G. Smith¹, E. Schlangen², P.E.J. Flewitt³, A.G. Crocker⁴, A. Hodgkins⁵

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.51, No.3, pp. 163-185, 2016, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2016.051.163

Abstract Two linked models have been developed to explore the relationship between the amount of porosity arising in service from both radiolytic oxidation and fast neutron damage that influences both the strength and the force-displacement (load-displacement) behaviour and crack propagation in pile grade A graphite used as a nuclear reactor moderator material. Firstly models of the microstructure of the porous graphite for both unirradiated and irradiated graphite are created. These form the input for the second stage, simulating fracture in lattice-type finite element models, which predicts force (load)-displacement and crack propagation paths. Microstructures comprising aligned filler particles, typical of needle coke,… More >

F. Marín¹, F. Alhama¹, J.A. Moreno¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.43, No.1, pp. 1-20, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.043.001

Abstract The field of nanotribology in the last decades was established through the introduction of Atomic Force/Friction Force Microscopes. However, our theoretical understanding of the individual processes involved in friction force microscopy is limited. This work designs a reliable and efficient model for the stickslip phenomenon, following the rules of network simulation. The model is able to manage different types of potential between the tip and the sample surface, allowing different kinds of sample material and microscope tip properties to be simulated with only minor changes in the code. The most analysed tribological materials in technical literature are simulated to test… More >

Anna Y. Matveeva¹, Helmut J. Böhm², Grygoriy Kravchenko², Ferrie W. J. van Hattum¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.42, No.1, pp. 1-23, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.042.001

Abstract This paper presents a comparison of different finite element approaches to modelling polymers reinforced with wavy, hollow fibres with the aim of predicting the effective elastic stiffness tensors of the composites. The waviness of the tubes is described by sinusoidal models with different amplitude-to-wavelength parameters. These volume elements are discretized by structured volume meshes onto which fibres in the form of independently meshed beam, shell or volume elements are superimposed. An embedded element technique is used to link the two sets of meshes. Reference solutions are obtained from conventional three-dimensional volume models of the same phase arrangements. Periodicity boundary conditions… More >

J. Aubry¹, P. Navarro¹, S. Marguet¹, J.-F. Ferrero¹, O. Dorival², L. Sohier³, J.-Y. Cognard³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.39, No.1, pp. 21-47, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.039.021

Abstract In this paper a numerical model dedicated to the simulation of the mechanical behaviour of polymeric Rohacell foams is presented. The finite elements model is developed at the scale of the microstructure idealized by a representative unit cell: the truncated octahedron. Observations made on micrographs of Rohacell lead to mesh this representative unit cell as a lattice of beam elements. Each beam is assigned a brittle linear elastic mechanical behaviour in tension and an elastoplastic behaviour in compression. The plasticity in compression is introduced as a way to mimic the buckling of the edges of the cells observed in experimental… 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 >

J. Sladek¹, V. Sladek¹, P. Stanak¹, Ch. Zhang², M. Wünsche²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.23, No.1, pp. 35-68, 2011, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2011.023.035

Abstract A contour integral method is developed for the computation of stress intensity, electric and magnetic intensity factors for cracks in continuously nonhomogeneous magnetoelectroelastic solids under a transient dynamic load. It is shown that the asymptotic fields in the crack-tip vicinity in a continuously nonhomogeneos medium are the same as in a homogeneous one. A meshless method based on the local Petrov-Galerkin approach is applied for the computation of the physical fields occurring in the contour integral expressions of intensity factors. A unit step function is used as the test functions in the local weak-form. This leads to local integral equations… More >

Veturia Chiroiu¹, Ligia Munteanu² and Antonio S. Gliozzi³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.19, No.1, pp. 1-16, 2010, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2010.019.001

Abstract This paper develops a mechanical model for multifunctional reinforced carbon nanotube (CNT) beams. The model is obtained by introducing the couple stresses into the constitutive equations of linear viscoelastic theory. The material functions are determined using the homogenization method. More >

D.P.Mondal¹, S.Das¹, Anshul Badkul¹, Nidhi Jha¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 115-134, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.013.115

Abstract The cooling effect by evaporative liquid is modeled by considering that heat is transferred from the system to the surrounding due to evaporation of liquid through the pores present in the medium. The variation of cooling rate with cell size, volume fraction of pores and physical conditions has been analyzed. The model demonstrates that it increases with increase in thickness of the foam slab and with increase in velocity of air. It is also observed that cooling effect decreases with decrease in volume fraction of porosity and with increase in relative density, cell size, thermal conductivity and relative humidity. More >

G. Haasemann¹, M. Kästner¹ and V. Ulbricht¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 131-146, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2006.003.131

Abstract Novel textile reinforced composites provide an extremely high adaptability and allow for the development of materials whose features can be adjusted precisely to certain applications. A successful structural and material design process requires an integrated simulation of the material behavior, the estimation of the effective properties which need to be assigned to the macroscopic model and the resulting features of the component. In this context two efficient modelling strategies - the Binary Model (Carter, Cox, and Fleck (1994)) and the Extended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) (Moës, Cloirec, Cartraud, and Remacle (2003)) - are used to model materials which exhibit a… More >

I. Smojver¹, J. Sorić²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 13-24, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2007.003.013

Abstract The paper addresses the problem of impact on layered fibre composites. The behaviour of composite laminates under impact loading is dependent not only on the velocity but also on the mass and geometry of the impactor. Using micromechanical Mori-Tanaka approach, mechanical properties of the laminate have been calculated utilizing the material constants of the fibre and matrix. General purpose FEM software ABAQUS has been modified by means of user written subroutines for modelling of composite laminate and rigid impactor. The kinematics of the impact has been simulated using transient dynamic analysis. Employing user defined multi point constraints, delamination zones have… More >