J. Mohan¹, D. Carolan¹, N. Murphy¹, A. Ivankovic¹, D. Dowling¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 81-86, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.081

Abstract The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of a variety of plasma treatments on the surface properties of an epoxy-based composite material and to establish a relationship between these properties and the subsequent mechanical behaviour of adhesively bonded joints. To this end, specimens were subjected to three different types of plasma treatment: two short treatments (2min) of He and He plus O₂, and one long treatment (15min) of He plus O₂. The variation in surface energy of the composite specimens was examined in each case over a period of up to 3 days… More >

W. Brocks¹, I. Scheider¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 69-80, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.069

Abstract Cohesive models are used for numerical crack extension analyses in order to predict the mechanical behavior of structures in cases of crack path bifurcation. Possible applications range from the macroscopic to the microscopic scale. As an example of applications to macroscopic engineering structures, simulations of a stiffened cylindrical shell under internal pressure are presented, where a skin crack may penetrate the rib or deviate. On the micro-scale, unit-cell calculation for a fiber-reinforced material is performed, where the fiber may debond or break. More >

Kamran Nikbin¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 51-68, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.051

Abstract Weldments and welded regions of components are likely to see failure at elevated temperatures earlier than homogenous parent material. In some cases variable loading could also introduce creep/fatigue crack growth. These weld regions not only contain variable creep properties but are likely to contain residual stresses which could relax in time. There are three key factors which may determine a successful outcome for remaining life assessment of engineering components containing residual stresses in the vicinity of welds. The first is standardized testing and measurement procedures. The second is the development of appropriate and accurate correlating… More >

M. Kumosa¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 35-50, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.035

Abstract This paper deals with the structural integrity and durability of suspension composite (non-ceramic, polymer) insulators widely used in power transmission systems around the world. Under certain conditions, the insulators can fail in-service both electrically and mechanically resulting in the drop of energized transmission lines and power outages. In this work, predominantly mechanical failures of the insulators are discussed. In particular, the most important characteristics of a catastrophic failure process called brittle fracture are described. Subsequently, two examples of insulator failures by brittle fracture are shown and their causes explained. Finally, several recommendations on how to More >

C.P. Providakis¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 29-34, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.029

Abstract Actuators are structures that give micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) the ability to interact with their environment rather than just passively sensing it. Recent studies of MEMS thermal micro-actuators have shown that simple in design and production devices can provide deflection of the order of 10 μm at low voltages. Recently, metals and single-crystal silicon materials were included in the range of materials used for thermal actuators since they operate at lower temperatures than the commonly used (poly)silicon devices. These actuators are liable to meet the loads in service, so the corresponding integrity and stability analysis constitutes a… More >

Abdulnaser M. Alshoaibi^1,2, M. S. A. Hadi², A. K. Ariffin²

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 15-28, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.015

Abstract An adaptive finite element method is employed to analyze two-dimensional linear elastic fracture problems. The mesh is generated by the advancing front method and the norm stress error is taken as a posteriori error estimator for the h-type adaptive refinement. The stress intensity factors are estimated by a displacement extrapolation technique. The near crack tip displacements used are obtained from specific nodes of natural six-noded quarter-point elements which are generated around the crack tip defined by the user. The crack growth and its direction are determined by the calculated stress intensity factors as the maximum circumference More >

M. M. Rahman¹, A. K. Ariffin¹, S. Abdullah¹, N. Jamaludin¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 1-14, 2007, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.001

Abstract A modern computational approach based on finite element analysis for durability assessment in a two-stroke free piston linear engine component using the variable amplitude loadings is presented. This paper describes the finite element analysis techniques to predict the fatigue life and identify the critical locations of the component. The effect of mean stress on the fatigue life is also investigated. The finite element modeling and analysis has been performed using a computer-aided design and a finite element analysis software package, and the fatigue life prediction was carried out using finite element based fatigue life prediction… More >

C.P. Providakis¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 249-254, 2006, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2006.002.249

Abstract This paper explores the concept of strain energy density rate in relation to the crack initiation in fracture analysis problems arising in creeping cracked structural components. The analysis of the components is performed by using the boundary element methodology in association with the employment of singular boundary elements for the modeling of the crack tip region. The deformation of the material is assumed to be described by an elastic power law creep model. The strain energy density rate theory is applied to determine the direction of the crack initiation for a center cracked plate in More >

J. Toribio ¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 239-248, 2006, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2006.002.239

Abstract This paper reviews the fracture performance in air and aggressive environment (stress corrosion cracking) of eutectoid prestressing steel wires with different levels of cold drawing. In air environment, a micromechanical model of fracture is proposed to rationalize the results on the basis of the microstructure of the steels after drawing and the model of Miller & Smith of fracture of pearlitic microstructure by shear cracking of the cementite lamellae. In hydrogen assisted cracking (HAC), a microstructure-based model is proposed on the basis of the Miller & Smith model and the mechanism of hydrogen enhanced decohesion or, more More >

P.D. Shah¹, Ch. Song², C.L. Tan¹, X. Wang¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 225-238, 2006, DOI:10.3970/sdhm.2006.002.225

Abstract Numerical T-stress solutions in two dimensional anisotropic cracked bodies are very scarce in the literature. Schemes to evaluate this fracture parameter in anisotropy have been reported only fairly recently. Among them are those developed in conjunction with two different computational techniques, namely, the Boundary Element Method (BEM) and the Scaled Boundary Finite-Element Method (SBFEM). This paper provides a review of the respective schemes using these techniques and demonstrates their efficacy with three examples. These examples, which are of engineering importance, involve cracks lying in a homogeneous medium as well as at the interface between dissimilar media. More >