Hot mix asphalt (HMA) is a composite material which consists of aggregates, air voids and asphalt materials. The HMA response is typically described to be viscoelastic-viscoplastic, and its response is a function of temperature, stress/strain rate, and stress/strain level. Many researches have shown that the viscoelastic response of asphalt mixtures can be nonlinear once the stress/strain value exceeds a certain threshold level. This study presents a nonlinear viscoelastic-viscoplastic model for describing the behavior of asphalt materials under various conditions. A new method is developed in this study for separating the viscoelastic response from the viscoplastic response. The first part of this study focuses on the implementation of Schapery nonlinear viscoelastic model in finite element (FE) using a user-defined material subroutine (UMAT) within the ABAQUS commercial software. The FE implementation employs the recursive-iterative integration algorithm, which can improve the convergence and save the calculating time. The verification of the nonlinear viscoelastic model is achieved by analyzing (1) the response of asphalt mixtures tested in the Simple Shear Test (SST) at several temperatures and stress levels, (2) the response of unaged and aged asphalt binders tested in the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), and (3) the response of asphalt binders in the multiple stress creep recovery test (MSCR). In the second part of this study, the nonlinear viscoelastic-viscoplastic constitutive relationship is implemented using UMAT. The viscoplastic component of the model employs Perzyna’s theory with Extended Drucker-Prager yield surface which is modified to account for the difference in material response under compression and extension stress states. The study includes parametric analysis to illustrate the effect of nonlinear viscoelastic parameters and viscoplastic parameters on the asphalt mix response. The capability of the model in describing the fatigue and permanent deformation distresses of asphalt pavements is illustrated using finite element simulations. The constitutive model developed in this study can describe the behavior of asphalt materials (asphalt binder, asphalt mastic and mixtures) under various testing conditions. This study also achieved the FE implementation of a nonlinear viscoelasticviscoplastic constitutive model that can simulate the fatigue and permanent deformation distresses of asphalt pavement structures.

The thesis provides the required knowledge base for establishing Laser Induced Stress Wave Thermometry (LISWT) as a viable alternative to current infrared technologies for temperature measurement up to 1000°C with ±1°C resolution. The need for a non-contact, high resolution thermal measurement methodology applicable to Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) motivated the work. A stress wave propagation model was developed and a complex, temperature-dependent elasto-viscoplastic constitutive law was identified. A stagger-grid finite difference scheme was followed to approximate the solution field subject to temperature and plate thickness variations. Extensive numerical experiments were conducted to identify the proper time and spatial steps. A Gabor wavelet transform scheme was also employed for the extraction of wafer thermal and geometric information from exploring wave attenuation and dispersion. Researched results concluded that wave group velocity is a nonlinear function of temperature. Nonlinearity became more prominent at high temperatures and low frequencies. As such, for LISWT to achieve better thermal resolution at high temperatures, low frequency components of the induced stress wave should be exploited. The results also showed that the influence of temperature on attenuation is relatively small. It is not recommended to use attenuation for resolving temperature variation as small as several degrees Celsius. In addition to temperature, geometry also was found to have an impact on wave dispersion and attenuation. The results showed that the influence of thickness on wave velocity is significant, thus suggesting that for LISWT to achieve high temperature resolution, wafer thickness must be accurately calibrated in order to eliminate all possible errors introduced by thickness variation. The study established the basic framework for LISWT to be applicable to silicon wafer RTP at elevated temperatures. The model and methods developed for the course of the research can be easily adapted to account for other nondestructive evaluation applications involving the use of surface, plate or bulk waves for material characterization and thermal profiling.

The thesis provides the required knowledge base for establishing Laser Induced Stress Wave Thermometry (LISWT) as a viable alternative to current infrared technologies for temperature measurement up to 1000°C with ±1°C resolution. The need for a non-contact, high resolution thermal measurement methodology applicable to Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) motivated the work. A stress wave propagation model was developed and a complex, temperature-dependent elasto-viscoplastic constitutive law was identified. A stagger-grid finite difference scheme was followed to approximate the solution field subject to temperature and plate thickness variations. Extensive numerical experiments were conducted to identify the proper time and spatial steps. A Gabor wavelet transform scheme was also employed for the extraction of wafer thermal and geometric information from exploring wave attenuation and dispersion. Researched results concluded that wave group velocity is a nonlinear function of temperature. Nonlinearity became more prominent at high temperatures and low frequencies. As such, for LISWT to achieve better thermal resolution at high temperatures, low frequency components of the induced stress wave should be exploited. The results also showed that the influence of temperature on attenuation is relatively small. It is not recommended to use attenuation for resolving temperature variation as small as several degrees Celsius. In addition to temperature, geometry also was found to have an impact on wave dispersion and attenuation. The results showed that the influence of thickness on wave velocity is significant, thus suggesting that for LISWT to achieve high temperature resolution, wafer thickness must be accurately calibrated in order to eliminate all possible errors introduced by thickness variation. The study established the basic framework for LISWT to be applicable to silicon wafer RTP at elevated temperatures. The model and methods developed for the course of the research can be easily adapted to account for other nondestructive evaluation applications involving the use of surface, plate or bulk waves for material characterization and thermal profiling.

This dissertation presents the integration of a damage viscoelastic constitutive relationship with a viscoplastic relationship in order to develop a comprehensive anisotropic damage viscoelastic-viscoplastic model that is capable of capturing hot mix asphalt (HMA) response and performance under a wide range of temperatures, loading rates, and stress states. The damage viscoelasticity model developed by Schapery (1969) is employed to present the recoverable response, and the viscoplasticity model developed at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is improved and used to model the irrecoverable strain component. The influence of the anisotropic aggregate distribution is accounted for in both the viscoelastic and viscoplastic responses. A comprehensive material identification experimental program is developed in this study. The experimental program is designed such that the quantification and decomposition of the response into viscoelastic and viscoplastic components can be achieved. The developed experimental program and theoretical framework are used to analyze repeated creep tests conducted on three mixes that include aggregates with different characteristics. An experiment was conducted to capture and characterize the three-dimensional distribution of aggregate orientation and air voids in HMA specimens. X-ray computed tomography (CT) and image analysis techniques were used to analyze the microstructure in specimens before and after being subjected to triaxial repeated creep and recovery tests as well as monotonic constant strain rate tests. The results indicate that the different loading conditions and stress states induce different microstructure distributions at the same macroscopic strain level. Also, stress-induced anisotropy is shown to develop in HMA specimens.

No description available.

No description available.

An elasto-visco-plastic deformation model predicts stresses and distortions in a low-carbon steel casting. Features of the model include rate and hardening effects, temperature-dependent properties, and pressure-dependent deformation in the mushy zone. A volume-averaging technique considers the multiple phases during solidification and is used to formulate the conservation equations, which (due to a weak link between temperatures and deformations) are decoupled and solved sequentially using commercial software. Temperature fields are calculated first using MAGMAsoft (MAGMAsoft, MAGMA GmbH, Kackerstrasse 11, 52072 Aachen, Germany) and then exported to a finite element software package, ABAQUS (Abaqus/Standard, Abaqus, Inc., Providence, RI, 2006), which predicts stresses and distortions. In order to simulate the conditions encountered in an industrial casting process, predicted temperatures and distortions are matched with experimental data from in situ casting trials. Preliminary simulations do not agree with the experimental distortions, which suggest that stress-strain data from mechanical tests (from which the mechanical properties were estimated) does not accurately characterize the material behavior of a casting during solidification and cooling. The adjustments needed to match measured and predicted distortions provide valuable insight to the effect a solidified microstructure has on its mechanical properties.

Yes / An established statistical mechanical theory of amorphous polymer deformation has been incorporated as a plastic mechanism into a constitutive model and applied to a range of polymer mechanical deformations. The temperature and rate dependence of the tensile yield of PVC, as reported in early studies, has been modeled to high levels of accuracy. Tensile experiments on PET reported here are analyzed similarly and good accuracy is also achieved. The frequently observed increase in the gradient of the plot of yield stress against logarithm of strain rate is an inherent feature of the constitutive model. The form of temperature dependence of the yield that is predicted by the model is found to give an accurate representation. The constitutive model is developed in two-dimensional form and implemented as a user-defined subroutine in the finite element package ABAQUS. This analysis is applied to the tensile experiments on PET, in some of which strain is localized in the form of shear bands and necks. These deformations are modeled with partial success, though adiabatic heating of the instability causes inaccuracies for this isothermal implementation of the model. The plastic mechanism has advantages over the Eyring process, is equally tractable,and presents no particular difficulties in implementation with finite elements. / F. Boutenel acknowledges an Erasmus Programme Scholarship

[pt] Um dos principais problemas no funcionamento de oleodutos submarinos que transportam óleos parafínicos é o reinício do escoamento depois de longas paradas na produção. Durante o percurso desde o reservatório até a plataforma, o óleo (que sai a elevadas temperaturas), é submetido a uma queda brusca de temperatura em função da troca de calor com o leito do mar. Este fenômeno é acelerado em paradas de produção. O resfriamento faz com que as moléculas de parafina se precipitem, formando um gel que pode bloquear totalmente a linha. Nestas condições, para o reinício do escoamento pode ser necessária uma pressão bem maior do que a pressão de funcionamento normal do duto. Assim, é fundamental o conhecimento da pressão mínima necessária ao reinício do escoamento, para permitir a determinação da potência das bombas do oleoduto. Sabe-se da literatura que o comportamento viscoplástico é a principal característica reológica do óleo parafínico a baixa temperatura. Neste trabalho estudamos o reinício de escoamento utilizando um material viscoplástico ideal, a saber, soluções aquosas de Carbopol. As soluções de Carbopol foram caracterizadas reologicamente, e as curvas de escoamento medidas foram ajustadas utilizando a função viscosidade de Herschel-Bulkley. Testes preliminares de validação acusaram a presença de deslizamento na parede do tubo (inicialmente de aço inox), o que levouà troca para um tubo de resina poliester com a parede interna roscada. Testes de validação com um óleo newtoniano mostraram excelente concordância com a solução analítica (Hagen-Poiseuille). Resultados numéricos foram obtidos usando as funções viscosidade determinadas nos testes de reometria, e confrontados com os resultados experimentais obtidos com as soluções de Carbopol. / [en] On of the main problems in the operation of subsea pipelines that convey paraffin oils is the flow startup after long stoppages. Along the path from the reservoir to the platform, the oil experiences significant heat losses, especially to the low-temperature water at the sea bottom. When there is no flow, the oil may reach very low temperatures. Cooling induces wax precipitation and hence gelification of the oil, which may cause blockage of the pipeline. Under these circumstances, pressures much higher than the usual ones may be needed to cause the flow to restart. The knowledge of the minimum pressure level that causes flow after prolonged stoppages is an important piece of information that is needed in the specification of the pipeline pumps. It is known from the literature that the viscoplastic behavior is the main rheological characteristic of gelled oils. In this work we analyzed the flow startup using an ideal viscoplastic material, namely, aqueous Carbopol solutions. These solutions were rheologically characterized, and the measured flow curves were fitted to the Herschel-Bulkley rheological function. Preliminary validation tests unveiled the presence of wall slip at the stainless steel tube wall. For this reason, a different tube was employed, whose material was a polyester resin and whose inner tube wall was roughened. Validation test results for a Newtonian oil were in excellent agreement with the analytical solution (Hagen-Poiseuille). Numerical results were obtained using the viscosity functions determined from the rheological measurements, and confronted with the experimental results for the Carbopol solutions.

[pt] Escoamentos de fluidos viscoplásticos através de expansões e contrações são encontrados em diversos processos industriais. Neste trabalho é feita a simulação numérica do escoamento de um fluido viscoplástico através de uma expansão abrupta axisimétrica seguida de uma contração. Resultados experimentais mostram que em certas condições para este tipo de escoamento pode surgir uma região estacionária do fluido, causado uma fratura do material entre esta região e a região de escoamento. Um dos objetivos deste trabalho é verificar se o modelo constitutivo usado na simulação numérica pode prever este tipo de comportamento. Outro objetivo é investigar os efeitos dos parâmetros geométricos e reológicos nos padrões de escoamento. A solução numérica das equações de conservação de massa e quantidade de movimento é obtida usando o método de volumes finitos. Para modelar o comportamento não Newtoniano do fluido, é utilizada a equação constitutiva de Fluido Newtoniano Generalizado. Duas diferentes equações são utilizadas para a função viscosidade: o modelo de Carreau-Yasuda e o modelo de Herschel-Bulkley. A solução numérica fornece os campos de velocidade, viscosidade e pressão. Observa-se que existe uma transição no padrão de escoamento quando o comprimento do duto central (que é o de maior diâmetro) aumenta. Para baixos valores da razão entre o comprimento e o diâmetro do duto central, o material viscoplástico parece fraturar perto da região central do escoamento. Para valores maiores desta mesma razão, o padrão de escoamento dos materiais viscoplásticos tem o mesmo comportamento qualitativo ao de um fluido Newtoniano, não sendo observado nenhuma fratura. / [en] Flow of viscoplastic fluids through expansions and contractions are found in several industrial processes. In this work, a numerical simulation of a viscoplastic fluid flow through a sudden axysimetric expansion followed by a contraction is performed. Experimental results show that under certain conditions, for this kind of flow a stagnant flow region may appear in certain conditions, causing a material fracture between this region and the flow region. One of the goals of this work is to verify if the constitutive model used in the numerical simulation can predict this kind of behavior. The effects of rheological and geometrical parameters on flow patterns are also investigated. The numerical solution of conservation equations of mass and momentum is obtained via finite volume method. In order to model the non-Newtonian behavior of the fluid, it is used the Generalized Newtonian Fluid constitutive equation. Two different equations for the viscosity function are used: the Carreau-Yasuda model and the Herschel-Bulkley model. The numerical solution gives the velocity, viscosity and pressure fields. It is observed that there is a flow pattern transition as the length of the central duct (which is the one with larger diameter) is increased. For low values of the ratio between the length and diameter of the central duct, the viscoplastic material seems to fracture near the core region of the flow. For larger values of the same ratio, the viscoplastic materials flow pattern has the same qualitative behavior of that one that occurs for Newtonian fluids, and no fracture is observed.