FDM 3D printing is an additive manufacturing technology that is widely used, mainly for rapid prototyping. It is also one of the cheapest and most accessible AM technologies for consumers. FDM printers, and especially cheaper alternatives, can have problems with creating high quality prints. Reasons include poor design, inaccurate construction, cheap components, and improper tuning. Input shaping is a control technique that may help mitigate defects caused by poor mechanical design or construction. The “ringing” defect may be eliminated by applying this solution. To perform an evaluation in sub-optimal mechanical conditions a 3D printer was constructed with a cantilever design mainly using plastic prints for mechanically important parts. Printing tests were done with and without input shaping. The results that were produced showed a direct effect of input shaping in 3d printers. / FDM 3D-printing är en additiv tillverkningsteknik som är mycket använd, främst för snabb prototypering. Det är också en av de billigaste och mest tillgängliga AM-teknikerna för konsumenter. FDM skrivare, och särskilt billigare alternativ, kan ha problem med att skapa högkvalitativa utskrifter. Orsaker inkluderar dålig design, konstruktionfel, billiga komponenter och felaktig justering. Input shaping är en kontrollteknik som kan hjälpa till att mildra defekter som orsakas av dålig mekanisk design eller konstruktion. "Ringning" defekten kan elimineras genom att tillämpa denna lösning. För att utföra en utvärdering i dåliga mekaniska förhållanden konstruerades en 3D-skrivare med en fribärande design som använder plastutskrifter för mekaniskt viktiga delar. Utskriftstester gjordes med och utan input shaping. Resultaten som framställdes visade på en uppenbar förbättring av print kvalité som en direkt effekt av input shaping.

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In the design of cable-stayed bridges, the construction analysis is very important since the worst stresses are usually reached during the construction process. In addition, if the bridge is made of concrete, the effects of time dependent phenomena have great importance. Some commercial software are able to simulate the construction process, but one of their main drawbacks is that they simulate in a backward approach where creep is difficult to analyze. In this thesis a new criterion to define the Objective Service Stage (OSS) is presented which takes the constructive process into account. Tensioning operations are very expensive, so the main goal is to define the pretension forces in the stays such that only one pretension operation is necessary in each stay.  Furthermore, an algorithm has been developed to simulate the construction process of cable-stayed bridges erected by cantilever method. This algorithm includes the creep effects into the structure. The Dischinger simplification, which is explained in this document, has been improved in order to better take into account the loading time and the age of the concrete in every stage. The creep simulation of the algorithm has been validated with some patch tests. The developed algorithm has been implemented in a full scale FEM model adapted from the Giribaile Dam project developed in 1990. In this study case, the new OSS criterion is implemented. Moreover, the axial forces in the stays, the bending moments, and the displacements are analyzed during the construction process and a comparison is carried out between two cases: with and without taking creep into account. With the new OSS criterion, the Objective Service Stage is achieved without taking the creep into account. However the creep effects, which are of huge importance in concrete bridges built by cantilever method, require the definition of an OSS which considers time dependent phenomena.

Civil engineering projects involve great investments and great impacts. For that reason,engineers have a commitment with an efficient and optimal use of resources. Researchers inuniversities claim that a lot could be achieved by applying structural optimization into realprojects, even though this approach has not gained the same popularity in the industry over thelast decades.The purpose of the present thesis is to explore the possibilities offered by structural optimizationand to verify its applicability in realistic and complex structural engineering problems. Amongthe questions regarding design optimization, it was emphasized feasibility, efficiency and userfriendliness. The chosen structural system was a bridge cantilever deck. The analysis was limitedto the transversal design of the structure and the goal of the optimization was to reduce investmentcosts. In order to guarantee efficiency of the simulations, a "longitudinal length convergence"analysis was performed. It consisted of determining the minimum required longitudinal length(perpendicular to the cantilever length) that ensured reasonable accuracy. The purpose of thisanalysis was to reduce the computational time during the optimization process. In order toautomate the analysis, MATLAB was used in connection to Abaqus (to perform the FE Analysis).There were three different sets of results presented: the length convergence, application toreal projects and parametric study. In the first application, it was shown that the requiredlongitudinal length (lx) proportionally decreased as the cantilever length (lc) increased. It wasalso observed the presence of the edge beam implied in consistently larger longitudinal lengthsfor the same accuracy tolerance. With respect to the second application, two projects wereconsidered and the structural optimization presented alternatives with significant investment costreduction in a reasonable time. Furthermore, it was observed that a design solution without theedge beam reduced the costs even more. Finally, the parametric study confirmed that the costreduction obtained by eliminating the edge beam was not restricted to only certain cantileverlengths. Furthermore, it was possible to obtain the pattern of thickness variation as function ofthe cantilever length.The results of this research suggest that structural optimization could be an alternative totraditional design methods used today in consulting offices and its possibilities transcend puredesign achievements.

The objective of this research is to examine how to design low-noise transport aircraft using Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO). The subject is approached by designing for low-noise both implicitly and explicitly. The explicit design approach involves optimizing an aircraft while explicitly constraining the noise level. An MDO framework capable of optimizing both a cantilever wing and a Strut-Braced-Wing (SBW) aircraft was developed. The framework employs aircraft analysis codes previously developed at the Multidisciplinary Design and Analysis (MAD) Center at Virginia Tech (VT). These codes have been improved here to provide more detailed and realistic analysis. The Aircraft Noise Prediction Program (ANOPP) is used for airframe noise analysis. The objective is to use the MDO framework to design aircraft for low-airframe-noise at the approach conditions and quantify the change in weight and performance with respect to a traditionally designed aircraft. The results show that reducing airframe noise by reducing approach speed alone, will not provide significant noise reduction without a large performance and weight penalty. Therefore, more dramatic changes to the aircraft design are needed to achieve a significant airframe noise reduction. Another study showed that the trailing-edge (TE) flap can be eliminated, as well as all the noise associated with that device, without incurring a significant weight and performance penalty. To achieve approximately 10 EPNdB TE flap noise reduction the flap area was reduced by 82% while the wing reference area was increased by 12.4% and the angle of attack increased from 7.6 degrees to 12.1 degrees to meet the required lift at approach. The wing span increased by approximately 2.2%. Since the flap area is being minimized, the wing weight suffers only about a 2,000 lb penalty. The increase in wing span provides a reduction in induced drag to balance the increased parasite drag due to a lower wing aspect ratio. As a result, the aircraft has been designed to have minimal TE flaps without any significant performance penalty. If noise due to the leading-edge (LE) slats and landing gear are reduced, which is currently being pursued, the elimination of the flap will be very significant as the clean wing noise will be the next 'noise barrier'. Lastly, a comparison showed that SBW aircraft can be designed to be 10% lighter and require 15% less fuel than cantilever wing aircraft. Furthermore, an airframe noise analysis showed that SBW aircraft with short fuselage-mounted landing gear could have similar or potentially a lower airframe noise level than comparable cantilever wing aircraft. The implicit design approach involves selecting a configuration that supports a low-noise operation, and optimizing for performance. A Blended-Wing-Body (BWB) transport aircraft has the potential for significant reduction in environmental emissions and noise compared to a conventional transport aircraft. A BWB with distributed propulsion was selected as the configuration for the implicit low-noise design in this research. An MDO framework previously developed at the MAD Center at Virginia Tech has been refined to give more accurate and realistic aircraft designs. To study the effects of distributed propulsion, two different BWB configurations were optimized. A conventional propulsion BWB with four pylon mounted engines and two versions of a distributed propulsion BWB with eight boundary layer ingestion inlet engines. A 'conservative' distributed propulsion BWB design with a 20% duct weight factor and a 95% duct efficiency, and an 'optimistic' distributed propulsion BWB design with a 10% duct weight factor and a 97% duct efficiency were studied. The results show that 65% of the possible savings due to 'filling in' the wake are required for the 'optimistic' distributed propulsion BWB design to have comparable $TOGW$ as the conventional propulsion BWB, and 100% savings are required for the 'conservative' design. Therefore, considering weight alone, this may not be an attractive concept. Although a significant weight penalty is associated with the distributed propulsion system presented in this study, other characteristics need to be considered when evaluating the overall effects. Potential benefits of distributed propulsion are, for example, reduced propulsion system noise, improved safety due to engine redundancy, a less critical engine-out condition, gust load/flutter alleviation, and increased affordability due to smaller, easily-interchangeable engines. / Ph. D.

In this report, a novel smart nanocantilever with self-deflection sensor using embedded piezo-resistor and self-actuation using integrated piezo-electric actuator is proposed, designed and simulated to enable highly sensitive label free biosensor and ultra-short cantilever probe for AFM applications. The smart nanocantilever comprises of a triangular Si3N4 nanocantilever (10µm long, 400nm width and 100nm thickness) connected to a multi-layer support structure (Si3N4 (100nm)/PZT (100nm)) having n-type silicon piezo resistor (7µm long ,2µm width and 20nm thickness) embedded in the Si3N4 layer in both the support structure and nanocantilever. The nanocantilever is designed to maximize the resonance frequency and lower spring constant whereas piezoelectric actuator and piezo resistor is designed to maximize excitation and maximize change in resistance of nanocantilever respectively. The results show that the nanocantilever enhances sensitivity in static mode by factor of 36.5 while in dynamic mode by a factor of 658 for AFM application. For biosensor application, the nanocantilever enhanced the sensitivity in static and dynamic mode by factors of 5.6 and 13.8, respectively. / I denna rapport presenteras en ny, smart nano-kantilever med självdetektion via sensorer som använder inbäddade piezoresistorer, och självpådrivning via integrerade piezoelektriska pådrivare. Dessa är designade och simulerade för att möjliggöra högsensitiva titelfria biosensorer och ultrakorta kantilever-prober för AFM-applikation. Den smarta nano-kantilevern består av en triangulär Si3N4 nano-kantilever (10µm lång, 400nm bred and 100nm djup) kopplad till en stödstruktur med flera lager (Si3N4 (100nm)/PZT (100nm)) och med en n-typ silikon piezoresistor (7µm lång ,2µm bred and 20nm djup) inbäddad i Si3N4 – lagret i både stödstrukturen och i nano-kantilevern. Denna är designad för att maximera resonansfrekvens och sänka fjädringskonstanten, medan den piezo-elektriska pådrivaren och piezo-resistorn är designade för att maximera excitering samt resistansändring för nano-kantilevern. Resultatet i denna rapport visar att nano-kantilevern förstärker känslighet i statiskt läge med en faktor på 36,5, med motsvarande faktor på 658 i dynamiskt läge för AMF- applikation. För biosenor-applikation förstärkte nano-kantilevern känsligheten i statiskt och dynamiskt läge med 5,6 och 13,8 respektive.

This study focuses on factors that affect the structural integrity of wood-based composites. Wood-based composites exposed to fire may decompose due to the elevated temperatures, resulting in a degradation in performance. Thermal modelling can only predict the structural integrity of construction materials in fire if it is given accurate inputs. Consequently, methods for the characterization of the thermal, physical, and mechanical behaviors of wood and wood-based composites are selected, designed, and benchmarked. The relevant thermal and physical responses characterized includes porosity, permeability and thermal diffusivity. Common construction materials (white pine board, medium density fiberboard and spruce 24) are characterized from room temperature to complete decomposition. The characterization techniques and processes are based on existing literature and relevant ASTM standards. To reduce the number of experiments required for future material characterization, estimates based upon the degree of decomposition and the measured values for the virgin and charred materials are used. For porosity and thermal diffusivity, these models allow values at intermediate temperatures to be estimated with measurements at room temperature and complete decomposition and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). We find that permeability depends heavily on the microstructure of materials and should be measured independently at the conditions of interest. An additional important aspect of the performance of wood-based composites is the fracture behavior of wood/adhesive systems. Adhesive bonding enables many engineered wood products such as furniture and structural wood joints and the adhesive fracture toughness often determines the durability. The conventional characterization method for wood/adhesive fracture resistance relies on samples with machined grain angles designed to funnel cracks to the adhesive interface. This method of sample preparation is difficult and time-consuming for certain wood species. In this work, a practical and efficient method is developed to characterize adhesive fracture energy of adhesively bonded veneer systems. In the method, auxiliary aluminum adherends are bonded to the veneers in an effort to drive the crack to the wood/adhesive interface. The method is applied to rotary-peeled veneers and saw-cut veneers produced from three species of wood bonded with three commonly used adhesives. The new tests method yields a high interfacial failure rate and successfully identifies differences in the performance of the three adhesives. SPG (one species of the rotary-peeled veneers) demonstrates a rising R-curve behavior (an increase in the fracture toughness with crack length) when bonded on the loose side. This increase in fracture toughness is observed to be a result of adhesive-substrate interaction, which is a developing process zone behind the crack tip consisting of bridged wood ligaments. / Doctor of Philosophy / Construction materials exposed to elevated temperatures from fires may reach temperatures where the material decomposes from the original material to a char. Protected and unprotected structural timber products exposed to fires may exhibit this behavior resulting in a degradation of performance. Understanding the thermal and physical responses of these materials is crucial in evaluating the materials behavior in fire. Additionally, many wood-based products (such as furniture) rely on adhesive bonds. Consequently, their usefulness is determined by the performance of those bonds. In this work, methods are developed to measure key properties impacting the behavior of wood-based systems at elevated temperatures, such as that experienced in fires and when they are subjected to forces attempting to debond one wood material from another. These techniques are demonstrated on common building materials (white pine board, medium density fiberboard and spruce 24) and wood veneers from three different species bonded with three different adhesives. Mathematical models are developed to expand the use of the data beyond the specific conditions for which it is measured.

In this dissertation, four test approaches were developed to characterize the adhesion performance and durability of adhesive bonds for specific applications in areas spanning from structural adhesive joints to popular confectionaries such as chewing gum. In the first chapter, a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen geometry is proposed for combinatorial fracture studies of structural adhesive bonds. This specimen geometry enabled the characterization of fracture energy vs. bondline thickness trends through fewer tests than those required during a conventional "one at a time" characterization approach, potentially offering a significant reduction in characterization times. The second chapter investigates the adhesive fracture resistance and crack path selection in adhesive joints containing patterns of discreet localized weak interfaces created using physical vapor deposition of copper. In a DCB specimen tested under mode-I conditions, fracture energy within the patterned regions scaled according to a simple rule of mixture, while reverse R-curve and R-curve type trends were observed in the regions surrounding weak interface patterns. Under mixed mode conditions such that bonding surface with patterns is subjected to axial tension, fracture energy did not show R-curve type trends while it was observed that a crack could be made to avoid exceptionally weak interfaces when loaded such that bonding surface with defects is subjected to axial compression. In the third chapter, an adaptation of the probe tack test is proposed to characterize the adhesion behavior of gum cuds. This test method allowed the introduction of substrates with well-defined surface energies and topologies to study their effects on gum cud adhesion. This approach and reported insights could potentially be useful in developing chewing gum formulations that facilitate easy removal of improperly discarded gum cuds from adhering surfaces. In the fourth chapter we highlight a procedure to obtain insights into the long-term performance of silicone sealants designed for load-bearing applications such as solar panel support sealants. Using small strain constitutive tests and time-temperature-superposition principle, thermal shift factors were obtained and successfully used to characterize the creep rupture master curves for specific joint configurations, leading to insights into delayed failures corresponding to three years through experiments carried out in one month. / Ph. D.

Understanding the interactions of polymer interfaces is essential to improve polymer-based designs, as the properties of the interface are often different than those of the bulk material. This thesis explores the interfacial interactions of polymer interfaces for two classes of materials, additive manufacturing materials and fiber-reinforced composites. Additive manufacturing (AM) refers to a number of processes which rely on data generated from computer-aided design (CAD) programs to construct components by adding material in a layer-by-layer fashion. AM continues to generate a substantial amount of interest to produce fully functional products while reducing tooling costs associated with traditional manufacturing techniques such as casting and welding. Recent advancements in the field have led to the production of multi-material printing that has the potential to create products with enhanced mechanical properties and additional functionality. This thesis attempts to characterize the fracture resistance of AM materials produced by the PolyJet process. Test standards established for mode I fracture testing of adhesive joints are adapted to evaluate the fracture resistance and interface between two printed acrylic-based photopolymers. Significant differences in fracture energy and loci of failure between the selected test configurations were observed depending on the print orientation. Failures were nominally seen to occur at the interface, alternating from one adherend interface to another in a random fashion. Results demonstrated a decreasing trend in fracture energy at slower crack propagation rates, indicating that such dependency is associated with the fracture resistance of the interface. T-peel tests conducted on specimens prepared with both constant and graded interlayers revealed enhanced peel resistance with gradient interlayers, suggesting design opportunities of enhanced fracture toughness by implementing intricate material patterns at the interface of the two photopolymers. Fiber reinforced composite (FRCs) materials have become increasingly desirable in a number of industrial applications where weight reduction is critical for increased payloads and higher performance. When manufacturing structures from these materials, the presence of friction in the composite forming process is seen to have a major effect on the finished quality. Friction between the plies, or between the composite laminate and forming tool, can be undesirable as shape distortions such as wrinkles can appear and compromise the structural integrity of the finished product. To evaluate these frictional processes, a standard rheometer is used to evaluate tool-ply friction on dry textile fabrics and graphite/epoxy prepregs over a range of temperatures, pressures, and sliding velocities. The results provide some general insights into the frictional response of composite prepregs as a function of the manufacturing environment. The materials tested are shown to have different mechanisms that govern the frictional processes. In particular, the results of friction testing on the prepreg indicate that friction comes from a contribution of both Coulomb and viscous-related mechanisms, the latter which become especially at higher temperatures. / Master of Science

Series elastic actuators (SEAs) have numerous benefits for force controlled robotic applications. This thesis presents the design and assembly of a set of compact, lightweight, low-friction linear SEAs for the legs of the Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot (THOR). The THOR SEA pairs a ball screw driven linear actuator with a configurable titanium leaf spring. A removable pivot changes the effective cantilever length, setting the compliance to either 372 or 655 kN/m. Unlike typical SEAs which measure actuator load through spring deflection, an in-line axial load cell directly measures actuator forces up to the commandable peak of 2225 N. The continuous operating range of the actuator is computed, along with an evaluation of the range of motion and torque profiles for the parallel hip and ankle joints. With a focus on a large power-to-weight ratio and small packaging size, the THOR SEAs are well-suited for accurate torque control of the parallel joints on the robot. Linearly actuated joints, especially ones driven through a crank arm, tend to suffer from a loss of mechanical advantage toward the ends of its limited range of motion. To augment the range of motion and mechanical advantage profile on THOR, an inverted Hoeken's linkage straight line mechanism is paired with a linear SEA at the hip and knee pitch joints on the robot. The resulting linkage assembly is capable of delivering nearly constant peak torque of 115 Nm across its 150 degree range of motion. The mechanical advantage profile of the Hoeken's linkage actuator is computed for the nominal case, as well the deviation resulting from maximum deflection of the titanium beam. / Master of Science