Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are complex macromolecular-based blend formulations that, in dry form will adhere permanently to diverse surfaces with the application of mere finger pressure. This thesis addresses the bonding and debonding mechanisms of coated films of different commercially available PSAs by systemically investigating the film characteristics on multiple levels. The methods implemented involve a novel procedure in investigating viscoelastic properties with Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, film surface chemistry with Time-of-flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and film morphology, modulus and bonding characteristics with Atomic Force Microscope. The theoretical aspect invoked rubber elasticity, viscoelasticity and thermodynamic concepts in representation of film morphology with corresponding adhesion nature. The results indicate that the bonding and debonding behaviour of PSA films are of a viscoelastic nature, dictated mainly by two fundamental morphological elements. These elements are; (1) the formation of phase-separated self-assembly of polystyrene-richcopolymer nano-domains within the adhesive matrix and (2) the inter-linking of the nanodomains by elastically active elastomer segments into a physical crosslinked network system that is highly efficient in dissipating large strain energy. These morphological factors are manifested through a profound contribution to the peel strength of the adhesive films when either coated at high temperatures or annealed. Increasing the content of the polystyrene endblock-tackifier in the adhesive blend formulation increased the PSA’s performance sensitivity to the film coating temperature. Meanwhile increasing the cis-C=C bond concentration in the formulation reduced the film’s performance sensitivity to coating temperature, as polydienes are premised to promote the entropy-elasticity of the film matrix by contributing to the nano-domain interconnections. This thesis generates many qualitative similarities, despite the significantly different adhesive blends investigated and hopefully the results reported here are more universal than one might expect.

Wear is an important phenomenon that occurs in all the polymer applications in one form or the other. However, important links between materials properties and wear remain illusive. Thus optimization of material properties requires proper understanding of polymer properties. Studies to date have typically lacked systematic approach to all polymers and wear test developed are specific to some polymer classes. In this thesis, different classes of polymers are selected and an attempt is made to use multiple scratch test to define wear and to create a universal test procedure that can be employed to most of the polymers. In each of the materials studied, the scratch penetration depth s reaches a constant value after certain number of scratches depending upon the polymer and its properties. Variations in test parameters like load and speed are also studied in detail to understand the behavior of polymers and under different conditions. Apart from polystyrene, all the other polymers studied under multiple scratch test reached asymptotes at different scratch numbers.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo o desempenho de misturas asfálticas densas utilizando um ligante convencional (CAP-20) e o mesmo ligante modificado com polímeros tipo SBS, produzido sob o nome comercial de BETUFLEX B 65/60, através dos ensaios Marshall, fluência por compressão uniaxial estática e dinâmica, resistência à tração por compressão diametral e módulo resiliente pro compressão diametral dinâmica, em misturas compactadas com uma mesma faixa granulométrica e diferentes teores de ligantes. O ensaio Marshall apresentou, para as misturas preparadas com asfalto modificado, valores maiores de estabilidade para a maioria dos teores, apesar de valores elevados de fluência em todos os teores analisados. Os resultados de deformação do ensaio de fluência por compressão uniaxial não distinguiram claramente o efeito da adição de polímeros em misturas asfálticas, ao contrário do observado no ensaio dinâmico, onde as deformações foram consideravelmente menores para a maioria dos teores analisados. Os resultados do ensaio de resistência à tração por compressão diametral mostram um desempenho superior da mistura modificada. O ensaio de módulo resiliente por compressão diametral dinâmica indicou, à temperatura de 25ºC, valores menores para a mistura com asfalto modificado, não sendo notada, entretanto, uma diferenciação de desempenho nas temperaturas de 5ºC e 40ºC. A modelação matemática das curvas de fluência e de recuperação às equações constitutivas de alguns modelos visco-elásticos básicos detectou uma diferenciação entre os valores de alguns elementos constitutivos, tanto do ensaio dinâmico, quanto do estático. / The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of asphalt mixes using conventional binder and the same binder modified with SBS polymer (Betuflex B 65/60) based on Marshall test, static and dynamic creep tests, indirect tensile strength test and resilient modulus by indirect tensile test, with the same granulometric composition and different binders contents. In Marshall test, polymer modified asphalt mixes presented better stability performance than conventional asphalt mixes in most of binders contents, despite of the higher flow values obtained for all binders contents. The static creep test results indicated that this test does not clearly distinguish the effect of polymer in asphalt mixes while the results of dynamic creep test indicated the opposite, i. e., polymer modified asphalt mixes deformations are smaller for most of the asphalt binders contents studied. The indirect tensile strength test results showed a better performance of modified asphalt. The results of resilient modulus by indirect tensile test at 25°C showed smaller values for modified asphalt, while the results at 5ºC and 40ºC did not show differences between the asphalt mixes. The mathematics modelling of the creep and recovering curves according to constitutive equations of some basic visco- elastic models showed a difference between the values of some constitutive elements in both cases, dynamic and static tests.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo o desempenho de misturas asfálticas densas utilizando um ligante convencional (CAP-20) e o mesmo ligante modificado com polímeros tipo SBS, produzido sob o nome comercial de BETUFLEX B 65/60, através dos ensaios Marshall, fluência por compressão uniaxial estática e dinâmica, resistência à tração por compressão diametral e módulo resiliente pro compressão diametral dinâmica, em misturas compactadas com uma mesma faixa granulométrica e diferentes teores de ligantes. O ensaio Marshall apresentou, para as misturas preparadas com asfalto modificado, valores maiores de estabilidade para a maioria dos teores, apesar de valores elevados de fluência em todos os teores analisados. Os resultados de deformação do ensaio de fluência por compressão uniaxial não distinguiram claramente o efeito da adição de polímeros em misturas asfálticas, ao contrário do observado no ensaio dinâmico, onde as deformações foram consideravelmente menores para a maioria dos teores analisados. Os resultados do ensaio de resistência à tração por compressão diametral mostram um desempenho superior da mistura modificada. O ensaio de módulo resiliente por compressão diametral dinâmica indicou, à temperatura de 25ºC, valores menores para a mistura com asfalto modificado, não sendo notada, entretanto, uma diferenciação de desempenho nas temperaturas de 5ºC e 40ºC. A modelação matemática das curvas de fluência e de recuperação às equações constitutivas de alguns modelos visco-elásticos básicos detectou uma diferenciação entre os valores de alguns elementos constitutivos, tanto do ensaio dinâmico, quanto do estático. / The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of asphalt mixes using conventional binder and the same binder modified with SBS polymer (Betuflex B 65/60) based on Marshall test, static and dynamic creep tests, indirect tensile strength test and resilient modulus by indirect tensile test, with the same granulometric composition and different binders contents. In Marshall test, polymer modified asphalt mixes presented better stability performance than conventional asphalt mixes in most of binders contents, despite of the higher flow values obtained for all binders contents. The static creep test results indicated that this test does not clearly distinguish the effect of polymer in asphalt mixes while the results of dynamic creep test indicated the opposite, i. e., polymer modified asphalt mixes deformations are smaller for most of the asphalt binders contents studied. The indirect tensile strength test results showed a better performance of modified asphalt. The results of resilient modulus by indirect tensile test at 25°C showed smaller values for modified asphalt, while the results at 5ºC and 40ºC did not show differences between the asphalt mixes. The mathematics modelling of the creep and recovering curves according to constitutive equations of some basic visco- elastic models showed a difference between the values of some constitutive elements in both cases, dynamic and static tests.

Resin composites are the most commonly used material in restorative dentistry. They have been used initially for aesthetical reasons, but afterwards were modified to be used widely for their good aesthetic and mechanical properties performance. They are classified as visco-elastic materials which are composed of inorganic fillers and organic matrix. The aim of this study was to investigate some handling properties of uncured resin composites such as stickiness, consistency and rheology. Also, to measure the degree of conversion and creep behaviour under static loading of some resin composites. In the pre-cure stage, their handling properties are very essential to achieve a successful dental restoration. Therefore, dental practitioners are very critical in choosing the resin composite restorative material. A texture analyser was used to measure the stickiness and consistency of some commercial resin composites. Also, the rheology of different commercial and model resin composites were investigated using the Bohlin Rheometer in two different temperatures (room and body temperature).Moreover, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the degree of conversion of several bulk-fill resin composites (DC) at 4 mm depth at different periods during 24 h post-irradiation. Also, the visco-elastic stability of cured resin composites with different resin matrices was investigated under static load at different maturation times (1 h and 24 h).

Motivado por diversos processos de manufatura, tais como conformação de metais a frio ou mesmo manufatura aditiva, este trabalho consiste no desenvolvimento de um código computacional para a simulação numérica de problemas bidimensionais que abordam três tipos de não-linearidade: a geométrica, presente em situações de grandes deslocamentos; a física, presente no modelo constitutivo do material; e a de contato. Na primeira etapa, desenvolve-se um programa para análise dinâmica bidimensional de sólidos elásticos, utilizando a abordagem posicional do método dos elementos finitos, que engloba naturalmente a não-linearidade geométrica em sua formulação. Em seguida, implementam-se modelos constitutivos não-elásticos para problemas com grandes deformações. No modelo elastoplástico, adota-se o critério de von Mises com encruamento cinemático baseado na lei de Armstrong-Frederick. Essa formulação é então generalizada para o caso visco-plástico, onde é considerado o modelo de Perzyna em conjunto com a lei de Norton. No caso visco-elástico, utiliza-se uma formulação que parte do modelo reológico de Zener. Por fim, apresenta-se um modelo visco-elasto-plástico que consiste no acoplamento dos modelos visco-elástico e visco-plástico descritos anteriormente. Em todos os casos, utiliza-se a decomposição multiplicativa do gradiente da função mudança de configuração. Com respeito à aplicação 2D, consideram-se as hipóteses de estado plano de deformações e estado plano de tensões, onde a última é resolvida numericamente por um procedimento local de Newton-Raphson. Para o problema de contato, aplica-se a estratégia Nó-a-Segmento, sendo as condições de não-penetração impostas com a introdução de multiplicadores de Lagrange. A formulação é testada em cada uma das etapas por meio de exemplos numéricos de verificação. Além disso, para mostrar as potencialidades do código desenvolvido, são propostos diversos exemplos numéricos, sendo alguns inspirados por processos de manufatura existentes. Nesses exemplos, são estudados os efeitos de diferentes parâmetros dos materiais e diferentes taxas de deformação na resposta numérica, permitindo uma análise do comportamento dissipativo decorrente da plastificação e da viscosidade, incluindo a influência desses sobre o amortecimento dinâmico. / Motivated by several manufacturing processes, such as cold metal forming or even additive manufacturing, in this work we develop a computational code for numerical simulation of two-dimensional problems addressing three types of nonlinearities: geometric nonlinearity, present in large displacements situations; physical non-linearity, present in the material constitutive model; and contact non-linearity. In the first step, we develop a computational program for dynamic analysis of two-dimensional elastic solids using the positional finite element method, which naturally takes into account geometric non-linearity in its formulation. Following, we implement inelastic constitutive models for large strain problems. In the elasto-plastic model, we adopt von Mises yeld criteria and kinematic hardening based on the Armstrong-Frederick law. The formulation is then generalized to the visco-plastic case, where we consider Perzyna model associated with Norton\'s law. In the visco-elastic case, Zener\'s rheological model is employed. Finally, we present a visco-elasto-plastic model by coupling the visco-elastic and visco-plastic models described previously. In every case, the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient is employed. Regarding the 2D application, we consider both plane strain and plane stress hypothesis, where the latter is solved numerically by a local Newton-Raphson procedure. For the contact problem, we employ the Node-to-Segment strategy, imposing non-penetration conditions with the introduction of Lagrange multipliers. The resulting computational code is tested in each step by means of numerical verification examples. In addition, to show the potentialities of the developed code, several numerical examples are proposed, some of which inspired by existing manufacturing processes. On these examples, we study the effects of different material parameters and strain rates on the numerical response, allowing an analysis of the dissipative behavior due to plasticity and viscosity, including the influence of these on the dynamic damping.

Quantifying the influence of pressure on the effective elastic rock properties is important for applications in rock physics and reservoir characterization. Here I investigate the relationship between effective pressure and seismic velocities by performing inversion on the laboratory-measured data from a suite of clastic, carbonate and igneous rocks, using different analytic and discrete inversion schemes. I explore the utility of a physical model that models a natural fracture as supported by asperities of varying heights, when an effective pressure deforms the tallest asperities, bringing the shorter ones into contact while increasing the overall fracture stiffness. Thus, the model is known as the ?asperity-deformation? (ADM) or ?bed-of-nails? (BNM) model. Existing analytic solutions include one that assumes the host rock is infinitely more rigid than the fractures, and one that takes the host-rock compliance into account. Inversion results indicate that although both solutions can fit the data to within first-order approximation, some systematic misfits exist as a result of using the rigid-host solution, whereas compliant-host inversion returns smaller and random misfits, yet out-of-range parameter estimates. These problems indicate the effects of nonlinear elastic deformation whose degree varies from rock to rock. Consequently, I extend the model to allow for the pressure dependence of the host rock, thereby physically interpreting the nonlinear behaviors of deformation. Furthermore, I apply a discrete grid-search inversion scheme that generalizes the distribution of asperity heights, thus accurately reproduces velocity profiles, significantly improves the fit and helps to visualize the distribution of asperities. I compare the analytic and numerical asperity-deformation models with the existing physical model of elliptical ?pennyshape? cracks with a pore-aspect-ratio (PAR) spectrum in terms of physical meaning and data-fitting ability. The comparison results provide a link and demonstrate the consistency between the use of the two physical models, making a better understanding of the microstructure as well as the contact mechanism and physical behaviors of rocks under pressure. ADM-based solutions, therefore, have the potential to facilitate modeling and interpretation of applications such as time-lapse seismic investigations of fractured reservoirs.

Parmi les combustibles nucléaires irradiés dans les Réacteurs à Eau Pressurisée d'Électricité de France, on trouve le combustible MOX, acronyme anglais de Mixed Oxide car il combine du dioxyde de plutonium et d'uranium. On y distingue trois phases, correspondant à des teneurs massiques en plutonium différentes. La teneur en matière fissile y étant différente, ces phases évoluent différemment sous irradiation, tant du point de vue mécanique que du point de vue chimique. Pour modéliser correctement le comportement macroscopique du combustible MOX dans un code de calcul industriel, les modèles ont besoin d'être alimentés de façon pertinente en propriétés effectives, mais il est aussi intéressant de disposer d'informations sur les champs locaux afin d'établir des couplages entre les mécanismes (couplage mécanique physico-chimie). L'objectif de la thèse fut donc de développer une modélisation par changement d'échelles, basée sur l'approche NTFA (Michel et Suquet 2003). Ces développements ont été réalisés sur des microstructures tridimensionnelles (3D) représentatives du combustible MOX et pour un comportement local visco-élastique vieillissant avec déformations libres. Dans un premier temps, pour représenter le combustible MOX en 3D nous avons utilisé des méthodes existantes pour traiter et segmenter les images expérimentales 2D, puis nous avons remonté les informations 2D indispensables (fuseau diamétral des inclusions et fractions surfaciques respectives) en 3D par la méthode stéréologique de Saltykov (Saltykov 1967) et enfin nous avons développé des outils pour représenter et discrétiser un composite multiphasé particulaire, type MOX. / Among the nuclear fuels irradiated in the Pressure Water Reactor of Électricité de France, MOX fuel is used, a Mixed OXide of plutonium and uranium. In this fuel, three phases with different plutonium content can be observed. The different fissile plutonium content in each phase leads different mechanical and physico-chemical evolutions under irradiation. To predict correctly the macroscopic behavior of MOX nuclear fuels in industrial nuclear fuel codes, models need to be fed in effective properties. But it's also interresting to obtain the local fields to establish coupling between mechanisms (mechanical and physico-chemical coupling). The aim of the PhD was to develop homogenisation method based on Non uniform Transformation Field Analysis (NTFA Michel and Suquet 2003}). These works were realised on three dimensions MOX microstructures and for local ageing visco-elastic behavior with free strains. The first work of the PhD was the numerical representation of the MOX microstructure in 3D. Three steps were realized. The first one consisted in the acquisition and the treatment of experimental pictures thanks to two soft-wares already developed. The second used the stereological model of textit{Saltykov} cite{R2S67} to go back up the two-dimensional statistical information in three-dimensional. And the last step was to develop tools which are able to build a numerical representation of the MOX microstructure. The second work of the PhD was to develop the NTFA model. Some theoretical (three dimensional, free strains and ageing hadn't ever studied) and numerical (choice and reduction of plastic modes, impact of the microstructures) studies were realised.