Cognitive decline and human (Homo sapiens) aging: An investigation using a comparative neuropsychological approach.

Using a comparative neuropsychological approach, the authors compared performance of younger and healthy older adults ages 65 and over on tasks originally developed to measure cognition in animals. A battery of 6 tasks was used to evaluate object discrimination, egocentric spatial abilities, visual and spatial working memory, and response shifting. Older adults performed more poorly than younger adults on tasks that evaluate egocentric spatial abilities, response shifting, and to a lesser extent object recognition. The two groups did not differ for tasks that evaluate spatial working memory and object discrimination. The impairments the authors observed in tasks that evaluate response shifting and object recognition are consistent with those found in canines and primates as well as those found in Alzheimer's disease. The results are consistent with the notion that cognitive processes supported by the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex are among the first to decline with increasing age in both humans and animals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of Stone–Wales defect on the tensile behavior and fracture of single-walled carbon nanotubes

The effectiveness of carbon nanotubes as reinforcements in the next generation of composites is designated by their mechanical behavior as standalone units. One of the most commonly present topological defects, whose effect on the mechanical behavior of carbon nanotubes needs to be clarified, is the Stone–Wales (SW) defect. In this paper, the effect of SW defect on the tensile behavior and fracture of armchair, zigzag and chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was studied using an atomistic-based progressive fracture model. The model uses the finite element method for analyzing the structure of SWCNTs and the modified Morse interatomic potential for describing the nonlinear force-field of the C–C bonds. In all cases examined, the SW defect serves as nucleation site for fracture. Its effect on the tensile behavior of the SWCNTs depends solely on nanotube chirality. In armchair SWCNTs, contrary to zigzag ones, a significant reduction in failure stress and failure strain was predicted; ranging from 18% to 25% and from 30% to 41%, respectively. In chiral SWCNTs, the effect of the defect is between those of the armchair and zigzag SWCNTs, depending on chiral angle. The stiffness of the nanotubes was not affected. The nanotube size was found to play a minimal role in the tensile behavior of SW-defected SWCNTs; only in cases of very small nanotube diameters, where the fraction of defect area to the nanotube area is high, was a larger decrease in the failure stress predicted.     

Microstructure and press formability of a cross-rolled magnesium alloy sheet

Cross-rolling, in which the roll axis is tilted by 7.5° towards the TD-direction, was carried out on a commercial magnesium alloy. The (0002) texture intensity of the cross-rolled specimen was lower than that of the unidirectionally rolled specimen, and the (0002) texture of the cross-rolled specimen was inclined about 10° towards the TD-direction. Also, the grain size of the cross-rolled specimen was smaller than that of the unidirectionally rolled specimen. As a result of the Erichsen tests at 433-493 K, the press formability of the cross-rolled specimen was higher than that of the unidirectionally rolled specimen. The high formability of the cross-rolled specimen is attributed to both the modification of (0002) texture and the enhancement of grain refinement by the cross-rolling.     

Failure Analysis of a Diesel Engine Connecting Rod

A failure investigation has been conducted on a diesel engine connecting rod. The fracture occurred at the small head of the connecting rod. Visual and scanning electron microscopy observations show that a lot of axial grooves appear on the internal surface close to the fracture and the fatigue cracks initiated from the axial grooves. Fractography indicates that the multiple-origin fatigue fracture is the dominant failure mechanism. The machining or assembling process was responsible for the formation of the axial grooves.     

Virtual crack extension method for calculating the second order derivatives of energy release rates for multiply cracked systems

In this paper, we further generalize the work of Lin and Abel [Lin SC, Abel JF. Variational approach for a new direct-integration form of the virtual crack extension method. Int J Fract 1988;38:217-35.] to the case of higher order derivatives of energy release rates for two-dimensional, multiply cracked systems. The direct integral expressions are presented for the energy release rates and their first and second order derivatives. The salient feature of this numerical method is that the energy release rates and their first and second order derivatives can be computed in a single analysis. It is demonstrated through a set of examples that the proposed method gives expectedly decreasing, but acceptably accurate results for the energy release rates and their first and second order derivatives. The computed errors were approximately 0.5% for the energy release rates, 3-5% for their first order derivatives and 10-20% for their second order derivatives for the mesh densities used in the examples. Potential applications of the present method include a universal size effect model and a probabilistic fracture analysis of cracked structures.     

Formulas for risk of failure

The concept of stress strength inference plays an important role in modeling problems with respect to engineering fracture mechanics, see, e.g. [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20] and [21]. The risk of failure of a system can be expressed by the probability R = Pr(X₂ < X₁), where X₁ and X₂ are some random variables representing the stress and the strength experienced by the system. In this note, we derive a comprehensive collection of formulas for R by assuming the most commonly known models for X₁ and X₂. We feel that this work could serve as a useful reference for engineering fracture mechanics.     

纳米碳纤维复合材料断裂电发射试验研究

采用超声波分散的方法制备了纳米碳纤维／环氧树脂复合材料，研究了纳米碳纤维／环氧树脂复合材料在拉伸和弯曲破坏时的电发射现象，并对其电发射机理进行了探讨。研究结果表明：纳米碳纤维／环氧树脂复合材料在受荷开裂和裂纹扩展过程中均存在明显的电发射现象，这一特性将为复合材料结构的在线监测及非损伤诊断提供新的方法和途径。     

Mixed-mode crack propagation through reinforced concrete

This paper presents the results of a very recent experimental research program aimed at investigating mixed-mode fracture of reinforced concrete. The tests were designed so that only one single mixed-mode crack generates and propagates through the specimen, as opposed to the usual dense crack pattern found in most of the tests in scientific literature. The specimens were three-point-bend beams of three different sizes. They were notched asymmetrically and reinforced with various ratios of longitudinal and inclined reinforcement. These experiments may help to understand the mechanisms of crack initiation and propagation through reinforcing bars under mixed-mode load conditions.     

Structural collapse analysis of framed structures under impact loads using ASI-Gauss finite element method

The main objective of this study is to devise a technique, which, when implemented into finite-element codes, is efficiently applicable to impact collapse analyses of framed structures. In this study, the formerly developed adaptively shifted integration (ASI) technique for the linear Timoshenko beam element is modified into the ASI-Gauss technique by placing the numerical integration points of the two consecutive elements forming an elastically deformed member in such a way that stresses and strains are evaluated at the Gaussian integration points of the two-element member. On comparison with the ASI technique, the ASI-Gauss technique proves its higher accuracy and efficiency in elastic range. Moreover, instead of applying impact loads in the form of nodal forces, we consider the impact phenomenon by means of contacts between the elements involved and the elemental contact algorithm is verified from the point of conservation of energy. Impact analyses considering member fracture with different sets of parameters are performed using a high-rise framed structure and a small aircraft. From the results obtained, we can observe propagation phenomena of impact loads and shock waves. Also, a proper difference in impact damage is obtained by different sets of parameters. The results also indicate that the mass of the aircraft has a stronger influence on impact damage than its velocity. Moreover, soon after impact, tensile stresses are observed in the columns that were compressed by dead loads before impact.     

Cleavage Stress Required to Produce Fracture Path Deflection in Cold-Drawn Prestressing Steel Wires

Cold-drawn prestressing steel wires exhibit strength anisotropy in the form of fracture path deflection towards a direction approaching the wire axis, or cold drawing line, as a consequence of the pearlitic microstructure orientation induced by the manufacturing procedure. Such a crack path deflection is initiated at certain nuclei (fracture origins) at which axial cracking appears in the cold drawing direction (or wire axis) in the form of micro-cleavage units that produce in the load-displacement curve a macroscopic phenomenon of pop-in. This paper shows that such fracture initiators appear at a certain distance from the fatigue pre-crack tip at which a local maximum of the cleavage stress is located.