Previous work on tensile and compressive failure of both monofibre and hybrid unidirectional composites is reviewed, together with a summary of some of the more important works on the variation of elastic modulus.

Rapid modern technological changes and improvements bring great motivations in advanced material designs and fabrications. In this context, metal matrix composites, as an emerging material category, have undergone great developments over the past 50 years. Their primary applications, such as automotive, aerospace and military industries, require materials with increasingly strict specifications, especially high stiffness, lightweight and superior strength. For these advanced applications, carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composites have proven their enormous potential where outstanding machinability, engineering reliability and economy efficiency are vital priorities. To contribute in the understanding and development of carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composites, this study focuses on composite fabrication, mechanical testing and physical property modelling. The composites are fabricated by squeeze casting. Plain weave carbon fiber (AS4 Hexcel) is used as reinforcement, while aluminum alloy 6061 is used as matrix. The improvement of the squeeze casting fabrication process is focused on reducing leakage while combining thermal expansion pressure with post-processing pressing. Three different fiber volume fractions are investigated to achieve optimum mechanical properties. Piston-on-ring (POR) bend tests are used to measure the biaxial flexural stiffness and fracture strength on disc samples. The stress-strain curves and fracture surfaces reveal the effect of fiber-matrix interface bonding on composite bend behaviour. The composites achieved up to 11.6%, 248.3% and 90.1% increase in flexural modulus, strain hardening modulus and yield strength as compared with the unreinforced aluminum alloy control group, respectively. Analytical modelling and finite element modelling are used to comparatively characterise and verify the composite effective flexural modulus and strength. Specifically, they allowed iii evaluating how far the experimental results deviate from idealized assumptions of the models, which provides an insight into the composite sample quality, particularly at fiber-matrix interfaces. Overall, the models agree well with experimental results in identifying an improvement in flexural modulus up to a carbon fiber volume fraction of 4.81vol%. However, beyond a fiber content of 3.74vol%, there is risk of deterioration of mechanical properties, particularly the strength. This is because higher carbon fiber volume fractions restrict the infiltration and wetting of carbon fibre by the liquid, potentially leading to poor fiber-matrix interface bonding. It is shown that higher thermal expansion pressures and subsequent post-processing pressing can overcome this challenge at higher carbon fiber volume contents by reducing fiber-aluminum contact angle, improving infiltration, reducing defects such as porosity, and overall improving fiber-matrix bonding.

The condition of water and wastewater pipelines has been deteriorating with time and since this infrastructure is out-of-sight, the assessment has been neglected over the years. The advancement of technology in various fields has provided pathway for development of several technologies for assessment of the condition of pipeline systems. However, there is no standard guidance or tool for the utilities to use these technologies appropriately. The utilities are unaware of the present state-of- the- art technologies. The predictability and condition assessability indices will help utilities predict a probable failure and take steps to prevent it. The predictability index will indicate the inherent, theoretical predictability of key types of pipe failures. The pipe failure predictability index would be a score calculated by identifying high priority pipe types, characterizing their failure modes, mechanism, conditions, and indicators, reliability of indicators, lead-time of the indicators, and other factors. The condition assessability index will indicate the technical and economical methods of preventing key types of pipe failures. The pipe failure condition assessability index is similar to the predictability index, but it takes into account the capability of existing inspection technologies for measuring the required failure indicator parameters. Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipes are used in large diameter water pipelines throughout the United States to convey large volumes of water. Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipes are complex composite pipes. Therefore, prediction and prevention of failure of these pipelines is complex and requires a better understanding of the system. This research concentrates around development of Predictability and Condition Assessability Indices for PCCP pipelines. / Master of Science

Joints represent a design challenge, especially for composite structures. Among the available joining methods, co-curing is an efficient way to integrate parts for some applications. Coates and Armanios have proposed a Single Nested Overlap (SNO) co-cured joint configuration, obtained from a single lap joint through the overlap/interleafing of the adjoining top/bottom adherend plies, respectively. Through a comparative investigation, they have demonstrated joint strength and fatigue life improvements over the single lap joint counterparts for unidirectional and quasi-isotropic adherend lay-ups. This research extends the comparative investigation of Coates and Armanios by focusing upon characterizing and differentiating the damage initiation and progression mechanisms under quasi-static loading. Six specimen configurations are manufactured and tested. It is confirmed that single nested overlap joints show 29.2% and 27.4% average improvement in strength over single lap counterparts for zero-degree unidirectional and quasi-isotropic lay-ups, respectively. Several nondestructive evaluation techniques are used to observe and analyze damage initiation, damage progression and failure modes of the studied specimens and to monitor their mechanical response. Using X-ray Radiography and Optical Microscopy techniques during quasi-static loading, a physical characterization of damage and failure mechanisms is obtained. The acoustic emission data acquired during monotonic loading could reveal the overall picture of AE activities produced by the damage initiation, development and accumulation mechanisms within the specimen via parametric analysis. Further AE analysis by a selected supervised clustering method is carried out and shown successful in differentiating and clustering the AE data. Correlation with physical observations from other techniques suggests that the resulting clusters may be associated to specific damage modes and failure mechanisms.

A nonlinear automated parameter fitted analytical model that numerically predicts the load-displacement response of wood frame shear walls subjected to static monotonic loading with and without vertical load is presented. This analytical model referred to as Analytical Model of wood frame SHEar walls subjected to Vertical load (AMSHEV) is based on the kinematic behavior of wood frame shear walls and captures significant characteristics observed from experimental testing through appropriate modeling of three failure mechanisms that can occur within a shear wall under static monotonic load: 1) failure of sheathing-to-framing connectors, 2) failure of vertical studs, and 3) uplift of end studs from bottom sill. Previous models have not accounted for these failure mechanisms as well as the inclusion of vertical load, which has shown to reveal beneficial effects such as increasing the ultimate load capacity and limiting uplift of the wall as noted in experimental tests. Results from the proposed numerical model capture these effects within 7% error of experimental test data even when different magnitudes of vertical load are applied to predict the ultimate load capacity of wood frame shear walls.

The objective of this study was to investigate the low velocity impact behavior of both monolithic and laminated aluminum alloy plates. For this purpose, a drop-weight test unit was used. The test unit included the free fall and impact of an 8 kg hammer with an 8 mm punching rod from 0.5 m to 4 m. The relationship between the change in static mechanical properties (hardness, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, strain hardening rate) and low velocity impact behavior of monolithic aluminum plates were investigated. Tested material was AA 2024, heat treatable aluminum alloy, which was artificially aged to obtain a wide range of mechanical properties. In the second stage of the study, the relationship between the low velocity impact behavior of laminated plates was compared with that of monolithic aluminum plates at identical areal densities. For this purpose, a series of AA 2024 thin plates were combined with different types of adhesives (epoxy, polyurethane or tape). Finally, fracture surface of the samples and microstructure at the deformation zone were examined with both scanning electron microscope and optical microscope. It is found that the ballistic limit velocities of AA 2024 plates increase with increase in hardness, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. It is also found that a linear relation exists between the ballistic limit velocity and strain hardening rate or hardness. When the low velocity impact behaviors of laminated and monolithic targets were compared, it was seen that monolithic targets have a higher ballistic limit velocity values for from the 2.5 to 10 mm thick targets. It was also observed that adhesives are not so effective to strengthen the low velocity impact performance. On the other hand, with increasing Charpy impact energy, penetration and perforation behaviors are getting worse in 10 to 30 joules energy range. Different types of failure mechanisms involving, plugging, dishing, stretching and bending were determined. For high strength and thick plates plugging type deformation was leaded. In contrast, for thinner and weaker targets bending, stretching and dishing type failures were dominating. For laminated targets also dishing type failure was determined.

Uma maneira de analisar a estabilidade de túneis escavados em maciços rochosos fraturados é a baseada na teoria da análise limite utilizando um critério de resistência macroscópico desenvolvido a partir da teoria de homogeneização. Este trabalho primeiramente descreve o comportamento mecânico dos constituintes do maciço rochoso fraturado e os métodos usuais de análise. Posteriormente é descrita a teoria da análise limite e da homogeneização em análise limite, utilizando estas teorias é apresentado o critério de resistência macroscópico para maciços rochosos fraturados em estado plano de deformações desenvolvido por Fréard (2000) e desenvolvido um critério de resistência macroscópico para maciços rochosos fraturados para o caso tridimensional. A partir destes critérios aplicaram-se mecanismos de ruptura para se encontrar limites superiores da função de estabilidade. Assim permitindo a análise da previsibilidade do colapso do túnel estação Pinheiros do metrô de São Paulo o qual os resultados apresentavam a possibilidade de prever o colapso. / One way of analyze the stability of tunnels excavated at fractured rock masses is based on the theory of yield design using a macroscopic strength criterion developed from the theory of homogenization. This dissertation first describes the mechanical behavior of the fractured rock mass constituents and the usual methods of analysis. Later is described the yield design theory and the theory of homogenization applied to the yield design using these theories is presented macroscopic strength criterion for fractured rock masses in a state plan developed by Fréard (2000) and developed a macroscopic strength criterion for rock masses fractured to the three-dimensional case. Based on these criteria were applied failure mechanisms to meet the upper bounding of the stability function. So it’s possible to analyze the predictability of the collapse of the tunnel-station Pinheiros of the Sao Paulo subway which the results showed the possibility of predicting the collapse.

Uma maneira de analisar a estabilidade de túneis escavados em maciços rochosos fraturados é a baseada na teoria da análise limite utilizando um critério de resistência macroscópico desenvolvido a partir da teoria de homogeneização. Este trabalho primeiramente descreve o comportamento mecânico dos constituintes do maciço rochoso fraturado e os métodos usuais de análise. Posteriormente é descrita a teoria da análise limite e da homogeneização em análise limite, utilizando estas teorias é apresentado o critério de resistência macroscópico para maciços rochosos fraturados em estado plano de deformações desenvolvido por Fréard (2000) e desenvolvido um critério de resistência macroscópico para maciços rochosos fraturados para o caso tridimensional. A partir destes critérios aplicaram-se mecanismos de ruptura para se encontrar limites superiores da função de estabilidade. Assim permitindo a análise da previsibilidade do colapso do túnel estação Pinheiros do metrô de São Paulo o qual os resultados apresentavam a possibilidade de prever o colapso. / One way of analyze the stability of tunnels excavated at fractured rock masses is based on the theory of yield design using a macroscopic strength criterion developed from the theory of homogenization. This dissertation first describes the mechanical behavior of the fractured rock mass constituents and the usual methods of analysis. Later is described the yield design theory and the theory of homogenization applied to the yield design using these theories is presented macroscopic strength criterion for fractured rock masses in a state plan developed by Fréard (2000) and developed a macroscopic strength criterion for rock masses fractured to the three-dimensional case. Based on these criteria were applied failure mechanisms to meet the upper bounding of the stability function. So it’s possible to analyze the predictability of the collapse of the tunnel-station Pinheiros of the Sao Paulo subway which the results showed the possibility of predicting the collapse.

Uma maneira de analisar a estabilidade de túneis escavados em maciços rochosos fraturados é a baseada na teoria da análise limite utilizando um critério de resistência macroscópico desenvolvido a partir da teoria de homogeneização. Este trabalho primeiramente descreve o comportamento mecânico dos constituintes do maciço rochoso fraturado e os métodos usuais de análise. Posteriormente é descrita a teoria da análise limite e da homogeneização em análise limite, utilizando estas teorias é apresentado o critério de resistência macroscópico para maciços rochosos fraturados em estado plano de deformações desenvolvido por Fréard (2000) e desenvolvido um critério de resistência macroscópico para maciços rochosos fraturados para o caso tridimensional. A partir destes critérios aplicaram-se mecanismos de ruptura para se encontrar limites superiores da função de estabilidade. Assim permitindo a análise da previsibilidade do colapso do túnel estação Pinheiros do metrô de São Paulo o qual os resultados apresentavam a possibilidade de prever o colapso. / One way of analyze the stability of tunnels excavated at fractured rock masses is based on the theory of yield design using a macroscopic strength criterion developed from the theory of homogenization. This dissertation first describes the mechanical behavior of the fractured rock mass constituents and the usual methods of analysis. Later is described the yield design theory and the theory of homogenization applied to the yield design using these theories is presented macroscopic strength criterion for fractured rock masses in a state plan developed by Fréard (2000) and developed a macroscopic strength criterion for rock masses fractured to the three-dimensional case. Based on these criteria were applied failure mechanisms to meet the upper bounding of the stability function. So it’s possible to analyze the predictability of the collapse of the tunnel-station Pinheiros of the Sao Paulo subway which the results showed the possibility of predicting the collapse.

The goal of this study is to investigate the microstructure and microstructure-based fatigue (MSF) model of additively-manufactured (AM) metallic materials. Several challenges associated with different metals produced through additive manufacturing (Laser Enhanced Net Shaping – LENS®) have been addressed experimentally and numerically. Significant research efforts are focused on optimizing the process parameters for AM manufacturing; however, achieving a homogenous, defectree AM product immediately after its fabrication without postabrication processing has not been fully established yet. Thus, in order to adopt AM materials for applications, a thorough understanding of the impact of AM process parameters on the mechanical behavior of AM parts based on their resultant microstructure is required. Therefore, experiments in this study elucidate the effects of process parameters – i.e. laser power, traverse speed and powder feed rate – on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of AM specimens. A majority of fatigue data in the literature are on rotation/bending test of wrought specimens; however, few studies examined the fatigue behavior of AM specimens. So, investigating the fatigue resistance and failure mechanism of AM specimens fabricated via LENS® is crucial. Finally, a microstructure-based MultiStage Fatigue (MSF) model for AM specimens is proposed. For calibration of the model, fatigue experiments were exploited to determine structure-property relations for an AM alloy. Additional modifications to the microstructurally-based MSF Model were implemented based on microstructural analysis of the fracture surfaces – e.g. grain misorientation and grain orientation angles were added to the MSF code.