Search Results (16)

To overcome the issues of excessive cutting force, poor chip segmentation, and premature tool wear during the drilling of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy. This study established the cutting edge motion trajectory function and instantaneous dynamic cutting thickness equation for ultrasonic vibration-assisted drilling through kinematic analysis. Based on this, an analytical model of drilling force was formulated, integrating tool geometry, cutting radius scale effects, dynamic chip thickness, and drilling depth. In parallel, a finite element model was constructed to achieve visual simulation analysis of chip deformation and cutting force. Finally, the accuracy of the model was verified through experiments, with a comprehensive analysis performed on how cutting parameters affect thrust force. The findings indicate that the average absolute prediction errors of thrust force and torque between the analytical model and finite element simulations were 7.87% and 6.26%, respectively, confirming the model’s capability to accurately capture instantaneous force and torque variations. Compared to traditional drilling methods, the application of ultrasonic vibration assistance resulted in reductions of 40.8% in thrust force and 41.7% in torque. The drilling force exhibited nonlinear growth as the spindle speed and feed rate were elevated, while it declined with greater vibration frequency and amplitude as drilling depth increased. Furthermore, the combined effect of optimized vibration parameters enhanced chip fragmentation, producing short discontinuous chips and effectively preventing entanglement. Overall, this research provides a theoretical and practical foundation for optimizing ultrasonic vibration-assisted drilling and improving precision hole making in titanium alloys. Full article

We demonstrate the possibility of generation of zonal (shear) flows in a rotating self-gravitating fluid. A set of equations describing the nonlinear interaction between a large-scale zonal flow (ZF) and a small-scale drift-gravity wave is derived. A nonlinear dispersion relation is obtained, from which the possible instability of the ZF follows. The necessary condition for instability in the space of wave numbers of the drift-gravity wave, as well as the instability threshold for the wave amplitude, are obtained. The growth rate of the modulation instability of ZF is found. The generation of ZFs is due to the Reynolds stresses produced by finite amplitude drift-gravity waves. Full article

For practical engineering structures, fatigue is one of the main factors affecting their safety and durability. Under long-term service conditions, the minor damage will be affected by fatigue loading and expand to macroscopic cracks, affecting the structure’s service performance. Based on the sensitivity of Lamb waves to minor and initial damage, a damage monitoring method for fatigue crack propagation is proposed. By carrying out fatigue crack propagation tests under constant amplitude loading, the Paris equation of 316L steel and damage signals at different crack growth stages were obtained. Combined with damage monitoring tests and finite element analysis, the relationship between the phase damage index (PDI), amplitude damage index (ADI), signal correlation coefficient, and fatigue crack propagation length was studied. Compared with PDI and ADI, the signal correlation coefficient is more sensitive to crack initiation, which can be selected as the damage monitoring index in the initial stage of crack growth. With the increase of fatigue crack propagation length, the peak time of the direct wave signal gradually moves backward, which shows an obvious phase change. In the whole fatigue crack growth stage, PDI and crack length show a monotonically changing trend. By using the stress intensity factor as the conversion parameter, a prediction model of the fatigue crack propagation rate based on PDI was established. Compared to the fatigue crack propagation rate measured by experiments, the relative error of the predicted results is 10%, which verifies the accuracy of the proposed damage monitoring method. Full article

High fatigue load, which exists widely in steel building structures, likely leads to brittle failure at the joints, supports, and so on. This can lead to the partial or total damage of the structure and even to cause the collapse of the whole structure. This article aims to provide a method to simulate high-cycle crack propagation in tubular joints, which is one of the most common types occurring in steel structures. Firstly, sixteen T-shaped tubular joint models under different load conditions and initial crack dimensions were built through the coordinate mapping method. Secondly, based on the extended finite element method (XFEM), an algorithm was developed by combining the secondary development in Abaqus and a quasistatic simulation method to simulate high-cycle crack growth in tubular joints under a constant amplitude. The results of the simulations were compared with experimental data. The study found that the surface stress calculated from the tubular joint models using the coordinate mapping method was close to the experimental data. Through the comparison of the crack propagation rate and the crack growth process between the simulation and experiment results, the simulation method was validated. When a crack penetrated the tube wall, the difference in the load cycles between the simulations and the experiment was 9.5%. The initial crack dimension had an impact on the crack propagation, with the decrease in the a/c and KII generally becoming the dominant factor with respect to the crack growth, while the fatigue life of the joints tended to increase. Full article

In recent years, the incidence rate of lumbar diseases has been progressively increasing. The conventional lumbar fusion cages used in existing lumbar interbody fusion surgery are not able to take into account the multiple characteristics of cushioning, vibration reduction, support, cell adhesion, and bone tissue growth. Therefore, in this work, based on the CT data of a lumbar intervertebral disc plain scan, a combined symmetric lumbar fusion cage structure was innovatively designed. The core was made of lightweight TC4 medical titanium alloy flexible microporous metal rubber (LTA-FMP MR), and the outer frame was made of cobalt–chromium–molybdenum alloy. Its comprehensive biomechanical performance was comprehensively evaluated through finite element simulation, static and dynamic mechanics, and impact resistance tests. The three-dimensional model of the L3/L4 lumbar segment was established by reverse engineering, and a Mises stress analysis was conducted on the lumbar fusion cage by importing it into Ansys to understand its structural advantages compared to the traditional lumbar fusion cage. Through static experiments, the influence of the internal nucleus of a symmetrical lumbar fusion cage with different material parameters on its static performance was explored. At the same time, to further explore the superior characteristics of this symmetrical structure in complex human environments, a biomechanical test platform was established to analyze its biomechanical performance under sinusoidal excitation of different amplitudes and frequencies, as well as impact loads of different amplitudes and pulse widths. The results show that under different amplitudes and frequencies, the lumbar fusion cage with a symmetrical structure has a small loss factor, a high impact isolation coefficient, and a maximum energy consumption of 422.8 N·mm, with a maximum kinetic energy attenuation rate of 0.43. Compared to existing traditional lumbar fusion cages in clinical practice, it not only has sufficient stiffness, but also has good vibration damping, support, and impact resistance performance, and has a lower probability of postoperative settlement, which has broad application prospects. Full article

In the past, fatigue cracks have appeared in the orthotropic steel decks of bridges shortly after they opened to traffic. Previous studies have shown that high tensile welding residual stress exists in welded joints of steel bridges, which significantly changes the average stress and stress ratio of the joints. However, traditional fatigue crack propagation (FCP) calculations based on the Paris equation do not consider the influence of the stress ratio. Steel Q345qD is a common material used in bridges. Therefore, it is meaningful to study the influence of the stress ratio on the FCP life of steel Q345qD. In this paper, an FCP equation based on the energy release rate considering the influence of the stress ratio is first derived and named the da/dN-ΔG-R equation. Next, three material parameters in the equation are determined based on the results from tests of steel Q345qD under different stress ratios. Then, a user subroutine based on the extended finite element method (XFEM) that considers the influence of the stress ratio is defined and the effects of mesh size are analyzed. Finally, the effects of the stress ratio on FCP are discussed and the adaptability of the da/dN-ΔG-R equation is verified by comparing the values obtained from the equation with experimental results. The results show that: with a 95% guarantee rate, three material parameters in the da/dN-ΔG-R equation are: log(C) = −10.71, m = 2.780, and γ = 0.957; in the numerical simulation, a mesh size of 1 mm is more appropriate than other mesh sizes as it shows better accuracy and efficiency; under the same energy release rate range, the crack growth rate decreases as the stress ratio increases; under the same loading amplitude and cycles, the fatigue life decreases as the stress ratio increases; and finally, the numerical results considering the influence of stress ratio based on the da/dN-ΔG-R equation are close to the test results, while the results without considering the stress ratio based on the Paris equation are inaccurate. Full article

We derive the anti dissipative Serre-Green-Naghdi (SGN) equations in the context of nonlinear dynamics of surface water waves under wind forcing, in finite depth. The anti-dissipation occurs du to the continuos transfer of wind energy to water surface wave. We find the solitary wave solution of the system, with an increasing amplitude under the wind action. This leads to the blow-up of surface wave in finite time for infinitely large asymptotic space. This dispersive, anti-dissipative and fully nonlinear phenomenon is equivalent to the linear instability at infinite time. The theoretical blow-up time is calculated based on real experimental data. Naturally, the wave breaking takes place before the blow-up time. However, the amplitude’s growth resulting in the blow-up could be observed. Our results show that, based on the particular type of wind-wave tank data used in this paper, for $h=0.14\mathrm{m}$, the amplitude growth rate is of order 0.1 which experimentally, is at the measurability limit. But we think that by gradually increasing the wind speed U10, up to 10 m/s, it is possible to have the experimental confirmation of the present theory in existing experimental facilities. Full article

This research presents the numerical evaluation of fatigue crack growth of structural steels S355 and S960 based on Paris’ law parameters (C and m) that are experimentally determined with a single edge notched tension (SENT) specimen using optical and crack gauge measurements on an electromotive resonance machine at constant amplitude load. The sustainable technique is replacing destructive, time-consuming and expensive approaches in structural integrity. The crack propagation is modelled using the 3D finite element method (FEM) with adaptive remeshing of tetrahedral elements along with the crack initiator elements provided in simulation software for crack propagation based on linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The stress intensity is computed based on the evaluation of energy release rates according to Irwin’s crack closure integral with applied cyclic load of 62.5 MPa, 100 MPa and 150 MPa and stress ratios of R = 0 and 0.1. In order to achieve optimized mesh size towards load cycle and computational time, mesh and re-mesh sensitivity analysis is conducted. The results indicate that the virtual crack closure technique VCCT-based 3D FEM shows acceptable agreement compared to the experimental investigation with the percentage error up to 7.9% for S355 and 12.8% for S960 structural steel. Full article

The finite size Lyapunov exponent (FSLE) has been used extensively since the late 1990s to diagnose turbulent regimes from Lagrangian experiments and to detect Lagrangian coherent structures in geophysical flows and two-dimensional turbulence. Historically, the FSLE was defined in terms of its computational method rather than via a mathematical formulation, and the behavior of the FSLE in the turbulent inertial ranges is based primarily on scaling arguments. Here, we propose an exact definition of the FSLE based on conditional averaging of the finite amplitude growth rate (FAGR) of the particle pair separation. With this new definition, we show that the FSLE is a close proxy for the inverse structural time, a concept introduced a decade before the FSLE. The (in)dependence of the FSLE on initial conditions is also discussed, as well as the links between the FAGR and other relevant Lagrangian metrics, such as the finite time Lyapunov exponent and the second-order velocity structure function. Full article

In this work two approaches to the description of short fatigue crack growth rate under large-scale yielding condition were comprehensively tested: (i) plastic component of the J-integral and (ii) Polák model of crack propagation. The ability to predict residual fatigue life of bodies with short initial cracks was studied for stainless steels Sanicro 25 and 304L. Despite their coarse microstructure and very different cyclic stress–strain response, the employed continuum mechanics models were found to give satisfactory results. Finite element modeling was used to determine the J-integrals and to simulate the evolution of crack front shapes, which corresponded to the real cracks observed on the fracture surfaces of the specimens. Residual fatigue lives estimated by these models were in good agreement with the number of cycles to failure of individual test specimens strained at various total strain amplitudes. Moreover, the crack growth rates of both investigated materials fell onto the same curve that was previously obtained for other steels with different properties. Such a “master curve” was achieved using the plastic part of J-integral and it has the potential of being an advantageous tool to model the fatigue crack propagation under large-scale yielding regime without a need of any additional experimental data. Full article

The self-excited thermoacoustic instability in a two-dimensional Rijke-type burner with a center-stabilized premixed methane–air flame is numerically studied. The simulation considers the reacting flow, flame dynamics, and radiation model to investigate the important physical processes. A finite volume-based approach is used to simulate reacting flows under both laminar and turbulent flow conditions. Chemical reaction modeling is conducted via the finite-rate/eddy dissipation model with one-step reaction mechanisms, and the radiation heat flux and turbulent flow characteristics are determined by using the P-1 model and the standard k-ε model, respectively. The steady-state reacting flow is first simulated for model verification. Then, the dynamic pressure, velocity, and reaction heat evolutions are determined to show the onset and growth rate of self-excited instability in the burner. Using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) method, the frequency of the limit cycle oscillation is obtained, which agrees well with the theoretical prediction. The dynamic pressure and velocity along the tube axis provide the acoustic oscillation mode and amplitude, also agreeing well with the prediction. Finally, the unsteady flow field at different times in a limit cycle shows that flame-induced vortices occur inside the combustor, and the temperature distribution indicates that the back-and-forth velocity changes in the tube vary the distance between the flame and honeycomb in turn, forming a forward feedback loop in the tube. The results reveal the route of flame-induced thermoacoustic instability in the Rijke-type burner and indicate periodical vortex formation and breakdown in the Rijke burner, which should be considered turbulent flow under thermoacoustic instability. Full article

The finite element method (FEM) is a widely used technique in research, including but not restricted to the growth of cracks in engineering applications. However, failure to use fine meshes poses problems in modeling the singular stress field around the crack tip in the singular element region. This work aims at using the original source code program by Visual FORTRAN language to predict the crack propagation and fatigue lifetime using the adaptive dens mesh finite element method. This developed program involves the adaptive mesh generator according to the advancing front method as well as both the pre-processing and post-processing for the crack growth simulation under linear elastic fracture mechanics theory. The stress state at a crack tip is characterized by the stress intensity factor associated with the rate of crack growth. The quarter-point singular elements are constructed around the crack tip to accurately represent the singularity of this region. Under linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) with an assumption in various configurations, the Paris law model was employed to evaluate mixed-mode fatigue life for two specimens under constant amplitude loading. The framework includes a progressive analysis of the stress intensity factors (SIFs), the direction of crack growth, and the estimation of fatigue life. The results of the analysis are consistent with other experimental and numerical studies in the literature for the prediction of the fatigue crack growth trajectories as well as the calculation of stress intensity factors. Full article

This study presents a numerical model to predict the fatigue crack growth (FCG) rate in compact tension specimens under constant amplitude cyclic loadings. The material studied is the Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy produced by selective laser melting, which was submitted to two different post-treatments: (i) hot isostatic pressing, and (ii) heat treatment. The developed finite element model uses the cumulative plastic strain at the crack tip to define the nodal release. Two different FCG criteria are presented, namely the incremental plastic strain (IPS) criterion and the total plastic strain (TPS) criterion. The calibration of the elasto-plastic constitutive model was carried out using experimental data from low cycle fatigue tests of smooth specimens. For both proposed crack growth criteria, the predicted da/dN-ΔK curve is approximately linear in log-log scale. However, the slope of the curve is higher using the TPS criterion. The numerical predictions of the crack growth rate are in good agreement with the experimental results, which indicates that cyclic plastic deformation is the main damage mechanism. The numerical results showed that increasing the stress ratio leads to a shift up of the da/dN-ΔK curve. The effect of stress ratio was dissociated from variations of cyclic plastic deformation, and an extrinsic mechanism, i.e., crack closure phenomenon, was found to be the cause. Full article

Linear stability analysis of liquid metal flow driven by a constant pressure gradient in an insulating rectangular duct under an external uniform magnetic field was carried out. In the present analysis, since the Joule heating and induced magnetic field were neglected, the governing equations consisted of the continuity of mass, momentum equation, Ohm’s law, and conservation of electric charge. A set of linearized disturbance equations for the complex amplitude was decomposed into real and imaginary parts and solved numerically with a finite difference method using the highly simplified marker and cell (HSMAC) algorithm on a two-dimensional staggered mesh system. The difficulty of the complex eigenvalue problem was circumvented with a Newton—Raphson method during which its corresponding eigenfunction was simultaneously obtained by using an iterative procedure. The relation among the Reynolds number, the wavenumber, the growth rate, and the angular frequency was successfully obtained for a given value of the Hartmann number as well as for a direction of external uniform magnetic field. Full article

In order to increase the vibration life of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy, warm laser shock peening (WLSP) is used to improve the damping properties and thus decrease the vibration stress in this study. Firstly, the Ti6Al4V specimens are treated by WLSP at different treatment temperatures from 200 °C to 350 °C. Then the damping ratios of untreated and WLSPed samples are obtained by impact modal tests, and the improvement of damping properties generated by WLSP is analyzed by the microstructures in Ti6Al4V titanium alloy. Moreover, the finite element simulations are utilized to study the vibration amplitude and stress during the frequency response process. Finally, the vibration fatigue tests are carried out and the fatigue fracture morphology is observed by the scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that the damping ratios of WLSPed specimens increase with the increasing treatment temperatures. This is because elevated temperatures during WLSP can effectively increase the α phase colonies and the interphase boundaries, which can significantly increase the internal friction of materials. Moreover, due to the increasing material damping ratio, the displacement and stresses during vibration were both reduced greatly by 350 °C-WLSP, which can significantly decrease the fatigue crack growth rate and thus improve the vibration fatigue life of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy. Full article