The objective of this research was to develop and verify a mathematical model that enables the prediction of the effects of heat treatment on cast aluminum alloy components. The model, which uses the commercially available software (ABAQUS), predicts dimensional changes, distortion, and residual stresses in heat treated components. An extensive database is developed for an example aluminum alloy (A356) and includes the mechanical, physical, and thermal properties of the alloy all as functions of temperature. The database is obtained through calculations and measurements made on A356 alloy specimens. In addition, boundary conditions ¨C in the form of heat transfer coefficients for each of the heat treatment steps - are obtained from measurements performed with a special quenching system developed at the Center for Heat Treating Excellence at WPI. The database and boundary conditions were used in the software to predict the dimensional changes, distortions, and residual stresses that develop in a commercial A356 cast component that is subjected to a standard commercial heat treating cycle. In order to verify the accuracy of the software predictions, the predictions were compared to their measured counterparts, where dimensional changes and distortion were measured with a coordinate measuring machine, and residual stresses were measured with x-ray diffraction.

In the production of parts for direct industrial application and for developing research purposes, it is of utmost importance to understand the defects associated with the material system. In this work, the microstructural and mechanical properties of 316L Stainless Steel deposits and cast Aluminum A356 and Magnesium AZ91 alloys are investigated. The study first examines the design of efficient gating systems utilizing the Electromagnetic Pump Green Sand system to produce vertically cast A356 plates. A series of numerical simulations were developed for each of the four gating designs in order to compare modeling results with actual castings. The method of four-point bend (FPB) testing was used to obtain information about the effect of oxide entrainment on the mechanical properties of the parts, and from this data, a two-parameter Weibull statistical analysis was performed in order to quantify specimen failure rate for each of the configurations. Metallographic analysis was carried out using optical microscopy, and fractography using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In keeping with light alloys focus, the determination of superior casting processes for AZ91 alloys is also studied. Passenger car control arms were cast by Indirect Squeeze Cast, Low Pressure Permanent Mold, T-Mag, and Ablation processes. The microstructure, grain size, porosity distribution, and defect analyses were obtained with optical microscopy and the ImageAnalyzer program. The mechanical behavior was characterized from the FPB and tensile tests. The four casting processes were evaluated in terms of reliability again using a Weibull analysis of the ultimate bending strength determined from the FPB test samples. Metallographic analysis was performed on these samples, revealing noticeable microstructural differences between them, with some even showing possible evidence of oxide films. Lastly, the study of process parameters such as beam and laser current, translation speed, and wire feed and deposition rate associated with 316L stainless steel deposits produced by both Laser Engineered Net Shaping and Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication becomes the research objective. Tensile tests, optical microscopy, and SEM were used to determine mechanical properties, characterize solidification grain structure, porosity, secondary dendrite arm spacing, and possible modes of failure.

Published Article / The heat treatment cycles that are currently applied to semi-solid processed components are mostly those that are in use for traditional dendritic alloys. These heat treatments are not necessarily the optimum heat treatments for SSM processing. The T6 heat treatment of aluminium alloys is a relatively expensive process and a reduction in treatment times would be advantageous. In order to improve the T6 heat treatment cycle for rheocast alloy A356, the effect of various parameters on the quality index were investigated. These included solution treatment time, natural aging time, artificial aging temperature and artificial aging time.

In-storage losses of seed vigor, i.e., aging, that occur between harvest and planting may leave soybeans essentially worthless as seed. Peroxidation of lipids, with resultant loss of membrane integrity, is theorized to be a primary event in seed aging. Lipid antioxidants might have the potential to protect dry seed by neutralizing free radicals, which propagate lipid peroxidation and other destructive events. Seed were treated with antioxidants in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to investigate possible protective effects of antioxidants during storage and thus also provide evidence for the lipid peroxidation model of seed aging. The toxicity of DMSO to soybean seed was found to be minimal at treatment times of 15 min or less. Seed were treated for 15 min with 0, 5, 25, and 50 mM solutions in DMSO of propyl gallate (PG), butylated hydroxyanisore (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). Germination, seed leakage, seedling vigor, and phospholipids in the embryonic axis were monitored following storage at 40 C for up to 90 days. / Master of Science

Ce travail a pour objectif d'étudier la tenue en fatigue de l'alliage de fonderie A356-T6 sous chargement multiaxial. Des essais en fatigue à 106 cycles ont été effectués pour deux rapports de chargements différents à Rσ = 0 et Rσ = -1. La première partie expérimentale est menée sur des éprouvettes issues d'une coulée en ‘V’ avec des défauts naturels de fonderie et des défauts artificiels avec une variation de la microstructure. Suite aux résultats expérimentaux, nous avons montré que la taille des défauts ainsi que la microstructure caractérisée par la SDAS, sont les principaux paramètres qui influencent la limite de fatigue de cet alliage. Par comparaison entre les résultats obtenus à Rσ = 0 et Rσ = -1, il s'avère que la contrainte moyenne joue un rôle primordial sur la sensibilité du matériau à la taille du défaut et à la SDAS. Dans la suite, des modifications ont été menées sur le critère de DSG qui consistent à introduire l’effet de la SDAS au niveau du critère. L’application de ce critère modifié dans un diagramme de Kitagawa pour les différents cas de chargement a montré que l’abattement de la limite de fatigue en fonction de la taille de défaut et de la SDAS est bien décrit. Dans la dernière partie un outil numérique a été développé permettant de simuler la limite de fatigue en partant du procédé de fonderie. Cette démarche est sous forme d’une chaîne de calcul numérique qui permet de simuler la taille de défaut et de la SDAS à partir du procédé de fonderie. Suite à cette simulation, le modèle est capable de prévoir la limite de fatigue en utilisant le critère de DSG modifié. La combinaison entre la loi de Weibull et le critère de DSG permet à la suite de la chaîne de simulation de prévoir ainsi la probabilité de rupture à chaque point de la structure. Nous avons proposé dans cette partie un moule qui permet d’élaborer des éprouvettes avec deux microstructures différentes. Dans cette étude, une deuxième campagne d’essais a été réalisée sur ces éprouvettes afin de valider la simulation numérique sur le moule proposé. Le modèle numérique prévoit raisonnablement bien les résultats expérimentaux obtenus. / This study aims to investigate the fatigue behaviour of A356-T6 aluminum alloy. Experimental fatigue tests at 106 cycles have been performed for two loading ratios: Rσ = 0 and Rσ = -1. The first experimental investigation was conducted on specimens from a ‘V’ wedge casting with natural and artificial defects which provides a variation of the microstructure. Following the experimental results, we have shown that defects characterized by their size and the microstructure characterized by SDAS, are the main parameters that control the fatigue limit. By comparing the results obtained for both loading ratios, it appears that the mean stress has an effect on the sensitivity to the defect size effect and microstructure.The DSG criterion was modified to introduce the effect of SDAS. This improved DSG criterion has been employed to predict the Kitagawa diagram for multiaxial loading for different loading cases. The simulation of the modified DSG criterion showed that the reduction of the fatigue limit with the defect size and SDAS is well described. In the last part a numerical model was developed to perform a simulation of the fatigue limit starting from the casting process. Using this numerical model, we simulated the defect size and SDAS depending on the solidification time, eventually the fatigue limit issimulated using the improved DSG criterion. With combining between Weibull law and modified DSG,we predict the probability of failure at each point of the structure. We proposed in this part a mold which let to obtain samples with two different microstructures. In this study, a second fatigue tests was carried out on these samples to validate the numerical simulation on the proposed mold. It turns out that the numerical model provides reasonably well the obtained experimental results.

This study investigates the possibility of fabricating periodic cellular materials (PCMs) via the lost foam casting (LFC) process using aluminum alloy A356 and magnesium alloy AZ91. This approach combines the structural efficiency of PCM architectures with the processing advantages of near-net-shape LFC. An initial feasibility study fabricated corrugated A356 panels. This was followed by a study of casting variables such as pattern design, vacuum assistance, and alloying additions in order to improve the fillability of the small cross-section struts. Finally, integrated pyramidal sandwich panels having different relative densities were subjected to artificial aging treatments and subsequently tested in uniaxial compression. The A356 PCMs experienced a continuous increase after yielding while the AZ91 PCMs exhibited strut fracture after peak strength. The results showed the compressive yield strengths of this study are comparable with those previously reported PCMs produced by different fabrication methods.

This study investigates the possibility of fabricating periodic cellular materials (PCMs) via the lost foam casting (LFC) process using aluminum alloy A356 and magnesium alloy AZ91. This approach combines the structural efficiency of PCM architectures with the processing advantages of near-net-shape LFC. An initial feasibility study fabricated corrugated A356 panels. This was followed by a study of casting variables such as pattern design, vacuum assistance, and alloying additions in order to improve the fillability of the small cross-section struts. Finally, integrated pyramidal sandwich panels having different relative densities were subjected to artificial aging treatments and subsequently tested in uniaxial compression. The A356 PCMs experienced a continuous increase after yielding while the AZ91 PCMs exhibited strut fracture after peak strength. The results showed the compressive yield strengths of this study are comparable with those previously reported PCMs produced by different fabrication methods.

Institutional attempts to raise private funds, once limited almost exclusively to private colleges and universities, are now commonplace at public colleges and universities. To increase private support, many public institutions have reorganized and refocused their development efforts to meet these changing needs. Because of the growing importance of private funding, it becomes important to study and better understand fund raising at public institutions of higher learning. It appears that certain institutional characteristics, variables or factors affect fund raising. Variables such as mission, type, age and size of institution along with size, age and management style of development effort and foundation appear to be important factors in fund raising. This study identified and examined several of these variables at four public institutions in the Commonwealth of Virginia and found that several of these factors do indeed affect fund raising results. / Ph. D.

In the planning and design of sewer networks, most of the decisions are spatially dependent because of the right of way considerations and the desire to have flow by gravity. This research addresses the application of combined optimization-geographic information system (GIS) technology in the design process. The program developed for the design uses selected manhole locations to generate the candidate potential sewer networks. The design area is delineated into subwatersheds for determining the locations for lift stations when gravity flow is not possible. Flows from upstream subwatersheds are transported to the downstream subwatersheds via a force main. The path and destination of each force main in the system is determined by applying the Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm to select the least cost path from a set of potential paths. This method seeks to minimize the total dynamic head. A modified length is used to represent the length of each link or force main segment. The modified length is the physical length of the link (representing the friction loss) plus an equivalent length (representing the static head). The least cost path for the force main is the path with the least total modified length. The design approach is applied to two areas in the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. The resulting network and the force main paths are discussed. / Master of Science

Two separate greenhouse esperiments were conducted to determine the effects of additions of a blue-green algae (Nostoc muscorum) to nutrient solution cultures with different rates of nitrogen fertilizer on the growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Buttercrunch). Lettuce yields increased with increased rates of N. Yields were significantly greater in treatments containing 165 ppm N with N. muscorum culture added (at the rate of 33.3% by volume) than in treatments containing the same rate of N without N. muscorum. A similar growth increase was not noted at lower N. muscorum inoculation rates (16.7% by volume). These preliminary data indicate the potential for increased yields of lettuce grown under specific conditions in nutrient culture. Further research of the complex interactions within this biological equilibrium are required before specific application recommendations may be suggested. / Master of Science