This study is concerned with the design of vehicle structures through the use of Fatigue Equivalent Static Loads (FESL). A large percentage of failures of mechanical structures can be attributed to fatigue. Furthermore, it is also generally accepted that defective structural design is mostly caused by insufficient knowledge of the input loading. The fatigue loads experienced by vehicle structures are especially difficult to quantify. In the current competitive markets, it is essential to use a pro-active, timely and cost effective process to solve fatigue related problems. The heart of the FESL methodology is the ability to condense a large amount of input load data into a single fatigue load. This is achieved by calculating the damage of the measurements and converting it to an equivalent stress, through the use of a calibration matrix obtained from a unit-load finite element analysis. A Fatigue Equivalent Static Load can now be determined, and the vehicle structure can be evaluated for durability. / Dissertation (M Eng (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Past efforts at implementing Load Spectrum Generation and Neuber Control have centered around minicomputers and analog circuits. The use of a personal computer to implement the tasks is presented. On implementation of the load Spectrum Generation software, the response of the Materials Testing System was investigated for distortion and attenuation. In particular, the effect of the resolution of the waveform on the test system response was noted. There was negligible attenuation for full scale frequencies of up to 20 Hz. Greater waveform resolution was required at lower frequencies than at higher frequencies. On implementation of the Neuber Control program, the accuracy obtained at the Neuber hyperbolas was noted. Better accuracy was obtained at ramp frequencies below 0.1 Hz. Based on the results obtained after implementing the Load Spectrum Generator program and the Neuber Control program, the performance of the personal computer in controlling fatigue tests is evaluated. Cost effectiveness and versatility favor the use of a personal computer for the control of fatigue tests. / Master of Science

No description available.

Electron BackScattered Diffraction (EBSD) systems can be considered as a tool providing three kinds of responses: EBSD patterns (EBSPs) themselves, an indexing response (orientation data), and an intensity response (also called Band Contrast "BC", Image Quality "IQ", or Pattern Quality "PQ or P"). This work focused on the characterization and development of the intensity response. For now, the intensity response cannot be used for quantitative microstructural analyses, including strain analyses of materials. Indeed, this response is affected by several material and experimental conditions. Moreover, properties of the intensity response (strain sensitivity, reproducibility, exact relation with EBSP quality or diffraction band intensities) are not well-known and understood. This project constitutes an exploratory study on the development of the intensity response for quantitative strain analyses of materials. A new modelling and statistical approach is presented and assessed for transforming the raw (current) intensity response (values and grey-tones of intensity images) of commercial EBSD systems into an accurate and reproducible parameter allowing objective visualization and measurements of strain. / Les systèmes de diffraction des électrons rétro-diffusés (EBSD) peuvent être considérés comme un outil offrant trois types de réponses: les patrons EBSD (EBSPs), la réponse d'indexation (données d'orientation) et la réponse d'intensité (aussi appelée Contraste de Bande «BC », Qualité d'Image « IQ », ou Qualité de Patron « PQ ou P »). Le présent projet s'est concentré sur la caractérisation et le développement de la réponse d'intensité. En effet, pour l'instant, la réponse d'intensité ne peut être utilisée pour réaliser des analyses microstructurales quantitatives des matériaux. En effet, cette réponse est influencée par de nombreux facteurs relatifs au matériau analysé et aux conditions expérimentales utilisées. De plus, les propriétés de la réponse d'intensité (sensibilité à la déformation, reproductibilité, relation exacte avec la qualité des EBSPs ou les intensités des bandes de diffraction) ne sont pour l'instant pas bien connues ni même compnses. Le présent projet représente donc une étude exploratoire visant le développement de la réponse d'intensité des systèmes EBSD commerciaux pour l'analyse quantitative de la déformation des matériaux. Dans ce projet, une approche de modélisation statistique est présentée et évaluée afin de transformer la réponse d'intensité actuelle (valeurs et tons de gris des images d'intensité) des systèmes EBSD commerciaux en une réponse précise et reproductible permettant de visualiser et de mesurer objectivement la déformation.

No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 Y362 / Master of Science / Civil Engineering

An effective way to describe changes in the microstructure of a material or to assess fatigue damage at an early stage in fatigue life is by measuring the acoustic nonlinearity parameter beta. The nonlinearity parameter is defined for harmonic longitudinal plane waves and it depends on the ratio of the amplitudes of the first harmonic of the exciting signal and the second harmonic. A reliable measurement of the amplitudes of these harmonics is crucial since their amplitude of the second (higher) harmonic is much smaller than the amplitude of the first harmonic. This research investigates the influence of the apparent nonlinearity that can occur due to the signal processing and shows how this influence can be quantified and minimized to enable a more accurate evaluation of the acoustic nonlinearity parameter. Furthermore the concept of the nonlinear parameter is extended to Rayleigh surface waves by developing a connection between the harmonic amplitudes and the third order elastic constants, using the approximate model by Zabolotskaya. Finally the problem of modeling the influence of fatigue damage on the nonlinear parameter and the elastic constants is discussed. The reduction of the processing nonlinearity combined with Rayleigh surface waves - Rayleigh surface waves are more efficient in the detection of fatigue damage initiated and concentrated at the surface - helps improve the prediction of fatigue damage and the remaining life of a sample.

Accurately and efficiently characterizing the material properties of hot mix asphalt (HMA) is critical to the design and development of pavements that can experience repeated loading for long periods of time and resist fatigue cracking. The Calibrated Mechanistic with Surface Energy (CMSE) method of design to preclude this primary type of distress requires that the HMA material be tested using the Relaxation Modulus (RM) and Repeated Direct Tension (RDT) tests to determine the material properties required for accurate calculations. The RM test requires considerable time to complete and provides results with relatively high variability. Further research has lead to the development of the Viscoelastic Characterization (VEC) test, from which the RM master curve can be developed. Material properties from the RM master curve can be easily determined and applied in the CMSE method. The modified repeated direct tension (RDT*) test removes rest periods and unwanted healing from the RDT test. The RDT* test also allows the dissipated pseudo strain energy (DPSE) to be separated into permanent deformation and fatigue cracking energies. The rate of change in DPSE associated with fatigue can then be applied in the CMSE method. Data sets for these tests are extensive and time consuming to analyze. Microsoft Excel spreadsheet macros were developed to reduce the time required for analysis from an estimated 10 hours to approximately 8 minutes. Testing of 14 different samples showed that the VEC and RDT* tests still required some adjustments in order to get accurate results. The rate of loading in the VEC test must be reduced to allow sufficient testing time to obtain the required data. The RDT* test requires a decrease in the controlling strain levels from 80 mu-epsilon and 350 mu-epsilon to 20 mu-epsilon and 175 mu-epsilon for the undamaged and damaged portions of the test, respectively. Testing of a sample using the new VEC and RDT* test recommendations showed that the recommended changes provided better results. Samples were undamaged where required and damaged portions of the test ran to completion without causing compression or sample failure. Material properties can be accurately determined and applied in the CMSE method.

In modern times, the ability to investigate the aeroelastic behavior of dynamic components on rotorcraft has become essential for the prediction of their useful fatigue life. At the same time, the aeroelastic modeling of a rotorcraft is particularly complex and costly. Inaccuracies in numerical predictions are mostly due to imprecisions in the structural modeling, to the presence of structural degradation or to the limited information on aerodynamic loads. The integration of experimental measurements on dynamic components such as rotor blades has the potential to improve fatigue estimation, augment the knowledge of the dynamic behavior and inform numerical models. The objective of this research is the development of a combined numerical and experimental approach, named Confluence Algorithm, that accurately predicts the response of dynamic components with a limited set of experimental data. The integration of experimental measurements into a numerical algorithm enables the continuous and accurate tracking of the dynamic strain and stress fields. The Confluence Algorithm systematically updates the numerical model of the external loads, and mass and stiffness distributions to improve the representation and extrapolation of the experimental data, and to extract information on the response of the system at non-measured locations. The capabilities of this algorithm are first verified in a numerical framework and with well-controlled lab experiments. Numerical results from a comprehensive UH-60A multibody model are then compared with available experimental data. These analyses demonstrate that the integration of the Confluence Algorithm improves the accuracy of the numerical prediction of the dynamic response of systems characterized by a periodic behavior, even in presence of non-linearities. The algorithm enables the use of simplified models that are corrected through experimental data to achieve accurate tracking of the system.

Cardiovascular stents are one of the most widely implanted medical devices, with over 1 million implanted each year in the United States alone. While stent failure modes of restenosis and thrombosis have been widely examined, there is an increasing appreciation of the propensity for stents to fracture and break after implantation. It remains unclear however what causes these fractures, which patients and devices are most susceptible, and whether fracture results in failure of device function. / Engineering and Applied Sciences