The folded and thrusted Mesozoic clastic sequence of the Canadian Rocky Mountain foothills forms important hydrocarbon reservoirs. Understanding the distribution of natural fractures, their evolution, and timing of formation relative to the evolution of the fold-and-thrust system could potentially improve exploration and development outcomes in these otherwise tight unconventional reservoirs. However, the formation of fractures and their timing relative to folding and thrusting have remained unclear. I investigated the relation between folding and fracture formation in the Upper Cretaceous Cardium Sandstone by combining field structural observations and kinematic modeling of the fold-and-thrust belt evolution. I explored the relationship between fracture intensity and fracture strain with structural position by analyzing fracture spacing or frequency and aperture data collected along outcrop and micro-scanlines in the backlimb, in the forelimb close to the crest, and in the steeper dipping forelimb away from the crest of the Red Deer River anticline. Fracture frequency and aperture data collected both at the outcrop and micro scales indicate that variation in fracture strain is small across these three structural domains of the fold, with somewhat lower fracture intensity in the forelimb close to the crest. These fracture strain measurements are qualitatively consistent with calculated horizontal strain in the tectonic transport direction obtained through kinematic numerical models that simulate fold development associated with slip along the underlying Burnt Timber thrust. The models predict roughly similar amount of horizontal extension in both the back and forelimbs, and somewhat lower extension in the upper forelimb during early development of the Red Deer River anticline. Fracture formation early during fold development is consistent with the field structural observations of shear reactivation during later stages of folding. This combined kinematic modeling and field structural study demonstrates that deforming fold and thrust belts can undergo a complex evolution of bed-parallel extension in both space and time, resulting in spatially variable fracture formation in such structurally complex subsurface reservoirs. / text

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A large number of bone fractures are treated with stabilisation devices that utilise metal wires or screws, which traverse the bone and are connected to an external frame or internal plate. Clinically, fixation devices are required to be able to: sustain loads; minimise patient discomfort and possible implant loosening; and promote healing. In the recent years locking plates have become increasingly popular for osteoporotic or complex fractures, which can be difficult to manage. It, however, remains unclear as to how these devices need to be configured for optimum clinical performance. This thesis investigates the mechanics of locking plates, factors that influence their performance and provides guidance to optimise the placement of screws. Finite element simulation and analytical models were developed and validated using lab-based experimental models. The local behaviour around the screw-bone interface is considered and the implications of different modelling assumptions assessed. A novel method of simulating the effect of radial interference due to pilot-hole size is proposed. Different screw types are evaluated: osteoporotic bone is found to be particularly susceptible to the screw tightening preload used in compression screws; far-cortical locking screws are found to slightly reduce device stiffness but substantially increase strain levels around screw holes. Finite element simulations show that many of the local effects, such as preloads and contact modelling, can profoundly influence the prediction of strains around screws but do not generally influence the global load-displacement behaviour; the screw-plate connection and bone/plate material and geometric properties are found to have an influence on global stiffness predictions. The key determinants of load-displacement behaviour evaluated through models are the loading and restraint conditions, which explain the huge range of stiffness predictions in the literature (three orders of magnitude). An analytical model based on 7 bone-plate construct parameters is developed. Despite its simplicity, the model is found to be able to predict the axial stiffness for experimental tests conducted and for 16 other cases from five previous studies with an average error of 20%. The manner of load application, not considered in the literature, is shown to dramatically alter predictions of plate stress, strains within the bone and conclusions regarding screw placement. Even with the inclusion of muscles forces, the choice of restraint condition dominates the mechanical behaviour. Using the models, the influence of screw position is systematically evaluated in varying bone qualities under axial loading and torsion and guidance for optimising fixation is developed.

The aim of this thesis is the construction of a diagram of fracture strain for high strength steel OCHN3MFA and its application for the estimation of fracture toughness of this material. The first part of the thesis contains the necessary theoretical framework for numerical modelling of tensile tests of various specimens - smooth specimen, specimen with a notch and specimen with a circumferential crack, it describes the influence of triaxiality on the fracture of bodies and the possibilities of construction of the diagram of fracture strain. Subsequently, a numerical model of these specimens is created using the finite element method (FEM). A non-linear, elastoplastic calculation is performed. Fracture is identified by means of comparing the true stress versus the strain obtained from tests with the finite element analysis results. Stress–strain states of specimens at the moment of fracture are obtained from a numerical model. A diagram of fracture strain is constructed, and it is used to estimate the fracture toughness of a cracked body. Finally, a local approach, which uses the diagram of fracture strain, and a classical approach of fracture mechanics, especially the stress intensity factor, are compared.

Dual-Phase (DP) steels, part of the group of Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS), are used by car manufactures due to its large strength to weight ratio. The high strength of the DP steel does have a negative impact on the formability during sheet metal forming and stretch forming, e.g. fractures often appear in shear cut edges during forming of blanks made of DP steel.   The main objective with this thesis is to develop a new punch for Volvo Cars that concentrates the strain to the sheared edges of a test specimen made from different types of DP steel. This is done to be able to measure and obtain maximum fracture strain during stretch forming tests in a press. The newly developed test method is called CTEST (Concentrated Trim Edge Strain Test).   The tests are performed with DP steel specimens with three different qualities of the shear cut edges; fine cut, medium cut and worn cut. DP steels tested are DP600GI, DP600UC and DP800GI from three different suppliers. 10 different types of DP steels are tested in this study with different thickness. Thickness of specimens tested are 1 mm, 1.1 mm, 1.5 mm and 2 mm and all specimens tested have a lengthwise (RD) rolling direction.   The quality of the sheared cut edge has a great impact to the formability and maximum fracture strain of the specimen. A specimen with a fine cut endures higher fracture strain than medium cut and a worn cut for all types of DP steel with different thickness. A 1 mm thick specimen endures a lower fracture strain than 1.5 mm and 2 mm specimen for all cut qualities.   Further, the impact of the orientation of the burr zone of a shear cut edge is studied. With the burr zone facing upwards from the CTEST punch the formability of the specimens is decreased compared to a burr zone facing downwards, especially for a worn cut specimen with micro cracks and imperfections in the edge surface.   ARAMIS Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system is used to analyze the specimen edges during press experiments. The ARAMIS results unveil that several small fractures appear in the sheared edges of a specimen just before the specimens split into two pieces. This phenomenon was seen for specimen with worn and medium shear cut qualities.   Finite Element (FE) simulations of the CTEST is performed in AutoForm to determine maximum values of the true strain for the three different cut qualities. The simulation in AutoForm does show a slightly higher value of the force and press depth than the value from the press test before maximum fracture strain in reached. The small fractures seen in ARAMIS just before the specimen split into two pieces cannot be seen in the simulation in AutoForm.

The investigation of failure in brittle materials, subjected to dynamic transient loading conditions, represents one of the ongoing challenges in the mechanics community. Progresses on this front are required to support the design of engineering components which are employed in applications involving extreme operational regimes. To this purpose, this thesis is devoted to the development of a framework which provides the capabilities to model how crack patterns form and evolve in brittle materials and how they affect the quantitative description of failure. The proposed model is developed within the context of diffusive interfaces which are at the basis of a new class of theories named phase field models. In this work, a set of additional features is proposed to expand their domain of applicability to the modelling of (i) rate and (ii) pressure dependent effects. The path towards the achievement of the first goal has been traced on the desire to account for micro-inertia effects associated with high rates of loading. Pressure dependency has been addressed by postulating a mode-of-failure transition law whose scaling depends upon the local material triaxiality. The governing equations have been derived within a thermodynamically-consistent framework supplemented by the employment of a micro-forces balance approach. The numerical implementation has been carried out within an updated lagrangian finite element scheme with explicit time integration. A series of benchmarks will be provided to appraise the model capabilities in predicting rate-pressure-dependent crack initiation and propagation. Results will be compared against experimental evidences which closely resemble the boundary value problems examined in this work. Concurrently, the design and optimization of a complimentary, improved, experimental characterization platform, based on the split Hopkinson pressure bar, will be presented as a mean for further validation and calibration.