Faserverbundwerkstoffe werden häufiger für Leichbauanwendungen eingesetzt. Thermoplastische Matrixmaterialien gewinnen in der letzten Zeit immer mehr an Bedeutung wegen höherer Produktivität, niedriger Kosten und besserer Umweltfreundlichkeit sowie Recyclingsfähigkeit. Im Rahmen des Projektes SFB 639 werden Spacer-Strukturen aus GF (Glas)- und PP (Polypropylen)-Filamenten verstärkten Textilien hergestellt. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Montage von textilen Preformen mittels Nähtechnik und den mechanischen Eigenschaften genähter thermoplastischer Faserverbundwerkstoffe. Das Ziel ist, durch Untersuchungen der Festigkeitseigenschaften von genähten thermoplastischen Faserverbundwerkstoffen die Möglichkeiten gezielter Verbesserung der mechanischen Eigenschaften herauszufinden. Als Versuchsmaterial werden Twintex®-Gewebe und Mehrlagengestrick (hergestellt im ITB) aus GF- und PP-Filamenten verwendet. Durch Zug-, Schub-, Biege- und interlaminare Scherfestigkeitsuntersuchungen ist festzustellen, dass das Nähen an mehrschichtigen thermoplastischen faserverstärkten Verbundwerkstoffe positiv wirken kann. Durch Verwenden thermoplastischer Nähfäden wie beispielsweise Polyester-Nähfäden kann die Zugfestigkeit des Verbundes sogar erhöht werden. Ohne Verminderung der Zugfestigkeit kann das Nähen die Schlagzähigkeit thermoplastischer Faserverbundwerkstoffe wesentlich erhöhen. Bei der Schlagbelastung erzeugen die Nähte neue Arten des Bruchs, so dass mehr Energie aufgenommen wird. Durch das Nähen lässt sich die Schlagzähigkeit besonders bei Faserverbundwerkstoffen mit thermoplastischer Matrix bei niedrigen Temperaturen erhöhen. Die Zugfestigkeitsuntersuchungen von genähten überlappenden Faserverbunden zeigen, dass das Nähen die Zugfestigkeit überlappender Bauteile leicht erhöhen kann. Die Erfahrungen mit der Wirkung von Überlappungen der Verstärkungstextilien in Faserverbundbauteilen mit duromerer Matrix sind nicht auf thermoplastische Matrices zu übertragen. Der Konsolidierungsprozess mit thermoplastischer Matrix mittels Presstechnologie erzwingt eine konstante Wandstärke, so dass lokal im Überlappungsbereich ein erhöhter Faservolumenanteil theoretisch zu erwarten und praktisch nachgewiesen ist. Zur Vorbereitung der Montage von Faserverbundbauteilen kann das Einbringen von Löchern zur Aufnahme von Bolzen oder Schrauben erforderlich sein. Ein Konzept für ein maschinelles Verfahren zur Lochverstärkung wird in dieser Arbeit vorgeschlagen. Der Konstrukteur von Faserverbundbauteilen muss außerdem berücksichtigen, dass ein Gewinn an Schlagzähigkeit mit Verlusten bei den In-Plane-Eigenschaften verbunden ist. Durch eine optimale Wahl der Nahtparameter lassen sich gewünschte Eigenschaften des Faserverbundwerkstoffes einstellen. Trotz vielfältiger, auch berechtigter Kritik besitzt das Nähen als Montageverfahren für Preformen eine Perspektive, wenn die Nähte zielführend positioniert und schonende Nähprozessbedingungen gewährleistet werden.

The objective of this study is to develop test protocols for comparing the effectiveness of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) mixtures with high-performance steel fibers. Steel fibers can be added to fresh concrete to increase the tensile strength, ductility, and durability of concrete structures. In order to quantify steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) mixtures for field applications, a material test capable of predicting the performance of SFRC for field loading conditions is required. However, current test methods used to evaluate the structural properties of FRC (such as residual strength and toughness) are widely regarded as inadequate; a simple, accurate, and consistent test method is needed. It was determined that the Double-Punch Test (DPT), originally introduced by Chen in 1970 for plain concrete, could be extended to fiber-reinforced concrete to satisfy this industry need. In the DPT, a concrete cylinder is placed vertically between the loading platens of the test machine and compressed by two steel punches located concentrically on the top and bottom surfaces of the cylinder. It is hypothesized that the Double-Punch Test is capable of comparing future fiber-reinforcement design options for use in structural applications, and is suitable for evaluating FRC in general. The DPT Research and Testing Program was administered to produce sufficient within-laboratory data to make conclusions and recommendations regarding the simplicity, reliability, and reproducibility of the DPT for evaluating the performance of SFRC. Several variables (including fiber manufacturer, fiber content, and testing equipment) were evaluated to verify the relevance of the DPT for FRC. In this thesis, the results of 120 Double-Punch Tests are summarized and protocols for its effective application to fiber-reinforced concrete are recommended. Also, fundamental data is provided that indicates the DPT could be standardized by national and international agencies, such as the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), as a method to evaluate the mechanical behavior of FRC. This project is sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) through TxDOT Project 6348, "Controlling Cracking in Prestressed Concrete Panels and Optimizing Bridge Deck Reinforcing Steel," which is aimed at improving bridge deck construction through developments in design details, durability, and quality control procedures. / text

本研究欲比較網球技術與心理素質與網球比賽勝率之關聯性，以及不同天分之男網選手的差異，並檢驗重大勝利能否影響選手之生涯。實證結果顯示，大多數的網球技術都和比賽勝率顯著地正相關，而有天分的選手於大多數網球技術之表現優於天分較差的選手。另外也發現選手得到ATP之賽事冠軍後，可以提升網球技術與心理素質；但在得到大滿貫(Grand Slam)賽事冠軍之後卻會退步。本研究結果亦顯示雖然攻擊、防守與心理素質對選手的比賽結果都有很大影響，但在贏得ATP級冠軍之前攻擊技術是影響比賽勝率最大的因素；而贏得大滿貫賽事冠軍之後防守技術則成為最重要的勝率影響因素。研究結果顯示獲得重大勝利之後確實會增加職業男網選手之信心。 / This study tries to examine the tennis skills and mental toughness associated with winning percentages, compare the performance difference between talent players and less talent players, and find out how a major win can affect players career. The empirical results suggest that most of the tennis skills and mental toughness are positively and significantly associated with winning percentage. Talent players have better performance than those less talent players in most of tennis skills. The study also finds that players can improve offensive and defensive skills and mental toughness through winning an ATP title, but get worse after winning a Grand Slam title. The research findings suggest that before winning an ATP title offensive skill is as important as defensive skill for a player to gain more winning percentage, however, after winning a Grand Slam title defensive skill is the most important skill to win more winning percentage, although defensive skill and mental toughness are still play an important role for winning more percentage. The research concludes that a major win does enhance a player’s confidence.

Over the last few decades, Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) have been increasingly explored in order to take advantage of their unique properties (i.e., pseudoelasticity and shape memory effect), in various actuation, sensing and absorption applications. In order to achieve an effective design of SMA-based devices a thorough investigation of their behavior in the presence of cracks is needed. In particular, it is important to understand the effect of phase transformation on their fracture response. The aim of the present work is to study the effect of stress-induced as well as thermo-mechanically-induced phase transformation on several characteristics of the fracture response of SMAs. The SMA thermomechanical response is modeled through an existing constitutive phenomenological model, developed within the framework of continuum thermodynamics, which has been implemented in a finite element frame-work. The effect of stress-induced phase transformation on the mechanical fields in the vicinity of a stationary crack and on the toughness enhancement associated with crack advance in an SMA subjected to in-plane mode I loading conditions is examined. The small scale transformation assumption is employed in the analysis according to which the size of the region occupied by the transformed material forming close to the crack tip is small compared to any characteristic length of the problem (i.e. the size of the transformation zone is thirty times smaller than the size of the cracked ligament). Given this assumption, displacement boundary conditions, corresponding to the Irwin’s solution for linear elastic fracture mechanics, are applied on a circular region in the austenitic phase that encloses the stress-induced phase transformation zone. The quasi-static stable crack growth is studied by assuming that the crackpropagates at a certain critical level of the crack-tip energy release rate. The Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) is employed to calculate the energy release rate. Fracture toughness enhancement associated with transformation dissipation is observed and its sensitivity on the variation of key characteristic non-dimensional parameters related to the constitutive response is investigated. Moreover, the effect of the dissipation due plastic deformation on the fracture resistance is analyzed by using a Cohesive Zone Model (CZM). The effect of thermo-mechanically-induced transformation on the driving force for crack growth is analyzed in an infinite center-cracked SMA plate subjected to thermal actuation under isobaric mode I loading. The crack-tip energy release rate is identified as the driving force for crack growth and is measured over the entire thermal cycle by means of the VCCT. A substantial increase of the crack-tip energy release rate – an order of magnitude for some material systems – is observed during actuation as a result of phase transformation, i.e., martensitic transformation occurring during actuation causes anti-shielding that might cause the energy release rate to reach the critical value for crack growth. A strong dependence of the crack-tip energy release rate on the variation of the thermomechanical parameters characterizing the material response is examined. Therefore, it is implied that the actual shape of the strain- temperature curve is important for the quantitative determination of the change of the crack-tip energy release rate during actuation.

No description available.

The sport of women's basketball has evolved into a high profile event. The demands of the job during the competitive season can exceed coaches' ability to cope and endure the stressful profession. Research has shown that hardiness decreases the impact of stress on health by influencing one's coping strategies. Individuals who are low in hardiness have a higher chance of professional burnout, illness, and health problems due to the inability to handle stress The purpose of this study was to identify the hardiness levels and coping strategies of female head women coaches in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The following questions were researched: 1) Are there differences in hardiness between female head women basketball coaches across the NCAA divisions? 2) Are there differences in coping strategies between female head women basketball coaches across the NCAA divisions? One hundred and five coaches participated in the study (n = 29 for division I, n = 38 for division II, n = 38 for division III) by completing the Personal Views Survey II for the hardiness levels and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire for the coping strategies. A one-way ANOVA was calculated to determine if differences existed in hardiness scores across the three divisions. A MANOVA was conducted to determine if differences existed in the three hardiness components as well as with the different coping styles across the three divisions. No significance differences were observed in the hardiness scores, the three hardiness components, or the coping strategies across the three NCAA divisions (p <.05). / School of Physical Education

This document describes work performed related to the determination of how elemental additions affect the interfacial fracture toughness of thermal barrier coatings at the bond coat/thermally grown oxide interface in gas turbines. These turbines are exposed to cyclical thermal loading, therefore a simulation was designed to model this interface in a temperature cycle between 200 K and 1000 K that included oxide growth between 2 μm and 27 μm. The fracture toughness of this interface was then determined to elucidate the function of elemental additions. It was shown that minimal concentrations of atomic species, such as hafnium and yttrium cause notable increases in the toughness of the bond coat/thermally grown oxide interface, while other species, such as sulphur, can dramatically reduce the toughness. Furthermore, it was shown that, contrary to some empirical results, the addition of platinum has a negligible effect on the fracture toughness of this interface.

A study is carried out into fracture behavior of steel/steel laminates both experimentally and through finite element analysis (FEM). The laminates produced by hot pressing consisted of low carbon and medium carbon steels with two volume fractions / 0.41 and 0.81. Fracture toughness, JIC has been measured using partial unloading technique assuming a critical value of crack extension. The technique is initially applied to monolithic material and then to the laminates in crack divider orientation. Evaluation of fracture toughness of laminates indicates that there is a substantial improvement of JIC with increase in the volume fraction. The systems under study were also evaluated by FEM modeling with the use MARC package program. To evaluate JIC, the problem has been evaluated in several steps / first two-dimensional plane strain problem is considered. This is followed by three-dimensional case and then by an artificially layered system, all for monolithic materials. Values of JIC derived were close to one another in all cases. Following this verification, the method, as implemented in layered monolithic system, was applied to laminates. This has shown that JIC of laminates can be predicted using FEM analysis, including the delamination. Values of JIC varied in the same manner as the experiment verifying that fracture toughness in the current system increases with increase in volume fraction. It has been concluded that modeling as implemented in this work can be used for useful composite systems incorporating hard/brittle reinforcements both in crack divider and crack arrester orientation.

The goal of this research was to develop new experimental techniques to quantitatively study the interfacial fracture of micro-contact thin film interconnects used in microelectronic applications under monotonic and cyclic loadings. The micro-contact spring is a new technology that is based on physical vapor deposited thin film cantilevers with a purposely-imposed stress gradient through the thickness of the film. These "springs" have the promise of being the solution to address near-term wafer level probing and long-term high-density chip-to-next level microelectronic packaging challenges, as outlined by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. The success of this technology is, in part, dependent on the ability to understand the failure mechanism under monotonic and cyclic loadings. This research proposes two experimental methods to understand the interfacial fracture under such monotonic and fatigue loading conditions. To understand interfacial fracture under monotonic loading, a fixtureless superlayer-based delamination test has been developed. Using stress-engineered Cr layer and a release layer with varying width, this test can be used to measure interfacial fracture toughness under a wide range of mode mixity. This test uses common IC fabrication techniques and overcomes the shortcomings of available methods. The developed test has been used to measure the interfacial fracture toughness for Ti/Si interface. It was found that for low mode mixity Ti/Si thin film interfaces, the fracture toughness approaches the work of adhesion which is essentially the Ti-Si bond energy for a given bond density. In addition to the monotonic decohesion test, a fixtureless fatigue test is developed to investigate the interfacial crack propagation. Using a ferromagnetic material deposited on the micro-contact spring, this test employs an external magnetic field to be able to drive the interfacial crack. Fatigue crack growth can be monitored by E-beam lithography patterned metal traces that are 10 to 40nm wide and 1 to a few µm in spacing. The crack initiation and propagation can be monitored through electrical resistance measurement. In the conducted experiments, it is seen that the interfacial delamination does not occur under fatigue loading, and that the micro-contact springs are robust against interfacial fracture for probing and packaging applications.

As amarras de correntes de aço para aplicação naval utilizadas na indústria de óleo e gás são fabricadas para atender elevadas exigências operacionais. Com a prospecção de petróleo em águas profundas e ultraprofundas o conhecimento de suas propriedades torna-se relevante. Frente a essa necessidade foi realizado o estudo das propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas de um elo de corrente de amarra naval na indústria do petróleo proveniente de operação. Esse estudo teve como objetivo principal identificar e avaliar as propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas das regiões resultante do processo de soldagem por centelhamento frente ao material de base. Como objetivo secundário foi classificado o material de acordo com algumas propriedades mecânicas recomendadas pela IACS UR W22. Para isso foram realizados ensaios de tração, microdureza, tenacidade ao impacto Charpy e à fratura CTOD, com avaliações metalúrgicas no material de base e região de união por centelhamento. Como resultado foi verificado que o processo de soldagem por centelhamento produziu zonas de extensões reduzidas e com menores valores de tenacidade à fratura e ao impacto. O processo de centelhamento produziu união com espessura de 0,375 mm, com uma zona de solda revelada por ataque químico e duas zonas afetadas pelo calor caracterizadas apenas por perfil de microdureza, com 0,150 mm e 0,300 mm, respectivamente. Os menores valores de tenacidade ao impacto Charpy e à fratura CTOD foram medidos nos corpos de prova posicionados na zona afetada pelo calor. Os resultados obtidos em todos os ensaios foram comparados com as recomendações técnicas IACS UR W22, onde caracterizou o elo como grau R4. / Mooring chains of offshore systems anchors are design to be used under extreme environment operation. New fields of exploration have been operated in deep water and ultra-deep water, wherefore, require more knowledge of the mechanical and metallurgical properties. Hence a study of a studless link of offshore chain from the operating service component was carried out. The main goal of this work was to determine and evaluate the properties of the base material and the zones produced by Flash Butt Welding Process. Furthermore, the material was characterized by the IACS UR W22 standard recommendation. In this study tests of tensile test, microhardness, Charpy and CTOD toughness, mechanical and metallurgical evaluation were performed in the base material and welding zones. The results showed small welding zones with reduced impact and fracture toughness. The lowest values were seen in specimens from the heat affect zone. The weld zone thickness observed by chemical etching extend 0,375 mm and the microhardness profile indicated a Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) with 0,150 and 0,300 mm. The lowest Charpy and CTOD toughness tests were measured in the HAZ specimens. These results were compared with IACS UR W22 standard recommendation and the link chain was characterized as R4 grade.