Os materiais cerâmicos são utilizados pelo homem há milhares de anos e podem ser considerados os primeiros materiais utilizados na fabricação de ferramentas. Argamassas são materiais cerâmicos formados pela mistura de cimento, areia e água, são fluidos nas primeiras horas e endurecem com o tempo, ganhando resistência mecânica, já os refratários são materiais constituídos basicamente por duas partes, uma de granulometria fina denominada matriz e a outra de granulometria grosseira, chamada agregado, trabalham em altas temperaturas e muitas vezes sofrem choques térmicos. Devido a sua fragilidade, são susceptíveis a fratura catastrófica, por isso o conhecimento de seu comportamento mecânico é tão importante. Uma importante propriedade dos materiais cerâmicos é a energia de fratura e o método mais conhecido para a sua determinação é o da barra entalhada flexionada em três ou quatro pontos, porém o grande problema deste método é a relação de tamanho de agregado/área de fratura, pois como a barra apresenta, em geral, pequenas dimensões, o material pode apresentar um agregado de dimensões próximas à dimensão da área de fraturada e o resultado final pode ser fortemente afetado. Então, em 1986, Tschegg patenteou o método da cunha (wedge splitting test) que minimiza este efeito, devido à utilização de amostras com grande área de fratura. Desde então, este método vem sendo utilizado com freqüência por diversos pesquisadores no mundo. Porém não há estudos publicados que definam a posição ideal dos roletes do dispositivo de teste, levando ao uso de diferentes posições, sem que se saiba como isso pode influenciar o ensaio. Além de não existir uma definição de, a partir de que tamanho de agregado o método da barra entalhada passa a ser desaconselhável sendo necessário o uso do método da cunha. Neste trabalho analisou-se a influência da posição dos roletes e do tamanho de agregados nas medidas de energia de fratura e na carga máxima atingida no ensaio. / The ceramic materials are used by humans for thousands of years and can be considerate the first materials used in the manufacture of tools. Mortar are ceramic materials made by the mixture of cement, sand and water, it is fluid in the first hours and stiffen over time, gaining mechanical strength, the refractories in turn are made basically of two phases, one of fine granulometry called matrix and another of coarse called aggregate. It works over high temperature and many times suffer thermal shock. Due to its fragility, it is susceptible to catastrophic fracture; therefore the knowledge of its mechanical behavior is so important. One of the mainly properties of ceramic materials is the fracture energy and o most knew method for its determination is of three-point bending test on notched beams, but the biggest problem of this method is the relation between aggregate size and fracture area, because as the beam has small dimensions the aggregate can have a dimension so closed of the fracture area dimension and the final result can be tightly affect. Then in 1986, Tschegg patented the wedge splitting test, which minimizes this effect, because of the use of samples with a big fracture area. Since then, this method has been used for scientists around the world. But there are no studies that define the roll position of the test device, leading to the use of different positions, without know how it can influence the test. Besides not having a definition of from what aggregate size the wedge splitting test is advisable in despite of the bending test on notched beams. In this work was analyzed the influence of the rolls positions in the wedge splitting test and of the aggregate size in the measures of fracture energy and maximum load of test.

A literatura atual aponta o exercício físico como uma das estratégias nãofarmacológicas mais utilizadas no tratamento e prevenção de condições que acometem o tecido ósseo. Ademais, estudos indicam que a suplementação de creatina pode exercer efeitos positivos sobre o ganho de massa óssea. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os efeitos preventivos do exercício físico associado à suplementação de creatina na perda de massa óssea em ratas ovariectomizadas. Diante disso, sessenta e cinco ratas da linhagem Wistar foram pareadas pelo peso corporal e dividas aleatoriamente em cinco grupos, sendo eles: 1) ratas falso-operadas (SHAM); 2) ratas ovariectomizadas (OVX), sedentárias e suplementadas com placebo (PL); 3) ratas OVX, sedentárias e suplementadas com creatina (CR); 4) ratas OVX, treinadas e suplementadas com placebo (PL+TR) e 5) ratas OVX, treinadas e suplementadas com creatina (CR+TR). Os animais foram submetidos a um protocolo de treinamento físico em declive em esteira rolante e suplementados com creatina diariamente por meio de gavagem esofágica. Foi realizada a avaliação de densitometria óssea para a obtenção dos parâmetros ósseos de conteúdo mineral ósseo (CMO) e densidade mineral óssea (DMO) de corpo total e regional, assim como a composição corporal nos períodos pré e pósintervenção. Além disso, foi removido o fêmur direito para a análise biomecânica. Após a intervenção, o grupo PL+TR apresentou maiores valores de CMO e DMO em comparação ao grupo PL (p=0,004 e p=0,020, respectivamente), ao passo que o grupo CR+TR experimentou maiores incrementos para o CMO e tendência ao aumento da DMO em comparação ao grupo CR (p=0,011 e p=0,064). A análise biomecânica do fêmur demonstrou que ambos os grupos treinados (PL+TR e CR+TR) apresentaram valores de força máxima significantemente maiores em relação aos grupos SHAM (p=0,024 e p=0,020, respectivamente), PL (p<0,001 e p<0,001) e CR (p=0,002 e p=0,002). Com relação à rigidez do fêmur, observou-se que o grupo SHAM não apresentou diferença significante quando comparado à ambos os grupos treinados (p=0,973 vs. PL+TR e p=0,998 vs. CR+TR), entretanto, apresentou diferença significante em relação aos grupos sedentários (p=0,048 vs. PL e p=0,024 vs. CR), ainda para esse parâmetro, o grupo PL apresentou diferença significante em relação ao grupo PL+TR (p=0,009), assim como o grupo CR foi significantemente diferente em relação ao grupo CR+TR (p=0,043). Não houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos PL e CR e entre os grupos PL+TR e CR+TR ao longo do estudo. Dessa forma, concluímos que a suplementação de creatina não apresentou efeitos isolados, nem aditivos, quando combinada ao treinamento físico, porém, o exercício físico promoveu efeitos positivos sobre o tecido ósseo, enfatizando, portanto, o seu papel terapêutico ímpar em atenuar a perda de massa óssea / The current literature indicates exercise training as one of the most used nonpharmacological strategies in the treatment and prevention of conditions that affect the bone tissue. Moreover, studies indicate that creatine supplementation may exert positive effects on bone mass gain. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the preventive effects of exercise training associated with creatine supplementation on bone loss in ovariectomized rats. Thus, sixty-five female Wistar rats were matched by body weight and randomly assigned into five experimental groups, as follows: 1) shammed (SHAM); 2) ovariectomized (OVX), sedentary and placebo-supplemented rats (PL); 3) OVX, sedentary and creatine-supplemented rats (CR); 4) OVX, trained and placebo-supplemented rats (PL+TR) and 5) OVX rats, trained and creatinesupplemented rats (CR+TR). The animals were submitted to a downhill running training protocol performed on a treadmill and supplemented with creatine on daily basis via gavage. Bone density were evaluated pre and post-intervention to obtain bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) from whole body and regional area, as well as body composition. Right femur was removed to biomechanical assessment. After the intervention, PL+TR group had higher BMC and BMD compared to the PL group (p=0.004 and p=0.020, respectively), while the CR+TR group experienced greater increases in BMC and tended to increase BMD compared to the CR group (p=0.011 and p=0.064, respectively). Biomechanical assessment demonstrated significantly higher femur maximum strength of both trained groups (PL+TR and CR+TR) compared to SHAM group (p=0.024 and p=0.020, respectively), PL group (p<0.001 and p<0.001) and CR group (p=0.002 and p=0.002). With respect to femur stiffness, no significant difference was observed from the SHAM group compared to both trained groups (p=0.973 vs. PL+TR and p=0.998 vs. CR+TR), however, significant difference was observed when compared to sedentary groups (p=0.048 vs. PL and p=0.024 vs. CR), moreover, significant difference was observed when the PL group was compared to PL+TR group (p=0.009), as well as the CR group was significantly different compared to the CR+TR group (p=0.043). There were no significant differences between PL and CR groups and between PL+TR and CR+TR groups along the study. Thus, we conclude that creatine supplementation showed no isolated, nor additive effects when combined with exercise training, however, exercise training promoted positive effects on bone tissue, thus emphasizing its unique therapeutic role in attenuating the loss of bone mass

Dissertation thesis deals with basic research in the field of materials from pure Zn powders and Mg, Zn, and Ca binary mixtures prepared by powder metallurgy. General powder metallurgy principles and methods, a brief description of Mg, Zn, and Ca structure and properties, and the latest research in the field of bulk materials preparation from these elements via powder metallurgy are summarized in the theoretical part of the thesis. The experimental part focuses on the preparation of materials from finer and coarser Zn powder particles by hot pressing at 300 and 400 °C using the pressure of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 MPa. Binary mixtures based on Mg with the addition of Zn or Ca were prepared by hot pressing in the solid-state (300 °C) and hot pressing in the semi-solid state (400 °C, 450 °C in the case of Mg-Ca system) using the pressure of 500 MPa. Binary mixtures based on Zn with the addition of Mg or Ca were prepared by hot pressing in the semi-solid state (400 °C) using the pressure of 500 MPa. The prepared materials were evaluated in terms of microstructure, elemental and phase composition, microhardness, flexural strength, and fractography. The results showed that in the case of processed from pure Zn powders, a better combination of the flexural strength and displacement was achieved in the case of the finer Zn powder, namely in the material prepared at a temperature of 400 °C and a pressure of 500 MPa. In the case of mixtures, the best connection between the powder particles was achieved in the case of a material based on finer Zn powder with 0.5 wt.% of Mg, which had a significant effect on the achieved values of flexural strength and displacement. The amount of minor powder in the mixture had a significant effect on the prepared material structure and phase composition, while the processing conditions influenced the reached strength characteristics and fracture mechanism.

The work deals with issues of evaluation of the shear properties of timber structural materials, particularly CLT elements. The work contains an overview of extensive research so far presented scientific studies dealing with the characteristic shear properties of wood. In the practical part was carried out the experiment dealing with the failure mode of transverse lamellae of CLT elements that were exposed to shear stress. There were observed individual effects that this may affect the material properties. In the first part of the experiment were performed numerical models using FEM. In the second part, the test specimens were tested in three point bending. Here, attention was paid to the influence of macroscopic properties of wood on the distribution of stress cracks and shear strength, the tests were recorded using DIC system.

This thesis is intended to identify the mode I and mode II fracture toughness to characterize the thin laminate interface by using the Double Cantilever Beam test (DCB) and End Notched Flexure test (ENF). This study’s thin laminate was Polyethylene Terephthalate and Low-Density Polyethylene (PET-LDPE), which is mostly used by packaging industries in the manufacturing of packages to store liquid food. As PET-LDPE film is very flexible and difficult to handle, DCB and ENF tests cannot be performed directly so, sheet metal (Aluminium) was used as carrier material. PET-LDPE film is placed between two aluminum plates to reduce the flexibility and perform the tests. Therefore, the Aluminium plate was also studied to find the constitutive parameters (young’s modulus (E) and mixed hardening parameters (Plastic properties)) under the tensile test and three-point bending test. From the test response, energy release rate calculation has been done for different Pre-crack lengths to validate the DCB and ENF experimental setup, study the different Pre-crack lengths, and characterize the laminate interface. Finite Element simulation (FE simulation) for those tests were carried out in AbaqusTM2020. When needed, the force versus displacement response from FE simulation was optimized against experimental response to find the required constitutive parameters (Young’s modulus, Hardening parameters, and PET-LDPE material properties). Implementing of optimization algorithm and automated simulation has been done with the help of MATLAB code. In contrast, MATLAB works as a server, and Abaqus works as a client and connected two interfaces to run the optimization. The results obtained from experiments and FE simulations were compared to the results found in the literature.

Stress corrosion, SC, in some cases gives rise to stress corrosion cracking, SCC, which differs from purely stress intensity driven cracks in many aspects. They initiate and grow under the influence of an aggressive environment in a stressed substrate. They grow at low load and may branch. The phenomenon of SCC is very complex, both the initiation phase and crack extension itself of SCC is seemingly associated with arbitrariness due to the many unknown factors controlling the process. Such factors could be concentration of species in the environment, stress, stress concentration, electrical conditions, mass transport, and so on.In the present thesis, chemically assisted crack initiation and growth is studied with special focus on the initiation and branching of cracks. Polycarbonate plates are used as substrates subjected to an acetone environment. Experimental procedures for examining initiation and branching in polycarbonate are presented. An optical microscope is employed to study the substrate.The attack at initiation is quantified from pits found on the surface, and pits that act as origin for cracks is identified and the distribution is analysed. A growth criterion for surface cracks is formulated from the observations, and it is used to numerically simulate crack growth. The cracks are seen to coalesce, and this phenomenon is studied in detail. Branching sites of cracks growing in the bulk of polycarbonate are inspected at the sample surface. It is found that the total width of the crack branches are approximately the same as the width of the original crack. Also, angles of the branches are studied. Further, for comparison the crack growth in the bulk is simulated using a moving boundary problem based algorithm and similar behaviour of crack branching is found. / <p>Both papers in thesis as manuscript, paper II with title "Branching cracks in a layered material - Dissolution driven crack growth in polycarbonate"</p>

In order to satisfy the mechanical requirements for space structures, achieving lightweight designs is of the greatest significance. The primary focus of this study is the utilization of Kelvin cell core in the design of sandwich structures for space applications. The research encompasses a variety of production techniques, analyzes, and tests related to the design of sandwich structures with Kelvin cells as the core material. While a variety of configurations are evaluated in a general sense, particular configurations are examined in greater extensive detail. In this context, the structure's bending stiffness, compression stiffness, and vibration characteristics are analyzed. The analytical procedure begins with a simplified structure analysis, followed by the modeling of the actual geometry. According to applicable standards, stiffness values are calculated based on the deflection results of the analyzes. However, it is important to note that the tests performed on the modeled structures are conducted in a laboratory environment using additively manufactured samples. This permits a comparison between the obtained test results and the findings of the analyzes, shedding light on the effect of the manufacturing method. This study demonstrates that the honeycomb sandwich structure is superior in terms of overall stiffness. In addition, a specially designed reinforced Kelvin Cell structure possesses exceptional bending rigidity properties. In light of these findings, it is clear that the combination of Kelvin Cell core and specific reinforcement strategies has the potential to improve the mechanical performance of sandwich structures. In addition, the deformation results revealed by the analyzes showed that the structure can be deformed in large amounts in directions other than the direction of the force it is exposed to. This situation is of great importance for damping in space applications. As a result of vibration analyzes and tests, the effect of stiffness and mass increase in a certain direction on natural frequencies has been revealed, and with 3-point bending tests, the facing elastic modulus and core shear modulus values of the structure have been determined separately and its effect on the sandwich structure has been shown. Accordingly, this study examined and evaluated many aspects of the possible role of the Kelvin Cell in space applications. / För att tillgodose de mekaniska kraven på rymdkonstruktioner är det av största vikt att uppnå lätta konstruktioner. Det primära fokuset för denna studie är utnyttjandet av Kelvin-Cellkärna vid design av sandwichstrukturer för rymdtillämpningar. Forskningen omfattar en mängd olika produktionstekniker, analyser och tester relaterade till design av sandwichstrukturer med Kelvin-Celler som kärnmaterial. En mängd olika konfigurationer utvärderas generellt, medan vissa specifika konfigurationer undersöks mer utförligt på detaljnivå. I detta sammanhang analyseras strukturens böjstyvhet, kompressionsstyvhet och vibrationsegenskaper. Den analytiska proceduren börjar med en förenklad strukturanalys, följt av modellering av den faktiska geometrin. Enligt gällande standarder beräknas styvhetsvärdena baserat på strukturanalysens resultat. Det är dock viktigt att notera att de tester som utförs på de modellerade strukturerna utförs i en laboratoriemiljö med hjälp av additivt tillverkade prover. Detta möjliggör en jämförelse mellan de erhållna testresultaten och resultaten av analysen, vilket belyser effekten av tillverkningsmetoden. Denna studie visar att sandwichstrukturen honeycomb är bäst när det gäller total styvhet. Dessutom har en specialdesignad förstärkt Kelvin-Cellstruktur exceptionella böjstyvhetsegenskaper. I ljuset av dessa fynd är det tydligt att kombinationen av Kelvin-Cellkärna och specifika förstärkningsstrategier har potential att förbättra den mekaniska prestandan hos sandwichstrukturer. Dessutom visade deformationsresultaten från analyserna att strukturen kan deformeras till hög grad i andra riktningar än den kraft som den utsätts för. Denna iaktagelse är av stor betydelse för dämpning i rymdapplikationer. Som ett resultat av vibrationsanalyser och tester har effekten av styvhet och massökning i en viss riktning på naturliga frekvenser upptäckts, och med 3-punkts böjtester har konstruktionens elasticitetsmodul och skjuvmodulsvärden bestämts separat och dess effekt på sandwichstrukturen har visats. Följaktligen undersökte och utvärderade denna studie många aspekter av Kelvin-Cellens möjliga roll i rymdtillämpningar.

This thesis helps develop a material model for a novel Fiber Core SandwichSheet construction. A test method was used to determine the mechanicalproperties of the sandwich material. Standard three point bendingtests coupled with digital image correlation was used. Results wereextracted from the digital image data. These results supplemented thedevelopment and tuning of an FE model of the sandwich material. Conclusionswere drawn about the feasibility of the method in studying sucha material. / Denna avhandling genomfördes mot utvecklingen av en homogeniseradmaterialmodell för en ny sandwich-konstruktion med fiberkärna. En testmetodanvändes för att bestämma de mekaniska egenskaperna hos sandwichmaterialet.Testmetoden involverade trepunkts i kombination meddigital bildkorrelation. Resultaten extraherades från den digitala bilddatanvid genomförande av trepunkts. Dessa resultat användes utvecklingenav en FE-modell av sandwichmaterialet. Slutsatser drogs om tillämplighetenav metoden för att studera ett sådant material.

The aim of this work is to develop and validate a continuum model for the simulation of the thermomechanical response of a shape memory polymer (SMP). Rather than integral type viscoelastic model, the approach here is based on the idea of two inter-penetrating networks, one which is permanent and the other which is transient together with rate equations for the time evolution of the transient network. We find that the activation stress for network breakage and formation of the material controls the gross features of the response of the model, and exhibits a "thermal Bauschinger effect". The model developed here is similar to a thermoviscoelastic model, and is developed with an eye towards ease of numerical solutions to boundary value problems. The primary hypothesis of this model is that the hysteresis of temperature dependent activation-stress plays a lead role in controlling its main response features. Validation of this hypothesis is carried out for the uniaxial response from the experimental data available in the literature for two different SMP samples: shape memory polyurethane and Veriflex, to show the control of the evolution of the temperature sensitive activation stress on the response. We extend the validated 1D model to a three dimensional small strain continuum SMP model and carry out a systematic parameter optimization method for the identification of the activation stress coefficients, with different weights given to different features of the response to match the parameters with experimental data. A comprehensive parametric study is carried out, that varies each of the model material and loading parameters, and observes their effect on design-relevant response characteristics of the model undergoing a thermomechanical cycle. We develop "response charts" for the response characteristics: shape fixity, shape recovery and maximum stress rise during cooling, to give the designer an idea of how the simultaneous variation of two of the most influential material parameters changes a specific response parameter. To exemplify the efficacy of the model in practical applications, a thermoviscoelastic extension of a beam theory model will be developed. This SMP beam theory will account for activation stress governed inelastic response of a SMP beam. An example of a three point bend test is simulated using the beam theory model. The numerical solution is implemented by using an operator split technique that utilizes an elastic predictor and dissipative corrector. This algorithm is validated by using a three-point bending experiment for three different material cases: elastic, plastic and thermoplastic response. Time step convergence and mesh density convergence studies are carried out for the thermoviscoelastic FEM model. We implement and study this model for a SMP beam undergoing three-point bending strain recovery, stress recovery and cyclic thermomechanical loading. Finally we develop a thermodynamically consistent finite continuum model to simulate the thermomechanical response of SMPs. The SMP is modeled as an isotropic viscoplastic material where thermal changes govern the evolution of the activation stress of the material. The response of the SMP in a thermomechanical cycle is modeled as a combination of a rubbery and a glassy element in series. Using these assumptions, we propose a specific form for the Helmholtz potential and the rate of dissipation. We use the technique of upper triangular decomposition for developing the constitutive equations of the finite strain SMP model. The resulting model is implemented in an ODE solver in MATLAB, and solved for a simple shear problem. We study the response of the SMP model for shear deformation as well as cyclic shear deformation at different initial temperatures. Finally, we implement the thermomechanical cycle under shear deformations and study the behavior of the model.

The continuing quest for higher performance levels of modern gas turbine engines has been accompanied by the demand for higher engine operating temperatures. The use of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) enabled gas turbines to operate at higher temperatures by protecting the blade material (nickel superalloy) while operating in extreme environments. The TBC system typically consists of a bond coat for protection of the nickel–based superalloy against oxidation followed by a top coat consisting of a thermally insulating zirconia-yttria. In addition to the complex gradation in phases, the coatings are subjected to continuous oxidation with service exposure, mechanical loading on rotating parts, fatigue, thermal mis-match and temperature gradients. Hence, the study of failure mechanisms of TBCs become important in deciding operational reliability and service life of the coating. As there are many systems in which the operating temperatures are not high enough to warrant the use of the top coat (ceramic layer), the study of failure mechanisms in superalloys coated with only the bond coat continue to be of great interest. The present work concentrates on the fracture behavior of NiAl bond coats on nickel superalloy and seeks to evaluate the fracture toughness of the coating through the use of micro-machined samples. A review of the relevant literature indicated that while a considerable body of work exists on bulk tests of failure (spalling, splitting, etc.), not much has been reported in the open literature on the evaluation of basic quantities such as the toughness of the coating itself. The present thesis seeks to establish a protocol for the evaluation of toughness and crack propagation mechanisms in coatings through a combination of micro-sample testing that allows fracture to be correlated with location in the film and the use of an analytical model to quantitatively evaluate stress intensity factors in a bi-material system. A system of NiAl coating produced by pack aluminizing is studied for the fracture properties of the coating. Specimen geometries are optimized to enable micro-cracks to be machined and propagated in a low load testing system, such as a depth sensing indenter, so that crack lengths (and position relative to the interface) can be correlated with load. To enable linear elastic theory to be used, dimensions are determined that allow fracture before general yielding. A three point bending test using miniaturized micro-beam specimens of ~ 4 X 0.3 X 0.3 mm is found to be suitable for the above purpose. The technique is a challenging one that requires focused ion beam machining (FIB) along with careful handling and alignment of small samples. The coatings are characterized for their microstructure by electron microscopy to identify compositional variation across the thickness and to determine the thickness of the coating and inter diffusion zone (IDZ). The crack advancement is monitored with increments of loading and the stress intensity factor is evaluated using a program written in “MAPLE” for an edge crack subjected to bending in a bilayered material. Surprisingly, fracture in this system is found to be stable owing to a gradual increase in toughness from the coating surface to the interface. Such an increase from less than 2 to more than 9 MPa m0.5 may be due to the increasing Ni/Al ratio across the thickness of the bond coat. Crack branching is observed as the crack approaches the IDZ and the reasons for such behaviour are not fully understood. This work establishes the viability of this technique to determine fracture properties in highly graded coated systems and may be readily extended to more complex coating architectures and other forms of loading such as cyclic, mixed mode, etc.