X. Frank Xu^1,2, Yuxin Jie³, Irene J. Beyerlein⁴

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.38, No.1, pp. 17-30, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.038.017

Abstract This note aims to relate the measured strength statistics of individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the physics of brittle fracture and the weakest link model. By approximating an arbitrary flaw size distribution with a segmented power law, an effort is made to extend applicability of the Weibull distribution to arbitrary flaw populations, which explains why the Weibull distribution fits the experimental data of CNTs and many other brittle materials, and why in other cases it is not so clear. A generalized Weibull distribution is proposed to account for all non-asymptotic cases. The published CNT testing data are analyzed, and finally… More >

P. Yuvaraj¹, A. Ramachandra Murthy², Nagesh R. Iyer³, Pijush Samui⁴, S.K. Sekar⁵

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 73-97, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.036.073

Abstract This paper presents Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) model to predict the fracture characteristics of high strength and ultra high strength concrete beams. Fracture characteristics include fracture energy (GF), critical stress intensity factor (KIC) and critical crack tip opening displacement (CTODc). This paper also presents the details of development of MARS model to predict failure load (Pmax) of high strength concrete (HSC) and ultra high strength concrete (UHSC) beam specimens. Characterization of mix and testing of beams of high strength and ultra strength concrete have been described. Methodologies for evaluation of fracture energy, critical stress intensity factor and critical crack… More >

S.D. Akbarov^1,2, E. Hazar³, M. Eröz³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 23-48, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.036.023

Abstract Within the scope of the piecewise homogeneous body model with utilizing of the three dimensional linearized theory of elastic waves in initially stressed bodies the influence of the shear-spring type imperfection of the contact conditions between the layers of the pre-stressed bi-layered plate strip resting on the rigid foundation, on the frequency response of this plate strip is investigated. The corresponding mathematical problem is solved numerically by employing FEM and numerical results illustrating the influence of the parameter characterizing the degree of the mentioned imperfectness, on the frequency response of the normal stress acting on the interface planes between the… More >

E. J. Pineda¹, B. A. Bednarcyk¹, A. M. Waas², S. M. Arnold¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.35, No.2, pp. 119-154, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.035.119

Abstract A mesh objective crack band model was implemented within the generalized method of cells micromechanics theory. This model was linked to a macroscale finite element model to predict post-peak strain softening in composite materials. Although a mesh objective theory was implemented at the microscale, it does not preclude pathological mesh dependence at the macroscale. To ensure mesh objectivity at both scales, the energy density and the energy release rate must be preserved identically across the two scales. This requires a consistent characteristic length or localization limiter. The effects of scaling (or not scaling) the dimensions of the microscale repeating unit… More >

A. T. Rhead¹, T. J. Dodwell¹, R. Butler^1,2

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.35, No.1, pp. 1-16, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.035.001

Abstract When (robotic) Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) is used to manufacture aerospace components with complex three dimensional geometries, gaps between fibre tows can occur. This paper explores the interaction under compressive load of these tow gaps with impact damage. Two coupons with different distributions of tow-gaps were impacted. Results indicated that the area of delamination is smaller for an impact directly over a tow gap where the tow gap is situated close to the non-impact face. Subsequent Compression After Impact (CAI) testing demonstrated that both the formation of sublaminate buckles and subsequent growth of delaminations is inhibited by the presence of… More >

A. Ataş¹, C. Soutis²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.34, No.3, pp. 199-226, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.034.199

Abstract A strength prediction method is presented for double-lap single fastener bolted joints of cross-ply carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite laminates using cohesive zone elements (CZEs). Three-dimensional finite element models were developed and CZEs were inserted into subcritical damage planes identified from X-ray radiographs. The method makes a compromise between the experimental correlation factors (dependant on lay-up, stacking sequence and joint geometry) and three material properties (fracture energy, interlaminar strength and nonlinear shear stress-strain response). Strength of the joints was determined from the predicted load-displacement curves considering sub-laminate and plylevel scaling effects. The predictions are in a reasonable agreement with… More >

Xue-Qian Fang^1,2, Ming-Juan Huang¹, Jun-Ying Wu³, Guo-Quan Nie¹, Jin-Xi Liu¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.33, No.2, pp. 199-211, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.033.199

Abstract In nanocomposites, coated nano-fibers are often used to obtain good performance, and the high interface-to-volume ratio shows great effect on the macroscopic effective properties of nanocomposites. In this study, the effect of interface energy around the unidirectional coated nanofibers on the effective dynamic effective properties is explicitly addressed by effective medium method and wave function expansion method. The multiple scattering resulting from the series coating nano-fibers is reduced to the problem of one typical nano-fiber in the effective medium. The dynamic effective shear modulus is obtained on the basis of the derived imperfect interface conditions. Analyses show that the effect… More >

X.P. Shen¹, J.L. Feng²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 185-204, 2010, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2010.020.185

Abstract The characteristic length of a gradient-dependent damage model is a key parameter, which is usually regarded as the length of damage process zone (DPZ). Value and evolution of the size of DPZ were investigated by both a numerical method and an experimental manner. In the numerical study, the geometrical model adopted was a set of four-point shearing beams; the numerical tool used was the Abaqus/Explicit software. The distance between the front and end of a complete DPZ was obtained. Values of strain components at these points were given out at given time points. The experimental study of the evolution process… More >

L.L. Zhu^1,2,3, X.J. Zheng^1,2

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.18, No.3, pp. 301-320, 2010, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2010.018.301

Abstract The phonon properties of spatially confined nanofilms under the preexisting stress fields are investigated theoretically by accounting for the confinement effects and acoustoelastic effects. Due to the spatial confinement in low-dimensional structures, the phonon dispersion relations, phonon group velocities as well as the phonon density of states are of significant difference with the ones in bulk structures. Here, the continuum elasticity theory is made use of to determine the phonon dispersion relations of shear modes (SH), dilatational modes (SA) and the flexural modes (AS), thus to analyze the contribution of stress fields on the phonon performance of confined nanofilms. Our… More >

Weichung Yeih¹, Chein-Shan Liu², Chung-Lun Kuo³, Satya N. Atluri⁴

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.17, No.3, pp. 275-302, 2010, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2010.017.275

Abstract In this paper, a multiple-source-point boundary-collocation Trefftz method, with characteristic lengths being introduced in the basis functions, is proposed to solve the direct, as well as inverse Cauchy problems of the Laplace equation for a multiply connected domain. When a multiply connected domain with genus p (p>1) is considered, the conventional Trefftz method (T-Trefftz method) will fail since it allows only one source point, but the representation of solution using only one source point is impossible. We propose to relax this constraint by allowing many source points in the formulation. To set up a complete set of basis functions, we… More >