Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à l’adhésion d’élastomères sur des substrats rigides (interactions de van der Waals). Nous revisitons ainsi, en nous appuyant sur une approche expérimentale, deux situations classiques qui permettent la mesure de l’énergie d’adhésion. Dans une première partie dédiée à l’étude du pelage, nous montrons que le frottement peut modifier le processus de détachement d’une bande d’élastomère. Ceci est tout d’abord mis en évidence lors du pelage parallèlement à l’interface, où nous montrons qu’il conduit à la progression d’une zone de frottement jusqu’au détachement de la bande pour une force proportionnelle à l’aire de contact. Nous généralisons par la suite nos résultats au pelage selon un angle quelconque. En particulier, nous montrons comment la dissipation par frottement peut augmenter de façon significative la force de pelage pour des angles faibles. Dans une deuxième partie, nous nous tournons vers la mesure d’adhésion dans une géométrie JKR, c’est à dire lors de l’indentation d’une sphère élastique adhésive avec un substrat rigide. Nous utilisons des coques élastiques dont la réponse mécanique est beaucoup plus souple bien que plus complexe. Nous montrons qu’il est néanmoins possible d’obtenir une mesure de l’adhésion par une méthode très simple et très robuste, puisqu’elle ne suppose pas de connaissance a priori de la mécanique du système. Nous espérons que cette technique permettra dans le futur d’accéder à des énergies d’adhésion très faibles ou mettant en jeu des tissus biologiques particulièrement mous. / In this thesis, we are devoted to study the adhesion of elastomers to rigid substrates through van der Waals interactions. We review, from an experimental point of view, two classical methods to measure the adhesion energy. A first part is dedicated to the study of the peeling system, we show that friction can modify the detachment process of an elastomer strip. This is firstly observed in the lap-test configuration, where a sliding front propagates on the interface up until the end of the strip, for a pulling force proportional to the initial contact area. We generalize this results for the finite peeling angle case. In particular, we show how the friction dissipation significantly increases for small peeling angles. In the second part, we study the adhesion measure in the JKR geometry, i.e. for the indentation of an adhesive elastic sphere into a rigid plate. We use elastic thin shells, which elastic response is much softer, as well it is much more complex. However, it is possible to measure the adhesion energy through a very simple and robust method with no need of much details of the mechanical response of the system. We hope this technique will allow to measure the effect of very weak and sensitive adhesive systems such us biological tissues which are particularly soft.

Tough-skinned vegetables such as pumpkin and melon currently are peeled either semi-automatically or automatically. The main limitation of both methods, especially for varieties with an uneven surface, is high peeling losses. Improvement of current mechanical peeling methods and development of new mechanical methods for tough-skinned vegetables which are close to the "ideal" peeling conditions using mechanical properties of the product were the main objectives of this research. This research has developed four innovative mechanical peeling methods on the basis of the mechanical properties of tough-skinned vegetables. For the first time, an abrasive-cutter brush has been introduced as the best peeling method of tough-skinned vegetables. This device simultaneously applies abrasive and cutting forces to remove the peel. The same peeling efficiency at concave and convex areas in addition to high productivity are the main advantages of the developed method. The developed peeling method is environmentally friendly, as it minimises water consumption and peeling wastes. The peeling process using this method has been simulated in a mathematical model and the significant influencing parameters have been determined. The parameters are related to either the product or peeler. Those parameters appeared as the coefficients of a linear regression model. The coefficients have been determined for Jap and Jarrahdale as two varieties of pumpkin. The mathematical model has been verified by experimental results. The successful implementation of this research has provided essential information for the design and manufacture of a commercial peeler for tough-skinned vegetables. It is anticipated that the abrasive-cutting method and the mathematical model will be put into practical use in the food processing industry, enabling peeling of tough-skinned vegetables to be optimised and potentially saving the food industry millions of dollars in tough-skinned vegetable peeling processes.

We proposes an efficient algorithm for extracting SPICE-compatible circuits of embedded interconnect structures from FDTD-simulated time-domain reflections. A layer-peeling technique (LPT) is used to obtain the time-domain step response of the interconnects under extract (IUE) itself. A pencil matrix method is then used to get the pole-residue representation of the time-domain step response of the IUE. A pole-reducing procedure is implemented based on a bandwidth criterion to simplify pole-residue representation. Finally, the lumped equivalent models of the IUE are synthesized by an equivalent lumped-model extraction technique, in which four types of equivalent model bases are used. The equivalent circuit can be easily implemented in SPICE-like simulator. Several transmission line structures are presented as examples to demonstrate the validity of the proposed algorithm both in time and frequency domains.

The structural behaviour of simply supported reinforced concrete (R.C.) beams strengthened in flexure by externally bonded steel or fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) plates has been investigated. A novel theoretical model coupled with simple (hence, practical) procedure(s) for designing such beams against premature plate peeling failure has been developed. The theoretical model and the design procedures have been validated by an extensive number (169) of mainly large-scale test data (using steel or FRP plates) from other sources. The effects of variations in the magnitude of Young's modulus for FRP plates on the potential changes in the flexural ultimate load of R. C. beams with externally bonded FRP plates, in the absence and/or presence of plate peeling, have been investigated in some detail with the theoretical predictions of various failure loads and associated modes of failure supported by an extensive number of test results from other sources. Moreover, brief theoretical parametric studies for other first order composite beam design parameters have also been carried out in order to clarify the effects of variations in such parameters on the predicted modes of failure. It has been shown (both, theoretically and by using large scale experimental data) that the load bearing capacity for a plated beam could (under certain circumstances) be significantly lower than even that for the corresponding unplated beam with the mode of failure being of an undesirable brittle nature. Such brittle failures can obviously have serious implications in practice, where this method has been used extensively for upgrading both bridges and buildings in a number of countries, with the design calculations very often not having properly accounted for the possible occurrence of premature plate peeling phenomenon, especially when FRP plates have been used. Further work in this area included a quantitative theoretical insight into the effect of pre-cracking of the beams (under service conditions) on the ultimate plate peeling load. A critical quantitative examination of a number of previously available theoretical models, as proposed by others, has also been carried out, and some of these models for predicting the plate peeling failure of R. C. beams have been shown to suffer from rather serious shortcomings.

In this study, carrots of Beypazari variety, cultivated during 2004 season were chemically and steam peeled. Effects of temperature, concentration of NaOH solutions and immersion time on lye peeling of carrots were studied / optimum time-temperature-concentration relations were analyzed mathematically. Then suitable combinations of concentration, temperature and time were determined just by considering degree of peeling. Increases in both temperature and concentration of lye solution led to a decrease in peeling time. However it was observed that the temperature of the lye solution was the main effect on the quality of carrots. Treatment with 0.75 % NaOH at 77&deg / C for 10.5 minutes was found to be optimum to peel the carrots, mathematically. In steam peeling, the peeled surface area-time relations were analyzed mathematically. Complete peeling was achieved at 8.5 minutes. Under complete peeling conditions, the effect of chemical and steam peeling on quality of carrots were determined. Then the mathematical optimum value for chemical peeling was evaluated for quality parameters. The optimum chemical peeling value was fitted to the peeling yield-pectin relations. The peeling yield of steam peeled carrot was higher than the chemically peeled carrot. The color of the chemically peeled carrot had the highest consumer acceptance compared to conventional peeling. Finally, the two conditions were suitable for considering the need of the plant design.

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Effects of biomimetic micro-patterning of polymeric materials on their interfacial properties were studied experimentally. Micropillars of PDMS and SU-8 epoxy were fabricated through soft lithography and UV lithography techniques, respectively. PDMS pillars were topped by thin terminal films of the same material through dipping method with different thicknesses and viscosities. Adhesion and frictional properties of biomimetic microstructures were examined in two modes of contact, i.e. laid and conformal contact. In the first mode of contact, i.e. laid contact, the contact between adhesive and adherent is laid on top of the micro-protrusions or is in contact with side wall of micropillars. Adhesion properties of the smooth and patterned PDMS were characterized through micro-indentation test. Moreover, the friction properties of the smooth PDMS sample and PDMS micropillars with different aspect ratios were examined in unidirectional friction testing. JKR theory of continuum contact mechanics was utilized to interpret the obtained data. To study the effect of second mode of contact, peeling behaviour of a conformal contact between solidified liquid PDMS and SU-8 micropillars was monitored. Kendall’s model of elastic peeling was used to interpret the peeling data. It was found that patterning of the materials would decrease the real area of contact and accordingly adhesion and friction to the mating surface. Termination of the micropillars with a thin layer of the same material result in increment of adhesion as reduction of the real contact area could be compensated and the compliance of the near surface increases. Elastic energy dissipation as a result of enhanced compliance and crack trapping and crack propagation instabilities are the main reasons behind increment of adhesion of thin film terminated structures. Viscoelasticity of the terminal thin film remarkably increased the adhesion as a result of coupling mentioned mechanisms and viscoelastic loss on the surface. Decline of the overall friction could be tailored through use of different aspect ratios. Higher aspect ratios pillars show higher friction comparing to lower aspect ratio pillars. 550 folds enhancement of adhesion was observed for peeling of the PDMS tape from rigid micropillars with aspect ratio ranging from 0 to 6. It is concluded that for the lower aspect ratio micropillars, the elastic energy dissipation is playing the key role in adhesion enhancement. This role shifts toward side-wall friction during separation by increase in aspect ratio. These all give in hand a versatile tool to control and fine tune the interfacial properties of materials, whether they are concerned with adhesion or friction.

For the advanced high speed digital circuits with faster edge rate, smaller packaged size, and higher layout density, crosstalk becomes one of the serious problems for good signal integrity (SI) in the circuits. Accurate extraction of the equivalent model of the general three conductors transmission lines structure can help us understand the behavior of the crosstalk phenomenon. Based on combining the Layer Peeling Technique (LPT) and Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) numerical approach, both the impedance profile and the equivalent lumped model of the three-conductors transmission lines are theoretically obtained. The equivalent model can easily incorporate into SPICE program. The transient behavior of the these extracted model is compared with the experienced results measured by Time-domain Reflectometry (TDR). The agreement is good.

Effects of biomimetic micro-patterning of polymeric materials on their interfacial properties were studied experimentally. Micropillars of PDMS and SU-8 epoxy were fabricated through soft lithography and UV lithography techniques, respectively. PDMS pillars were topped by thin terminal films of the same material through dipping method with different thicknesses and viscosities. Adhesion and frictional properties of biomimetic microstructures were examined in two modes of contact, i.e. laid and conformal contact. In the first mode of contact, i.e. laid contact, the contact between adhesive and adherent is laid on top of the micro-protrusions or is in contact with side wall of micropillars. Adhesion properties of the smooth and patterned PDMS were characterized through micro-indentation test. Moreover, the friction properties of the smooth PDMS sample and PDMS micropillars with different aspect ratios were examined in unidirectional friction testing. JKR theory of continuum contact mechanics was utilized to interpret the obtained data. To study the effect of second mode of contact, peeling behaviour of a conformal contact between solidified liquid PDMS and SU-8 micropillars was monitored. Kendall’s model of elastic peeling was used to interpret the peeling data. It was found that patterning of the materials would decrease the real area of contact and accordingly adhesion and friction to the mating surface. Termination of the micropillars with a thin layer of the same material result in increment of adhesion as reduction of the real contact area could be compensated and the compliance of the near surface increases. Elastic energy dissipation as a result of enhanced compliance and crack trapping and crack propagation instabilities are the main reasons behind increment of adhesion of thin film terminated structures. Viscoelasticity of the terminal thin film remarkably increased the adhesion as a result of coupling mentioned mechanisms and viscoelastic loss on the surface. Decline of the overall friction could be tailored through use of different aspect ratios. Higher aspect ratios pillars show higher friction comparing to lower aspect ratio pillars. 550 folds enhancement of adhesion was observed for peeling of the PDMS tape from rigid micropillars with aspect ratio ranging from 0 to 6. It is concluded that for the lower aspect ratio micropillars, the elastic energy dissipation is playing the key role in adhesion enhancement. This role shifts toward side-wall friction during separation by increase in aspect ratio. These all give in hand a versatile tool to control and fine tune the interfacial properties of materials, whether they are concerned with adhesion or friction.