A relação entre as propriedades mecânicas de fêmures de celhos obtidas nos ensaios de flexão em três pontos e impacto, e a orientação das fibras de colágeno foi estudada, bem como a relação entre a energia absorvida nos dois ensaios. O limite máximo, limite proporcional, rigidez, resiliência e tenacidade foram obtidos a partir de ensaio de flexão em três pontos de 20 fêmures esquerdos de coelhos. A energia absorvida (tenacidade) no impacto foi obtida utilizando os 20 fêmures direitos. A orientação das fibras de colágeno foi estimada utilizando a técnica de polarização da luz incidente. A análise de regressão mostrou que no ensaio de flexão, a rigidez teve correlação positiva (R=0,43) e a resiliência, correlação negativa (R=-0,46) com a orientação das fibras de colágeno. A energia absorvida no impacto não apresentou índice de correlação significativo (p<0,05). A energia absorvida no ensaio de impacto pelos fêmures foi 4,73 vezes a energia absorvida ensaio de flexão, havendo diferença significativa entre os dois valores / The relationship between the mechanical properties of rabbit femurs in three-point bending and impact tests and collagen fiber orientation was studied, as well as the proportion between absorbed energy in both tests. Maximum limit, proportional limit, stiffness and resiliency were measured in 20 left rabbit femurs by three point bending tests and the absorbed energy was measured in 20 right rabbit femurs by impact tests. Collagen fiber orientation was estimated using polarized light. Regression analysis showed that in bending, stiffness has significant positive correlation (R=0,43) and resiliency has significant negative correlation (R=-0,46) with collagen fiber orientation. Absorbed energy in impact showed no significant correlation with collagen fiber orientation. The absorbed energy in impact tests was 4,73 times the absorbed energy in three point bending tests, with significant difference between the two values

This thesis is a study of the size effect. Improvements on both theoretical work and experimental design are involved in this thesis. The theoretical section focuses on the grain size effect, while the experimental section is related to the micro-foil bending test. Both classic experimental data and theories for the Hall-Petch relationship are reviewed comprehensively. The fitting of the datasets show that the inverse square-root dependence and simple inverse expressions are equally good. The fully Bayesian analysis strongly suggests that the latter is correct. Since the physical mechanism underlying the simple inverse dependence is a general size effect, the precise description of the Hall-Petch effect is that it is a manifestation of the general size effect, instead of having its own special character. Improvements on the classic Stolken and Evans' micro-foil bending experiments are also carried out in this thesis. The smart design of the new equipment eliminates the big risk of error in the classic experiment. By using the new device, precise datasets from the elastic region through the yield point and to high plastic strain area can be obtained. The initial results correspond well with the old published data.

Electrospinning produces submicron fibers from a wide range of polymer/solvent systems that enable a variety of different applications. In electrospinning process, a straight polymer/solvent charged jet is initially formed, followed by a circular moving jet in the shape of a cone, called the bending region. The process physics in the bending region are difficult to study since the jet diameter cannot be measured directly due to its rapid motion and small size (~microns and smaller), and due to complex coupling of multiple forces, mass transport, and changing jet geometry. Since the solutions studied are hydrophilic, they readily absorb ambient moisture. This thesis explores the role of the bending region in determining the resulting electrospun fiber diameter through a combined experimental and modeling analysis for a variety of hydrophilic polymer/solvent solutions. Electrospinning experiments were conducted over a broad range of operating conditions for 4 different polymer/solvent systems. Comparison of the final straight jet diameters to fiber diameters reveals that between 30% to 60% jet thinning occurs in the bending region. These experiments also reveal that relative humidity significantly affects the electrospinning process and final fiber diameter, even for non-aqueous solutions. A model is developed to obtain insight into the bending region process physics. Important ones include understanding the mass transport for non-aqueous hydrophilic jets (including solvent evaporation and water absorption on the jet surface, radial diffusion, and axial advection), and the coupling between the mass and force balances that determines the final fiber diameter. The absorption and evaporation physics is validated by evaporation experiments. The developed model predicts fiber diameter to within of 8%, even though the solution properties and operating conditions that determines net stretching forces and net evaporation rates vary over a large range. Model analysis reveals how the net evaporation rate affects the jet length and net stretching force, both of which ultimately determine the fiber diameter. It is also shown that the primary impact of RH on the process is through occupation of the surface states that limits solvent evaporation rate, rather than the amount of water absorbed. Correlation functions between process conditions, solution properties and the resulting fiber diameters are discussed.

The intent of this thesis project was to use sculpture as a means of investigation for exploring the structural uses of Masonite, and to understand how those uses affect the nature of my work. The transformation of this material into form becomes the a process that is adjusted and refined until a formal solution is found. The tension, texture, scale, and form of the work contribute to a dialogue that results in sculptures that reference the human body and the growth of plants.

Sclerostin, a protein coded for by the SOST gene, is an osteocyte-expressed negative regulator of bone formation. The absence of SOST in the genome may have an effect on bone formation both during skeletal maturation and full maturity. This study attempts to determine significant differences in the mechanical properties of bone that expresses SOST compared to bone that does not. One hundred femur samples from 6, 8, and 12 month old mice were obtained from Lawrence Livermore National Labs and loaded until failure using three-point bending. Results showed significant differences in treatment group effects for cross sectional area, yield force, and ultimate force. SOST knockout (KO) mice were found to have significantly higher values for these properties in comparison to transgenic (TG) and wildtype (WT) littermates. In addition, there was a noted effect dependent on the primary axis of loading, anterior-posterior versus medial-lateral. Lastly, data from this study support the existing hypothesis that there is no systematic side-to-side (left-right) difference in bone formation. This data may aid understanding of the role SOST has in bone formation. If the structural integrity and quality of bone resulting from the removal of the SOST gene is shown to be comparable to that of normal, healthy bone, the use of gene therapy to combat diseases/disorders such as osteoporosis may lead to important contributions to medical therapy.

This study developed a nonlinear constitutive model for a sustainable orthotropic material. Existing methods for constitutive models of wood were improved upon to include the nonlinear stress-strain response not only in the two orthogonal axes but at any orientation to the strong axis of the material. This method also simplifies the nonlinear stress-strain relationships into bilinear stress-strain curves which can be valuable in hand calculations as well as finite-element analyses. The effectiveness of the proposed constitutive model is demonstrated by comparing bilinear stress-strain predictions to experimental data.

If a plant is positioned horizontally, the elongating region responds by bending upward within 10 to 12 h until it is vertical, forming a goo bend with the stem below. If a Xan thiv~ strumarium L. (cocklebur) plant is placed horizontally, but restricted to that position for 48 h and then released, the bend to the vertical usually takes place within 10 s, suggesting that bending energy is stored in restricted stems . Some plants that do not bend completely to 90 within 10 s do so within 5 min, and other plants can overshoot the 90 mark by as much as sao. Microscopic measurements show that cells on the bottom of stems that have been restricted and then released are longer and narrower than cells on the bottom of restricted stems; cells on the top of restricted-and-released stems are shorter and thicker than those on the top of restricted stems . Thus, stems bend upward rapidly after release in response to changes in cell dimensions, but apparently with conservation of cell volume (i.e., little or no movement of water in or out of cells during the rapid bending ). The increased diameter of the cells on the bottom of restricted plants indicates that the cells are taking up water before they are released {apparently accompanied by an increase in cell wall area), while they are not allowed to increase much in length. Any increase in length was accompanied by stretching of cells on top. Thus, energy for bending was stored in stretched upper cells and compressed lower cells that have taken up water. It was al so shown that graviperception takes place in the very tissue that bends, and this perception is not a perception of the tension and compression caused by the weight of a horizontal stem. Also, amyloplasts were found in a sheath also in the region of bending and were found to settle in the direction of gravity. The location of the sheath between the vascular tissue and the cortex lead to a proposed model of graviperception for green vegetative dicot shoots.

Knowledge of structural stability theory is of paramount importance to the practicing structural engineer. In many instances, buckling is the primary consideration in the design of various structural configurations. The first chapter introduces a simplified treatment of the elastic stability of a battened column using classical methods without getting involved with lengthy and complicated mathematical operations. In chapter two, a treatment of the elastic stability of a frame is presented, including effects of elastic restraints. In this study, a theoretical treatment is given which although approximate, is believed to constitute a satisfactory solution of the structure.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: John E . Novotny, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

Tube bending is a widely used manufacturing process in the aerospace, automotive, and other industries. During tube bending, considerable in-plane distortion and thickness variation occurs. The thickness increases at the intrados (surface of tube in contact with the die) and it reduces at the extrados (outer surface of the tube). In some cases, when the bend die radius is small, wrinkling occurs at the intrados. In industry a mandrel is used to eliminate wrinkling and reduce distortion. However, in the case of a close bend die radius, use of a mandrel should be avoided as bending with the mandrel increases the thinning of the wall at the extrados, which is undesirable in the manufacturing operation. The present research focuses on additional loadings such as axial force and internal pressure which can be used to achieve better shape control and thickness distribution of the tube. Based on plasticity theories, an analytical model is developed to predict cross section distortion and thickness change of tubes under various loading conditions. Results from both the FEA and analytical model indicated that at the intrados the increase in thickness for bending with internal pressure and bending with combined axial pull and internal pressure was nearly the same. But in the case of bending with the combination of axial pull and internal pressure there was a significant reduction of thickness at the extrados. A parametric study was conducted for the case of bending with combined internal pressure and axial pull and it was seen that with proper selection of the pressure and axial pull wrinkling can be eliminated, thickness distribution around the tube can be optimized, and cross section distortion of the tube can be reduced. Predictions of the analytical model are in good agreement with finite element simulations and published experimental results. The model can be used to evaluate tooling and process design in tube bending.