement; EPRI – Electric Power Research Institute; FEM – Finite Element Method; LLD – Load Line Displacement.     

A finite volume technique to simulate the flow of a viscoelastic fluid

Hydrodynamically developing flow of Oldroyd B fluid in the planar die entrance region has been investigated numerically using SIMPLER algorithm in a non-uniform staggered grid system. It has been shown that for constant values of the Reynolds number, the entrance length increases as the Weissenberg number increases. For small Reynolds number flows the center line velocity distribution exhibit overshoot near the inlet, which seems to be related to the occurrence of numerical breakdown at small values of the limiting Weissenberg number than those for large Reynolds number flows. The distributions of the first normal stress difference display clearly the development of the flow characteristics from extensional flow to shear flow.List of symbols D rate of strain tensor - L slit halfheight - P pressure, indeterminate part of the Cauchy stress tensor - R the Reynolds number - t time - U average velocity in the slit - u velocity vector - u,v velocity components - W the Weissenberg number based on the difference between stress relaxation time and retardation time - W ₁ the Weissenberg number based on stress relaxation time - x,y rectangular Cartesian coordinates - ratio of retardation time to stress relaxation time - zero-shear-rate viscosity, ₁ + ₂ - ₁ non-Newtonian contribution to - ₂ Newtonian contribution to - ₁ stress relaxation time - ₂ retardation time - density - (, , ) xx, yy and xy components of ₁, respectively - determinate part of the Cauchy stress tensor - ₁ non-Newtonian contribution to - ₂ Newtonian contribution to      

Hierarchical three dimensional curved beam element based on p-version

This paper presents a three node curved three dimensional beam element for linear static analysis where the element displacement approximation in the axial () and transverse directions ( and ) can be of arbitrary polynomial orders p , p and p . This is accomplished by, first constructing one dimensional hierarchical approximation functions and the corresponding nodal variable operators in , and directions using Lagrange interpolating polynomials and then taking the products (also called tensor product) of these hierarchical one dimensional approximation functions and the corresponding nodal variable operators. The resulting approximation functions and the corresponding nodal variables for the three dimensional beam element were hierarchical. The formulation guarantees C ⁰ continuity. The element properties are established using the principle of virtual work. In formulating the properties of the element all six components of the stress and strain tensor are ratained. The geometry of the beam element is defined by the coordinates of the nodes located at the axis of the beam and node point vectors representing the nodal cross-sections. The results obtained from the present formulation are compared with analytical solutions (when available) and the h-models using isoparametric three dimensional solid elements. The formulation is equally effective for very slender as well as deep beams since no assumptions are made regarding such conditions during the formulation.     

Coupling of order parameter collective modes to spin density in3He-B

We derive a general expression for the dynamic spin susceptibility of³He-B which is valid for all magnetic fields. The coupling of real and imaginary modes by particle-hole asymmetry is taken into account. Then we calculate the contribution of the mode at frequency =2 – 1/4 ( is the effective Larmor frequency) to the transverse susceptibility. The spectral weight of this mode in magnetic resonance absorption is proportional to (/)^1/2 (–)², where and are particle-hole asymmetry parameters. From the experimental coupling strength of the real squashing mode to sound we estimate (–)²10^–4. The dynamic susceptibility satisfies the sum rules of Leggett. Finally we point out the difficulties in calculating the transverse NMR frequency of³He-B. These difficulties arise from theS _z =0 Cooper pairs and from the coupling ofJ _z =±1 modes forJ=1 andJ=2.     

Shear viscosity measurements of liquid 3He-4He mixtures above 0.5 K

Simultaneous measurements of () and of the molar volume are reported for liquid mixtures of ³He in ⁴He over the temperature range between 0.5 and 2.5 K. Here is the shear viscosity and is the mass density. In the superfluid phase, the product of the normal components, _n and _n , is measured. The mixtures with ³He molefractions 0.30 < X < 0.80 are studied with emphasis on the region near the superfluid transition T and near the phase-separation curve. Along the latter, they are compared with data by Lai and Kitchens. For X > 0.5, the viscosity singularity near T becomes a faint peak, which however fades into the temperature-dependent background viscosity as X tends to the tricritical concentration X _t. Likewise, no singularity in is apparent when T _t is approached along the phase separation branches _– and ₊. Furthermore, viscosity data are reported for ³He and compared with previous work. Finally, for dilute mixtures with 0.01 X 0.05, the results for are compared with previous data and with predictions.     

Creep crack growth in brittle materials

During steady state crack growth by diffusive cavitation at grain boundaries, crack tip fields are relaxed due to the presence of a cavitation zone. In the present analysis, analytic solutions for the actual crack tip stress fields and the crack velocity in the presence of cavitation zone consisting of continuously distributed cavities ahead of the crack tip are derived using the smeared volume concept. Results indicate that the r ^–1/2 singularity is now attenuated to r ^{–1/2 +} (0<<1/2) singularity. The singularity attenuation parameter is a function of the crack velocity and material parameters. The crack growth rate is related to the mode I stress intensity factor K by K ² at relatively high load, K ⁿ at intermediate load, and approaches zero at small load near K _th. Meanwhile, the cavitation zone extends further into the material due to the stress relaxation at the crack tip and the subsequent stress redistribution. Such relaxation effects become very distinct at low crack velocity and low applied load. Key words: Creep crack growth, brittle material, diffusive cavity growth, sintering stress, crack tip stress field.     

Fatigue crack growth behaviour of tungsten carbide-cobalt hardmetals

Fatigue crack propagation studies have been carried out on a range of WC-Co hardmetals of varying cobalt content and grain size using a constant-stress intensity factor double torsion test specimen geometry. Results have confirmed the marked influence of mean stress (throughK _max), which is interpreted in terms of static modes of fracture occurring in conjunction with a true fatigue process, the existence of which can be rationalized through the absence of any frequency effect. Dramatic increases in fatigue crack growth rate are found asK _max approaches that value of stress intensity factor ( 0.9K_IC) for which static crack growth under monotonic load (or static fatigue) occurs in these materials. Lower crack growth rates, however, produce fractographic features indistinguishable from those resulting from fast fracture. These observations, and the important effect of increasing mean free path of the cobalt binder in reducing fatigue crack growth rate, can reasonably be explained through a consideration of the mechanism of fatigue crack advance through ligament rupture of the cobalt binder at the tip of a propagating crack.     

The load separation criterion and methodology in ductile fracture mechanics

The objective of this paper is to investigate the implications of the load separation criterion for evaluating ductile fracture mechanics parameters. This criterion allows the load to be represented as the multiplication of two separate functions; a material deformation function and a crack geometry function. Load separation implies a method for J-integral evaluating using only a single load-displacement record. The original method for evaluating J, proposed by Begley and Landes, used the energy rate interpretation of Rice which requires several load-displacement records for identical specimens with varying crack lengths. A method based on load separation introduced a new parameter , _el and _pl which greatly simplified J calculation. This parameter which can be a function of geometrical factors is generally evaluated experimentally using the energy rate interpretation of J.In this paper the load separation criterion is used to imply a simple method for evaluating experimentally. Using blunt notched specimen load versus load point displacement results from the literature, four different configurations with a wide range of stationary crack lengths are evaluated. Also included are several different materials varying from low work hardening to high work hardening. The data include thin and thick sections so that both plane stress and plane strain conditions are evaluated. A new method for -estimation derived from the implication of the load separation is proposed. This method avoids most of the errors that accumulate in the classical methods of estimation. Both the separation method and the energy rate method are evaluated by comparing the techniques and the results. The results show some new trends in _pl results for the different configurations evaluated in this paper.     

The edge interface crack

An analysis of a crack lying along an interface between two elastically dissimilar quarter-planes, and breaking the free surface is given. The method of distributed dislocations is employed and the nominal stress field is taken to be uniform along the length of the line of the crack. Models for crack tip behaviour are discussed and it is shown that a simplified quadrature can be used to extract the crack extension force for cases where small-scale contact obtains. Values of the crack extension force are given, displayed on the , diagram.     

Ageing characteristics of cast Zn-Al based alloy (ZnAl7Cu3)

Microstructure and ageing characteristics of a cast Zn-Al based alloy (ZnAl7Cu3) were studied using X-ray diffraction, electron scanning microscopy and back-scattered diffraction techniques. Two stages of phase transformation, i.e., decomposition of zinc rich phase and four phase transformation, + T + , were detected during ageing at 150°C. Electron back-scattered diffraction technique was applied in distinguishing both zinc rich and phases.     

Measuring of contact gaps by the absolute interference method

Summary The accidental error which is introduced by the measuring contacts is contained in the variations of readings on the gage scale, and requires no special investigation.Systematic errors introduced by the measuring contacts must be calculated or measured for each type of measurement and taken into account during the accurate determination of dimensions in precision measurements.In measuring gage blocks (OST 85,000-39) on the contact devices, the optimum results were obtained with spherical corundum tips with R 14 mm, operating with loads of up to 300 g. In these cases the contact pressures for gage blocks are only a third to a fifth of the permissible values, while the contact gaps are so small and constant that the measurements can be made with the utmost precision.The measurements of showed that for best contacts=0 when the lengths of these gages is determined by the method of comparison, and=0.06 when it is determined by the absolute method.     

The viscosity and some related properties of liquid3He at the melting curve between 1 and 100 mK

The viscosity of liquid ³ He has been measured along the melting curve from 1 to 100 mK by means of a vibrating wire viscometer. In the normal Fermiliquid region we find 1/T² = 1.17–3.10T, where is in P and T in K. At the transition temperature T _A = 2.6 mK a rapid decrease occurs in _n , the viscosity of the normal component. Within 0.3 mK below T _A , _n decreases to about 25% of _A, but then becomes essentially constant. In the B phase _n first decreases to 20% of _A and then seems to increase below 1.4 mK. Data on _n , the density of the normal component, are also presented in the A and B phases. The results show that viscous flow is accompanied by a flow of zero dissipation, thus proving superfluidity in the A and B phases. The viscosity data at magnetic fields up to 0.9T have been related to theoretical calculations of the energy gap of superfluid ³ He near T _A . The splitting of the A transition and the suppression of the B phase in an external field were also measured.     

Ageing characteristics of furnace cooled eutectoid Zn-Al based alloy

Phase transformations and microstructural changes of a furnace cooled eutectoid Zn-Al based alloy were studied during ageing at 100 and 170°C using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Three phase transformations occurred in the furnace cooled eutectoid Zn-Al alloy. The metastable _FC phase decomposed during isothermal ageing. The four-phase transformation, + T + followed the discontinuous decomposition of the _FC phase. Typical morphologies of the decomposition of the _FC and phases were observed in scanning electron microscopy. Decomposition of Al-rich phase was observed during the prolonged ageing by transmission electron microscopy. The different types of decomposition of the different metastable phases dominated at different stages of ageing.     

Phase decomposition in extruded Zn-Al based alloy

Ageing characteristics of an extruded eutectoid Zn-Al based alloy were investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The extruded alloy consisted of Al rich phase and Zn rich _E and phases. The original cast eutectoid Zn-Al alloy was extruded at 250 °C. Both supersaturated _s and _s phase decomposed during extrusion and appeared as fine and coarse lamellar structures. The _E and phases particles formed in the original interdendritic region. It was found that two Zn rich phases _E and decomposed sequentially during ageing at 170, 140 °C. The decomposition of the _E phase occurred as a discontinuous precipitation in the early stage of ageing and the decomposition of the phase took place in a four phase transformation: + T + in the prolonged ageing. Two typical morphologies of the decomposition of the Zn rich phases _E and were distinctive in back-scattered scanning electron microscopy.     

A Viscosity Equation of State for R123 in the Form of a Multilayer Feedforward Neural Network

A multilayer feedforward neural network (MLFN) technique is adopted for developing a viscosity equation =(T, ) for R123. The results obtained are very promising, with an average absolute deviation (AAD) of 1.02% for the currently available 169 primary data points, and are a significant improvement over those of a corresponding conventional equation in the literature. The method requires a high-accuracy equation of state for the fluid to be known to convert the experimental P, T into the independent variables , T, but such equation may not be available for the target fluid. With a view to overcoming this difficulty, a viscosity implicit equation of state in the form of T=T(P, ), avoiding the density variable, is obtained using the MLFN technique, starting from the same data sets as before. The prediction accuracy achieved is comparable with that of the former equation, =(T, ).     

Three-dimensional interactions of a crack front with arrays of penny-shaped microcracks

Three-dimensional interactions of a crack front with arrays of penny-shaped microcracks are considered. The work extends the earlier analysis of 2-D crack-microcrack interactions to the 3-D configurations.After analysing simple elementary interaction events (involving only one microcrack) we solve the interaction problem for a number of sample arrays (containing up to 50 microcracks)-realizations of certain microcrack statistics.Statistical aspects of the problem are examined. The interaction effects are found to fluctuate, even qualitatively (from shielding to amplification) along the crack front: the intervals of reduced stress intensity factors (SIFs) alternate with local peaks of SIFs that enhance local front advances. Thus, no statistically stable effect of stress shielding is found (at least, for the microcrack statistics considered): the toughening by microcracking, if it exists, may be due to a statistics of the microcrack centers which is biased towards shielding configurations or to expenditure of energy on nucleation of new microcracks, rather than elastic interactions with them. Similarly to the 2-D case, stochastic asymmetries in the microcrack field produce noticeable secondary modes on the main crack (i.e., modes II and III under mode I loading); this may be partially responsible for crack kinking and an irregular crack path.The short range interactions (several microcracks closest to the main crack tip) play a dominant role. Their impact on the main crack is quite sensitive to the individual microcrack locations and cannot be adequately reproduced by modelling the short range microcracking zone by an effective elastic material of reduced stiffness.The interaction effects in 3-D are found to be weaker than in 2-D.