Les lignes de soudure apparaissent fréquemment par moulage par injection lorsque des fronts séparés de polymère fondu se rencontrent. Elles induisent une réduction significative de la résistance à la rupture et de la déformation, en particulier pour les composites. Il est donc essentiel de prévoir de façon fiable leurs propriétés mécaniques pendant la phase de conception du produit, mais les outils de simulation actuels ne sont pas encore en mesure de le faire. La littérature met en évidence deux raisons principales : une diffusion macromoléculaire incomplète de la matrice polymère aux interfaces et un changement de la distribution d'orientation des fibres. Ce travail s’est donné pour objectif de caractériser et de quantifier la contribution de ces facteurs et de contribuer à améliorer la prédiction des propriétés mécaniques des polymères renforcés de fibres courtes moulés par injection.Des échantillons en PBT renforcé de fibres de verre à 30 % en poids ont été moulées avec des lignes de soudure frontale et fuyante. Les déformations dans les essais mécaniques ont été mesurées par corrélation d'images numériques pour quantifier la localisation dans les lignes de soudure. La microstructure a été déterminée par tomographie X. Nous avons pu notamment montrer que les lignes de soudure fuyantes ne s’estompaient que très lentement et que les fronts de matière se comportent vis-à-vis de l’autre comme des parois. Un modèle physique basé sur la théorie de la reptation a été mis en œuvre pour déterminer un critère de cicatrisation de l’interface. En utilisant la distribution d’orientation mesurée et un schéma d'homogénéisation adéquat pour chaque élément dans une simulation par éléments finis, les propriétés mécaniques jusqu’à la rupture du composite ont pu être calculés et expliquent la réduction des propriétés mécaniques au niveau des lignes de soudure, sachant que les interfaces étaient entièrement cicatrisées pour le matériau de l’étude. Enfin, pour cette matrice semi-cristalline, nous avons montré la nécessité d’utiliser une loi de comportement élastoplastique avec un seuil d’endommagement dépendant de l’orientation des fibres. / Weld Lines frequently appear by injection molding when separate polymer melt fronts meet. They induce a significant reduction in the failure strength and strain, especially for composites. It is therefore essential to predict reliably their mechanical properties during the product design phase, but current simulation tools are still not able to do it. Literature points to two main reasons of WL weakness: an incomplete polymer matrix healing and a change in the fiber orientation distribution. The objective of this work is to characterize and quantify the contribution of these factors and to contribute to improving the prediction of the mechanical properties of injection molded short-fiber reinforced polymers.Samples of 30 % wt. glass fiber-reinforced PBT were injection molded with frontal and flowing weld lines. The deformations in the mechanical tests were measured by of digital image correlation to quantify the location of deformation in the weld lines. The microstructure was quantified using X-ray computed tomography scans. In particular, we were able to show that the flowing weld lines were fading very slowly and that the material fronts behave towards each other like walls. A physical model based on reptation theory was implemented to determine a criterion for interface healing. Using the measured orientation distribution and an appropriate homogenization scheme for each element of a finite elements simulation, the mechanical properties up to the failure of the composite could be calculated and explain the reduction in mechanical properties at the weld lines, knowing that the interfaces were fully healed for the study material. Finally, for this semi-crystalline polymer, we have shown the need to use an elastoplastic constitutive law with a damage threshold depending on the orientation of the fibers.

Cracks form in all materials. This project was about investigating the crackpropagation in 3D-printed PLA. Both simulations and experiments has beenperformed to get the results. The simulations used a already written code to solvethe problem with FEM. It turned out to be much harder then anticipated to getthe simulations to run as they should. Both simulations and experiments wheresupposed to be executed with 3 point bending, but because of convergence problemsin the simulations, simplifications where made. When comparing the simulationsand experiments, no trustworthy conclusions could be made. There are a lot ofsources of error in this project. But with a bit more time and experience with theused software, it should be able to get some good results which one could use tosimulate other material cracking.

Mechanical parameter characterization of very thin polymer films using digital im- age correlation is performed in this work. At present days DIC is widely used in the construction, food industries, and aviation. Despite advantages when compared to other conventional methods, but users still face difficulties with the analysis of thin polymers like low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) thin polymer films. For the application of sprays to obtain the best pattern quality as well as the potential of thin-film material properties tempering from the stochastic pattern paint. This research work will investigate the effect of several spray paints on the material response of thin polymer film. It also shows how to achieve good surface traction, time effect, and the type of spray to be used for DIC analysis. Finally, this research also studies how the width of the specimen affects the wrinkling effect, which is a common phenomenon while testing the thin polymer films and exhibits the appropriate width for reducing wrinkles on thin polymer films.

No description available.

The presented thesis is devoted to the experimental and numerical analysis of concrete fracture under the mixed-mode I/II load. This phenomenon was analysed on various concrete grades and types which are used in the fabrication of precast concrete structural elements. Subsequently, the Brazilian disc test with central specimen was used in experimental and numerical parts. The numerical part employs both linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach and non-linear material model to assess the concrete fracture and failure under the mixed mode I/II load. The LEFM part is dedicated to evaluation the geometry functions and higher order terms of the Williams’ expansion, while the non-linear analysis is dedicated to crack initiation and propagation throughout the specimen using the concrete damage plasticity model. The experimental part is dedicated to the analysis of the mixed mode-mode I/II fracture resistance by the generalised tangential stress (GMTS) criterion with focus set on the governing role of the critical distance rC. Furthermore, the experimental part validates the applicability of the Williams’ expansion on the concrete. For this, experimentally measured displacements by digital image correlation technique were used to calculate the Williams’s expansion terms. Lastly, the thesis deals with the influence of the aggressive environment on the material’s fracture toughness and on the fracture resistance under the mixed mode I/II has been studied.

<p>Modern microbialites and microbial mats are the focus of ongoing research as they provide an opportunity to understand microbial-mineral interactions during carbonate precipitation and the generation of biosignatures that can inform our interpretation of the geological record. This study determined the natural abundance isotopic compositions ([13]C, [14]C) of the primary carbon pools and microbial communities associated with modern freshwater microbialites located in Pavilion Lake and in carbonate rich microbial mats on the nearby Cariboo Plateau in British Columbia, Canada. </p> <p> Natural abundance [14]C analysis of carbon pools associated with the Pavilion Lake microbialites demonstrated that structures were actively growing and that groundwater carbon inputs to the lake and microbialites were minimal. Rather, ambient dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was the primary carbon source for both microbial communities and recent carbonate. </p> <p> Isotopic enrichment of calcium carbonate within microbial communities associated with the microbialites was identified as a biosignature of microbial photosynthetic influence driving precipitation. Elevated oxygen concentrations and pH within the microenvironment of small, sporadic nodular microbial surface communities was concurrent with in situ precipitation of carbonate with δ[13]C values higher than predicted abiotic values and δ[13]C of bulk organic matter and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) that were consistent with a photosynthetically dominated community. Elevated carbonate δ[13]C values were also noted in the thin surface microbial mat recovered from shallow (11m) microbialites. These samples showed increased biomass during summer sampling periods as compared to deeper samples, consistent with expected high rates of photosynthetic activity due to higher light levels and temperature at these depths. These results contrast other recent studies of modern microbialite systems that identified biosignatures of heterotrophic influences on precipitation of carbonates. PLFA profiles demonstrated that the surface microbial mat community consisting of both photosynthetic and heterotrophic microbes was stable over seasonal and spatial changes in light and temperature. However, changes in microbial biomass with depth and season indicated that microbial activity and growth plays an important role in the development of isotopic biosignatures. </p> <p> Biosignatures of high levels of photosynthetic activity were also observed in carbonate, rich microbial mats that exhibited undersaturated p CO2 concentrations during the summer and DIC δ[13]C values enriched above values predicted for isotopic equilibrium with atmospheric CO2. Seasonal and annual shifts in the balance of heterotrophy and autotrophy in the lakes and microenvironment of the mat accounted for observed variations in DIC and associated carbonate δ[13]C values. In contrast to other organic rich microbial mats, bulk organic δ[13]C values were not enriched and the systems did not show evidence of CO2 limitation. Rather, these results indicated that low bulk organic δ[13]C values and large isotopic discriminations can exist under conditions of high DIC concentrations and carbonate content that provide a non limiting carbon source to replenish photosynthetic drawdown. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

No description available.

No description available.

<p>  </p> <p>Knowledge of the displacement and deformation fields beneath foundation elements obtained from carefully executed experiments is required to validate state-of-the-art numerical simulations, which in turn enable the development of better foundation design methods. This dissertation presents the results of an experimental program in which load tests were performed on model footings in a half-cylindrical calibration chamber with a transparent viewing window across its diameter. The digital image correlation (DIC) method was used to obtain the strain and displacement fields in the soil from digital images taken during the tests. Tests performed on both smooth and rough footings show a significant dependence of resistance on footing base roughness, with the DIC results providing insight into the reasons for that dependence. The experimental bearing capacity results are used to validate a previously proposed method in which an equivalent friction angle is used for calculation of the bearing capacity of footings in sand.</p> <p>Schmertmann's method is one of the traditional methods for estimating the settlement of axially loaded footings in sand using cone penetration test (CPT) data. The method was developed for footings placed on the surface of a single, uniform sand layer; it assumes a depth of influence below the footing base within which most of the soil deformations take place and an influence diagram to quantify the influence factor as a function of depth. However, the literature contains limited information on the strain influence diagrams for footings on layered sands, and, as a result, there is no way to accurately account for the effect of sand layering on footing settlement. In this study, Schmertmann's approach for calculating the strain influence factor is modified to account for the effect of two sand layers with varying thickness and relative density. Penetration experiments were performed using a half-square model footing (width <em>B</em> = 90 mm) placed on the surface of both single and two-layered (dense over medium-dense and medium-dense over dense), air-pluviated, silica sand samples prepared inside a half-cylindrical calibration chamber designed for digital image correlation (DIC) analysis. The test results indicate that both the thickness and relative density of the top sand layer (the layer in contact with the footing base) affect the parameters of the strain influence diagram. For dense sand over medium-dense sand, the depth to the peak strain influence factor varies with the thickness of the dense layer; however, when the thickness of the dense layer is 1.5<em>B</em> or greater, the strain influence diagram is similar to that obtained for a single, uniform sand layer. In contrast, for medium-dense sand over dense sand, the peak value of the strain influence factor varies with the thickness of the medium-dense layer up to a value of 1<em>B</em>. Based on the results obtained in this study, new strain influence diagrams are proposed for settlement calculation of square footings on two-layered sand profiles. The proposed method for estimation of footing settlement in layered sand is validated against measured data obtained from a full-scale, instrumented footing load test reported in the literature. </p> <p>The expressions for the shape and depth factors available in the literature for bearing capacity calculation are mostly empirical and are based on results obtained using limit analysis or the method of characteristics assuming a soil that is perfectly plastic following an associated flow rule. This study presents the results of an experimental program in which load tests were performed on model strip and square footings in silica sand prepared inside a half-cylindrical calibration chamber with a transparent visualization window. The results obtained from the model footing load tests show a significant dependence of footing penetration resistance on embedment depth. The load test results were subsequently used to determine experimentally the shape and depth factors for model strip and square footings in sand. To obtain the displacement and strain fields in the sand domain, the digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to analyze the digital images collected at different stages during loading of the model footing. The DIC results provide insights into the magnitude and extent of the vertical and horizontal displacement and maximum shear strain contours below and around the footing base during penetration.</p> <p>The loading of a footing in sand generates substantial shear bands as a mechanism for failure develops with the formation of slip surfaces. The interaction of sand particles in the shear band governs its constitutive response to loading. This study provides the results of loading experiments performed under different conditions on half-square model footings (width <em>B</em> = 90 mm) in dense air-pluviated silica sand samples prepared in a half-cylindrical calibration chamber equipped with an observation window that allows collection of images of the sand domain during testing. Two sands (Ottawa sand and Ohio Gold Frac sand) with different roundness (angularity) were used to perform these experiments. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to obtain the incremental strain fields in the sand domain. The zero-extension line (ZEL) concept was then used to study the shear strain localization process and to obtain the orientation of the shear bands from analysis of the incremental strain fields. The results show that sand particle morphology, footing surface roughness, load eccentricity, and depth of embedment of the model footing have an impact on the dominant shear band patterns that develop below the model footings, and, as a result, all of these factors affect the unit bearing capacity of footings. The estimated thickness <em>t</em>s of the shear band from the experiments is approximately 6<em>D</em>50 for Ottawa sand and approximately 8<em>D</em>50 for Ohio Gold Frac sand. </p>

Dans le cadre de la présente thèse, a été étudié l’impact de la texturation par traitement thermo-mécanique DIC (Détente Instantanée Contrôlée) sur le séchage de divers produits alimentaires. Ce prétraitement a induit une amélioration de la cinétique de l’opération de séchage quand elle est limitée par le transfert interne de la matière couplé au rétrécissement du produit. Ainsi, la diminution du temps de séchage a atteint 67% dans le cas de l’oignon et 77% dans le cas du cassis. Quant à la diffusivité effective Deff, elle a augmenté par rapport à la matière première jusqu’à 246% pour les pépins et 795% pour les déchets de canneberge, 336% pour l’oignon et 1223% pour le cassis. Dans le cas des produits étudiés, la pression de vapeur de traitement DIC a généralement un effet significatif positif sur la cinétique de séchage et d’extraction des différentes molécules. Concernant les caractérisatiques des produits, nous constatons l’impact positif du traitement par DIC quant aux principales caractéristiques de la matière. Ainsi, les composés phénoliques apparaissent plus disponibles à la suite du traitement adéquat par DIC. Le contenu en composés phénoliques et la capacité antioxydante étant supérieurs dans les produits traités par DIC, la qualité nutritionnelle s’est ainsi également trouvée améliorée. Avec une dégradation thermique négligeable, le traitement DIC implique un effet mécanique dû à la détente instantanée, ce qui permet la rupture de certaines structures cellulaires de la matière et l’augmentation de la quantité maximale extractible. Les caractéristiques physiques diverses (masse volumique apparente et taux relatif d’expansion), les caractéristiques microstructurelles (mesurées par microscopie électronique à balayage) et fonctionnelles d’interaction avec l’eau (réhydratation, teneur en eau, isotherme de sorption, microbiologie et contenu nutritionnel...) peuvent être optimisées en fonction des conditions opératoires DIC, selon les besoins du consommateur. / The present PhD work concerns the effect of thermo-mechanical texturing by DIC (Instantaneous Controlled Pressure-Drop) on fruit and vegetable drying. This pretreatment dramatically improves drying kinetics when the internal mass transfer coupled to the shrinkage of the product, is the limiting process. Indeed, the drying time decreased by 67% in the case of onion and 77% for blackcurrants, while the effective diffusivity Deff increased up to 246%, 795%, 336%, and 1223% for cranberry seed and waste, onion and blackcurrants, respectively. With these products, the saturated steam pressure generally has a significant positive effect on the drying kinetics.DIC treatment significantly improves the main nutritional and functional characteristics of the fruits and vegetables, with more available phenols and higher antioxidant activity. As thermal degradation is negligible, the DIC treatment involves micromechanical effect linked to the instant pressure drop, which allows cell to break and structure to be more porous such increasing the maximum extractable amount. Various physical, microstructural and functional characteristics of new textured material allow water interaction to be completely modified in terms of rehydration kinetics and capacity, sorption isotherm, microbiological and nutritional content... depending on operating DIC conditions, which can be optimized according to the consumer needs.