This thesis is divided in two parts. The first part is devoted to the micro-macro modeling of the behavior of concrete under cyclic loading. Correlations between microscopic (frictional sliding of mesocracks) and macroscopic (energy dissipation) properties are investigated. The second part focuses on the description of a series of uniaxial cyclic tests on concrete and concrete-like materials performed in the "Rock Mechanics Laboratory" of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia, USA. Data deriving from these experiments are analyzed on the basis of the micro-macro identification theory. Interesting predictions of the real mechanical behavior of concrete can be found by means of the aforementioned theory and are presented in the last part of the thesis. / Master of Science

Servo control of pneumatic actuators is difficult due to the high compressibility and non-linear flow of air. Friction as well as uncertainties in the parameters and model character-izing dynamics of the pneumatic systems further contribute to control challenges. These drawbacks cause stick-slip motion, larger tracking error and limit cycles, which degrades the control performances. Selection of a controller that satisfies requirements of the per-forming tasks is thus crucial in servo-pneumatic applications. This thesis focuses on the design and experimental evaluation of a model-based, nonlinear controller known as Dy-namical Adaptive Backstepping-Sliding Mode Control (DAB-SMC). Originally designed for chemical process control and applied only in simulations, the DAB-SMC is adopted in this thesis and applied to the new area of servo-pneumatic control of a single-rod, double acting pneumatic cylinder and antagonistic pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). The con-troller is further enhanced by augmenting it with LuGre-based friction observers to com-pensate the adverse frictional effect presents in both actuators. Unlike other research works, the actuators are subject to a varying load that influences control operations in two different modes: motion assisting or resisting. The implementation of DAB-SMC for such servo-pneumatic control application is novel. The mass flow rates of compressed air into and out of the actuators are regulated using one of the following valve configurations: a 5/3-way proportional directional valve, two 3/2-way or four 2/2-way Pulse Width Modu-lation (PWM)-controlled valves. Over the entire range of experiments which involve vari-ous operating conditions, the DAB-SMC is observed to track and regulate the reference input trajectories successfully and in a stable manner. Average root mean square error (RMSE) values of tracking for cylinder and PAMs when the compressed air is regulated using the 5/3-way proportional valve are 1.73mm and 0.10°, respectively. In case of regu-lation, the average steady-state error (SSE) values are 0.71mm and 0.04°, respectively. The DAB-SMC exhibits better control performance than the standard PID and classical SMC by at least 33%. The DAB-SMC also demonstrates robustness for up to 78% in un-certainty of load parameter. When the control valve is replaced by the PWM-controlled valves of 3/2-way and 2/2-way configurations, performance is slightly compromised. / May 2016

Foram realizados ensaios tribológicos do tipo pino-disco com pinos de cobre puro, alumínio e latão para sob cargas normais de 10, 20 e 50 N contra discos de aço, que foram analisados após os ensaios utilizando interferometria óptica 3D e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. O par tribológico cobre-aço apresentou curva de coeficiente de atrito instável, com valor médio de 0,65. Os pares alumínio-aço e latão-aço apresentaram curvas de coeficiente de atrito mais estáveis que aquelas apresentadas nos ensaios com pinos de cobre, com valor médio de coeficiente de atrito de 0,42 e 0,30, respectivamente. Tanto nos discos ensaiados com pinos de cobre quanto nos pinos ensaiados com pinos de alumínio observou-se a formação de filmes ricos em oxigênio. A formação de ilhas de cobre metálico provocou a instabilidade do comportamento do coeficiente de atrito do par cobre-aço, enquanto que o par alumínio-aço teve um comportamento mais estável devido as ilhas de óxido de alumínio. Nos ensaios utilizando pinos de latão, por sua vez, a presença de chumbo e oxidação moderada da superfície foi responsável pelo menor e mais estável coeficiente de atrito dos três pares tribológicos. O aumento da carga normal não alterou o comportamento do coeficiente de atrito, porém teve influência na formação das camadas de material aderido do pino na superfície dos discos. / Pin on disc tribotests were performed with copper, brass and aluminium pins tested against steel discs under normal loads between 10 and 50 N and characterized by means of laser interferometry and SEM. Copper-steel tribotests showed an unstable coefficient of friction curve around 0.65. Aluminium-steel and brass-steel tribopairs featured stable coefficient of friction curves, around 0.42 and 0.30, respectively. Both copper-steel and aluminiumsteel pairs presented oxygen rich transfer films. An adhesion of metallic copper patches caused the unstable coefficient of friction for the copper-steel, whereas for the aluminium-steel tribopair, the oxide layer controlled the coefficient of friction behaviour. An oxygen rich layer with some lead controlled the coefficient of friction for the brass-steel tribopair. Increasing the normal load did not affect the coefficient of friction but affect the formation of transfer layers.

Este trabalho dedica-se ao estudo dos mecanismos de desgaste de ferramentas utilizadas em processos de conformação a frio, como punções e matrizes. O texto se inicia por uma discussão que há na literatura a respeito do esfolamento (tradução da palavra galling) que é o principal ao mecanismo de desgaste encontrado na conformação a frio. Em seguida apresenta-se uma breve análise do desempenho tribológico de punções usados industrialmente em operações de estampagem. Tornos CNC foram utilizados para a realização de alguns ensaios de desgaste por deslizamento, sem repetição de trilha, com materiais normalmente utilizados em conformação a frio. Ferramentas de aço AISI M2 com e sem revestimentos por filmes finos de TiN e AlTiCrN foram deslizadas contra aços AISI 1045. Resultados de força de atrito e observações das superfícies via microscopia foram obtidos para qualificar as diferentes condições ensaiadas. Ambas as condições de ferramentas revestidas apresentaram desempenho tribológico superior à ferramenta sem revestimento e uma inversão de desempenho foi observada entre as ferramentas revestidas: a ferramenta revestida com o filme de AlTiCrN apresentou um melhor desempenho quando a situação de ensaio foi mais branda. Quando os esforços foram mais severos, o melhor desempenho foi obtido com o revestimento de TiN. A essa inversão de desempenho foi atribuído o acabamento superficial dos filmes finos. / This work is devoted to the study of wear mechanisms in cold forming tools, such as punches and dies. The text begins with a discussion on the galling phenomenon, which is the main wear mechanism that takes place in cold forming operations. A brief analysis of the tribological behavior of punches that have operated in industrial conditions is then presented. Tests of sliding wear without repetition of the wear track were conducted in CNC lathes, considering the contact of materials normally used in cold forming operations. AISI M2 tool steels with and without TiN and AlTiCrN coatings were slided against AISI 1045 steel. Friction force results and microscopic surface observations were analyzed in order to qualify different tests conditions. Both coated tools conditions presented a better tribology performance than the uncoated ones and an inversion in performance was observed between the coated tools: the AlTiCrN coated tool had a better performance in milder conditions, while the TiN coated tool presented a better performance in more severe conditions. This inversion in performance was attributed to the surface finish of the coatings.

This work presents the results of Finite Element Analyses (FEA) used to simulate sliding contact in two (2D) and three dimensions (3D) between two interfering elasto-plastic bodies. Cylinders are used to model sliding contact in 2D, simplified by the assumption of plane strain. Sliding is studied between two cylinders modeled with material properties of steel, and separately with a Glidcop cylinder sliding over an Al 6061-T651 cylinder. All materials are modeled as elastic-perfectly plastic and follow the von Mises yield criterion. Both frictionless as well as frictional sliding are investigated. The FEA results in trends in the deformation, reaction forces, stresses, and net energy loss as a function of sliding distance. All these results are found to be related to the magnitude of vertical interference. This work shows that for the plastic loading cases of frictionless sliding, the ratio of the vertical force to the horizontal reaction force is not zero at the point where the bodies are perfectly aligned about the vertical axis. This work also presents empirical equations that relate the net energy loss due to sliding under an elasto-plastic deformation as a function of the sliding distance. In addition, a load ratio of the horizontal reaction force to the vertical one is defined for frictionless sliding. Although this is analogous to the common definition of the coefficient of friction between sliding surfaces, it just contains the effect of energy loss in plasticity. The contact dimensions are obtained for different vertical interferences as sliding progresses. Comparisons are drawn between the FEA results of frictional and frictionless sliding. 3D modeling has been initiated to yield similar result parameters.

This work presents a three dimensional elastic-plastic model for two hemispherical bodies sliding across one another under various preset vertical interferences. In particular, steel-on-steel and aluminum-on-copper contact situations are considered. A finite element analysis is used for the model and the parameters to investigate include stresses, deformations, contact areas, and energy loss in sliding. Both frictional and frictionless sliding are investigated. In addidition to structural loads, electromagnetic loads are considered and a framework for a electromagneticlly, structurally, and thermally coupled model is investigated.

Evaluation of the seismic stability of slopes often involves an estimate of the expected sliding displacements. This evaluation requires a suite of acceleration-time histories as input motions. The methods of selecting and scaling these motions can affect the computed sliding displacements. Linear scaling of recorded ground motions and modification of recorded motions by spectral matching are common approaches used for ground motion selection and these approaches were used in this study to select motions for use in sliding displacement analyses. Rigid sliding block analyses and decoupled flexible sliding block analyses were performed using a suite of linearly scaled motions and a suite of spectrally matched motions. . Generally, the spectrally matched motions predict 10 to 30%, on average, smaller displacements and significantly less variability than the linearly scaled motions, when both suites of input motions were developed to match the same acceleration response spectrum. When both suites of input motions were developed to match the same peak ground velocity and acceleration response spectrum, the spectrally matched motions generally predict 5 to 15%, on average, larger displacements than the linearly scaled motions. Because ground motion parameters beyond acceleration response spectrum affect the computed sliding displacement, parameters such as peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV) and mean period (T[subscript m]) should be considered in selecting and scaling motions for use in sliding displacement analyses. / text

Este trabalho dedica-se ao estudo dos mecanismos de desgaste de ferramentas utilizadas em processos de conformação a frio, como punções e matrizes. O texto se inicia por uma discussão que há na literatura a respeito do esfolamento (tradução da palavra galling) que é o principal ao mecanismo de desgaste encontrado na conformação a frio. Em seguida apresenta-se uma breve análise do desempenho tribológico de punções usados industrialmente em operações de estampagem. Tornos CNC foram utilizados para a realização de alguns ensaios de desgaste por deslizamento, sem repetição de trilha, com materiais normalmente utilizados em conformação a frio. Ferramentas de aço AISI M2 com e sem revestimentos por filmes finos de TiN e AlTiCrN foram deslizadas contra aços AISI 1045. Resultados de força de atrito e observações das superfícies via microscopia foram obtidos para qualificar as diferentes condições ensaiadas. Ambas as condições de ferramentas revestidas apresentaram desempenho tribológico superior à ferramenta sem revestimento e uma inversão de desempenho foi observada entre as ferramentas revestidas: a ferramenta revestida com o filme de AlTiCrN apresentou um melhor desempenho quando a situação de ensaio foi mais branda. Quando os esforços foram mais severos, o melhor desempenho foi obtido com o revestimento de TiN. A essa inversão de desempenho foi atribuído o acabamento superficial dos filmes finos. / This work is devoted to the study of wear mechanisms in cold forming tools, such as punches and dies. The text begins with a discussion on the galling phenomenon, which is the main wear mechanism that takes place in cold forming operations. A brief analysis of the tribological behavior of punches that have operated in industrial conditions is then presented. Tests of sliding wear without repetition of the wear track were conducted in CNC lathes, considering the contact of materials normally used in cold forming operations. AISI M2 tool steels with and without TiN and AlTiCrN coatings were slided against AISI 1045 steel. Friction force results and microscopic surface observations were analyzed in order to qualify different tests conditions. Both coated tools conditions presented a better tribology performance than the uncoated ones and an inversion in performance was observed between the coated tools: the AlTiCrN coated tool had a better performance in milder conditions, while the TiN coated tool presented a better performance in more severe conditions. This inversion in performance was attributed to the surface finish of the coatings.

No description available.

Sliding is recognized as a dominant response mode for unanchored stocky components in nuclear facilities. Although unanchored components are themselves not safety-critical, their interaction with safety-critical systems and components during earthquake shaking can have significant consequences. It is therefore important to be able to accurately estimate the peak sliding displacement demands on unanchored components so that sufficient clearance is provided around them. In lieu of nonlinear time history analysis, the ASCE/SEI 43-05 standard provides an approximate method to estimate the maximum sliding displacement of sliding objects in nuclear facilities. The present paper assesses the procedure of the approximate method and compares its results to those of nonlinear time history analysis. The study finds that the ASCE 43-05 approximate method provides conservative sliding estimates overall and that is based on the three components of 7 modified and 159 real earthquake motions used in this study. It is concluded that the ASCE 43-05 approximate method offers reasonable sliding estimates of components in nuclear facilities. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)