Y. T. Wu¹, J. Z. Cui², Y. F. Nie³, Y. Zhang³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.42, No.3, pp. 205-226, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.042.205

Abstract Core–shell particle–filled PA6/EPDM–g–MA/HDPE ternary blend has excellent mechanical properties. In this paper, effective elastic properties and tensile yield strength of the ternary blend are predicted by the second–order two– scale method, to investigate the relationship between morphology and mechanical properties. The method and the limit analysis for predicting mechanical properties of random heterogeneous materials are briefly introduced. Realistic morphology of the ternary blend including both core–shell particles and pure particles is simulated, and finite element mesh is generated. The unified strength theory is embedded in the method for the convenience of selecting a suitable yield More >

Dilek Sarici¹, Mustafa Ali Akin¹, Selim Kurtoglu¹, Ali Yikilmaz², Sabahattin Muhtaroglu³, Mehmet Adnan Ozturk¹, Tamer Gunes¹, S. Umit Sarici⁴

European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 104-109, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0339

Abstract Introduction: Adiponectin has important anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects. Although adiponectin and atherosclerosis correlate inversely in children and adults, we have little information regarding this relationship in neonates. Methods: We measured cord blood adiponectin levels and abdominal aortic intima media thickness (aIMT) in 80 healthy, term neonates and investigated the relationship between adiponectin and total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride, and their relationships to infant anthropometry and gender. Results: Mean birth weight, length, head circumference and aIMT values for male neonates were statistically significantly higher than those for female neonates. Adiponectin levels were… More >

D. C. Knupp^1,2, A. J. Silva Neto³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.96, No.5, pp. 339-360, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2013.096.339

Abstract Inverse radiative transfer problems in heterogeneous participating media applications include determining gas properties in combustion chambers, estimating environmental and atmospheric conditions, and remote sensing, among others. In recent papers the spatially variable single scattering albedo has been estimated by expanding this unknown function as a series of known functions, and then estimating the expansion coefficients with parameter estimation techniques. In the present work we assume that there is no prior information on the functional form of the unknown spatially variable albedo and, making use of the Bayesian approach, we propose the development of a posterior… More >

De-Shin Liu¹, Chin-Yi Tu¹, Cho-Liang Chung²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.92, No.6, pp. 573-594, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2013.092.573

Abstract The Infinite Element Method (IEM) is widely used for the analysis of elastostatic structures containing singularities. In the IEM method, the problem domain is partitioned into multiple element layers, where the stiffness matrix of each layer is similar to that of the other layers in the discretized domain. However, in Mindlin-Reissner plate theory, the stiffness matrix varies through the layers of the plate, and thus the conventional IEM algorithm cannot be applied. Accordingly, the present study proposes a Plate Infinite Element Method (PIEM) in which the element stiffness matrix is separated into two sub-matrices; each… More >

Sanjeev Saxena¹, Raghvendra Singh², Geeta Agnihotri²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.36, No.3, pp. 257-270, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.036.257

Abstract The present numerical study is an attempt to understand the dependency of characteristic distance on the fracture specimen thickness and temperature. The presented work will be useful to establish the characteristic distance prediction methodology using three dimensional FEM model. Based on the methods proposed for the numerical prediction of characteristic distance, it comes out that it depends on fracture specimen thickness and finally it converges after a specified thickness of fracture specimen. In Armco iron material, characteristic distance varies in temperature ranges where dynamic strain ageing phenomenon is observed, initially decrease and then increases again. More >

S. S. Pulla¹, Y. C. Lu²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 263-278, 2012, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2012.029.263

Abstract The nanoindentation technique is used to quantify the interfaces between dissimilar materials. The interfaces can be generally referred as to the transition regions in polymers due to environmental aging, or the regions between fibers and polymer matrix in composites, or other similar situations. It is proposed to use a nanoindenter equipped with small spherical tip to cross-indent the interfaces of dissimilar materials. The nanoindentation tests were carried out through 3-dimensional finite element simulations with varying properties of the two dissimilar materials, including various combinations of modulus (E₁/E₂), yield strength (σ_y1/σ_y2), hardening index (n₁/n₂), and the interface sizes More >

Seon Doo Jo¹, Chan Kyu Park², Jae Hong Jeong², Seung Hoon Lee², Seung Hee Kwon³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.27, No.3, pp. 189-210, 2012, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2011.027.189

Abstract When concrete is being pumped, a lubricating layer forms at the interface of the inner concrete and the wall of the pipe. The lubricating layer is one of the most dominant factors in determining the pumping capability, yet no study has endeavored to quantitatively estimate the thickness and rheological properties of the layer. Recently, there has been a growing demand for large-scale construction under extreme conditions, such as high-rise buildings and super-long span bridges. This demand has heightened the need for more accurate predictions of pumpability.
A possible mechanism that contributes to the formation of the More >

F.Z. Ferahta^1,2, S. Bougoul¹, M. Médale², C. Abid²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.8, No.3, pp. 339-352, 2012, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2012.008.339

Abstract A numerical study is carried out to evaluate the thermal performances of a solar collector. As it is well known, that the thermal losses of such systems are mainly of a convective nature, the study is concentrated in particular on the features of natural convection that is activated in the air domain delimited by the upper glass and the lower absorber of the solar collector. The efficiency of such a system depends essentially on both the temperature difference and the distance between the absorber and the glass. Since the temperature difference remains an uncontrolled variable More >

Min Zhang^∗, Fa-Ming Chen^†, Yong-Jin Chen^∗,‡, Shun Wu^∗, Xin Lv^∗, Rui-Ni Zhao^∗

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.8, No.1, pp. 43-60, 2011, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2011.008.043

Abstract To investigate the role of mechanical pressure on cartilage thickness and type II collagen synthesis, and the role of G protein in that process, in vitro organ culture of mandibular cartilage was adopted in this study. A hydraulic pressure-controlled cellular strain unit was used to apply hydrostatic pressurization to explant cultures. The explants were compressed by different pressure values (0 kPa, 100 kPa, and 300 kPa) after pretreatment with or without a selective and direct antagonist (NF023) for the G proteins. After 4, 8 and 12 h of cell culture under each pressure condition, histological… More >

Mohamed Ammar Abbassi^1,2, Kamel Halouani¹, Xavier Chesneau³, Belkacem Zeghmati³

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.7, No.1, pp. 71-96, 2011, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2011.007.071

Abstract Mixed convection inside a square cavity with inlet and outlet ports is numerically simulated considering thermal radiation effect. The non dimensional transfer equations, based on Boussinesq assumption and the radiative heat transfer equation are solved by the finite-volume-method and the TDMA algorithm. Results, presented for a gray fluid and a wide range of dimensionless numbers; Reynolds (Re=10-1000), Richardson (Ri=0-0.01), Boltzmann (Bo=0.1-100), radiation to conduction parameter (Rc=0.1-100), and optical thickness (τ = 0.1-10) show that the radiation significantly affects temperature distribution. Streamlines are also sensitive to radiative parameters (as optical thickness) but less than temperature. More >