Elasticity of α-helices and coiled coils have often been described by a linear response to local bending with bending stiffness (Kb) and persistence length (Lp) describing their flexibility. However, we observed that the non-bonded forces along the length of these structures are not screened at physiological conditions and introduce a buckling instability. For α-helical systems of same composition, but different lengths, this is identified by a drop in Kb for longer helices and the length where this drop is triggered is referred to as the critical buckling length. When shorter than their critical buckling length they behave linearly, and Kb calculated using normal mode analysis in this regime is about (3.0−3.4)×10-28 Nm2 for α-helices with varying compositions, and about (1.9 − 2.1) × 10−27 Nm2 for coiled coils with leucine zipper periodicity. Beyond the critical buckling length, normal mode solutions turn imaginary, leading to an eventual disappearance of bending modes. Investigations with one dimensional (1-D) linear chains of beads (a simplistic representation of bio-filaments) show that non-bonded forces have a reciprocal relation with the critical buckling length (no buckling instability existed in the absence of non-bonded forces). Critical buckling length is 115.3 ± 2.9 °A for α-helices and 695.1 ± 44.8 Å for coiled coils with leucine zipper periodicity, which is much smaller than their Lp (~ 800 Å for α-helices and ~ 3000 Å for coiled coils).

Actin is a highly abundant protein in most eukaryotic cells. The assembly of actin monomers to double helical filaments is crucial for many cellular functions, including cell movement and cell division. Actin filament assembly in cells occurs in a crowded intracellular environment consisting of various molecules, including cations and organic osmolytes. Recent studies show that cation binding stiffens actin filaments, and a small organic osmolyte trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) modulates filament assembly. However, how cations and TMAO combined affect actin filament mechanics is not understood. We hypothesize that depending on the concentrations of cations and osmolytes, there will be different effects on the stiffness and assembly of actin filaments. In this study, using TIRF we evaluate actin filament mechanics and assembly. Our findings indicate that when TMAO is present alone, it can increase the elongation rate and stiffness of actin filaments, however the inclusion of potassium levels alongside TMAO reduces the persistence length of actin filaments, suggesting a decrease in filament stiffness compared to the influence of TMAO alone. Furthermore, the elongation rate of actin filaments decreases when both TMAO and potassium ions are present. This study will help us better understand how cations and osmolytes together can affect actin filament mechanics in the living cells.

The objective of this work was to determine the influence of recovered fibres on the mechanical properties of board. Industrial board was provided by Fiskeby Board AB and laboratory board was made by using an isotropic sheet former. Board properties such as tensile strength, tensile stiffness, z-strength and bending stiffness were evaluated. Variation in the grammages of the middle and bottom layers of laboratory board was done and influence on the mechanical properties was studied. Each layer of multiply board was also tested separately at industrial board grammage and standard grammage. Results showed an increase in the tensile properties with the increase in the grammage of bottom layer, an increase in the z-strength of the board was also observed. Bending stiffness calculated by laminate theory also indicated an increase with the increase in the grammage of bottom layer. While testing of the separate layers showed an increase in the tensile properties of the layers with increasing the grammage while a decrease in z-strength was observed. Cracks occurred in the bottom layer of the multiply boards but an increase in the mechanical properties of board was observed. / Returfibrer är miljövänliga och ger ett försprång framför nyfiber på grund av låg kostnad. Det är dock allmänt känt att returfibrer inte uppvisar samma egenskaper som nyfibrer, i själva verket försämras fiberegenskaperna efter varje återvinningsprocess. Mekaniska egenskaper är mycket viktiga för kartongproducenter och därmed läggs en hel del energi på förbättringar utan kostsamma investeringar.   I detta examensarbete utvärderades mekaniska egenskaper för 4-skikts kartong såsom dragstyrka, dragstyvhet, böjstyvhet och z-styrka. Den industriella kartongen som användes kom från Fiskeby Board AB och laboratoriekartong tillverkades med en isotrop arkformer. Separata skikt formades och guskades därefter samman. Ytvikten av det mellersta och undre skiktet ändrades och effekten på kartongens egenskaper utvärderades. Varje lager testades också separat vid ytvikter representativt för den industriella kartongen samt vid standardiserade ytvikter. Styrkan i tjockleksriktningen utvärderades med z-styrka och Scott Bond. Böjstyvheten beräknades med hjälp av laminatteorin.   Skillnaderna i dragstyrka mellan kartong framställd i industrin och laboratorie var små, men dragstyvheten var lägre för laboratoriearken på grund av torktekniken. Skillnaderna i z-styrka var inte signifikanta, men baserat på trenden uppvisade laboratoriearken en lägre styrka på grund av ett lägre presstryck. Delamineringen i de testade proverna skedde i det undre skiktet och inga sprickor uppstod mellan skikten.   Genom ökning av ytvikten av de separata skikten ökade styrkeegenskaper såsom dragstyrka och Scott Bond medan z-styrkan minskade. Genom att minska ytvikten av det mellersta lagret och öka ytvikten av det nedre kunde en ökning av styrkeegenskaperna observeras. Ökningen av z-styrkan var inte signifikant men baserat på trenden kan en ökning förväntas. En betydande ökning av Scott Bond kunde dock ses. Böjstyvheten beräknad genom laminatteorin visade också på en ökning. Även om sprickor fortfarande förekommer i det undre skiktet efter ökning av ytvikten, kan förbättrade kartongegenskaper uppnås.

The field of inverse problems is an area in applied mathematics that is of great importance in several scientific and industrial applications. Since an inverse problem is typically founded on non-linear and ill-posed models it is a very difficult problem to solve. To find a regularized solution it is crucial to have a priori information about the solution. Therefore, general theories are not sufficient considering new applications. In this thesis we consider the inverse problem to determine the beam bending stiffness from measurements of the transverse dynamic displacement. Of special interest is to localize parts with reduced bending stiffness. Driven by requirements in the wood-industry it is not enough considering time-efficient algorithms, the models must also be adapted to manage extremely short calculation times. For the developing of efficient methods inverse problems based on the fourth order Euler-Bernoulli beam equation and the second order string equation are studied. Important results are the transformation of a nonlinear regularization problem to a linear one and a convex procedure for finding parts with reduced bending stiffness.

Die exakte Kenntnis vom Materialverhalten und speziell von lokalen Flächenmasseschwankungen der textilen Flächen ist Voraussetzung für eine Verbesserung der Produktentwicklung und für eine hohe Qualitätsverarbeitung in der Konfektionsindustrie. Dieser Fakt ist ebenfalls für die zunehmende Anwendung im Bereich der Simulationsberechnungen von erheblicher Bedeutung. Der Wandel von 2D-CAD- zu 3D-CAD-Systemen führt in der Bekleidungsindustrie zur zwingenden Berücksichtigung der Materialeigenschaften. Aufgrund des Montageprozesses zeigen die konfektionierten textilen Flächen im Vergleich zu unkonfektionierten textilen Flächen ein anderes Erscheinungsbild. Mehrlagige Gewebe (infolge einer Naht, einer Einlage oder eines Futterstoffes) beeinflussen das Biegeverhalten und das Fallverhalten der textilen Flächen erheblich. Zur Bestimmung der Biegesteifigkeit ist seit Jahrzehnten das manuell zu bedienende Prüfgerät nach dem Cantilever-Verfahren das Bekannteste. Die eigenen Untersuchungen bestätigen, dass das Prüfgerät viele Mängel hat, welche die Genauigkeit und die Reproduzierbarkeit der Messergebnisse wesentlich beeinflussen. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird ein neues Biegesteifigkeitsprüfgerät (ACPM 200) entwickelt, um eine optimale Genauigkeit und hohe Reproduzierbarkeit der Messergebnisse zu erfassen. Eine neue Methode zur Ermittlung des Einflusses der Naht auf die Biegesteifigkeit einer größeren textilen Fläche ist in der Arbeit vorhanden, um die exakte Beschreibung des realen Verhaltens von textilen Bekleidungsprodukten zu ermitteln. Die Simulation des Biegeverhaltens textiler Flächen ohne und mit vertikaler Naht wird mit Hilfe der FEM durchgeführt. Abschließend wird eine neue Prüfnorm vorgestellt, welche die Biegesteifigkeit von textilen Flächen mit lokalen Flächenmasseschwankungen mittels des neuen Biegesteifigkeitsprüfgerätes ACPM 200 beinhaltet. / Bending stiffness and Drapeability are essential material parameters for simulating textile and clothing products. Due to assembling processes garments are showing different appearances through modelling than textile fabrics. This is based on stiffening, which is caused by assembling process and local variations within material’s mass throughout the fabric. Since decades the manual bending stiffness testing device, which is based on Cantilever method, has been known. This device is insufficient because of irregular feed speed of bending sample, the visual determination of reaching and reading the bending length, the little reading precision of the measurable slide (half Millimetre) and the form of the front edge of the sample does not stay linear. Obtaining an exact evaluation of this sample edge is not possible with this device. Extensive experiments have confirmed that these deficits influence the accuracy and the reproduction of the results in a high degree. To remedy these deficits and to obtain an exact description of the material’s behaviour in order to achieve an optimal modelling of the clothing products is the new bending stiffness testing device (ACPM 200) at the ITB of TU Dresden developed. Within the investigations a new method for determining the influence of the seam on the bending stiffness of the adjacent textile fabric will be introduced. The Influence of seams on the drapability of textile fabric is investigated. A static model of Fabric with and without vertical seams is analysed with using the finite element method (FEM).

<p>The field of inverse problems is an area in applied mathematics that is of great importance in several scientific and industrial applications. Since an inverse problem is typically founded on non-linear and ill-posed models it is a very difficult problem to solve. To find a regularized solution it is crucial to have <em>a priori</em> information about the solution. Therefore, general theories are not sufficient considering new applications.</p><p>In this thesis we consider the inverse problem to determine the beam bending stiffness from measurements of the transverse dynamic displacement. Of special interest is to localize parts with reduced bending stiffness. Driven by requirements in the wood-industry it is not enough considering time-efficient algorithms, the models must also be adapted to manage extremely short calculation times.</p><p>For the developing of efficient methods inverse problems based on the fourth order Euler-Bernoulli beam equation and the second order string equation are studied. Important results are the transformation of a nonlinear regularization problem to a linear one and a convex procedure for finding parts with reduced bending stiffness.</p>

This thesis investigated the effect of the length of the superficial plate on the mechanical properties of a stacked-plate construct made with 2.0-2.7 Veterinary Cuttable platesTM (VCP). Stacking VCP increases construct stiffness compared to using a single VCP but increases stress protection and concentrates stress at the extremities of the implants. We hypothesized that shortening the superficial plate would not reduce the stiffness of the construct, and would reduce stress concentration at the plate ends. A fracture gap model was created with a bone surrogate (copolymer acetal rods), stacked 2.0-2.7 VCP and 2.7 screws. The constructs consisted of an 11-hole VCP bottom plate and a 5-, 7-, 9- or 11-hole VCP superficial plate. In phase one, 5 of each construct were randomly tested for failure in 4-point bending and axial loading. Stiffness, load at yield, and work until failure were measured. In phase two, strains were recorded during elastic deformation for each configuration. During both testing methods, stiffness, load at yield and work to failure progressively decreased when decreasing the length of the superficial plate. No statistically significant differences were obtained for load at yield in 4-point bending and work to failure in axial loading. The strain within the implant over the gap increased as the length of the superficial plate decreased. Shortening the superficial plate reduces the stiffness and strength of the construct, and decreases stress concentration at the implant ends. As the cross section of the implant covering the gap remained constant, friction between the plates may play a role in the mechanical properties of stacked VCP. / Synthes Canada - OVC Pet Trust Fund

Validerat; 20140915 (global_studentproject_submitter)

This thesis details the development of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) techniques to simulate assembly and functional performance of football boots within a virtual environment. With a highly competitive market and seasonal changes in boot design common, the current design process can require numerous iterations, each adding time and cost to the development cycle. Using a reliable model allows evaluation of novel design concepts without the necessity to manufacture physical prototypes, and thus has potential financial benefits as well as reducing development time. A modelling approach was developed to construct a three dimensional boot model using FEA techniques, simulating the assembly of representative boot constituent parts based on manufacturing patterns, geometries and materials. Comparison between the modelled and physical boots demonstrated good agreement. Assessment of physical boot manufacture enabled the validation of the simulated assembly techniques, with digital image correlation hardware and software used to provide experimental measurements of the surface deformation. Good agreement was reported, demonstrating the predictive capabilities of FEA. Extensive review of literature provided applicable loading conditions of the boot during game play, with bending and torsional stiffness identified as important parameters. Boundary conditions associated with the foot during these movements provided a platform from which mechanical tests were used and developed to quantify boot function. Modelling techniques were developed and applied to the assembled FEA boot model, simulating the loading conditions to verify the validity when compared with experimental measurements. Bending and torsional stiffness extracted from the model were compared with the physical equivalent, demonstrating good predictive capabilities. The model was able to represent bending stiffness of the physical equivalent within 5.6% of an accepted boot range up to 20°, with torsional stiffness represented within the accepted range between 10° inversion to 7.5° eversion, corresponding to a large proportion of match play. Two case studies proved the applicability of the FEA techniques to simulate assembly and determine mechanical functionality virtually through a combination of automated modelling methods and a bespoke framework, demonstrating how it could be implemented within the industrial design process.

Mechanical Response Tissue Analysis (MRTA) is an emerging technology for assessing maximal bending stiffness (EI) of human long bones in vivo. The MRTA variable, EI, is the product of Young's modulus of elasticity (E) and cross-sectional moment of inertia (I). EI quantifies material and architectural/geometric properties of bone. Published human research using MRTA to measure EI has been limited to the ulna; however, the tibia requires further investigation due to its central involvement in many human activities and exercise-related clinical problems, e.g. stress fracture of the lower leg. To evaluate the inter- and intra-reliability of tibial EI, 22 healthy women (X + SD: 20.8 + 1.8 yr) were assessed twice daily for three non-consecutive days. Each daily session consisted of five repeated trials. The ulnar EI protocol of McCabe et al. [J Bone and Mineral Res. 1991;6(1):53-59] was adapted to assess tibial EI via MRTA. A significant difference was not found in scores for five repeated trials taken consecutively on the same day. Mean scores for EI were higher on day 1 (59.1 &#177; 35.5 N&#183;m², p < 0.05), compared to day 2 (46.9 &#177; 22.3) and day 3 (49.9 &#177; 18.3). Individual trial mean scores for EI on each day (mean of 5 trials) were highly correlated, R² = 0.84, 0.62, and 0.79 (set 1 vs. 2, for day 1,2,3, respectively) and the average percent change between sets 1 and 2 on each day was 5.3. The inter-test (between day) reproducibility was found to be low and unacceptable, 11.7, 18.3, and 1.3%, for day 1 vs. 2, 1 vs. 3, and 2 vs. 3. Poor inter-day reliability may be a result of the inability, at the time of this study, to apply the best computational EI model. It is concluded that tibial bone stiffness measurements with the MRTA are in the range of acceptability for same day inter- and intra-trial reliability when the 7-parameter analytic model of vibratory properties developed by McCabe et al. is used. / Master of Science