A continuum-based modeling of MEMS devices for estimating their resonant frequencies

A continuum-based modeling of coupled electrostatics-structure interactions is presented for the frequency computations of MEMS devices. The present general formulation of electrostatics accounting for free space is validated first by specializing it to one-dimensional uniform motion of conducting surfaces and comparing the resulting electrostatics to conventional lumped models. The general coupled electrostatics-structure interactions are then applied for the prediction of resonant frequencies of MEMS devices due to bias-voltage changes and temperature variations. Comparisons of predicted resonant frequencies obtained by the present coupled electrostatics-structure interaction models with experimental results available in the literature demonstrate that the proposed continuum-based interaction modeling yields high-confidence predictions of resonant frequencies of MEMS devices.     

Effect of vibration condition and inter-particle frictions on the packing of uniform spheres

We present a numerical study of the packing of uniform spheres under three-dimensional vibration using the discrete element method (DEM), focusing on the effects of vibration condition (amplitude and frequency) and inter-particle frictions (sliding and rolling frictions). The results are analysed in terms of packing density, coordination number (CN), radial distribution function (RDF) and pore structure. It is shown that increasing either the vibration amplitude or frequency causes packing density to increase initially to a maximum and then decrease. Both vibration frequency and amplitude should be considered to characterize the effect of vibration process on packing structure. The sliding and rolling frictions between particles can decrease packing density since they dissipate energy, although the effect of rolling friction is less significant. In line with the change of packing density, microstructural properties such as CN, RDF and pore distribution also change: a looser packing often corresponds to smaller CN, less peaked RDF and larger but more widely distributed pores.     

Prediction of necking of high strength steel tubes during hydroforming—multi-axial loading

This article studies tubular hydroforming of high strength low alloy (HSLA) and dual phase (DP600) straight tubes under the action of end feeding loads. Experiments demonstrate that higher end feed loads enhance the formability of the tubes and increase the internal fluid pressure for onset of necking and bursting. Because of the action of the internal pressure and the axial compressive load, the onset of localization (necking) is due to a complex three-dimensional state of stress. Using free expansion experiments, approximate upper and lower bound strain-based forming limit curves are determined for the tube materials. These limit curves, in turn, are used to derive upper and lower bound extended stress-based forming limit curves [Simha et al., Prediction of necking in tubular hydroforming using an extended stress-based FLC. Transactions of the ASME Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology 2007;129(1): 36-47]. In conjunction with finite element computations that use solid elements to model the tube, these stress-based limit curves are used to predict upper and lower bound necking pressures under the action of end feed loading. These predictions of necking pressures, when an appropriate coefficient of tube-die friction is used, are found to bracket the experimentally measured necking pressures. Computations using plane stress shell elements to model the tubes are shown to give erroneous results, since the plane stress approximation is not valid when tubes are hydroformed in a die.     

Three dimensional boundary element analysis of internal cracks under sliding contact load with a spherical indenter

Using boundary element based three dimensional modelling for linear fracture mechanics, we present an analysis of cracking in a homogeneous medium subject to contact load. The proposed iterative solution procedure allows a simultaneous treatment of a reasonable number of partially closed cracks. It is shown that the most probable direction of propagation of a vertical internal crack is strongly dependent on its size compared to the contact radius and its location with respect to the axis of maximum normal load.     

Analysis of brushless three-phase synchronous generator without exciter

Recently, a demand for small-capacity generators has been increasing as electric sources in small ships and automobiles or as portable electric sources driven by engines. It is desired that the structure of small-capacity generators be simple and robust, and that the generators be highly reliable, easily maintained and controlled. This paper describes an analysis of the original brushless synchronous generator without exciter. The output voltage can be adjusted in the wide range by controlling the stator dc current. To analyze the characteristics of this generator, the finite element method is applied. It is found that the results of theoretical analysis agree well with the experimental results.     

Compact Dipole Antenna for Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting Service

A compact dipole antenna for the terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (TDMB) application is presented. The length of the antenna is about 0.06λ at the TDMB resonance frequency of 190 MHz. Miniaturization of the antenna is achieved by using meander structures and lumped elements. The proposed antenna has two resonance frequencies and covers the TDMB band from 174 MHz to 216 MHz in Korea. The antenna has good impedance bandwidth and radiation characteristics for the TDMB. The experimental results of the designed dipole antenna are presented and analyzed.     

Performance analysis of IEEE 802.11 ad hoc networks in the presence of exposed terminals

The paper evaluates the performance effects of exposed terminals in IEEE 802.11 ad hoc networks in finite load conditions. It derives analytical models for the estimation of channel utilization and media access delay for IEEE 802.11 ad hoc networks in finite load conditions with and without exposed terminals. The simulation results show that the analytical estimated channel utilization and media access delay metrics are fairly accurate.     

Exact integration in the boundary element method for two-dimensional elastostatic problems

This paper derives the exact integrations for the integrals in the boundary element analysis of two-dimensional elastostatics. For facilitation, the derivation is based on the simple forms of the fundamental functions by taking constant, discontinuous linear and discontinuous quadratic elements as examples. The efficiency and accuracy of the derived exact integrations are verified against five benchmark problems; the results indicate that the derived exact integrations significantly reduces the CPU time for forming the matrices of the boundary element analysis and solving the internal displacements.     

A study on time schemes for DRBEM analysis of elastic impact wave

 The precise integration and differential quadrature methods are two new unconditionally stable numerical schemes to approximate time derivative with more than the second order accuracy. Recent studies showed that compared with the Houbolt and Newmark methods, they produced more accurate solutions with large time step for the problems where response is primarily dominated by low and intermediate frequency modes. This paper aims to investigate these time schemes in the context of the dual reciprocity BEM (DRBEM) formulation of various shock-excited scalar elastic wave problems, where high modes have important affect on traction response. The Houbolt method was widely recommended in many literatures for such DRBEM dynamic formulations. However, this study found that the damped Newmark algorithm was the most efficient and accurate for impact traction analysis in conjunction with the DRBEM. The precise integration and differential quadrature methods are shown inapplicable for such shock-excited problems due to the absence of numerical damping. On the other hand, we also found that to achieve the same order of accuracy, the differential quadrature method required much less computing effort than the precise integration method due to the use of the Bartels–Stewart algorithm solving the resulting Lyapunov matrix analogization equation. Received 6 November 2000