Stress analysis was performed to determine the maximum stress acting on a railcar coal support-bed, using COSMOS finite element and WFM micromechanics models. The fracture strength of polyurethane impregnated Kevlar 29 fabric, proposed for integration with the railcar structure, was determined experimentally by loading the impregnated coupons in a microcomputer controlled Instron 4505. Procedures to improve the wettability of a Kevlar 29 orthogonal-weave fabric were investigated. Unimpregnated and impregnated coupons of increasing gage lengths were statically tested for tensile strength to check for gage length effect behavior. Fatigue tests were conducted to predict the stress level (endurance limit) below which the impregnated fabric bed can perform without failure for ten years of the service life. The fracture strength of the polyurethane impregnated fabric, after immersion in aqueous solutions of different pH values for seventy-five hours and in ten percent concentrated sulfuric acid solution at 212��F for ten hours, was measured. / Graduation date: 1994

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Advanced impact protection systems can experience serious damage due to contact with projectiles such as fragments or entire fan blades. To prevent catastrophic damage of such systems will require sophisticated materials and complex designs. The development of advanced ballistic protection systems will place increased emphasis on the use of composite materials and on numerical simulations to assess these new systems due to the cost and limitations of testing facilities and the increased capability of computing power. Example applications include the design of body armor for the protection of personnel, the design of fragment containment systems for aircraft engines, and the design of orbital debris shielding for the protection of manned spacecraft. The current research has developed a new mesomechanical particle-element material model for woven material impact response, a velocity dependent friction model to simulate yarn interactions, and a strain rate dependent model for Kevlar. In recent research, a new class of shear-thickening fluid (STF) composites has been developed for use in impact protection systems. Advancements in the current work include a Bingham shear stress model for STF effects and a new mixture equation of state for the STF Kevlar that captures the thermodynamic properties of the constituents. The numerical methods and material model developed in this research have been validated through the simulation of three dimensional impact experiments on different Kevlar target geometries. This dissertation also provides new data for fragment simulating projectile impacts on Kevlar with different boundary conditions and new data for aluminum cylinder and steel disk projectile impacts on neat and STF Kevlar with different boundary conditions. / text

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 9, 2009) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 178-195). Also available online

Current body armor technologies need further improvements in their design to help reduce combat injuries of military and law enforcement personnel. Kevlar-based body armor systems have good ballistic resistance up to a certain ballistic threat level due to limitations such as decreased mobility and increased weight [1,2]. Kevlar fibers have been modified in this work using a nano-scale boron carbide coating and a marked increase in the puncture resistance has been experimentally observed. It is hypothesized that this improvement is due to the enhancement of the mechanical properties of the individual Kevlar fibers due to the nano-scale coatings. This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation of individual Kevlar fibers based on nanoindentation to quantify the cause of the enhanced puncture resistance. The experimental setup was validated using copper wires with a diameter size in the same order of magnitude as Kevlar fibers. Results from nanoindentation did not show significant changes in the modulus or hardness of the Kevlar fibers. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that the coated fibers had a marked change in their surface morphology. The main finding of this work is that the boron carbide coating did not affect the properties of the individual fibers due to poor adhesion and non-uniformity. This implies that the observed enhancement in puncture resistance originates from the interaction between fibers due to the increase in roughness. The results are important in identifying further ways to enhance Kevlar puncture resistance by modifying the surface properties of fibers.