During propped construction the steel-concrete composite action resists dead as well as imposed loads. Conversely, the steel section alone resists the floor self-weight in unpropped beams. The major difference between propped and unpropped composite beams lies in the ductility requirements rather than in the strength requirements. Relatively few studies have been carried out to assess the rotation requirements for unpropped semi-continuous composite beams. The outstanding critical factor in the case of unpropped construction is the dead load stress that must be carried by the steel beam alone prior to hardening of the concrete. This research overcomes the difficulties involved in modelling the composite and noncomposite stages by using a numerical integration technique developed from the basic principles of structural mechanics. The method incorporates the fully non-linear material properties and requires very little assumption. The technique was initially validated using the experimental results from plain steel beam bending tests. The subsequent comparison between the model predictions and the results from the large-scale frame test carried out for this research purpose, showed that the method is capable of predicting non-elastic load vs. end rotation behaviour within a high degree of accuracy. Thus the model can be used with confidence in order to predict the connection rotation requirements for a wider range of loading configurations than is practically possible from experimental testing alone. A parametric study is carried out using the numerical integration technique developed for the semi-continuous composite beam on a total of 2160 different beam configurations, utilising different steel grades and loading conditions. In this study the influence of dead load stress on the connection rotation requirement has been thoroughly evaluated along with several other factors including span to depth ratio, location within the building frame, ratio between the support (connection) moment capacity and span (beam) moment capacity, loading type, steel grade and percentage of the beam strength utilised during design. The connection rotation capacity requirements resulting from this study are assessed to establish the scope for extending the use of composite connections to unpropped beams. The large-scale experiment that has been carried out provided an opportunity to investigate the behaviour of a modified form of composite connection detail for use at perimeter columns (single-sided composite connections) with improved rebar anchorage. Additionally, another extensive parametric study is carried out using the numerical integration technique developed for the steel beam to establish the influence of strainhardening on elastic-plastic frame instability design.

A thesis submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Mechanical Engineering at Technikon Natal, 2002. / The experiments and their results contained herein will form the basis for the development of a portable non-destructive testing device for composite structures. This device is to be capable of detecting any of a variety of defects and assessing their severity within a short time / M

Ces travaux de thèse portent sur un composite à matrice polyamide 6,6 (PA66) renforcé d’un tissu de fibres de verre (Sergé 2/2). Dans le but d’une intégration dans des pièces automobiles, on s’intéresse au comportement de ce matériau sous sollicitation cyclique. L’objectif est de mettre au point un critère de fatigue permettant de prédire la durée de vie du composite étudié. Le PA66 étant sensible à l’humidité, il est nécessaire de prendre en compte ce paramètre dans notre étude. Pour cela, le matériau est conditionné selon trois états : un état sec (RH0), un état ambiant (RH50) et un état saturé en eau(RH100). Trois séquences d’empilement sont également considérées afin de tenir compte de l’orientation des fibres dans le matériau : [(0/903], [(90/0)3] et [(±45)3]. Dans un premier temps, l’influence du conditionnement sur les propriétés microstructurales et mécaniques en traction monotone est étudiée.Le rôle plastifiant de l’eau sur le PA66 a été mis en évidence. L’instrumentation des essais de traction monotone avec un système d’émission acoustique associée à l’observation post-mortem par MEB des éprouvettes permet de proposer un scénario d’endommagement en traction quasi-statique pour chaque configuration étudiée. Dans un deuxième temps, une campagne d’essais en fatigue traction-traction est menée sur les neuf configurations de l’étude. Ces essais ont permis la mise en place et l’évaluation de deux critères de fatigue phénoménologiques : les diagrammes de durées de vie constantes et le critère de fatigue à deux paramètres basé sur les courbes S-N. Ce dernier a été enrichi afin de pouvoir prédire la durée de vie du matériau pour différents conditionnements. De manière générale, le modèle montre une bonne capacité à prédire la durée de vie du matériau pour des conditions d’essais variées. Afin de cerner la capacité du modèle à être utilisé en bureau d’études, celui-ci a été appliqué dans le cas d’essais de fatigue menés sur une mini-structure sollicitée en flexion 3 points. / This study is focused on a woven glass-fibre-reinforced composite (2/2 twill) with a polyamide 6,6 matrix. From the perspective of its future integration in automotive parts, the fatigue behavior of this material is investigated. The aim is to develop a fatigue model able to predict the fatigue life of the composite studied. The PA66 behaviour is highly influenced by the moisture content, thus, it is necessary to take this parameter into account. Hence, three conditionings are studied: RH0, RH50 andRH100 which correspond respectively to the dry-as-moulded, the ambient and the water-saturated state.Three different stacking sequences are used in order to study the influence of fibre orientation: [(0/90)3],[(90/0)3] and [(±45)3]. First, the influence of moisture on microstructural and mechanical properties formonotonic tensile tests is studied. The plasticizing effect of water on PA66 has been highlighted. A damage scenario has been determined for every configuration studied by using acoustic emission technique during monotonic tensile tests and post-mortem SEM observations. Then, tension-tension fatigue tests are performed for all sample configurations. The results have been used to set up two phenomenological fatigue life models: the constant life diagrams and the two-parameter model based onS-N curves. The latter has been enhanced by including the relative humidity in order to be able to predict the fatigue life of the material for any conditioning. In general, this model estimates quite well the fatigue life of the material for different testing conditions. Finally, the two-parameter model has been used for fatigue life prediction of both open-hole samples and a mini-structure in order to evaluate its capability to be used in an industrial context.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the academic requirements for the Degree of Master of Technology: Mechanical Engineering, Durban Institute of Technology, 2004. / The study presented here addresses the design of the composite wing and canard structures for an -un-inh-ab-it-ed-combat air vehicle. The desian philosophy is based on a ~- combination of finite element analysis and mathematical programming. The wings and canards were manufactured using advanced composite materials. the manufacturing methodology was based on a rapid protoryping approach using 3D computer models and eNe machining. The theory of composite materials is covered in detail, attention IS given to the properties of the separate constituents, composite material properties and manufacturing methods that are relevant to the project. The finite element method and sequential linear programming are discussed in the context of structural analysis and optimisation. An overview of the methodology and how it is implemented is presented. Numerical optimisation techniques are discussed with particular emphasis being placed on sequential linear programming. The optimisation problem formulation is presented in detail with attention paid to elements and their formulation as well as design variables, constraints and sensitivity analysis. Two design concepts were considered for the wing and canard structures, the first being a conventional configuration and the second being a novel radial design. The development and evaluation of these structural concepts are presented in detail. The optimisation study done on the canard is also presented as well as the manufacture thereof. Details regarding the manufacturing methodology used in the construction of the canard for the uninhabited combat air vehicle are presented in detail with particular / M

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering: Mechanical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa. 2017. / In this study, the fatigue life of fiber reinforced composite (FRC) materials system was investigated. A nano-filler was used to increase the service life of the composite structures under cyclical loading since such structures require improved structural integrity and longer service life. Behaviour of glass fiber reinforced composite (GFRC) enhanced with various weight percentages (1 to 5 wt. %) of Cloisite 30B montmorillonite (MMT) clay was studied under static and fatigue loading. Epoxy clay nanocomposite (ECN) and hybrid nanoclay/GFRC laminates were characterised using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The mechanical properties of neat GFRC and hybrid nanoclay/GFRC laminates were evaluated. Fatigue study of the composite laminates was conducted and presented using the following parameter; matrix crack initiation and propagation, interfacial debonding, delamination and S–N relationship. Residual strength of the materials was evaluated using DMA to determine the reliability of the hybrid nanoclay/GFRC laminates. The results showed that ECN and hybrid nanoclay/GFRC laminates exhibited substantial improvement in most tests when compared to composite without nanoclay. The toughening mechanism of the nanoclay in the GFRC up to 3 wt. % gave 17%, 24% and 56% improvement in tensile, flexural and impact properties respectively. In the fatigue performance, less crack propagations was found in the hybrid nanoclay/GFRC laminates. Fatigue life of hybrid nanoclay/GFRC laminate was increased by 625% at the nanoclay addition up to 3 wt. % when compared to neat GFRC laminate. The residual strength of the composite materials revealed that hybrid nanoclay/GFRC showed less storage modulus reduction after fatigue. Likewise, a positive shift toward the right was found in the tan delta glass transition temperature (Tg) of 3 wt. % nanoclay/GFRC laminate after fatigue. It was concluded that the application of nanoclay in the GFRC improved the performance of the material. The hybrid nanoclay/GFRC material can therefore be recommended mechanically and thermally for longer usage in structural application. / M

Ph.D. (Chemistry) / This study presents work on the preparation, characterisation and application of agricultural waste residue, maize tassel in the production of activated carbon (AC) using both physical and chemical methods of activation in their production. The activated carbon produced from maize tassel (MTAC) or steam-produced activated carbon (STAC) were later added as a filler – together with beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD), and raw tassel (RT) – in the production of polyurethane composite adsorbent (PUCAD) material for the removal of selected inorganic (such as Cd2+, Cr3+, Pb2+) and organic pollutants (phenolic compound - bisphenol A (BPA), ortho-nitrophenol (O-NTP), para-chlorophenol (PCP), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and methylene blue (MB) as adsorbate/analytes from aqueous medium. Both batch and solid-phase extraction adsorption methods (SPE), were used for separation and preconcentration. The investigations included reactivity using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, surface morphology analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal stability using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), heat flow using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and crystallinity using X-ray diffraction (XRD) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). The FT-IR analysis revealed that there was interaction between the polymeric material and all the fillers. The hydrogen bonding and N-H group interaction between all the materials and the polyurethane polymer composite (PCAD) showed compatibility between the polymeric materials and the fillers.

The objective of this research is to determine the thermal residual stresses and strains in bonded composite repairs on cracked metal structures. This work is an essential contribution to a fatigue damage initiation model for bonded composite repair, where knowledge of the initial stress/strain state after an elevated temperature cure is important. Furthermore, this work is an elementary part for the development of a generic certification approach to bonded composite repairs. Accounting properly for thermal residual stresses in test specimens and in real applications will assist in determining the true feasibility of a bonded composite repair. The objective of this work was realized in four stages of research. In the first stage, seven AMRL sandwich type composite bonded repair specimens were manufactured, of which one was instrumented by placing 44 strain gauges at eight planar locations and within five different interfaces. Residual strains at ambient temperature (including both thermal residual strains and other process induced strains) were measured during the manufacturing process. In the second stage, the stress free temperature for the repaired specimen was experimentally determined and the thermal residual strains measured as a function of operating temperature. In the third stage, a theoretical analysis was carried out to estimate the thermal residual stress and strain distributions in various bonded repairs. This analysis also addressed the effect of symmetrical disbonds around the crack. Finally, a finite element analysis was carried out to assess the limitations of the theoretical analysis as well as to provide a more detailed insight into the complex thermal residual stress and strain state of the AMRL sandwich type specimen. During this work it was found that high thermal residual strains (reaching 15% of the yield strain) are present in the bonded repair specimen at ambient temperature. Previous analysis schemes predicted results nearly 60% higher. The thermal residual strain versus temperature measurement showed that only very small changes in thermal residual strains occurred above 90°C leading to a defined effective stress free temperature of 85.8°C for the employed adhesive FM 73M. By utilizing an effective stress free temperature, a linear-elastic approach was used to model thermal residual stresses and strains in composite bonded repairs. Major achievements in the theoretical analysis include a linear-elastic closed form solution for tapered joints and reinforcements without the need for a numerical solution scheme, a stress field prediction ahead of the crack tip for the metal substrate of a bonded repair based on a concise complete solution of the classical fracture mechanics problem of a center crack in an infinite plate and, an extended Rose model for the prediction of the stress intensity factor of a bonded repair with symmetrical disbonds showing the severity of thermal residual stresses especially for partially disbonded composite repairs to cracked metal specimens. The key to precise predictions of thermal residual stresses in bonded composite repairs is the knowledge of the adhesive behaviour at elevated temperatures under thermal residual stress loading. A generic type specimen is presented which allows to investigate the relevant adhesive behaviour. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mechanical Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Fiber-yielding plants is an area of increased interest due to the potential use in a variety of green-based materials. These biocomposites can be incorporated into multiple uses; for example, to replace building materials and interior vehicular paneling. The research here aims to focus in on the crop Hibiscus cannabinus for utilization into these functions. H. cannabinus is economically attractive due to the entire process being able to be accomplished here in the United States. The plant can be grown in a relatively short growth period (120-180 days), and then processed and incorporated in a biocomposite. The plant fiber must first be broken down into a useable medium. This is accomplished by the retting process, which occurs when microbial constituents breakdown the heteropolysaccharides releasing the fiber. The research aims to bridge the gap between the primitive process of retting and current techniques in molecular and microbiology. Utilizing a classical microbiological approach, which entailed enrichment and isolation of pectinase-producing bacteria for downstream use in augmented microbial retting experiments. The tracking of the bacteria was accomplished by using the 16S rRNA which acts as “barcodes” for bacteria. Next-generation sequencing can then provide data from each environment telling the composition and microbial diversity of each tested variable. The main environments tested are: a natural environment, organisms contributed by the plant material solely, and an augmented version in which pectinase-producing bacteria are added. In addition, a time-course experiment was performed on the augmented environment providing data of the shift to an anaerobic environment. Lastly, a drop-in set was performed using each isolate separately to determine which contributes to the shift in microbial organization. This research provided a much needed modernization of the retting technique. Previous studies have been subject to simple clone libraries and growth plate assays and next-generation sequencing will bring the understanding of microbial retting into the 21st century.

Delamination is currently a largely undetectable form of damage in composite laminate materials. This thesis will develop a method to more easily detect delamination damage within composite materials. Using finite element analysis modeling and lab testing, a new method from interpreting the results obtained from existing structural health monitoring techniques is developed. Lamb waves were introduced and recorded through an actuator and sensors made of piezoelectric material. The data was then analyzed through a novel data reduction method using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Using the data from FFT, the idea of covariance of energy change was developed. By comparing the covariance of energy change in beams with differing delamination size, thickness and depth, correlations were able to be developed. With these correlations, the severity and of damage was able to be detected.

Thin cylindrical shell structures may provide an interesting breakthrough for deployable structures for small satellites. Its bi-stable behaviour allows two different stable configurations: coiled and deployed. Several projects worldwide are using tape springs for satellites and for the SEAM project, at KTH, 1 meter long tape springs will be used for booms. This thesis investigates the energy stored inside the tape spring according to its layup configuration and the different fiber orientations. With a thickness around 0.3 mm and a length of one meter, the booms will deploy sensors with a quite low deployment speed in order to minimize the shick load during the deployment phase. A Matlab code is written to compare the stored strain energy. Another aim is to find an adequate layout all along the tape spring, it means change the fiber orientation to decrease the energy released, but also generating main manufacturing issue.