The aim of this thesis is to investigate Ti/APC-2 nanocomposite laminates mechanical properties after low velocity impact. The finite element analysis with software ANSYS/LS-DYNA is used to analyze the size of damage and plastic zone and internal energy of laminates during low velocity impact. Finally, the numerical results and experimental data are in good agreement. The work can be divided into two parts: the first is to fabricate the hybrid composite laminates and place the samples on the floor, subjected to the free drop of a rigid steel ball of 1m and 2m high. Then, the samples after impact were due to static tensile and fatigue tests to obtain mechanical properties. Using the optical microscopy the impact defects of laminate surface were measured. The second, ANSYS/LS-DYNA was used to simulate a laminate impacted by a steel ball. The energy change of steel ball impact and internal energy of laminates during impact were also discussed. From the experimental data, the mechanical properties, such as ultimate strength and stiffness, of virgin samples are better than those of impacted samples due to free drop. In addition, no matter the laminates were added nanoparticles SiO2 or not, the strength of laminates reduces after impact, however, the fatigue resistance of impacted samples does not lose much. Compare with the data of penetration depth and plastic zone due to free drop. The errors of numerical results are 5.4%~12.4% for the penetration depth and the errors 5.21%~8.98% for plastic zone respectively. That is acceptable. The numerical method ology provides a reference to realize the energy change in laminates after impact. Also, from the experimental measurement it is obvious to see damage area after impact and the mechanical properties do not reduce significantly due to low velocity impact generally in Ti/APC-2 composite laminates.

<p>One of the limiting factors in gas turbine design is the allowable metal temperatures and loads in critical components. Specially designed superalloys are used when the conditions are most severe. One of these superalloys is Inconel 718. To be able to design components for higher temperature and higher loads, an accurate understanding and computational model of the material is needed. In this thesis the deformation mechanisms of Inconel 718 have been investigated and a theoretical basis for modelling in a large deformation context has been established. Finally a viscoplastic nonlinear kinematic hardening material model with an Armstrong-Frederick backstress evolution law has been implemented as a first step in describing the constitutive behaviour of the material Inconel 718.</p>

9th German-Japanese Bridge Symposium, September 10-11, 2012, Kyoto, JAPAN (GJBS09)

No description available.

abstract: This research summarizes the validation testing completed for the material model MAT213, currently implemented in the LS-DYNA finite element program. Testing was carried out using a carbon fiber composite material, T800-F3900. Stacked-ply tension and compression tests were performed for open-hole and full coupons. Comparisons of experimental and simulation results showed a good agreement between the two for metrics including, stress-strain response and displacements. Strains and displacements in the direction of loading were better predicted by the simulations than for that of the transverse direction. Double cantilever beam and end notched flexure tests were performed experimentally and through simulations to determine the delamination properties of the material at the interlaminar layers. Experimental results gave the mode I critical energy release rate as having a range of 2.18 – 3.26 psi-in and the mode II critical energy release rate as 10.50 psi-in, both for the pre-cracked condition. Simulations were performed to calibrate other cohesive zone parameters required for modeling. Samples of tested T800/F3900 coupons were processed and examined with scanning electron microscopy to determine and understand the underlying structure of the material. Tested coupons revealed damage and failure occurring at the micro scale for the composite material. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2018

This thesis presents a literature review of the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), including a brief description of the patient history and non-surgical options while focusing mainly on the current array of surgical techniques. LSS is defined as a narrowing of any part of the lumbar spinal canal. This narrowing places excessive pressure on both the spinal cord and peripheral nerves resulting in pain, numbness and weakness in the lower extremities. LSS has a large spectrum of potential treatment options since the disease itself has a wide range of severities. An extensive physical exam, using the appropriate clinical surveys, physical manipulations, and imaging studies, is of paramount importance in the successful diagnosis. Currently, conservative treatment, while an important first step in managing LSS, seems to be limited to a first line of defense, lasting only a short period of time. Physical therapy results appear to be beneficial for only six months to a year, and despite their increased usage in recent years, management through the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opiates, and corticosteroid injections seem to provide very little benefit. Surgical treatment for LSS ultimately appears to be the most effective method in reducing pain and disability for the patient who fits the clinical and radiological findings indicative of LSS. Although current surgical options available are numerous, including different types of fusion, bone grafts, and innovative joint replacements, the most promising procedures appear to be minimally invasive lumbar disk replacement surgery and dynamic stabilization. These procedures offer the benefits of a minimally invasive surgical approach, while reducing stenosis though hardware that not only reduces pain but also allows patients to maintain spinal flexibility and natural functional motion.

The thesis analyses the damages caused by wild game in hunting districts (HD) of forest district (FD) Bučovice. The thesis focuses on factors affecting the amount of game damages on forest stands. Incurred damages for the period 2004 -- 2012 are compared with natural conditions, numbers of wild game and costs of forest protection against damages caused by wild game in management-plan areas (MPA) Bučovice and Račice. Based on collected data, the prognosis of development of game damages in hunting districts of MPA's Bučovice and Račice were developed. The results show that the main factor influencing the amount of game damages in FD Bučovice is high population of wild game.

No description available.

La collision d'un camion sur un pont est un événement courant et peut engendrer des efforts considérables dans la structure. Selon la norme canadienne CSA-S6-14, la pile d'un pont doit être conçue pour résister à une charge statique de 1400 kN à 1,2 m au-dessus du niveau du sol. Peu d'études récentes abordent ce sujet et aucune des études trouvées dans la littérature ne présente des résultats expérimentaux. Le but de ce mémoire est d'approfondir davantage nos connaissances sur le phénomène des collisions d'un véhicule avec un pont et de recueillir des résultats tant expérimentaux que numériques. La méthode expérimentale comprend les essais en laboratoire de deux piles en béton armé à échelles réduites 1:6 ainsi que la modélisation de ces essais à l'aide d'un modèle par éléments finis avec le logiciel LS-DYNA. Le premier essai consiste à imposer un chargement cyclique quasi-statique au niveau du chevêtre de la pile. Ceci permet de caractériser la pile et de calibrer un modèle numérique statique. Par la suite, un deuxième modèle numérique incluant la super-structure est utilisé pour simuler la collision d'un camion semi-remorque sur la pile étudiée. Les résultats du déplacement du chevêtre en fonction du temps du modèle numérique sont par la suite utilisés comme cas de chargement du deuxième essai. Finalement, un troisième modèle numérique est calibré à l'aide des résultats expérimentaux du deuxième essai. Les résultats démontrent que le montage expérimental ainsi que le modèle numérique reproduisent avec succès une charge d'impact. De plus, la nature dynamique de l'essai atteint des taux de déformations dans l'armature au-dessus de la limite quasi-statique. L'essai dynamique présente donc une charge pseudo-statique supérieure à la charge quasi-statique équivalente. Finalement, la force pseudo-statique maximale à l'échelle 1:1 atteint plus de 1832 kN alors que la force prescrite par la norme CSA-S6-14 est de 1400 kN.

In mobile communication channels information symbols are transmitted through a communication channel that is prone to fading and multipath propagation. At the receiver, the effect of multipath propagation is reduced by a process called channel equalization. Channel equalization relies on an accurate estimate of the channel state information (CSI). This estimate is obtained using a channel estimation algorithm. Mobile WiMAX is a recently released technology that makes use of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based physical layer to transmit information over a wireless communication channel. In this dissertation, frequency and time domain channel estimation methods typically used in classical OFDM systems, using block and comb type pilot insertion schemes, were analyzed and adopted for mobile WiMAX. Least squares (LS) and linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) channel estimation methods were considered in the case of block type pilot insertion. In the case of comb type pilot insertion, piecewise constant, linear, spline cubic as well as discrete Wiener interpolation methods were considered. A mobile WiMAX simulation platform was developed as part of the dissertation to evaluate and compare the performance of these different channel estimation methods. It was found that the performance of the channel estimation methods, applied to a real world mobile WiMAX simulation platform, conforms to the expected performance of the corresponding classical OFDM channel estimation methods found in literature. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted