L'usage des matériaux composites, et en particulier des stratifiés d'unidirectionnels, ne cesse de croître dans les structures aéronautiques en raison de leur rapport masse/rigidité/résistance très intéressant. Leur utilisation s'étend désormais aux structures primaires (jusqu'ici en matériaux métalliques) des futures gammes d'avions. Dans les structures vitales de l'avion, les pièces en composites contenant des cornières composites sont de plus en plus nombreuses. Ces pièces sont soumises à des sollicitations complexes qui induisent des modes de rupture tridimensionnelle. Or, la tenue mécanique hors-plan est l'une des principales faiblesses des stratifiés d'unidirectionnels et la prévision de la tenue de structures soumises à des chargements tridimensionnelles reste actuellement un challenge scientifique. Il semble indispensable de proposer des modèles matériaux innovants offrant un degré moindre d'empirisme que les approches actuellement utilisées en bureau d'études pour le dimensionnement de structures composites mais aussi il s'avère nécessaire de proposer les procédures d'identification associées. L'objectif de cette thèse est donc de proposer une stratégie robuste pour l'analyse de la tenue de structures composites soumises à des sollicitations tridimensionnelles. Nous avons proposé une approche progressive de la rupture 3D permettant de prévoir les différents types d'endommagement et modes de ruine pouvant intervenir dans un composite stratifié. Une procédure originale d'identification des résistances hors-plan de traction et de cisaillements à partir d'essais sur cornières composites stratifiées a également été proposée. Enfin, des essais de dépliages/pliages sur cornières ont été réalisés afin valider l'approche 3D de la rupture proposée. / Composite materials, particularly unidirectional laminates, are increasingly used for the design of airplane structures because of their interesting mass/rigidity/strength ratio. Their use is now extended to the design of primaries structures (in metallic so far) for the future range of aircrafts. In those primaries structures, lots of composite components are subjected to complex out-of-plane loadings such as L-angle structures. The main failure mechanism encountered is delamination in the radius mainly due to the applied out-of-plane loadings. Nevertheless, the main weakness of the unidirectional laminates is their out-of-plane mechanical properties and the prediction of this failure mode in laminated structures (subjected to 3D loadings) remains a scientific challenge. It is thus necessary to propose an innovative 3D failure approach, physically based, and the associated identification procedure for the out-of-plane strengths. The aim of this Phd-thesis is thus to propose a 3D strength analysis method dedicated to 3D loadings and matching the requirements of a design office (low time of computation and easy to identify and to carry out). A 3D progressive failure approach which permits to predict damages and failure modes encountered in laminated structures has been proposed. The out-of-plane strengths (tensile and shears) are identified through the analysis of tests performed on L-angle structures, representative of the final aeronautical components. Finally, some unfolding/folding tests on L-angle specimens have been performed in order to validate the proposed 3D failure approach.

No description available.

[pt] A perfuração de poços de petróleo envolve diversas fases. Com o avanço da tecnologia é possível explorar em águas ultra profundas com lâmina d água acima de 1500 metros de profundidade, com isso uma série de medidas precisam ser tomadas para que eventos catastróficos não ocorram durante a perfuração, eventos estes que podem gerar danos irreversíveis ao meio ambiente, multas altíssimas e expor a vida de centenas de pessoas. Dos eventos indesejados durante a perfuração, destacamos as instabilidades nas paredes dos poços, eventos como este podem gerar desmoronamentos devido à baixa pressões internas ou rupturas das paredes dos poços devido altas pressões. Com base nos modos de falha dos poços citados acima, o fluido de perfuração tem o objetivo de manter a pressão ideal no poço, sustentar suas paredes evitando desmoronamento, não somente isto, mas também remover os detritos ou cascalhos das rochas perfuradas, lubrificar e resfriar a broca. O presente trabalho buscou analisar o comportamento da parede dos poços quando submetidos a pressões que geram instabilidades e levam os poços a falhas irreversíveis, o método utilizado para mitigar os riscos foi o critério de falha de Mohr-Coulomb, e o desenvolvimento foi elaborado via métodos numéricos, mais específico em código de programação na linguagem Python, onde foi possível realizar simulações que visavam monitorar a estabilidade dos poços, demonstrando as áreas mais seguras e calculando as tensões atuantes durante a perfuração. / [en] The drilling of oil wells involves several phases. With the advancement of technology it is possible to explore ultra-deepwater with a water depth above 1500 meters deep, and a series of measures need to be taken so that catastrophic events have not occurred during drilling, events that can cause irreversible damage to the environment, very high fines and expose the lives of hundreds of people. Of the external events during drilling, we highlight the instabilities in the walls of the wells, events like this can generate landslides due to low internal pressure or ruptures of the walls of the wells due to high pressure. Based on the failure modes of the wells mentioned above, the drilling fluid has the objective of maintaining the ideal pressure in the well, sustaining its walls avoiding collapse, not only that but also removing the debris or cuttings from the drilled rocks, lubricating and cool the bit. The present work sought to analyze the behavior of the wall of the wells when it patented the pressure that generated instabilities and lead the wells to irreversible failures, the method used to mitigate the risks was the confirmed Mohr-Coulomb failure, and the development was elaborated via methods numerical, more specific in programming code in the Python language, where it was possible to carry out simulations that aimed to monitor the stability of the wells, demonstrating the safest areas and calculating the stresses acting during drilling.

Ce travail vise à améliorer la compréhension et la modélisation de la rupture des matériaux métalliques à gradient de propriétés. L'application se fait sur des pignons en acier 20MnB5 carbonitrurés insérés dans un "recliner", mécanisme de sécurité des siègesautomobiles. Le traitement de carbonitruration consisteà enrichir en carbone et azote une couche externe despièces en les chauffant dans le domaine austénitiquedans une atmosphère riche en ces deux éléments. Puisles pièces sont trempées afin de déclencher unetransformation martensitique. On obtient ainsi unmatériau à gradient de propriétés, intéressant pour despièces de transmission de puissance comme lesengrenages. Ce projet a commencé par l’analyse de larupture de mécanismes de sièges en test industriel. Celaa confirmé le double comportement à rupture binaire dumatériau : fragile sur une couche externe, ductile àl’intérieur. Un banc d’essai, spécialement conçu pour ceprojet, soumet une dent à un effort latéral jusqu’àrupture complète. Des observations in situ sonteffectuées et la courbe force-déplacement estenregistrée, montrant la diversité de comportement enfonction de la profondeur d'engagement des dents et dela présence ou non de la couche carbonitrurée. Desessais de traction, de flexion 4 points et de cisaillementsur éprouvettes papillons sont utilisés pour mesurer lespropriétés plastiques et calibrer les critères de rupturede la couche carbonitrurée comme de l'acier de base. Laplasticité de Von Mises avec une loi d'écrouissagesimple rend très bien compte de tous ces essaismécaniques. Différents critères de rupture ductile issusde la littérature sont calibrés; ils ne parviennent pas àreprésenter correctement tous les essais réalisés.Un critère plus adapté est donc proposé enconclusion de cette campagne expérimentale. Lasimulation de la rupture dans LS-Dyna est réaliséeavec une technique d'érosion d'éléments dont leslimitations sont discutées. La comparaison avec larupture de dent expérimentale permet d'évaluer lescritères numériques identifiés et d'analyser leslimites actuelles de la simulation, en particulier lanécessité de prendre en compte plus finement àl'avenir le gradient de propriétés mécaniques ainsique les contraintes résiduelles de compression dela couche carbonitrurée. / This work aims at a better understanding and modeling of the failure of gradient metallic materials. It is applied to carbonitrided pinions made out of 20MnB5 steel, inserted in a "recliner", a safety mechanism of automotive seats. Carbonitriding induces high surface hardness while preserving significant core ductility. The experimental analysis of the fracture behavior of seat recliners in an industrial test confirmed the dual failure behavior of the component : brittle external layer, ductile core material. A test bench has been specifically designed for the project: one tooth is submitted to a lateral force until complete failure. In situ observations are performed and the load-displacement curve recorded, showing a variety of behaviors as a function of the teeth engagement depth and of the presence or not of the carbonitrided layer. Experimental tests with various tress states were conducted to measure plastic properties as well as to calibrate fracture criteria, for the carbonitrided layer and for the core steel. Von Mises plasticity and a simple strain hardening curve fit very well all these experiments. As fracture criteria from the literature were unable to predict failure correctly for all the mechanical tests, an adapted criterion has therefore been proposed as an outcome of this extensive mechanical testing campaign. Fracture simulation in LS Dyna has been performed using the element erosion technique, the limitations of which are discussed. Comparison with the experimental tooth fracture measurements allows evaluation of the proposed failure criteria, and enables to stress out and discuss the present limits of the simulation, concluding that it will be necessary in future work to account more finely for the mechanical property gradient together with the compressive residual stresses in the carbonitrided layer.

A pesquisa parte do fato de que os métodos semiempíricos de estimativa da capacidade de carga de estacas não devem ser empregados indiscriminadamente em qualquer região do país sem as devidas adequações às características do solo local. Constata-se, com isso, que não existem metodologias específicas para proceder tais adequações e que o meio técnico acaba por realizar a mera classificação dos métodos em conservador ou contra a segurança, o que se constitui num certo paradigma. Assim, o presente trabalho propõe uma Metodologia Semiempírica Unificada (MSU), em três etapas. Na primeira delas, o projetista estima a capacidade de carga a partir da otimização das melhores práticas adotadas pelos diversos métodos semiempíricos utilizados no Brasil. Discutem-se ainda o embutimento da ponta e a criação de novos métodos semiempíricos. Na segunda etapa, realiza-se a verificação de desempenho com base nos critérios de ruptura aplicados à curva carga-recalque de provas de carga. Nessa etapa, as imprecisões do dito paradigma são apontadas e faz-se uma nova proposta de aplicação dos critérios de ruptura. Na terceira etapa, faz-se uma retroanálise para aferição da estimativa semiempírica unificada da primeira etapa. Propõe-se, assim, o uso da separação das parcelas de atrito e ponta por meio de métodos de transferência de carga, bem como pela proposta de ajustes polinomiais, no caso de ensaios instrumentados. A análise crítica desse processo gerou a proposta de uma nova abordagem matemática da transferência de carga. A correção dos valores adotados para os coeficientes semiempíricos de cada camada, individualmente, é feita pela proposta de aplicação do conceito de Hierarquia dos Solos (AMANN, 2000). Os resultados de correção dos métodos semiempíricos, contudo, são específicos para o solo de cada local em estudo. Assim, são utilizados, como exemplo, ensaios em diversas regiões do país, o que permite a verificação da aplicabilidade da metodologia proposta. / The research starts from the fact that the semiempirical methods for estimating the pile load capacity shouldn\'t be used indiscriminately in any country\'s region without making proper adjustments to the local soil characteristics. It is verified, from this, that there are no specific methodologies to make such adjustments and the geotechnical engineers find themselves forced to perform a simple classification of the methods in \"conservative\" or \"against the safety\", which constitutes a form of paradigm. In this context, this paper proposes a Unified Semiempirical Methodology (MSU) in three steps. In the first, the designer estimates the foundation load capacity from the optimization of best practices adopted by different semiempirical methods used in Brazil. A discussion is also made the toe embedment and the creation of new semiempirical methods. In the second step, the verification of the foundation performance is carried out, based on the failure criteria applied to the load-settlement curve of load tests. At this step, the inaccuracies from that paradigm are outlined and a new proposal is made for applying the failure criteria. In the third step, a backanalysis is accomplished to admeasure the unified semiempirical estimative from the first step. It is, thus, proposed to separate both shaft friction and toe resistance from the total load, by means of load transfer methods, and by the proposal of polynomial adjustments in the case of instrumented piles. With the critical analysis of this process, a new mathematical approach to load transfer is presented. The correction of the coefficients of the semiempirical methods is made by the application of the Soils\'s Hierarchy concept (AMANN, 2000). The results of semiempirical methods correction, however, are specific to the soils of each particular site. The applicability, of the proposed methodology, is illustrated using pile load tests from various parts of the country.

L'utilisation des structures sandwichs composées d’âme en nid d'abeilles et de peaux a considérablement augmenté ces dernières années dans plusieurs secteurs industriels tels que l’aéronautique, l’aérospatiale, le navale et l’automobile. Cet intérêt croissant pour ces matériaux alvéolaires est principalement lié à leur faible densité et meilleur rapport masse/rigidité/résistance en comparaison avec les alliages métalliques ou les matériaux composites classiques. Cependant, leur constitution rend souvent les opérations de mise en forme par usinage compliquées et difficile à mener à cause de l’usure prématurée des outils coupants et l’endommagement important induit en subsurface des pièces. En effet, les vibrations importantes des parois minces du nid d’abeilles sont une source de plusieurs problèmes comme la mauvaise qualité des surfaces usinées, les fibres non coupées, délaminage, défauts, etc. Les travaux de cette thèse s’intéressent à la compréhension du comportement des structures nids d’abeilles composite (Nomex®) et métallique (aluminium) en usinage. L’enlèvement de matière par fraisage présente pour ces matériaux plusieurs verrous scientifiques et technologiques. Une analyse expérimentale a permis d’identifier dans un premier temps les phénomènes physiques mis en jeu lors de la formation des copeaux et les interactions entre les arêtes de coupe et les parois minces des cellules de la structure alvéolaire. Un intérêt particulier a été porté sur la caractérisation des défauts induits dans le matériau par les différentes parties composant la fraise, le déchiqueteur et le coteau. Deux protocoles expérimentaux ont été mis en place afin de qualifier la qualité et l’intégrité des surfaces usinées. Ils tiennent compte de la particularité des âmes en nid d'abeilles : composite ou métallique, leur géométrie alvéolaire, leur densité et l’épaisseur fine des parois. Un nouveau critère de qualité a été établi et proposé en tant qu’indicateur d’endommagement pour le suivi de l’état des surfaces alvéolaires fraichement usinées. Basée sur l’analyse statistique de Taguchi, une hiérarchisation des paramètres d’usinage et leur influence sur le comportement de ces matériaux ont été ensuite réalisées. Par ailleurs, l’usure des outils de coupe a été étudiée selon le couple outil-matériau usiné et les conditions de fraisage choisies. Comme l’a montré l’étude expérimentale, l’optimisation des paramètres d’usinage via une approche expérimentale seule est souvent longue et coûteuse. La simulation numérique peut apporter une aide complémentaire et constituer un outil intéressant pour l’analyse de la physique de la coupe des nids d’abeilles. Dans cette optique et en deuxième partie de la thèse, un modèle numérique par éléments finis a été spécifiquement développé pour la simulation du fraisage 3D des matériaux nids d’abeilles. Pour le Nomex®, deux lois de comportement mécanique couplées avec l’endommagement ont été identifiées et implémentées via la subroutine VUMAT dans Abaqus explicit. Pour simuler la formation des copeaux, deux critères de rupture (Hashin et Tsai-Wu) avec chute de rigidité ont été exploités. Les résultats du calcul numérique et ceux des essais expérimentaux ont montré une bonne concordance en termes de mécanismes de formation des copeaux, d’efforts de coupe et de modes d’endommagement / The use of sandwich structures made with honeycomb core and skins has considerably increased these last years in several industrial sectors such as aeronautics, aerospace, naval and automotive. This growing interest for the alveolar materials is mainly related to their low density and better mass/stiffness/strength ratio compared to metal alloys or conventional composites. However, their constitution makes machining operations complicated and difficult to control because of the premature cutting tool wear and the significant damage induced in the workpiece. In fact, the important vibrations of the thin honeycomb walls are a source of several problems such as the poor surface quality, uncut fibers, delamination, defects, etc. This work deals with the understanding of the honeycomb composites behavior and metallic during machining. The material removal process by milling of these materials presents several scientific and technological challenges. Firstly, an experimental analysis has been used to identify the physical phenomena involved during the chip formation process and generated by the interactions between the cutting edge and the honeycomb cell walls. A particular interest was focused on the characterization of defects induced in the material by different parts of the cutter, the shredder and the saw blade. Two experimental protocols have been set up to qualify the quality and integrity of the machined surface. They consider the particularity of the honeycomb cores: composite or metallic, their geometry, and the thin wall thickness. A new quality criterion has been established and proposed as a damage indicator to monitoring the machining process and choice optimal cutting conditions. Based on Taguchi's statistical analysis, a hierarchy of the machining parameters and their influence on the behavior of these materials have then realized. In addition, the wear of cutting tools has been studied according to the selected tool-material couple and milling conditions. The optimization of machining parameters is often long and expensive only via experimental approach. Modelling and numerical simulation can provide complementary support with an interesting numerical tool to analyze the physics of cutting honeycombs. In this perspective and in the second part of the PhD thesis, a finite element numerical model has been especially developed for the 3D milling operation. For Nomex®, two coupled mechanical-damage behavior laws have been identified and implemented in Abaqus explicit subroutine VUMAT. To simulate the chip formation process and induced subsurface damage, two fracture criteria (Hashin and Tsai-Wu) with stiffness degradation concept have been operated. The comparison between the numerical simulation results and experimental data shows a good agreement in terms of the chip formation mechanisms, cutting forces and damage modes

Este trabalho é uma contribuição à análise progressiva de falhas em materiais compósitos poliméricos. Esses materiais combinam as propriedades de seus constituintes (fibra, resina polimérica e interface) de forma a melhorar o desempenho frente à utilização das fases isoladamente. A combinação de fases permite obter características como baixa densidade e elevada rigidez, que são almejadas pelo segmento aeronáutico, pois podem proporcionar um aumento de autonomia ou da capacidade de carga das aeronaves. A anisotropia inerente aos compósitos torna possível projetá-los de forma a obter-se a rigidez e a resistência desejada. Por outro lado, a anisotropia dificulta a previsão precisa dos mecanismos de falha, e conseqüentemente, do comportamento global da estrutura. Apresenta-se, assim, com base numa revisão bibliográfica criteriosa, bem como, através de resultados experimentais, a avaliação de um modelo de material fenomenológico, onde se identificam modos de falhas intralaminares. Uma vez verificad a falha por algum critério, degradam-se as propriedades do material. O modelo de material foi implementado junto ao pacote de elementos finitos Abaqus através de uma sub-rotina UMAT (\"User Material\"), escrita em Fortran. Em seguida, estudou-se o problema de um laminado em duas configurações de empilhamento (\'[0º] IND.10\' e \'[0º/90º/0º/90º/0º] IND.S\') sob flexão 3-pontos. Os resultados das simulações foram comparados com resultados experimentais, observando erros da ordem de 10%. Sendo que estes foram obtidos em função de um estudo dos parâmetros associados a solução do problema não-linear, tais como: tamanho de incremento de iteração e parâmetros associados à lei de degradação de material. Por fim, concluiu-se que o modelo de material avaliado é adequado para previsão da falha da primeira camada, bem como, da redução da rigidez estrutural e da resistência residual. Sendo que, a resposta teórica obtida se manteve parcialmente dentro dos limites inferior e superior do envelope experimental. / This work is a contribution to the progressive failure analysis in polymer composite materials. These materials combine the properties of its constituents (fiber, resin and interface) in order to improve the performance against the use of phases alone. The combination of the phases can provide characteristics such as low density and high strength, which are desired in the aeronautical segment, because it can increase the autonomy or aircraft payload. The anisotropy inherent in composites turns possible to design the material for a desired stiffness and strength. Furthermore, it turns difficult the prediction of failure mechanisms, and consequently, the overall behavior of the structure. This study presents, based on a review and experimental results, the evaluation of a phenomenological material model, which identify intralaminar failure modes. Once verified the failure by any criterion, the material properties are reduced by a degradation law. The material model was implemented in a UMAT (User Material) subroutine which linked to the finite element package Abaqus. It was applied in the study of 3-point bending problem for two stacking sequences (\'[0º] IND.10\' e \'[0º/90º/0º/90º/0º] IND.S\'). The results were compared with experimental tests, presenting a error in the order of 10%. Since that these where obtained by a study of the parameters associated to the solution of the nonlinear problem, such as: time step, and parameters associated to the material degradation laws. Finally, it was concluded that the material model is judged suitable for predicting the failure of the first ply, the reduction of structural stiffness and the residual strength. Besides, a part of the theoretical response obtained is maintained within the lower and upper limits of the experimental tests envelope.

A pesquisa parte do fato de que os métodos semiempíricos de estimativa da capacidade de carga de estacas não devem ser empregados indiscriminadamente em qualquer região do país sem as devidas adequações às características do solo local. Constata-se, com isso, que não existem metodologias específicas para proceder tais adequações e que o meio técnico acaba por realizar a mera classificação dos métodos em conservador ou contra a segurança, o que se constitui num certo paradigma. Assim, o presente trabalho propõe uma Metodologia Semiempírica Unificada (MSU), em três etapas. Na primeira delas, o projetista estima a capacidade de carga a partir da otimização das melhores práticas adotadas pelos diversos métodos semiempíricos utilizados no Brasil. Discutem-se ainda o embutimento da ponta e a criação de novos métodos semiempíricos. Na segunda etapa, realiza-se a verificação de desempenho com base nos critérios de ruptura aplicados à curva carga-recalque de provas de carga. Nessa etapa, as imprecisões do dito paradigma são apontadas e faz-se uma nova proposta de aplicação dos critérios de ruptura. Na terceira etapa, faz-se uma retroanálise para aferição da estimativa semiempírica unificada da primeira etapa. Propõe-se, assim, o uso da separação das parcelas de atrito e ponta por meio de métodos de transferência de carga, bem como pela proposta de ajustes polinomiais, no caso de ensaios instrumentados. A análise crítica desse processo gerou a proposta de uma nova abordagem matemática da transferência de carga. A correção dos valores adotados para os coeficientes semiempíricos de cada camada, individualmente, é feita pela proposta de aplicação do conceito de Hierarquia dos Solos (AMANN, 2000). Os resultados de correção dos métodos semiempíricos, contudo, são específicos para o solo de cada local em estudo. Assim, são utilizados, como exemplo, ensaios em diversas regiões do país, o que permite a verificação da aplicabilidade da metodologia proposta. / The research starts from the fact that the semiempirical methods for estimating the pile load capacity shouldn\'t be used indiscriminately in any country\'s region without making proper adjustments to the local soil characteristics. It is verified, from this, that there are no specific methodologies to make such adjustments and the geotechnical engineers find themselves forced to perform a simple classification of the methods in \"conservative\" or \"against the safety\", which constitutes a form of paradigm. In this context, this paper proposes a Unified Semiempirical Methodology (MSU) in three steps. In the first, the designer estimates the foundation load capacity from the optimization of best practices adopted by different semiempirical methods used in Brazil. A discussion is also made the toe embedment and the creation of new semiempirical methods. In the second step, the verification of the foundation performance is carried out, based on the failure criteria applied to the load-settlement curve of load tests. At this step, the inaccuracies from that paradigm are outlined and a new proposal is made for applying the failure criteria. In the third step, a backanalysis is accomplished to admeasure the unified semiempirical estimative from the first step. It is, thus, proposed to separate both shaft friction and toe resistance from the total load, by means of load transfer methods, and by the proposal of polynomial adjustments in the case of instrumented piles. With the critical analysis of this process, a new mathematical approach to load transfer is presented. The correction of the coefficients of the semiempirical methods is made by the application of the Soils\'s Hierarchy concept (AMANN, 2000). The results of semiempirical methods correction, however, are specific to the soils of each particular site. The applicability, of the proposed methodology, is illustrated using pile load tests from various parts of the country.

The difficulty in developing bolted connection designs lies in the limitations in existing methods to characterize their strength and typically nonlinear response due to the complex interaction of the bolts and structural components. Yet it is necessary for the engineer to be able to determine the three main connection response characteristics: stiffness, strength, and ductility to account for their influence on the overall structural response behavior. The need for better connection response characterization becomes even more crucial in a performance based design approach or when designing partially-restrained moment frames. Several welded moment resisting frame connections were found to have serious failures following the 1994 Northridge earthquake leading to more interest and research on bolted connections as an alternative. In this study a refined three dimensional nonlinear finite element modeling approach to accurately simulate the response of bolted connections is presented. Sensitivity studies of modeling parameters are also performed. A nonlinear response dataset of over 400 connection cases is generated using this approach with a parametric bolted angle connection model. The use of a parametric Richard-Abbott type function and a neural network, calibrated using the response dataset, as practical tool to model the nonlinear stiffness response of bolted connections under monotonic loading is demonstrated and assessed. Failure criteria that can be practically used in conjunction with the refined three dimensional finite element models without any additional modeling requirements are developed. The stress modified critical strain (SMCS) criterion based on the void growth and coalescence mechanism initiating ductile fracture in steel is used for determining failure in the connection member. The bolt failure criterion developed is a mechanics based model using the elliptical interaction of the tensile and shear capacity envelope. The failure criteria and bolted angle response dataset is combined to assess in detail the impact of geometry and topography of the bolted angle connections on the following response characteristics: strength, initial stiffness, plastic stiffness, and absolute ductility or the displacement capacity. Finally, using the dataset of bolted angle connection response, along with their capacities and failure modes determined using the developed failure criteria, the prying strength models in the AISC LRFD Specifications, Eurocode, and a hybrid model are assessed and found to be very conservative for some cases. Based on these results a modified Eurocode and hybrid prying strength model is proposed which greatly improves the prying strength prediction. These prying models are assessed and verified using experimental data found in literature.

This thesis presents a systematic numerical modeling framework to simulate the stress-deformation and coupled stress-deformation-flow processes by performing uniaxial and biaxial compressive tests on fractured rock models with considering the effects of different loading conditions, different loading directions (anisotropy), and coupled hydro-mechanical processes for evaluating strength and deformability behavior of fractured rocks. By using code UDEC of discrete element method (DEM), a series of numerical experiments were conducted on discrete fracture network models (DFN) at an established representative elementary volume (REV), based on realistic geometrical and mechanical data of fracture systems from field mapping at Sellafield, UK. The results were used to estimate the equivalent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio and to fit the Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria, represented by equivalent material properties defining these two criteria. The results demonstrate that strength and deformation parameters of fractured rocks are dependent on confining pressures, loading directions, water pressure, and mechanical and hydraulic boundary conditions. Fractured rocks behave nonlinearly, represented by their elasto-plastic behavior with a strain hardening trend. Fluid flow analysis in fractured rocks under hydro-mechanical loading conditions show an important impact of water pressure on the strength and deformability parameters of fractured rocks, due to the effective stress phenomenon, but the values of stress and strength reduction may or may not equal to the magnitude of water pressure, due to the influence of fracture system complexity. Stochastic analysis indicates that the strength and deformation properties of fractured rocks have ranges of values instead of fixed values, hence such analyses should be considered especially in cases where there is significant scatter in the rock and fracture parameters. These scientific achievements can improve our understanding of fractured rocks’ hydro-mechanical behavior and are useful for the design of large-scale in-situ experiments with large volumes of fractured rocks, considering coupled stress-deformation-flow processes in engineering practice. / <p>QC 20141111</p>