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The aim of the project is to develop a model, which is going to be used for mass reduction of a standard profile of aluminium seat rails in Aircraft structure. Using nonlinear analysis including plasticity and material failure laws the effect of changes in geometry vs. ultimate load is analysed (ABAQUS 6.11). First, the non-linear model used is validated with experimental testing: Boundary conditions and material properties are adjusted based on load displacement curves, strain gauges information and failure patterns. Less than 1% deviation is achieved between simulation and testing. An inclusion of material imperfection led to a 5% improvement of the results. Using the validated algorithm, a mass reduction is performed via geometry variation. / Ziel der Studie ist es ein adäquates Simulationsmodell zu entwickeln, welches zur Gewichtsreduzierung einer Standardprofil Aluminium Sitzschiene im Flugzeug verwendet werden kann. In einer nichtlinearen Analyse unter Berücksichtigung der Plastizität des Materials und von Materialfehlern wird die Auswirkung der Geometrieänderungen auf die maximale Traglast analysiert (ABAQUS 6.11). Zunächst wird das nicht-lineare Modell mit experimentell ermittelten Daten überprüft: Randbedingungen und Materialeigenschaften werden basierend auf Lastverschiebungskurven, Informationen von Dehnungsmessstreifen und Versagensmustern angepasst. Dabei wurden weniger als 1% Abweichung zwischen Simulation und Test erzielt. Die Berücksichtigung von Materialfehlern führte zu einer 5%-igen Verbesserung der Ergebnisse. Mit dem validierten Modell wird abschließend eine Gewichtsreduzierung mittels Geometrievariation durchgeführt.

The aim of this thesis is to establish the extent to which materials can be deformed under shear-dominant loadings. Custom Al-6061-T6 tubular specimens are loaded under radial and corner paths of tension and shear to failure. During the experiments, the deformation is monitored in a test section designed to have nearly uniform stress and deformation at large strains while providing minimum constraint to the development of localization that precedes failure. The recorded shear stress-rotation and axial stress-displacement responses exhibit maxima beyond which deformation localizes in a narrow band that is of the order of the 1 mm wall thickness of the test section. For the mainly shear dominated stress paths followed, deformation remained nearly planar allowing for the establishment of both the true stresses and the local deformation strictly from measurements. Results from thirteen radial path experiments as well as from four corner path experiments show the strain at failure to monotonically increase as the mean stress decreases, a result that is in contrast with previously reported results for Al alloys. Also, the measured failure strains are significantly larger than previously reported values. Analysis of corner stress paths investigates the path dependence of localization and failure. Results show little path dependence on the failure strains, but some path dependence on stress maxima and failure stresses. Furthermore, statistical grain-level strain estimates from five of the stress paths revealed a significant variation in strain across the macroscopically observed localization zone. In the neighborhood of the crack tip strains with 25-100% higher levels than the macroscopic values were recorded. This indicates that localization also occurs at a smaller scale than hitherto understood. The difference between the macro strain at failure and the average grain level values increased as the axial/shear stress ratio increased. / text

Research areas within the automotive industry are dedicated to reducing the weight and emissions of vehicles. Through the application of lightweight materials, such as polymers, fuel consumption and production costs can be decreased. Therefore, understanding the mechanical responses and failure mechanisms of these materials is significant to the development and design of vehicular structural components. Experimental tests were performed to capture the time, temperature, and stress state dependence, as well as failure mechanisms and large-strain mechanical responses of polypropylene (PP) and copolymer polypropylene (co-PP). Alongside studying the mechanical responses of PP and co-PP, the deformation mechanisms associated with the ductile and brittle failures were also examined. By applying an Internal State Variable (ISV) model, the mechanical behavior of PP and co-PP under various strain rates and temperatures was predicted. Phenomenological, mechanics based failure criteria were also applied to the model to predict the ductile or brittle failure of the materials.

Existing specifications for asphalt cement employ insufficient aging and conditioning times prior to testing and low strains during the actual test which are insufficient to predict asphalt performance, especially if the materials are modified with additives such as those used for warm mix technology. However, slightly modified protocols, like increasing the conditioning time in the bending beam rheometer (BBR) test and increasing the aging duration in the pressure aging vessel (PAV), predict asphalt performance better than the current Superpave™ specification. These improved protocols are published as new test standards through the collaborative effort between the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Queen’s University. In this study, the effects of warm mix and other additives on rheological, aging and failure properties are investigated. The properties are measured by regular tests and by modified protocols. The latter include the extended BBR test (LS-308) and the double-edge-notched tension (DENT) test (LS-299). Changes in ductile strain tolerance within base asphalts due to the various additives as measured with the DENT test were found to be very significant. The DENT results like essential work of fracture, we, plastic work of fracture term, βwp, and critical crack tip opening displacement, CTOD, are usually helped to correlate with the cracking distress survey results of the pavement in service. The addition of amide and polyethylene waxes risks increasing the cracking susceptibility in the pavement. They show a negative effect on strain tolerance in the ductile state, which is likely to show up as premature and/or excessive cracking in service which is similar to their physical hardening behavior from low temperature grading and extended BBR testing. / Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2013-02-26 11:10:41.08

The aim of the project is to develop a model, which is going to be used for mass reduction of a standard profile of aluminium seat rails in Aircraft structure. Using nonlinear analysis including plasticity and material failure laws the effect of changes in geometry vs. ultimate load is analysed (ABAQUS 6.11). First, the non-linear model used is validated with experimental testing: Boundary conditions and material properties are adjusted based on load displacement curves, strain gauges information and failure patterns. Less than 1% deviation is achieved between simulation and testing. An inclusion of material imperfection led to a 5% improvement of the results. Using the validated algorithm, a mass reduction is performed via geometry variation. / Ziel der Studie ist es ein adäquates Simulationsmodell zu entwickeln, welches zur Gewichtsreduzierung einer Standardprofil Aluminium Sitzschiene im Flugzeug verwendet werden kann. In einer nichtlinearen Analyse unter Berücksichtigung der Plastizität des Materials und von Materialfehlern wird die Auswirkung der Geometrieänderungen auf die maximale Traglast analysiert (ABAQUS 6.11). Zunächst wird das nicht-lineare Modell mit experimentell ermittelten Daten überprüft: Randbedingungen und Materialeigenschaften werden basierend auf Lastverschiebungskurven, Informationen von Dehnungsmessstreifen und Versagensmustern angepasst. Dabei wurden weniger als 1% Abweichung zwischen Simulation und Test erzielt. Die Berücksichtigung von Materialfehlern führte zu einer 5%-igen Verbesserung der Ergebnisse. Mit dem validierten Modell wird abschließend eine Gewichtsreduzierung mittels Geometrievariation durchgeführt.

Les pièces des structures aéronautiques telles que les arbres des turboréacteurs, les roues, les freins ou les trains d’atterrissage sont fabriquées avec des aciers à très haute résistance. Leur structure martensitique, renforcée par des précipités de taille inférieure au micromètre, confère à ces aciers une excellente résistance : leur limite d'élasticité peut dépasser les 1900 MPa et leur résistance mécanique atteindre les 2300 MPa. Ces matériaux sont choisis pour ces excellentes propriétés mécaniques sur la base de leur comportement en traction. Toutefois, leur déformation à striction (maximum de la charge) est de quelques pourcents seulement. Les méthodes de dimensionnement sous chargement critique actuelles considèrent qu’aucun point de la structure ne doit être soumis à une déformation supérieure à la déformation à striction. Ce type d’approche est ici très conservatrice puisque les aciers THR continuent de se déformer plastiquement, ceci jusqu’à plusieurs dizaines de pourcent après le début de la striction. L’objet de ces travaux est de définir un modèle d’amorçage de la rupture applicable au dimensionnement de ces structures pour un acier type : le ML340. Ce matériau est actuellement utilisé dans les arbres de turboréacteur LEAP.Le comportement élasto-plastique du matériau a été étudié grâce à des essais menés sur différents types d’éprouvettes : tractions lisses, axisymétriques entaillées, déformation plane, plates entaillées, traction-torsion. Un modèle simple de von Mises à écrouissage isotrope permet de reproduire l’ensemble de la base. Ce modèle est ajusté sur les essais de traction pour lesquels un suivi optique de la variation du diamètre minium a été mis en place. La loi d’ ́écrouissage est ensuite ajustée en prenant en compte à la fois l'élongation et la variation du diamètre. On montre en particulier que l'extrapolation du comportement, méthode consistant à prolonger les données obtenues avant l'apparition de la striction, peut conduire à une mauvaise prédiction du comportement des éprouvettes.La base expérimentale a également été employée pour étudier l’amorçage de la rupture. L’observation des faciès montre un mode de rupture ductile avec des cupules fines. Cependant, l'initiation est brutale pour tous les essais et le développement de l’endommagement en volume reste très limité, voire nul. Ces constatations conduisent à proposer l’emploi d’un critère d’amorçage découplé : ce modèle fait intervenir la triaxialité des contraintes et le paramètre de Lode. Cette double dépendance est nécessaire pour bien décrire la rupture sur toute la base expérimentale. L’identification des paramètres du modèle se base sur l'évaluation des champs mécaniques à partir des simulations élasto-plastiques par éléments finis représentant les essais. Le modèle est également capable de prédire les emplacements des points d’amorçages observés, ces informations peuvent être utilisées pour ajuster plus finement le modèle. / Aeronautical structures such as jet engines shafts, wheels, brakes or landing gears are made of Ultra High Strenth Steels (UHSS). Due to their hard martensitic matrix reinforced with second phase particles, such steels exhibit extreme mechanical resistance, their yield strength can overcome 1900 MPa and their ultimate tensile strength can reach 2300 MPa. Such materials are selected based on their tensile properties, however strain at necking (maximum load) is only few percent. Conventional certified design methods assume that failure occurs when a given point of the structure reaches this strain. Regarding UHSS this approach is very conservative; those materials are still able to bear large strains after necking start. The aim of this work is to define a failure initiation model able to predict ductile failure of such structures for extremes loadings. The ML340 steel, material of LEAP jet-engine shafts, have been selected for this study.Elasto-plastic behavior is investigated with various mechanical tests. Uniaxial tensile test were performed on round bars specimens, either smooth or notch, and flat specimens, either u notched or plane strain. Traction/torsion and compression/torsion biaxial tests were performed on tubes specimens. A simple isotropic von Mises plasticity model was found sufficient to describe mechanical behavior of this experimental database. This model was calibrated based on round smooth tensile tests, a longitudinal extensometer and a non contact method, measuring diameter reduction, were used in order to monitor strains. Hardening law was adjust with both sets of data using a reverse method, hence material striction is take into account during the identification. Identification method extrapolating plastic behavior based on tensile data measured before the striction begining is shown to overperdict plastic behavior.Failure initiation was also investigated through fracture tests. Every fractography display very fine dimples related to ductile fracture, however fracture apears to be very brutal and very few damage was observed underneath fracture surface. As a result an uncoupled fracture initiation model is proposed, damage indicator is driven by both stress triaxiality and a Lode parameter. This dual dependency is necessary in order to represent fracture for the whole database. Model parameters identification relies on the evaluation of local stress state for each test, this could be achieved with 3D elasto-plastic simulations. As a result fracture model was able to predict correct fracture initiation point positions observed on round tensile tests and flat u notch tests.

The pipeline industry has conducted a vast amount of research on the subject of mechanical damage. Mechanical damage makes up a large portion of the total amount of pipeline failures that occur each year. The current methods rely on engineering judgment and experience rather than scientific theory. The method for the assessment of mechanical damage introduced in this study uses a material property called critical strain to predict the onset of cracking within the pipe wall. The critical strain is compared to the strain within a dent using a ductile failure damage indicator (DFDI). To investigate the use of the DFDI to indicate the onset of cracking within a dent, the study attempted to accomplish three tasks. The first was to investigate the use of various techniques to locate the critical strain from the stress-strain curve. Five samples taken from the pipe material was used to generate both engineering and true stress-strain curves. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to show the effects of different variables on the critical strain value. The DFDI compares the critical strain value to the calculated strain at the deepest depth location within a dent. The strain calculations use the curvature of the dent and thus require a dent profile. A high resolution laser scanner was used to extract dent profiles from a pipe. The second task of the study was to investigate the reliability of the laser scanner equipment used for this study. The results from the investigation showed that the laser scanner could be used to scan the inside of the pipe despite its design for external scanning. The results also showed that the scans should be 1 mm in length along the axis of the pipe at a resolution of 0.5 mm and 360 degrees around the pipe. The final task was to conduct the denting test. The test used a spherical indenter to dent the pipe at increments of 3% of the outside diameter. The results from the test showed that a visible crack did not form on the inside pipe surface as expected from the DFDI method. This does not mean a crack did not form. During the denting test distinct popping sounds were observed possibly indicating cracks forming within the pipe wall.

The industrial application of high strength steels in structural components has increased the demand on understanding the ductile failure behavior of this type of materials. In practical situations the loading experienced on components made out of these materials can be very complex, which may affect the failure behavior. The objective of this work is to study the effect of stress state on ductile failure and the mechanisms leading to rupture in high strength steels. The stress state is characterized by the stress triaxiality T and the Lode parameter L, which is a deviatoric stress state parameter that discriminates between axisymmetric or shear dominated stress states. For this purpose experiments on two different specimen configurations are performed; a double notched tube (DNT) specimen tested in combined tension and shear and a round notched bar (RNB) specimen tested in uniaxial tension. The two specimens give rise to different stress states at failure in terms of T and L. The failure loci for the DNT specimen show an abrupt change in ductility, indicating a transition between the rupture mechanisms necking of intervoid ligaments and shearing of intervoid ligaments. A clear difference in ductility between the two specimen configurations is also observed, which is closely associated with the difference in stress state at failure. A micromechanical model is developed, which assumes that ductile material failure occurs when the deformation becomes highly non-linear and localizes into a band. The model, which is applied to analyze the experiments, consists of a band with a square array of equally sized cells, with a spherical void located in the center of each cell. The model, extended with a shear criterion, captures the experimental trend rather well. The model also shows that the effect of the deviatoric stress state (L) on void growth, void shape evolution and coalescence is significant, especially at low levels of T and shear dominated stress state. / QC 20100621

The ability to quickly develop predictions of the time-to-failure under different loading levels allows designers to choose the best polymeric material for a specific application. Additionally, it helps material producers to design, manufacture, test, and modify a polymeric material more rapidly. In the case of polymeric pipes, previous studies have shown that there are two possible time-dependent failure mechanisms corresponding to ductile and brittle failure. The ductile mechanism is evident at shorter times-to-failure and results from the stretching of the amorphous region under loading and the subsequent plastic deformation. Empirical results show that many high-performance polyethylene (PE) materials do not exhibit the brittle failure mechanism. Hence, it is critical to understand the ductile mechanism and find an approach to predict the corresponding times-to-failure using accelerated means. The aim of this study is to develop an innovative rupture lifetime acceleration protocol for PE pipes which is sensitive to the structure, orientation, and morphology changes introduced by changing processing conditions. To accomplish this task, custom fixtures are developed to admit tensile and hoop burst tests on PE pipes. A pressure modified Eyring flow equation is used to predict the rupture lifetime of PE pipes using the measured mechanical properties under axial tensile and hydrostatic pressure loading in different temperatures and strain rates. In total, the experimental method takes approximately one week to be completed and allows the prediction of pipe lifetimes for service lifetime in excess of 50 years. / Master of Science / Steel, cast and galvanized iron, and asbestos cement (AC) pipelines have been historically used in water management services. However, they often experienced deterioration because of corrosion and encrustation, resulting in 23 to 27 bursts per 100 miles of pipeline in the US per year. Therefore, plastic pipes were developed to carry liquids (water and sewage), gases, etc. The Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) requires a service life of at least 50-years for plastic pipes. Hence, pipe producers and material suppliers continuously attempt to improve the materials and manufacturing processes used for plastic pipes to increase their service lifetimes. However, there is still no plastic pipe that has been in service for 50 years. Therefore, a few techniques have been developed to accelerate the aging process and to predict if the plastic pipe is able to endure the 50-year lifetime without failure. In this work, a combined experimental and analytical framework is presented to develop accelerated lifetime estimates for plastic pipes. Custom axial tensile and internal pressurization fixtures are developed to measure the pipe response; the analytical method is used to extend the results to predict 50-year (and beyond) behavior.