Quasi static and intermediate strain rate (5 s-1 and 500 s-1) tests are conducted on various aluminum and steel ASTM E8 subsize tensile specimens to validate a newly developed testing method which combines a previously developed serpentine bar for load monitoring and a newly described high-speed actuator. This new actuator is controlled by a semi-passive piezoelectrically actuated brake system mounted to a standard actuator, which allows for the actuator to produce high loads and quick response times (≈100 µs). Limitations of this experimental method are that tests must be monotonic (tension or compression but not cyclic loading) and strain rate rise times limit this method to the intermediate strain rate regime (below 500 s-1).

Among the structural materials under consideration for future lead-cooled fastreactors, special attention is paid to ferritic Fe-10Cr-4Al due to its superior corrosionand erosion protective properties, as well as its insensitivity to liquid metalembrittlement in liquid lead. This thesis gives an inside look into the radiation damageproperties of the alloy and the possible embrittlement scenarios. The samples wereirradiated with 5.5 MeV protons and then tested with a slow strain rate testing rig at375oC and 450oC. The results showed that for Fe-10Cr-4Al irradiated to a peak doseof 0.14 dpa, the total elongation to failure was reduced by 3-5%, compared to theunirradiated samples. Moreover, the mechanical properties (yield strength, ultimatetensile strength, and fracture elongation) of the irradiated samples depend stronglyon temperature. The scanning electron microscopy images show no signs of liquidmetal embrittlement. However, the brittle structures at the edges of the samples couldindicate the existence of hydrogen embrittlement. / Bland de strukturmaterial som övervägs för framtida blykylda snabba reaktorer (LFR)ägnas särskild uppmärksamhet åt ferritiska Fe-10Cr-4Al-legeringar på grund av derasöverlägsna korrosionsbeständighet och deras avsaknad av försprödning i den flytandeblymiljön. Denna avhandling ger en inblick i legeringens strålskador och möjligaförsprödningsscenarier. Proverna bestrålades med 5.5 MeV protoner och testadessedan med SSRT-testriggen vid 375oC och 450oC. Resultaten visade att för proverav Fe-10Cr-4Al bestrålat till en dos av 0.14 dpa, minskade den totala förlängningentill brott med 3-5%, jämfört med de obestrålade proverna. Dessutom uppvisar demekaniska egenskaperna (YS, UTS och brottförlängning) hos de bestrålade provernaen större temperaturinverkan. Bilder tagna med svepelektronmikroskopi (SEM)visade inga tecken på flytande metallförsprödning (LME). De spröda strukturerna vidkanterna av proverna, där protonerna implanterades, kan dock indikera förekomstenav väteförsprödning.

When producing thermomechanical pulps (TMP), wood chips and fiber material are loaded mechanically in a disc-refiner to separate the fibers and to make them flexible. In the process, much of the energy supplied is transferred to the fiber material through cyclic compression, shear and friction processes. Therefore, compression and friction characteristics are needed in order to gain a better grasp of the forces acting during refining. To this end, in this thesis, the compressive and frictional behaviors of wood were investigated under simulated chip refining conditions (i.e., hot saturated steam, high strain rate compression, and high sliding speed). Two new, custom-designed, experimental setups were developed and used. The equipment used for compression testing was based on the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique and the friction tester was a pin-on-disc type of tribotester (wear rig). Both pieces of equipment allow a testing environment of hot saturated steam.   In the wood–steel friction investigation, the influence of the steam temperature (100-170°C) was of primary interest. The wood species chosen for the friction tests were spruce (Picea abies), pine (Pinus sylvestris, Pinus radiata), and birch (Betula verrucosa). When performing measurements in the lower-temperature region (100-130°C), the friction coefficients registered for the softwoods were generally low and surface properties such as lubrica­tion were suggested to have a great influence on the results; however, in the higher-tempera­ture region (~130 -170°C), the friction coefficients of all investigated wood species were probably determined by bulk properties to a much greater extent. When most of the wood extractives had been removed from the specimens, testing results revealed distinct peaks in friction at similar temperatures, as the internal friction of the different wood species are known to have their maxima at ~110–130°C. One suggested explanation of these friction peaks is that reduced lubrication enabled energy to dissipate into the bulk material, causing particularly high friction at the temperature at which internal damping of the material was greatest. During the friction measurements in the higher-temperature region, the specimens of the different wood species also started to lose fibers (i.e., produce wear debris) at different characteristic temperatures, as indicated by peaks in the coefficient of friction. In refining, the generally lower shives content of pine TMP than of spruce TMP could partly be explained by a lower wear initiation temperature in the pine species.   Wood stiffness is known to decrease with temperature, when measured at low strain rates. The results presented in this thesis can confirm a similar behavior for high strain rate compression. The compressive strain registered during impulsive loading (using a modified split Hopkinson equipment) increased with temperature; because strain rate also increased with temperature. Accordingly, the strain rates should determine the strain magnitudes also in a refiner, since the impulsive loads in a refiner are of similar type. Larger strains would thus be achieved when refining at high temperatures. The results achieved in the compression tests were also considered in relation to refining parameters such as plate clearance and refining intensity, parameters that could be discussed in light of the stress–strain relations derived from the high strain rate measurements. Trials recorded using high-speed photography demonstrated that the wood relaxation was very small in the investigated time frame ~6 ms. As well, in TMP refining the wood material has little time to relax, i.e., ~0.04–0.5 ms in a large single disc refiner. The results presented here are therefore more suitable for comparison with the impulsive loads arising in a refiner than are the results of any earlier study. It can therefore be concluded that the modified SHPB testing technique combined with high-speed photography is well suited for studying the dynamic behavior of wood under conditions like those prevalent in a TMP system.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior / Os aÃos maraging sÃo ligas de ultra-alta resistÃncia com vasta aplicaÃÃo na engenharia, desde vasos de alta pressÃo de operaÃÃo em processos crÃticos, componentes aeronÃuticos, aplicaÃÃes militares atà equipamentos esportivos. O presente trabalho buscou avaliar os efeitos da fragilizaÃÃo por hidrogÃnio no aÃo maraging 18% Ni da classe 300, nas condiÃÃes solubilizada e envelhecida. As amostras foram solubilizadas a 1093 Â10K por 3,6 ks, seguido de um resfriamento ao ar e envelhecidas a 753 e 843 Â10K por 10,8 ks, respectivamente e resfriadas ao ar. Foi realizada uma caracterizaÃÃo microestrutural por difraÃÃo de raios-X, correntes parasitas, medidas de dureza Rockwell e microscopia eletrÃnica e Ãptica. Para avaliar os efeitos do ingresso de hidrogÃnio nas propriedades mecÃnicas do aÃo maraging 18% Ni da classe 300 foram realizados ensaios de traÃÃo com baixa taxa de deformaÃÃo (BTD). A taxa de deformaÃÃo aplicada foi 1,0 x 10-6 s-1. Os ensaios foram realizados ao ar (meio inerte) e em soluÃÃo de 3,5% NaCl sob o potencial catÃdico de -1,2 VECS. Foi observada uma reduÃÃo de 11,06 para 3,89% no alongamento e de 61,28 para 10% na reduÃÃo de Ãrea para as amostras solubilizadas. As amostras envelhecidas a 753 Â10K por 10.8 ks apresentaram maior reduÃÃo nessas propriedades. Nesta condiÃÃo a reduÃÃo observada foi de 1929,26 MPa para amostras ensaiadas ao ar para 447,64 MPa para amostras ensaiadas em soluÃÃo de 3,5% NaCl sob potencial catÃdico no limite de resistÃncia e de 7,30 para 1,62 % no alongamento. As amostras envelhecidas a 843 Â10K, as quais apresentaram de cerca de 10% de austenita sofreram fragilizaÃÃo similar as amostras envelhecidas a 753 Â10K. Trincas secundÃrias perpendiculares a carga aplicada foram observadas nas amostras solubilizadas e ensaiadas em soluÃÃo de 3,5% NaCl sob potencial catÃdico. Os resultados indicam que a presenÃa de precipitados e de austenita revertida impedem a propagaÃÃo de trincas secundÃrias na seÃÃo longitudinal nas condiÃÃes envelhecidas. A anÃlise da superfÃcie de fratura revelou caracterÃstica de uma fratura dÃctil nas amostras ensaiadas ao ar com dimples de diferentes tamanhos e profundidades, enquanto que nas amostras ensaiadas em soluÃÃo de 3,5% NaCl sob potencial catÃdico foram observadas trincas induzidas pelo hidrogÃnio e microcavidades e regiÃes de quase-clivagem para todas as condiÃÃes estudadas. / Maraging steels are ultra high strength alloys widely used in engineering applications from high pressure vessels operating in critical processes, aircraft components, military applications to sports equipment. This work assessed the effects of hydrogen embrittlement in 18% Ni maraging grade 300 steel in the solution annealed and aged conditions. Samples were solution annealed at 1093 Â10K for 3.6 ks, followed by air cooling and aging at 753 and 843 Â10K for 10.8 ks, respectively, and cooled by air. The microstructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, eddy current, hardness measurement and optical and electron microscopy. To assess the effects of hydrogen ingress on the mechanical properties of 18% Ni maraging grade 300 steel, slow strain rate tests (SSRT) were performed. A strain rate of 1.0x10-6 s-1 was applied. The tests were carried out in air (middle inert) and the samples immersed in the electrolyte at a simultaneous potential of -1.2 VSEC. The results showed the reduction elongation from 11.06 to 3.89% and from 61,28 to 10% in reduction of area for samples in the solution annealed condition. The greatest reductions were observed in the samples aged at 753 Â10K for 10.8 ks. In this condition the reduction from 1929.26 MPa in air tests to 447.64 MPa in ultimate tensile strength and from 7.30 to 1.62% in elongation under cathodic polarization in the 3,5% NaCl solution was observed. The samples aged at 843 Â10K for 10.8 ks, where about 10% of reverted austenite was identified, showed evidence of hydrogen embrittlement as seen in the samples treated at different conditions. Secondary cracks, perpendicular to the loading direction at the longitudinal surface of the solution annealed fractured samples immersed in 3,5% NaCl solution under cathodic potential were seen. The results evidence that the precipitates and reverted austenite difficult secondary crack propagation in longitudinal section on aged samples. Scanning electron examination showed a change in fractografic features from ductile dimples to quasi-cleavage and microvoid modes when comparing samples without (air tested) and with hydrogen ingress.

No description available.

In this work the susceptibility of Fe-10Cr-4Al steel to liquid metal embitterment (LME)in low oxygen environment was investigated. slow strain rate testing (SSRT) wereconducted on 10-4 FeCrAl steel in a stagnant lead from 340-480◦C, lead-bismutheutectic (LBE) from 140-450◦C and lead-bismuth mixture at 375◦C with increasingbismuth content from 0.1wt%-40wt%. The results showed that in the stagnant leadenvironment the FeCrAl steel showed no sign of LME with all samples being subjectedto around 25% strain before final break. In LBE the samples were affected by LMEespecially at 350-400◦C. The total elongation to failure reduced in LBE from 25%to 13.1% and a ductility trough from 190-400◦C was observed. In the lead-bismuthmixture there was a reduction in ductility at 5wt% going from 25% to 20% totalelongation, at 15wt% going from 20% to 16% total elongation and at 30wt% going from16% to 13% total elongation. / I det här arbetet har stålet Fe-10Cr-4Al känslighet till liquidmetal embrittlemnt(LME)i låga syre miljöer av flytande bly, mellan 340-480 °C, och Bly/Vismut eutektisk (LBE),mellan 140-450 °C, undersökts. En stegvis ökning av Vismut halten i flytande blygenfördes också från 0.1 wt% Bi till 40 wt% Bi med en fast temperatur på 375 °C.Resultaten från dessa experiment visade att i ren bly miljö så visade stålet Fe-10Cr-4Al inga tecken på LME, alla prover gick till brott runt 25% strain. I LBE blev ståletsvårt på verkat av LME, framför allt inom temperaturer intervallet 350-400 °C. Dentotala förlängningen av proverna blev här reducerat från 25% ner till 13.1% och en klarduktilitets tråg mellan 190-400 °C kunde observeras. I experimenten med gradvisökande Vismut halt observerades markanta nedgångar i stålets duktilitet vid 5 wt%Bi då den droppar från 25% till 20% förlängning, nästa dropp observerades vid 15 wt%Bi, 20%-16% och vid 30 wt% Bi med ett reduktion från 16% till 13%.

No description available.

Modern devices provide a multitude of services that use radio frequencies in continual smaller packages. This size leads to an antenna used to transmit and receive information being usually very inefficient and a lot of power is wasted just to be able to transmit a signal. To mitigate this problem a new antenna was introduced by Dr. Manteghi that is capable of working efficiently across a large band. The antenna achieves this large band by doing quick frequency hopping across multiple channels. In order to test the performance of this antenna against more common antennas, a software radio was needed, such that tested antennas can be analyzed using multiple modulations. This paper presents a software defined radio system that was designed for the purpose of testing the bit-error rate of digital modulations schemes using described and other antennas. The designed system consists of a DSP, an FPGA, and commercially available modules. The combination allows the system to be flexible with high performance, while being affordable. Commercial modules are available for multiple frequency bands and capable of fast frequency switching required to test the antenna. The DSP board contains additional peripherals that allows for more complex projects in the future. The block structure of the system is also very educational as each stage of transmission and reception can be tested and observed. The full system has been constructed and tested using simulated and real signals. A code was developed for communication between commercial modules and the DSP, bit error rate testing, data transmission, signal generation, and signal reception. A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed to help user with information display and system control. This thesis describes the software-defined-radio design in detail and shows test results at the end. / Master of Science

The brain is a complex organ and its response to the mechanical loads at all strain rates has been nonlinear and inelastic in nature. Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) high strain rate compressive tests conducted on porcine brain samples showed a strain rate dependent inelastic mechanical behavior. Finite Element (FE) modeling of the SHPB setup in ABAQUS/Explicit, using a specific constitutive model (MSU TP Ver. 1.1) for the brain, showed non-uniform stress state during tissue deformation. Song et al.’s assertion of using annular samples for negating inertial effects was also tested. FE simulation results showed that the use of cylindrical or annular did not mitigate the initial hardening. Further uniaxial stress state was not maintained is either case. Experimental studies on hydration effects of the porcine brain on its mechanical response revealed two different phenomenological trends. The wet brain (~80% water wt. /wt.) showed strain rate dependency along with two unique mechanical behavior patterns at quasi-static and high strain rates. The dry brain’s (~0% water wt. /wt.) response was akin to the response of metals. The dry brain’s response also observed to be strain rate insensitivity in its elastic modulus and yield stress variations. Uncertainty analysis of the wet brain high strain rate data revealed large uncertainty bands for the sample-to-sample random variations. This large uncertainty in the brain material should be taken into in the FE modeling and design stages. FE simulations of blast loads to the human head showed that Pressure played a dominant role in causing blast-related Traumatic Brain Injury (bTBI). Further, the analysis of shock waves exposed the deleterious effect of the 3-Dimensional geometry of the skull in pinning the location of bTBI. The effects of peak negative Pressure at injury sites have been attributed to bTBI pathologies such as Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI), subdural hemorrhage and cerebral contusion.

Methods for testing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) digital devices at varying levels of complexity is presented and discussed as well as the results for testing a COTS SRAM, FRAM, and SoC using these methodologies in a pulsed dose rate environment at Little Mountain Test Facility (LMTF) and neutron testing at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). Investigations at LMTF revealed a dependence in all three devices on the integrated dose of a single pulse of radiation, implying that the duration of radiation plays a significant role in the response. The test infrastructure necessary to dynamically access an FRAM at LMTF and time the access with the pulse of radiation allowed for the discovery of a new FRAM failure mode where an entire word of the FRAM becomes corrupted as well as selecting between two different failure modes based on the timing of the pulse. A novel component-based testing methodology for testing complicated SoCs is presented and used to report on the cross-sections of several components on the Xilinx MPSoC, including its DMA which has not previously been reported.