J. Zidek¹ , J. Kucera¹, J. Jancar¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 51-74, 2010, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2010.016.051

Abstract It has been shown that in particulate filled composites, a cross-property relationship exists between various transport properties (e.g., electrical conductivity, mechanical reinforcement, gas permeation) of a macroscale composite. Thus, knowledge of the effective mechanical properties of a composite immediately places bounds on its electrical conductivity or gas permeation behavior. Using these bounds allows us to predict the phase dispersion state that optimizes one or multiple properties of the composite and, thus, the knowledge of how spatial arrangement of filler particles at their given content affects physical properties of the composite can be valuable. In this paper, a new numerical model… More >

Oliver K. Johnson¹, Calvin J. Gardner¹, David T. Fullwood¹, Brent L.Adams¹, Nathan Hansen², George Hansen²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.15, No.2, pp. 87-112, 2010, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2010.015.087

Abstract A novel nickel nanostrand-silicone composite material at an optimized 15 vol% filler concentration demonstrates a dramatic piezoresistive effect with a negative gauge factor (ratio of percent change in resistivity to strain). The composite volume resistivity decreases in excess of three orders of magnitude at a 60% strain. The piezoresistivity does decrease slightly as a function of cycles, but not significantly as a function of time. The material's resistivity is also temperature dependent, once again with a negative dependence.
The evidence indicates that nickel strands are physically separated by matrix material even at high volume fractions, and points to a charge… More >

Edward Van Keuren¹, MakiNishida¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.14, No.1, pp. 61-78, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.014.061

Abstract Room temperature solution-based synthetic methods are an important option for the production of a wide range of nanomaterials. These methods often rely on self-assembly or self-organization of molecular precursors, with specific control of their nucleation and growth properties. We are developing strategies for the creation of multifunctional composite nanoparticles as well as models for predicting the bulk properties from the individual components and parameters of the processing conditions. One method of synthesis is a reprecipitation technique in which nanoparticle nucleation and growth is induced by the rapid injection of a molecular solution into a miscible non-solvent. Here we demonstrate that… More >

W.F.Yuan¹, K.H.Tan ¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.13, No.1, pp. 49-62, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.013.049

Abstract A simple cellular automaton (CA) scheme is proposed to simulate heat conduction in anisotropic domains. The CA is built on random nodes rather than an irregular grid. The local rule used in the CA is defined by physical concepts instead of differential equations. The accuracy of the proposed approach is verified by classical examples. As an application of the proposed method, the CA approach is incorporated into fibre model which is widely used in finite element analysis to calculate the temperature distribution on the cross-section of composite beams. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed scheme can be conveniently applied to… More >

Syh-Tsang Jenq^1,2, Yuen-Sheng Chiu²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 33-58, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.011.033

Abstract Current work studies the transient hydroplaning behavior of 200 kPa inflated pneumatic radial tires with various types of tread patterns. Tires were numerically loaded with a quarter car weight of 4 kN, and then accelerated from rest rolling over a water film with a thickness of 5, 10 and 15 mm on top of a flat pavement. Tire structure is composed of outer rubber tread and inner fiber reinforcing composite layers. The Mooney-Rivlin constitutive law and the classical laminated theory (CLT) were, respectively, used to describe the mechanical behavior of rubber material and composite reinforcing layers. The tire hydroplaning phenomenon… More >

D.W. Kelly¹, M.C.W. Lee¹, A.C. Orifici^2,3, R.S.Thomson³, R. Degenhardt^4,5

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.10, No.2, pp. 163-194, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.010.163

Abstract An experimental program for collapse of curved stiffened composite shell structures encountered a wide range of initial and deep buckling mode shapes. This paper presents work to determine the significance of the buckling deformations for determining the final collapse loads and to understand the source of the variation. A finite element analysis is applied to predict growth of damage that causes the disbonding of stiffeners and defines a load displacement curve to final collapse. The variability in material properties and geometry is then investigated to identify a range of buckling modes and development of deep postbuckling deformation encountered in the… More >

Yang Pu¹, Xiang Zhihai¹, Hu Xiasong², Li Guorong², Zhu Haili², Mao XiaoqinCen², Zhangzhi^1,3

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.10, No.2, pp. 117-138, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.010.117

Abstract This paper studies the influence of root reinforcement on shallow soil protection by using Finite Element (FE) method. Taking the root-soil composite as a periodic material, the homogenization method is used to construct a Representative Volume Element (RVE) that consists of roots and soil. This RVE is discretized by a two-dimensional (2-D) FE mesh, while special formulation is established so that this model is capable of describing three-dimensional (3-D) deformations when the strain is invariant along the fiber axis. The important effect of debonding on the interface between the fiber and the matrix is also considered by using a special… More >

E.J. Sapountzakis¹, V.G. Mokos²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.10, No.1, pp. 1-40, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2009.010.001

Abstract In this paper the boundary element method is employed to develop a displacement solution for the general transverse shear loading problem of composite beams of arbitrary constant cross section. The composite beam (thin or thick walled) consists of materials in contact, each of which can surround a finite number of inclusions. The materials have different elasticity and shear moduli and are firmly bonded together. The analysis of the beam is accomplished with respect to a coordinate system that has its origin at the centroid of the cross section, while its axes are not necessarily the principal bending ones. The transverse… 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 >