O presente trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar as tensões atuantes no conjunto conector e duto flexível de camadas não aderentes durante ensaios com carregamentos axiais de tração e fadiga. Estes ensaios são utilizados para a qualificação de dutos flexíveis. Foram desenvolvidos e patenteados alguns modelos de conectores contemplando apenas a parte estrutural. Ensaios preliminares de tração e fadiga, com dois conectores diferentes e um segmento de riser de dimensões reduzidas, foram realizados visando a seleção do modelo de melhor desempenho em um pórtico. O conector de melhor desempenho foi então ensaiado em uma bancada com dimensões que atendessem ao documento da Petrobras a I-ET 3500.00.6500-291-PAZ-001 - Non standartized Prototype qualification tests of flexible pipes (2007). Tanto os ensaios do pórtico como o de bancada, foram monitorados com strain gages colados nos tendões da armadura externa de tração próximos aos conectores. O foco deste trabalho está nas armaduras de tração na interface com a resina do conector. Questões quanto ao desempenho da mesma em fadiga são de grande importância prática. Complementando a parte experimental, foram construídos modelos sólidos tridimensionais, baseados no Método dos Elementos Finitos para análise das tensões. A comparação dos resultados das diferentes metodologias validou o modelo numérico possibilitando melhor entendimento das variações de tensões nas armaduras de tração na interface com os conectores. Isso possibilitou responder a importantes questões quanto ao desempenho em fadiga bem como possíveis melhorias no projeto de conectores para dutos flexíveis. Existem trabalhos referentes à análise de tensões dos tendões nos conectores considerando o estado plano de tensões. O presente estudo dos tendões usando modelos tridimensionais, abordagem não encontrada em literatura aberta, avalia melhor a concentração de tensões nos tendões na entrada do conector. A motivação deste estudo se deve tanto à falta de informações detalhadas das tensões e deformações nos tendões na interface com o conector, como pela importância das mesmas, em componentes vitais à explotação de petróleo Offshore. / This aim of this work is to evaluate stresses which actuate on a system made up of a unbonded flexible pipe and a end fitting during static and dynamic axial loading mechanical tests. These tests are used as a means of qualification of flexible pipes. The structural design of models of end fittings were developed and patented. Preliminary static and dynamic tests with two different end fittings and a smalldimensioned riser segment were performed in a frame in view of selecting the bestperforming type. After this evaluation, the end fitting with the best performance was tested in a rig with dimensions according to Petrobras document I-ET 3500.00.6500-291-PAZ- 001 - Non standartized Prototype qualification tests of flexible pipes (2007). Tests performed in the frame and on the rig were monitored with resistance strain gages attached to wires of the external armor, on the interface with the end fitting resin, since performance of this region under fatigue is of utmost practical importance. Three-dimensional solid models were built using the Finite Element Modelling (FEM) method, as a way of validating experimental results. Comparison of results obtained from the different methodologies validated the numerical model, allowing a better understanding of the variations of stresses in the interface of the riser with the end fitting. This led to the solution of many doubts regarding fatigue performance as well as possible improvements in the design of flexible riser end fittings. Existing work published in literature considers only plane stress; the present study, based on 3D models which are not found in literature, is thought to better describe the stress concentration on the wires at the end fitting interface. The motivation of this work relies on the lack of detailed information of the stress and strain to which wires are subjected at the interface with the end fitting, as well as the importance of these in vital components for offshore oil exploration.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-04-28Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:13:42Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 logullo_bg_me_ilha.pdf: 2174691 bytes, checksum: 2bff5d48b8a6abd70b07786d00f61690 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Apresenta-se neste trabalho uma investigação experimental do comportamento da alvenaria estrutural de blocos de concreto, resistência à compressão axial e módulo de elasticidade, em função do emprego de blocos de diferentes resistências, na presença de grautes de resistências variadas e também da existência ou não de armaduras, aplicadas em distintas taxas. Desse modo, são apresentados e comentados os resultados de ensaios de compressão axial em unidades, prismas de três blocos e pequenas paredes, montados com um só tipo de argamassa, mas com blocos de duas resistências distintas, designadas B1 e B2. Os elementos ensaiados são vazios e também preenchidos com grautes de duas resistências, definidas G1 e G2. Além destes, também são ensaiados prismas e paredes armadas, com taxas de armadura ñ 1, ñ 2 e ñ 3. Portanto, são realizados ensaios em prismas e paredes vazias, prismas e paredes grauteadas com as diferentes combinações de classes de bloco e graute e com a combinação de blocos, grautes e taxas de armadura. Com os resultados obtidos foi verificado que o grauteamento praticamente dobrou a resistência do prisma grauteado, e, nas paredes o acréscimo foi médio de 80%, comparado com prisma e parede vazia na área bruta, porém esse aumento não foi proporcional à relação efetiva de áreas. Os prismas grauteados apresentaram diminuição na deformação de ruptura com a utilização de grautes mais rígidos, e, o grauteamento homogeneizou o comportamento de deformabilidade da alvenaria e do bloco que a constitui, no prisma e na parede. Constatou-se, também, que as armaduras não alteraram o comportamento estrutural dos prismas e paredes, nem na sua resistência à compressão axial e nem na sua deformabilidade. / It is presented in this work an experimental investigation of the structural mansory of concrete blocks behavior, resistance to axial compression and elastic modulus, in function of the utilization of blocks of different resistances, with the presence of grout of varying resistances and the existance or not of armour, applied in distinct taxes. By this way, it's shown and commented the trials results of axial compression in units, three-block prisms and small walls, manufactured with just one type of mortar, but with blocks with two distincts resistances, called B1 and B2. The tested elements are empty and filled with grout of two resistances, defined as G1 and G2. Besides them, armoured prism and walls were tested too, with armour taxes called ñ 1, ñ 2 and ñ 3. Hence, the trials are executed in empty prisms and walls, grouted prisms and walls with the different combinations of classes of blocks and grouts and with the combination of blocks, grouts and armour taxes. With the obtained results, it was verified that the grout almost doubled the resistance of the grouted prism and, in walls there was an 80% increase, compared with empty prism and walls in brute area, although this increase was not proportional to the effective relation of areas. The grouted prisms presented a decrease in rupture deformation with the utilization of more rigid grouts, and the grout smoothed the deformability behaviour in mansory and in the block that form it, in prisms and walls. It was noticed too, that the armour do not alter the structure behavior of prisms and walls, not even in theirs resistance to axial compression force, neither to theirs deformability.

Este trabalho foca a avaliação da vida em fadiga de um novo modelo de terminal conector para dutos flexíveis (risers) de camadas não aderentes (unbonded). Os ensaios foram feitos levando em consideração apenas a parte estrutural desses dutos, de forma a ensaiar uma nova configuração de ancoragem da armadura de tração encontrada nesse equipamento conhecido como terminal conector (end fitting). É dentro deste componente que os arames da armadura de tração são fixados por resina epóxi em conjunto com uma configuração específica permitindo dessa maneira a sustentação do duto flexível quando fixado a plataformas offshore. Para a escolha do novo modelo de ancoragem aqui proposto, além de se tomar como referência, fez-se também uma analogia aos modelos utilizados nas ancoragens das barras metálicas utilizadas em concreto protendido. Isto foi feito por entender que algumas características mecânicas da resina epóxi aproximam-se das do concreto. Para a definição do novo modelo de ancoragem, uma análise simplificada, utilizando o Método dos Elementos Finitos (MEF), foi feita em dois modelos de ancoragens recomendados na API RP 17B (2002) e utilizado por alguns fabricantes, no intuito de verificar as distribuições das tensões ao longo desses arames dentro do terminal conector quando envolto pela resina epóxi. Esta análise destacou as regiões ao longo dos arames onde havia concentrações das tensões. Utilizando-se dessas informações, foi desenvolvida uma nova configuração para o arame dentro da resina de maneira a minimizar esses concentradores de tensão, permitindo assim que o modelo de ancoragem proposto tenha um melhor desempenho em fadiga. Para tanto, as verificações desses modelos feitas através do MEF e validadas através de ensaios experimentais em escala reduzida, mostraram que o modelo proposto apresentou reduções do KT da ordem de 16,5% e das tensões na resina de 60% quando comparados aos outros dois modelos comerciais. Após essas avaliações protótipos do novo terminal conector foram confeccionados em escala real e montado a dois pedaços de duto flexível de 2,5" de diâmetro, compondo assim dois corpos de prova: o CP1 e o CP2, os quais foram submetidos a ensaios de tração estáticos e carregamentos dinâmicos. Nos ensaios o CP1 foi submetido a uma carga máxima em tração de 844 kN e após esse carregamento, a não evidência de ruptura nos arames da armadura de tração o levou para o ensaio de fadiga com cargas em tração variando entre 130 e 304 kN a uma freqüência de 1Hz para uma vida de 1.000.000 de ciclos de carga. O resultado desse ensaio mostrou a viabilidade do conceito, uma vez que se atingiu a 1.000.000 de ciclos de carga sem a ruptura de qualquer arame dentro do terminal conector, evidenciado através da dissecação. Para finalizar os trabalhos, um segundo corpo de prova (CP2) foi confeccionado, obedecendo as recomendações estipuladas na API RP 17B (2002). Ensaiado com os mesmos parâmetros do CP1, se conseguiu levá-lo a fase de Dano igual a 1. Ao final desse ensaio observaram-se a ruptura de alguns arames na região mediana sobre o duto flexível que unia os dois conectores. Já as dissecações não mostraram evidências de arames rompidos internamente aos conectores. / This work focuses on the evaluation of the fatigue of life in a new model of end fitting for unbounded flexible pipe (risers). The tests had been made taking in consideration only the structural part of these risers, in order to test a new configuration of anchorage of the tensile armor found in equipment known as an end fitting. It is inside of this component that the tensile armor wires are fixed by epoxy resin in the set with specific configuration in this way allowing the sustentation these flexible pipes when the fixed offshore platforms. For the choice of the new model of anchorage considered here, beyond the reference if taking an analogy to the models used in the anchorage dues ones of the metallic bars used in prestressed concrete. This was made by understanding that some mechanical characteristics of the epoxy resin are come close to the concrete. For the definition of the new model of anchorage, the simplified analysis, using the Finite Element Method (FEM), was made in two models of anchorage dues recommended in API RP 17B (2002) and used by some manufacturers, in intention to verify the distributions tensions along the wires within of the end fitting when wrapped for the epoxy resin. This analysis highlighted the wires throughout the regions where it had concentrations of the tensions. Using these information of itself, a new configuration for the wire inside of the way resin was developed to minimize these concentrators of tension as soon as, allowing anchorage of the considered model one has better performance in fatigue. For in such a way, the verifications of these models made through the FEM and validated through experimental tests in reduced scale, had shown that the considered model presented reductions of the KT of the order of 16.5% and stress in the resin of 60% when compared with the others two commercial models. After these evaluations archetypes of connecting the new end fitting had been confectioned in real scale and mounted two pieces of flexible pipe of 2.5" of diameter, thus composing test of two bodies: the CP1 and the CP2, which had been submitted the static tension tests and dynamic loads tests. In the tests the CP1 was submitted to tension in the maximum load of 844 kN and after this shipment, the evidence of rupture in the wires of armor did not take the tension it for the tests of fatigue in traction with loads varying between 130 and 304 kN to the frequency of 1Hz for a life of 1,000,000 cycles of load. The result of this test showed the viability of the concept, that if the team reached the inside of 1,000,000 load cycles without the rupture of any wire of the end fitting, evidenced through the dissection. To finish the works, the body of the test (CP2) it was confectioned, obeying to the recommendations stipulated in API RP 17B (2002). Tested with the same parameters of CP1, were taken to the stage Damage equal to 1. To the end of this test they had observed it rupture of some wires in the region on the medium flexible pipe that joined the two end fittings. Already the dissections had not shown evidence of broken internally wires to the end fittings.

Orientador: Jefferson Sidney Camacho / Banca: Jorge Luis Akasaki / Banca: João Bento de Hanai / Resumo: Apresenta-se neste trabalho uma investigação experimental do comportamento da alvenaria estrutural de blocos de concreto, resistência à compressão axial e módulo de elasticidade, em função do emprego de blocos de diferentes resistências, na presença de grautes de resistências variadas e também da existência ou não de armaduras, aplicadas em distintas taxas. Desse modo, são apresentados e comentados os resultados de ensaios de compressão axial em unidades, prismas de três blocos e pequenas paredes, montados com um só tipo de argamassa, mas com blocos de duas resistências distintas, designadas B1 e B2. Os elementos ensaiados são vazios e também preenchidos com grautes de duas resistências, definidas G1 e G2. Além destes, também são ensaiados prismas e paredes armadas, com taxas de armadura ñ 1, ñ 2 e ñ 3. Portanto, são realizados ensaios em prismas e paredes vazias, prismas e paredes grauteadas com as diferentes combinações de classes de bloco e graute e com a combinação de blocos, grautes e taxas de armadura. Com os resultados obtidos foi verificado que o grauteamento praticamente dobrou a resistência do prisma grauteado, e, nas paredes o acréscimo foi médio de 80%, comparado com prisma e parede vazia na área bruta, porém esse aumento não foi proporcional à relação efetiva de áreas. Os prismas grauteados apresentaram diminuição na deformação de ruptura com a utilização de grautes mais rígidos, e, o grauteamento homogeneizou o comportamento de deformabilidade da alvenaria e do bloco que a constitui, no prisma e na parede. Constatou-se, também, que as armaduras não alteraram o comportamento estrutural dos prismas e paredes, nem na sua resistência à compressão axial e nem na sua deformabilidade. / Abstract: It is presented in this work an experimental investigation of the structural mansory of concrete blocks behavior, resistance to axial compression and elastic modulus, in function of the utilization of blocks of different resistances, with the presence of grout of varying resistances and the existance or not of armour, applied in distinct taxes. By this way, it's shown and commented the trials results of axial compression in units, three-block prisms and small walls, manufactured with just one type of mortar, but with blocks with two distincts resistances, called B1 and B2. The tested elements are empty and filled with grout of two resistances, defined as G1 and G2. Besides them, armoured prism and walls were tested too, with armour taxes called ñ 1, ñ 2 and ñ 3. Hence, the trials are executed in empty prisms and walls, grouted prisms and walls with the different combinations of classes of blocks and grouts and with the combination of blocks, grouts and armour taxes. With the obtained results, it was verified that the grout almost doubled the resistance of the grouted prism and, in walls there was an 80% increase, compared with empty prism and walls in brute area, although this increase was not proportional to the effective relation of areas. The grouted prisms presented a decrease in rupture deformation with the utilization of more rigid grouts, and the grout smoothed the deformability behaviour in mansory and in the block that form it, in prisms and walls. It was noticed too, that the armour do not alter the structure behavior of prisms and walls, not even in theirs resistance to axial compression force, neither to theirs deformability. / Mestre

Este trabalho foca a avaliação da vida em fadiga de um novo modelo de terminal conector para dutos flexíveis (risers) de camadas não aderentes (unbonded). Os ensaios foram feitos levando em consideração apenas a parte estrutural desses dutos, de forma a ensaiar uma nova configuração de ancoragem da armadura de tração encontrada nesse equipamento conhecido como terminal conector (end fitting). É dentro deste componente que os arames da armadura de tração são fixados por resina epóxi em conjunto com uma configuração específica permitindo dessa maneira a sustentação do duto flexível quando fixado a plataformas offshore. Para a escolha do novo modelo de ancoragem aqui proposto, além de se tomar como referência, fez-se também uma analogia aos modelos utilizados nas ancoragens das barras metálicas utilizadas em concreto protendido. Isto foi feito por entender que algumas características mecânicas da resina epóxi aproximam-se das do concreto. Para a definição do novo modelo de ancoragem, uma análise simplificada, utilizando o Método dos Elementos Finitos (MEF), foi feita em dois modelos de ancoragens recomendados na API RP 17B (2002) e utilizado por alguns fabricantes, no intuito de verificar as distribuições das tensões ao longo desses arames dentro do terminal conector quando envolto pela resina epóxi. Esta análise destacou as regiões ao longo dos arames onde havia concentrações das tensões. Utilizando-se dessas informações, foi desenvolvida uma nova configuração para o arame dentro da resina de maneira a minimizar esses concentradores de tensão, permitindo assim que o modelo de ancoragem proposto tenha um melhor desempenho em fadiga. Para tanto, as verificações desses modelos feitas através do MEF e validadas através de ensaios experimentais em escala reduzida, mostraram que o modelo proposto apresentou reduções do KT da ordem de 16,5% e das tensões na resina de 60% quando comparados aos outros dois modelos comerciais. Após essas avaliações protótipos do novo terminal conector foram confeccionados em escala real e montado a dois pedaços de duto flexível de 2,5" de diâmetro, compondo assim dois corpos de prova: o CP1 e o CP2, os quais foram submetidos a ensaios de tração estáticos e carregamentos dinâmicos. Nos ensaios o CP1 foi submetido a uma carga máxima em tração de 844 kN e após esse carregamento, a não evidência de ruptura nos arames da armadura de tração o levou para o ensaio de fadiga com cargas em tração variando entre 130 e 304 kN a uma freqüência de 1Hz para uma vida de 1.000.000 de ciclos de carga. O resultado desse ensaio mostrou a viabilidade do conceito, uma vez que se atingiu a 1.000.000 de ciclos de carga sem a ruptura de qualquer arame dentro do terminal conector, evidenciado através da dissecação. Para finalizar os trabalhos, um segundo corpo de prova (CP2) foi confeccionado, obedecendo as recomendações estipuladas na API RP 17B (2002). Ensaiado com os mesmos parâmetros do CP1, se conseguiu levá-lo a fase de Dano igual a 1. Ao final desse ensaio observaram-se a ruptura de alguns arames na região mediana sobre o duto flexível que unia os dois conectores. Já as dissecações não mostraram evidências de arames rompidos internamente aos conectores. / This work focuses on the evaluation of the fatigue of life in a new model of end fitting for unbounded flexible pipe (risers). The tests had been made taking in consideration only the structural part of these risers, in order to test a new configuration of anchorage of the tensile armor found in equipment known as an end fitting. It is inside of this component that the tensile armor wires are fixed by epoxy resin in the set with specific configuration in this way allowing the sustentation these flexible pipes when the fixed offshore platforms. For the choice of the new model of anchorage considered here, beyond the reference if taking an analogy to the models used in the anchorage dues ones of the metallic bars used in prestressed concrete. This was made by understanding that some mechanical characteristics of the epoxy resin are come close to the concrete. For the definition of the new model of anchorage, the simplified analysis, using the Finite Element Method (FEM), was made in two models of anchorage dues recommended in API RP 17B (2002) and used by some manufacturers, in intention to verify the distributions tensions along the wires within of the end fitting when wrapped for the epoxy resin. This analysis highlighted the wires throughout the regions where it had concentrations of the tensions. Using these information of itself, a new configuration for the wire inside of the way resin was developed to minimize these concentrators of tension as soon as, allowing anchorage of the considered model one has better performance in fatigue. For in such a way, the verifications of these models made through the FEM and validated through experimental tests in reduced scale, had shown that the considered model presented reductions of the KT of the order of 16.5% and stress in the resin of 60% when compared with the others two commercial models. After these evaluations archetypes of connecting the new end fitting had been confectioned in real scale and mounted two pieces of flexible pipe of 2.5" of diameter, thus composing test of two bodies: the CP1 and the CP2, which had been submitted the static tension tests and dynamic loads tests. In the tests the CP1 was submitted to tension in the maximum load of 844 kN and after this shipment, the evidence of rupture in the wires of armor did not take the tension it for the tests of fatigue in traction with loads varying between 130 and 304 kN to the frequency of 1Hz for a life of 1,000,000 cycles of load. The result of this test showed the viability of the concept, that if the team reached the inside of 1,000,000 load cycles without the rupture of any wire of the end fitting, evidenced through the dissection. To finish the works, the body of the test (CP2) it was confectioned, obeying to the recommendations stipulated in API RP 17B (2002). Tested with the same parameters of CP1, were taken to the stage Damage equal to 1. To the end of this test they had observed it rupture of some wires in the region on the medium flexible pipe that joined the two end fittings. Already the dissections had not shown evidence of broken internally wires to the end fittings.

Orientador: Luise Weiss / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T17:04:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nasser_LuizaArantes_M.pdf: 19357463 bytes, checksum: 249cd3d93a711a14efe6029de4f9b6bd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Camadas é uma pesquisa em Poéticas Visuais, que parte da figura da armadura medieval e do imaginário em que esta se insere, para realizar por meio do desenho, uma investigação aprofundada do que me inquieta como artista. Os trabalhos gráficos propõem reflexões acerca de questões como o corpo, a natureza humana, o ato e o cotidiano de vestir-se, distâncias entre épocas, ancestralidades, proteção, gênero, memória... através de paralelos traçados entre a armadura, o corpo e a roupa comum dos nossos dias. Eles também buscam esmiuçar as camadas que compõem as armaduras internamente, assim como focar e reforçar a impressão de autonomia de cada peça de veste quanto à sua existência por si só, e também, enquanto presença. A pesquisa se estruturou em processos práticos paralelos e contínuos, cada qual com sua contribuição para a formação do todo do trabalho. Por isso, vejo-os como pontos cardeais, assim delineados em: carimbos, monotipias, matriz e tecidos. O conjunto de imagens formado é a tentativa de materializar e transpor as inquietações em foco; como reflito e levo adiante algo tão universal e histórico, como armaduras e roupas, naquilo que me tocam. E de ver qual seria o alcance disso que tanto me move, se há possibilidades de reverberações, ecos e conversas / Abstract: Camadas (Layers) is a research in Visual Poetics. It has the medieval armor and the imaginary that surrounds it as a starting point to further investigate through drawing what makes me disquiet as an artist. These graphic works intend to reflect upon themes as the body, the human nature, the act and routine of getting dressed, distance between epochs, ancestralities, protection, gender, memory¿ through the relations traced between the armor, the body and the clothes of our days. They also intend to detail the internal armor layers as well as to focus and highlight the impression of autonomy of each piece of clothing in terms of its existence on its own as well as a presence. The research was structured in practical parallel continuous processes, each on with its contribution to the whole. Thus, I conceive them as cardinal points, consisting in: stamps, monotypes, original, and fabrics. The resulting collection of images is an attempt to materialize and translate the uncanniness in focus; the way I reflect upon something so universal and historic, as armor and clothes, and how they touch me. It is also an attempt to share my work and let it open to possible dialogues / Mestrado / Artes Visuais / Mestra em Artes Visuais

In order to leverage advances made in body-armor materials, as well as to further the design landscape, considering body armor as a complete human-centric system is becoming more prevalent. This trend necessitates a greater focus on human systems integration (HSI) and human-centric design. Digital human models (DHMs) provide a powerful tool for HSI, but modeling-and-simulation tools, let alone DHMs, have rarely been used with body armor. With respect to analysis, this is changing. New methods for evaluating body armor from a biomechanical perspective have been developed within the SantosTM DHM. It is now possible to import digital models of body-armor systems, place them on an avatar, simulate various tasks (i.e., running, aiming, etc.), and then virtually evaluate the armor's effect on performance, balance, mobility, bulk, etc. However, with respect to design, there are no available simulation tools to help users balance the goals of maximizing mobility and survivability concurrently. In response to these growing needs, there are two new areas of work being proposed and discussed. First, this work leverages a series of new virtual evaluation capabilities for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and implements a filter that automatically evaluates and selects from a library of designs the most advantageous PPE system based on user-selected objectives and constraints. Initial tests have shown realistic results with minimal computational demand. Secondly, this thesis proposes a new method for armor-system topology optimization that optimizes not only biomechanical metrics but also external (to the DHM system) metrics from potentially complex injury and protection models. The design variables for this optimization problem represent the position on the body of small body-armor elements. In addition, the existence of each element is modeled as a variable, such that unnecessary elements are determined and removed automatically. This inclusion of location in combination with the traditional existence variable is a novel inclusion to the topology optimization method. Constraints require that no two elements overlap. The objective functions that govern where the armor elements are moved must be general enough to function with any external data, such as survivability. Thus, a novel process has been developed for importing external data points (i.e., stress at points in the body resulting from a blast simulation) and using regression analysis to represent these points analytically. Then, by using sequential quadratic programming for gradient-based optimization, the armor elements are automatically positioned in order to optimize the objective function (i.e., minimize potential injury). This new approach allows any metric to be used in order to determine general body-armor concepts upstream in the design process. This system has the potential to become especially useful when trying to optimize multiple objectives simultaneously, the results of which are not necessarily intuitive. Thus, given a specified amount of material, one can determine where to place it in order to, for example, maximize mobility, maximize survivability, and maximize balance during a series of specified mission-critical tasks. The intent is not necessarily to provide a final design with one "click"; accurately considering all aspects of hard and soft armor is beyond the scope of this work. However, these methods work towards providing a design aid to help steer system concepts. Test cases have been successfully run to maximize coverage of specific external data for internal organs (and thus survivability) and mobility, while minimizing weight. The weight metric has also been successfully used as a constraint in the optimal armor design. In summary, this work provides 1) initial steps towards an automated design tool for body armor, 2) a means for integrating different analysis models, and 3) a unique example of human-in-the-loop analysis and optimization.

In this thesis, a method to improve survivability is developed for fiber Bragg gratings under high velocity impact in dynamic body armor shape sensing applications by encasing the fiber in silicone. Utilizing the slipping of the fiber within the silicone channel, a proportionality relationship between the strain of the fiber to the acceleration of the impacting projectile is found and is used to obtain the rate of the back-face deformation. A hybrid model is developed to handle errors caused by the stick-slip of the fiber by fitting an inverse exponential to stuck sections found in a captured strain profile and double integrated to transform the stuck section to its equivalent slipping. Displacement errors below 10% was achieved using the hybrid model. A graphical user interface with a step-by-step walkthrough and a fiber Bragg grating interrogation system was designed for test engineers to utilize this technology. Test engineers from the Army Test Center in Aberdeen, MD were trained on this technology and successfully captured and processed shots using this technology. A method for cutting Silicon through wire-EDM machining is developed by utilizing the photoconductive properties of Silicon. Cut rates for unilluminated and illuminated Silicon was compared and a 3x faster cut was achieved on the illuminated cuts.

Le développement de céramiques légères à hautes performances mécaniques et à bas coût à base de silico-alumineux, suscite un intérêt grandissant dans divers domaines d’application tels que la protection balistique. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de ce travail a été de développer un matériau innovant susceptible de rivaliser avec les protections balistiques en alumine ou en carbure. Plusieurs voies ont été explorées. Une étude approfondie des compositions de silico-alumineux a permis d’obtenir des matériaux présentant un meilleur compromis masse volumique / module d’Young, et dont le principal avantage est d’utiliser des procédés d’élaboration conventionnels (pressage, coulage sous pression) ainsi que les fours dédiés à la cuisson de la porcelaine par frittage naturel. Afin de renforcer la dureté de surface, des dépôts de carbures ont été réalisés à l’aide d’un protocole qui a permis une bonne accroche du carbure sur le substrat tout en conservant un traitement thermique conventionnel de consolidation. Enfin, des architectures lamellaires ont également été élaborées afin de maximiser les phénomènes de dissipation d’énergie. En bénéficiant d’un différentiel d’expansion thermique entre deux compositions de silico-alumineux, l’apparition de contraintes thermiques résiduelles au refroidissement de l’étape de frittage a permis d’augmenter la valeur de contrainte à la rupture des matériaux à architectures lamellaires de plus de 60%. / The development of lightweight alumino-silicate based ceramics exhibiting high mechanical performances and low cost, shows a growing interest in various application areas such as ballistic protection. In this context, the aims of this study is the development of innovative materials corresponding to competitive ballistic protection comparing to carbide or alumina materials. Several ways were explored. A thorough study of alumino-silicate compositions has allowed to obtain materials with a best compromise density / Young's modulus, the main advantage is the ability to use conventional methods of preparation (pressing, die-casting) and conventional kilns used for the firing of porcelain. To improve the surface hardness, carbide coatings were performed. The original protocol developed leads to carbide coating with good adhesion on the substrate using a traditional thermal treatment method. Finally, lamellar architectures of materials were developed to increase the energy dissipation of failure. Thanks to a differential thermal expansion between the two compositions of alumino-silicates, the occurrence of residual thermal stresses in lamellar materials has increased the average stress of failure values of more than 60%.

In this study, novel lamination techniques are introduced for the coating of fabrics in order to enhance their ballistic/needle penetration resistance properties. Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) was used to create flexible ballistic composite panels with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric. An increase in processing pressure from 0.1 to 8 MPa significantly improved the ballistic performance against 9 mm FMJ ammunition of UHMWPE composite. The number of layers required to stop the bullet were reduced from 45 to 22 layers after lamination without a significant increase in stiffness. The backface signature (BFS) was reduced from 19.2 mm for the 45 layer neat samples to 11.7 mm for the 25 layer laminated samples pressed at 8 MPa. The second lamination technique used patterned thermoplastic hot film to create flexible UHMWPE composite laminates. Hexagonal patterns were cut through a heat transfer vinyl carrier sheet using a vinyl cutter and was used as a mask between the UHMWPE fabric and hot film during heat treatment in order to have the fabric coated only on those regions. The patterns had a nominal diameter of 27.9 mm with a 1 mm gap between each region. A significant improvement in the ballistic performance of UHMWPE fabric is observed after coating each individual layer with patterned hot film and 25 layers of laminated fabric were sufficient to stop a .357 magnum FMJ ammunition compared to unlaminated neat fabric which required 45 layers to stop the bullet. Patterning of the hot film did not negatively affect the ballistic performance of the composite laminates whilst increasing their flexibility in relation to using plain hot film with no patterning involved. It resulted in a 21% increase in bending angle of the 25 layer samples v and 9.5% reduction in bending length of the single plies which both relate to greater flexibility because a higher bending angle and lower bending length correlates to more flexibility. The same technique of patterning of hot film is used in the lamination of woven cotton fabric to enhance needle penetration resistance properties whilst maintaining the flexibility. Patterns used in this study were either hexagonal or a combination of hexagons and triangles and the nominal diameter ranged from 2.6-13.5 mm. The lamination significantly improved the 25G hypodermic needle penetration resistance of the fabric. By increasing the number of laminated fabric plies from 1 to 2, the needle resistance force increased by up to 150%. However, in comparison to just one layer, the flexibility decreased by about 12% to 26% for two and three layers, respectively. It was observed that reducing the sizes of the patterns improved the flexibility of the samples by up to 30% without compromising the needle penetration resistance. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)