Increasing demands for more reliability and functionalities in electronic devices have pushed the electronics industry to adopt newly developed materials and reduce interconnect sizes and spacing. These adaptations have led to concerns of reliability failures caused by conductive anodic filament formation (CAF). CAF is a conductive copper-containing salt that forms via an electrochemical process. It is initiated at the anode and grows along the epoxy/glass interface to the cathode, and once CAF reaches the cathode a short circuit will occur. The objective of this research is to evaluate and compare the effects of curing agents (DICY vs. phenolic-cured epoxy) and drilling methods (laser vs. mechanical drilling) on CAF formation using an insulation resistance test at 85 ºC, relative humidity of 85%, and a voltage gradient of 0.4V/µm. Time-to-failure for DICY-cured and phenolic-cured epoxy with laser drilled microvias and mechanically drilled vias were determined using the insulation resistance test. The failed coupons were cross-sectioned and examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to verify the existence of CAF. Weibull analysis was used to compare the reliability and identify the failure modes of the failed coupons. Test results show that DICY-cured epoxy is a better CAF resistant material than phenolic-cured epoxy. It is believed that the brittleness of phenolic-cured material might enhance the damage to the epoxy/glass fiber interface during drilling; and hence, facilitate subsequent CAF formation. The study also shows that laser drilled microvias are less prone to CAF formation than mechanically drilled vias, because there is less mechanical damage and lower glass fiber content. Finally, using Weibull analysis, it is determined that laser drilled microvias experienced infant-mortality failure, whereas mechanically drilled vias exhibited a wear-out type failure.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-08-11Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:55:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 damato_ca_me_guara.pdf: 5189731 bytes, checksum: 7cf7374eb00bfc3261138978aa82aad6 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O desenvolvimento da tecnologia dos compósitos híbridos, combinando laminados poliméricos reforçados com fibras longas e placas metálicas, normalmente ligas de alumínio, denominados de CHMF, tem como uma de suas finalidades formar um conjunto de materiais que combine elevados valores de resistência mecânica, resistência ao impacto, rigidez e baixa massa específica. Essa combinação de propriedades torna os CHMF particularmente atrativos como substituintes das ligas metálicas e dos compósitos termorrígidos convencionais, em aplicações aeroespaciais. O objetivo deste trabalho de pesquisa é avaliar os efeitos de diferentes condicionamentos ambientais (umidade e temperatura elevadas, salinidade e variações súbitas de temperatura) em CHMF dos tipos GLARE® (metal-fibra de vidro) e CARALL® (metal-fibra de carbono). Os efeitos dos condicionamentos estudados foram avaliados por ensaios de cisalhamento interlaminar (ILSS) e Iosipescu e ensaios de vibração livre. O estudo revela que a exposição a elevados ciclos de temperatura influencia significativamente as propriedades de cisalhamento dos laminados, devido, principalmente, à diferença dos coeficientes de expansão térmica entre os seus constituintes. Observa-se também que os módulos de perda e armazenamento são afetados, devido à possível formação de microtrincas na matriz polimérica e degradação da interface metal/compósito. Já a presença do baixo teor de umidade, por sua vez, não afeta de maneira significativa as propriedades de cisalhamento e viscoelásticas. Finalmente, a exposição em atmosfera salina mostrou-se o condicionamento mais agressivo, devido à formação de “pits” de corrosão nas camadas metálicas dos laminados / The technological development of hybrid composites combining long-fiber reinforced polymeric laminates with metallic sheets, usually Al alloys, denominated FML, aims to obtain a range of materials with high mechanical strength values, stiffness and low weight. This combination of properties becomes the FML attractive as substitutes of both metal alloys and conventional thermosetting composites in aerospace applications. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effects of different environmental conditionings (high moisture and temperature, saline atmosphere and sudden changing of temperature) in GLARE® (glass fiber-metal laminates) and CARALL® (carbon fibermetal laminates) FML samples. Interlaminar and Iosipescu shear and free vibration tests were used to evaluate the studied environmental conditioning effects. The study shows that the exposure to high temperature cycles influences significantly the shear properties of the laminates, mainly due to the thermal expansion coefficient differences of their constituents. It is also observed that the loss and storage modules are affected due to the possible formation of microcracks in the polymer matrix and also the metal/composite interface degradation. In the other side, the presence of low moisture content does not affect so significantly the shear and viscoelastic properties. Finally, the saline atmosphere exposure showed the most aggressive conditioning, due to the formation of corrosion pits on the metal layers of the laminate

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-09-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:59:49Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 faria_mcm_me_guara.pdf: 1588754 bytes, checksum: 9b1c6339bf770de5c7936e9e915a4c01 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O contínuo crescimento na utilização de compósitos termoplásticos em componentes estruturais na indústria aeroespacial deve-se, primordialmente, à flexibilidade de projeto, excelência de suas propriedades mecânicas e baixa massa específica, aliadas aos elevados valores de resistência mecânica e rigidez e baixa incidência de corrosão, atendendo aos severos requisitos de desempenho dessas estruturas quando em serviço. No entanto, componentes que requerem exigências estruturais, quando expostos a ambientes agressivos como elevada temperatura e umidade, podem ter suas propriedades mecânicas sensibilizadas por esses fatores ambientais, e devem ser cuidadosamente avaliados antes de serem colocados em serviço. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a influência do condicionamento higrotérmico (câmara climática e imersão em banho termostatizado) nas propriedades mecânicas (resistências à tração, fadiga e cisalhamento) e viscoelásticas de laminados PPS/Carbono e PPS/Vidro. Os laminados utilizados neste trabalho foram fornecidos pela empresa holandesa TenCate. Os resultados mostram que os laminados condicionados em câmara climática apresentaram absorção de umidade segundo as leis de Fick, entretanto, os laminados de PPS/Vidro submetidos ao condicionamento por imersão em banho termostatizado apresentaram um comportamento anômalo. Associado a estes resultados foi também observado que os laminados condicionados tiveram um decréscimo no valor de suas resistências ao cisalhamento, entretanto, apresentaram um aumento nos valores de temperatura de transição vítrea e resistência à tração. Os resultados obtidos a partir dos ensaios de fadiga praticamente não sofreram alteração com o condicionamento ambiental. A partir dos resultados obtidos neste trabalho, pode ser concluído que a utilização de laminados de PPS/Carbono e PPS/Vidro em aplicações... / The continuous use of thermoplastic composites in structural components of aerospace industry is due to essentially to the project flexibility, good mechanical properties and low specific mass, allied with elevated values of mechanical strength and rigidity and low corrosion incidence, attempted to severe requirements of these structures in service. However, components that require structural demand, when exposed in aggressive atmosphere such as high temperature and moisture, can have mechanical properties sensibility for these factors, and should be carefully studied before to be available in service. This way, the purpose of this work is to evaluate the hygrothermal conditioning influence (by using hygrothermal chamber and thermostatic bath immersion) on the mechanical properties (tensile strength fatigue and interlaminar shear) and on the viscoelastic behavior of PPS/carbon and PPS/glass laminates. The laminates used in this work were supplied by TenCate Dutch Company. The results obtained shows that conditioning laminates in hygrothermal chamber presented moisture absorption according to the Fick‟s law, however, the PPS/glass laminates submitted to thermostatic bath immersion presented a anomalous behavior. Associated to these results, it was also observed that the conditioned laminates had a decrease of shear strength values, however, presented an increase of glass transition temperature and tensile strength values. Results obtained according to fatigue tests practically do not change with the atmosphere conditioning. According to the results obtained in this work can be concluded that the use of thermoplastic laminates in aerospace applications is viable, because these laminates are less susceptible to atmosphere effect problems.

Recent terrorist attacks on critical infrastructures using car bombs have heightened awareness on the needs for blast resistance of structures. Blast design of civilian buildings has not been a common practice in structural design. For this reason, there is now an urgent need to mitigate the potentially devastating effects of blast shock waves on existing structures. The current research project, the results of which are reported in this dissertation, aims to expand knowledge on blast resistance of reinforced concrete building columns, while developing a technology and design procedure for protecting critical buildings columns against the damaging effects of impulsive blast loads through the use of externally applied fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) jackets of different material architecture. The research project has a significant experimental component, with analytical verifications. A total of thirty two reinforced concrete columns were experimentally investigated under the effects of simulated blast loads using the University of Ottawa Shock Tube. Column dimensions were 150 mm x 150 mm in cross section and 2438 mm in length. Each concrete column was reinforced longitudinally with four 10M rebars which were tied laterally with 6.3 mm closed steel hoops, spaced at 37.5 mm and 100 mm c/c, representing seismic and non-seismic column details, respectively. The experimental research had two phases. Phase-I (sub-study) included blast tests of eight as-built, seismically detailed columns. The behaviour of these columns was explored under single and multiple blast shots, with and without the application of pre-blast axial loads. Phase-II (main-study) included column tests of different carbon FRP (CFRP) designs to investigate the significance of the use of different CFRP column jacket designs on dynamic response of twenty four seismic and non-seismic RC columns. Analytical investigation was conducted to assess and verify the significance of experimentally investigated parameters on column response. These included the use of Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) dynamic inelastic analysis, generation of dynamic resistance functions, the effects of variable axial loads, different plastic hinge lengths and the influence of secondary moments (P- moments) on column behaviour. The results indicate that the loading history has effects on column response, with multiple shots reducing column stiffness, and affecting dynamic response of columns relative to single blast shots of equivalent magnitude. The effect of concrete strength within the normal-strength concrete range is to increase strength and decrease deformations. Columns with CFRP jackets have considerable improvements in column deformability, with additional increases in column strength. The CFRP laminate design influences performance, with jackets having fibres in ±45o orientation especially improving column ductility and increasing plastic hinge lengths, thereby permitting redistribution of stresses and dissipating blast energy. Axial gravity loads vary during blast loads and can affect column strength. It was shown that SDOF dynamic inelastic analysis does capture key structural performance parameters in blast analysis. The consideration of experimentally observed parameters in column analysis; including the influence of CFRP design and associated change in plastic hinge length, variable axial load during response, and secondary moment (P- moments) result in significant improvements in the accuracy of blast analysis. The experimental results and the suggested improvements to the SDOF analysis technique can be used to implement a performance-based design approach recommended as part of the current research project for design of CFRP protection systems for concrete columns.This research project was conducted jointly by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and the University of Ottawa.

The growing number of applications of composite materials in aerospace and naval structures along with advancements in manufacturing technologies demand continuous innovations in the design of composite structures. In the traditional design of composite laminates, fiber orientation angles are constant for each layer and are usually limited to 0, 90, and ±45 degrees. To fully benefit from the directional properties of composite laminates, such limitations have to be removed. The concept of variable-stiffness laminates allows the stiffness properties to vary spatially over the laminate. Through tailoring of fiber orientations and laminate thickness spatially in an optimal fashion, mechanical properties of a part can be improved. In this thesis, the optimal design of variable-stiffness fiber-reinforced composite laminates is studied using an emerging numerical engineering optimization scheme based on the cellular automata paradigm. A cellular automaton (CA) based design scheme uses local update rules for both field variables (displacements) and design variables (lay-up configuration and laminate density measure) in an iterative fashion to convergence to an optimal design. In the present work, the displacements are updated based on the principle of local equilibrium and the design variables are updated according to the optimality criteria for minimum compliance design. A closed form displacement update rule for constant thickness isotropic continua is derived, while for the general anisotropic continua with variable thickness a numeric update rule is used. Combined lay-up and topology design of variable-stiffness flat laminates is performed under the action of in-plane loads and bending loads. An optimality criteria based formulation is used to obtain local design rules for minimum compliance design subject to a volume constraint. It is shown that the design rule splits into a two step application. In the first step an optimal lay-up configuration is computed and in the second step the density measure is obtained. The spatial lay-up design problem is formulated using both fiber angles and lamination parameters as design variables. A weighted average formulation is used to handle multiple load case designs. Numerical studies investigate the performance of the proposed design methodology. The optimal lay-up configuration is independent of the lattice density with more details emerging as the density is increased. Moreover, combined topology and lay-up designs are free of checkerboard patterns. The lay-up design problem is also solved using lamination parameters instead of the fiber orientation angles. The use of lamination parameters has two key features: first, the convexity of the minimization problem guarantees a global minimum; second, for both in-plane and bending problems it limits the number of design variables to four regardless of the actual number of layers, thereby simplifying the optimization task. Moreover, it improves the convergence rate of the iterative design scheme as compared to using fiber angles as design variables. Design parametrization using lamination parameters provides a theoretically better design, however, manufacturability of the designs is not certain. The cases of general, balanced symmetric, and balanced symmetric with equal thickness layers are studied separately. The feasible domain for laminates with equal thickness layers is presented for an increasing number of layers. A restricted problem is proposed that maintains the convexity of the design space for laminates with equal thickness layers. A recursive formulation for computing fiber angles for this case is also presented. On the computational side of the effort, a parallel version of the present CA formulation is implemented on message passing multiprocessor clusters. A standard parallel implementation does not converge for an increased number of processors. Detailed analysis revealed that the convergence problem is due to a Jacobi type iteration scheme, and a pure Gauss-Seidel type iteration through a pipeline implementation completely resolved the convergence problem. Timing results giving the speedup for the pipeline implementation were obtained for up to 260 processors. This work was supported by Grant NAG-1-01105 from NASA Langley Research Center. Special thanks to our project monitor Dr. Damodar R. Ambur for his technical guidance. / Ph. D.

It is possible to create laminae that have spatially varying fiber orientation with a tow placement machine. A laminate which is composed of such plies will have stiffness properties which vary as a function of position. Previous work had modelled such variable-stiffness laminae by taking a reference fiber path and creating subsequent paths by shifting the reference path. This thesis introduces a method where subsequent paths are truly parallel to the reference fiber path. The primary manufacturing constraint considered in the analysis of variable-stiffness laminates was limits on fiber curvature which proved to be more restrictive for parallel fiber laminae than for shifted fiber. The in-plane responses of shifted and parallel fiber variable-stiffness laminates to either an applied uniform end shortening or in-plane shear were determined. Both shifted and parallel fiber variable-stiffness laminates can redistribute the applied load thereby increasing critical buckling loads compared to traditional straight fiber laminates. The primary differences between the two methods is that parallel fiber laminates are not able to redistribute the loading to the degree of the shifted fiber. This significantly reduces the increase in critical buckling load for parallel fiber variable-stiffness laminates over straight fiber laminates. / Master of Science

The matrix cracking transverse to loading direction is usually one of the most common observations of damages in composite laminates. The initiation and propagation of transverse cracks have been a longstanding issue in the last few decades. In this paper, a three-dimensional stress analysis method based on the state space approach is used to compute the stresses, including the inter-laminar stresses near transverse cracks in laminated composites. The stress field is then used to estimate the energy release rate, from which the initiation and propagation of transverse cracking are predicted. The proposed method is illustrated by numerical solutions and is validated by available experimental results. To the best knowledge of the authors, the predictions of crack behaviour for non-symmetrical laminates and laminates subject to in-plane shearing are presented for the first time in the literature.

Composite panel structure optimization is commonly decomposed into panel optimization subproblems, with specified local loads, resulting in manufacturing incompatibilities between adjacent panel designs. Using genetic algorithms to optimize local panel stacking sequences allows panel populations of stacking sequences to evolve in parallel and send migrants to adjacent panels, so as to blend the local panel designs globally. The blending process is accomplished using the edit distance between individuals of a population and the set of migrants from adjacent panels. The objective function evaluating the fitness of designs is modified according to the severity of mismatches detected between neighboring populations. This lays the ground work for natural evolution to a blended global solution without leaving the paradigm of genetic algorithms. An additional method applied here for constructing globally blended panel designs uses a parallel decomposition antithetical to that of earlier work. Rather than performing concurrent panel genetic optimizations, a single genetic optimization is conducted for the entire structure with the parallelism solely within the fitness evaluations. A guide based genetic algorithm approach is introduced to exclusively generate and evaluate valid globally blended designs, utilizing a simple master-slave parallel implementation, implicitly reducing the size of the problem design space and increasing the quality of discovered local optima. / Ph. D.

Wide arrays of applications exist for sensing systems capable of magnetic field detection. A broad range of sensors are already used in this capacity, but future sensors need to increase sensitivity while remaining economical. A promising sensor system to meet these requirements is that of magnetoelectric (ME) laminates. ME sensors produce an electric field when a magnetic field is applied. While this ME effect exists to a limited degree in single phase materials, it is more easily achieved by laminating a magnetostrictive material, which deforms when exposed to a magnetic field, to a piezoelectric material. The transfer of strain from the magnetostrictive material to the piezoelectric material results in an electric field proportional to the induced magnetic field. Other fabrication techniques may impart the directionality needed to classify the ME sensor as a vector magnetometer. ME laminate sensors are more affordable to fabricate than competing vector magnetometers and with recent increases in sensitivity, have potential for use in arrays and gradiometer configurations. However, little is known about their total field detection, the effects of multiple sensors in close proximity and the signal processing needed for target localization. The goal for this project is to closely examine the single axis ME sensor response in different orientations with a moving magnetic dipole to assess the field detection capabilities. Multiple sensors were tested together to determine if the response characteristics are altered by the DC magnetic bias of ME sensors in close proximity. And finally, the ME sensor characteristics were compared to alternate vector magnetometers. / Master of Science

Composite panel structure optimization is commonly decomposed into panel optimization subproblems, with specified local loads, resulting in manufacturing incompatibilities between adjacent panel designs. Using genetic algorithms to optimize local panel stacking sequences allows panel populations of stacking sequences to evolve in parallel and send migrants to adjacent panels, so as to blend the local panel designs globally. The blending process is accomplished using the edit distance between individuals of a population and the set of migrants from adjacent panels. The objective function evaluating the fitness of designs is modified according to the severity of mismatches detected between neighboring populations. This lays the ground work for natural evolution to a blended global solution without leaving the paradigm of genetic algorithms. An additional method proposed here for constructing globally blended panel designs uses a parallel decomposition antithetical to that of earlier work. Rather than performing concurrent panel genetic optimizations, a single genetic optimization is conducted for the entire structure with the parallelism solely within the fitness evaluations. A guide based genetic algorithm approach is introduced to exclusively generate and evaluate valid globally blended designs, utilizing a simple master-slave parallel implementation, implicitly reducing the size of the problem design space and increasing the quality of discovered local optima. / Master of Science