Sharif Digital Repository

In this paper, an h-adaptive analysis for the mixed finite element solution of powder forming problems is presented involving localization due to material instability. A remeshing strategy is employed to compute the distribution of required element size using the estimated error distribution. Once the new element size and its alignment have been indicated, an automated procedure is used to construct the mesh according to a predetermined size and elongation distribution. The numerical results were obtained for a multi-level component to indicate the failure surfaces and evaluate the ultimate capacity of material. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved  

Standard finite element models, i.e. finite element methods that use standard constitutive models, suffer from excessive mesh dependence when strain-softening models are used in numerical analyses and cannot reproduce the size effect commonly observed in quasi-brittle failure. In this paper, an h-adaptive analysis for the mixed finite element solution of solid mechanics problems is presented with special reference to metal powder forming involving localization due to material instability. A remeshing strategy is employed to compute the distribution of required element size using the estimated error distribution. The numerical results are obtained for a Von-Mises yield criterion applied to a... 

It is well known that strain localization and indeed displacement discontinuity can arise in materials exhibiting plastic behaviour. Indeed such localization is almost certain to occur if strain softening or non-associated behaviour exists, though it can be triggered even when ideal plasticity is assumed. This study is concerned mainly with the manner in which the numerical discretization process has to be devised so as to capture the localization phenomenon. In this paper, a method is presented for applying the mixed formulation to study the prediction of localization phenomenon in powder-forming processes. This study is focused on the performance of mixed u - π triangular elements to study... 

The effects of melt quality and the placement of a filter in the filling system on Weibull distributions of tensile strength and elongation of Al-7%Si-Mg alloy castings were investigated. Three different combinations of melt quality and filtering were used: (a) unstirred, with filter in the filling system, (b) stirred to produce and entrain surface oxide films with no filter in the filling system to emulate poor initial melt preparation and melt handling, and (c) stirred and with a filter placed in the filling system. The results showed that the highest elongation and tensile strength values were obtained from the unstirred, filtered condition and lowest values were from stirred and... 

In the present study, SiC samples with 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 wt% Al2O3–Y2O3 as additives were made by powder metallurgy method, then sintering was performed by microwave-assisted process. β–SiC samples sintering was performed for 100 min. The highest sintered relative density 91.06% was achieved at 10 wt% additives content. The maximum values of hardness and toughness were up to 23.3 GPa and 6.14 MPa.m− 1/2. α–SiC and α–SiC/β–SiC samples sintering was performed for 120 min. The maximum value of density and hardness were up to 96.38% T.D and 24.88 GPa in α–SiC with 7.5 wt% additives, whereas the highest toughness was achieved at 10 wt% additives content in β–SiC samples. The α–SiC samples... 

An artificial neural network model, using a back-propagation learning algorithm is utilized, to predict the yield stress, elongation, ultimate tension stress, over(R, -) and {divides}ΔR{divides} during hot rolling, cold rolling and annealing of AA3004 aluminum alloy. Input nodes were chosen as the ratio of initial to final thicknesses, reduction, preheating time and temperature, finish rolling temperature and the final annealing temperature. The maximum error for predicted values was 6.35%, the average of absolute relative error was 0.57% and the RMS was 0.00998. It was found that the mechanical properties and anisotropy of AA3004 alloy sheets can be predicted by this approach. © 2006... 

This work was carried out to investigate the effect of different Ti concentrations as a modifying agent on the microstructure and tensile properties of an in-situ Al-15 pctMg2Si composite. Cast, modified, homogenized small ingots were extruded at 753 K (480°C) at the extrusion ratio of 18:1 and ram speed of 1 mm/s. Various techniques including metallography, tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the mechanical behavior, microstructural observations, fracture mechanisms of this composite. The results showed that 0.5 pctTi addition and homogenizing treatment were highly effective in modifying Mg2Si particles. The results also exhibited that the addition of Ti... 

The oxygen-barrier properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol) [P(VAc-co-VA)] were investigated. P(VAc-co-VA)s with vinyl alcohol (VA) contents of 5, 10, and 15 mol % were prepared with the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of poly(vinyl acetate). The obtained copolymers with various contents of VA were blended with PLA at 5/95, 10/90, and 15/85 compositions. Films of the blends were prepared by a solution-casting method with chloroform as the cosolvent. Although the blend with 5% VA in the copolymer appeared to be miscible, the blends with 10 and 15% VA content in the copolymer were immiscible, as verified by dynamic mechanical analysis. The oxygen-barrier properties... 

A cyclic forward-backward extrusion (CFBE) process was used as a severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique to produce ultrafine-grained aluminum rods. Yield strength and tensile strength of the specimens increased by increasing the number of CFBE cycles, while elongation to break decreased due to an increase in the grain refinement and microhardness. According to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) results, the average grain size was reduced from 120 μm to 315 nm after only 3 cycles of CFBE  

The aim of this research is bonding of three-layered St/AZ31/St composite by roll-bonding process. The roll-bonding process was performed at three preheating temperatures, 340, 400 and 450°C, with thickness reduction of 30 to 68% and different thicknesses of intermediate layer (AZ31). In order to improve the bonding strength, the as-rolled specimens were annealed at constant temperature of 375°C. For evaluation of bond strength and investigating the formation of a diffusion layer, the results of peel test and microscopic images were studied. Tensile specimens were prepared along the rolling direction to measure the mechanical properties of the composite. The results showed that by increasing... 

Transient elongational rheology of PP is investigated experimentally. A specifically designed fixture consisting of two drums mounted on a TA Instruments ARES rotational rheometer was used to measure the transient uniaxial extensional viscosity of two commercial grades polypropylene in the molten state. The Hencky strain was varied from 0.003 to 2 s-1 and the temperature was fixed at 180 °C. The measurements show that the steady state elongational viscosity was reached at the measured Hencky strains for polypropylene. Eslami and Grmela have recently introduced a reptation diffusion term arising from the intermolecular chain forces into the rigid FENE-P dumbbells model. The same approach has... 

In this study, the properties of poly (vinyl alcohol)(PVA) films incorporated with Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZMO) as a potential antioxidant/antibacterial material was investigated. PVA films were prepared from PVA solutions (2% w/v) containing different concentrations of ZMO. Water solubility, moisture absorption, water swelling, and water vapor permeability for pure PVA films were 57 ± 1.1, 99 ± 3.2%, 337 ± 8%, and 0.453 ± 0.015 g mm/m2 h, respectively. Incorporation of ZMO into PVA films caused a significant decrease in water swelling and moisture absorption and increase in solubility and water vapor permeability. Tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation at break for pure... 

Nano-biocomposites are a new class of hybrid materials composed of nano-sized filler (nanofiller) incorporated into a bio-based matrix. Such an association between eco-friendly biopolymers and nano-objects, with the aim to obtain synergic effects, is one of the most innovating routes to enhance the properties of these bio-matrices. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in Starch as an inexpensive and renewable source has been used as a filler for environmentally friendly plastics for about two decades. However, the poor mechanical properties of starch based biopolymers, leads to use of nanoparticles as reinforcing materials. In the present study, the influence of a... 

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/fumed silica nanocomposites were prepared via in situ polymerization using a bi-supported Ziegler-Natta catalytic system. Nanocomposites with different nanoparticle weight fractions were produced in order to investigate the effect of fumed silica on thermal and mechanical properties of UHMWPE/fumed silica nanocomposites. The viscosity average molecular weight (M) of all samples including pure UHMWPE as the reference sample and nanocomposites were measured. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed the homogenous dispersion of nanoparticles throughout the UHMWPE matrix while no nanoparticle cluster has been formed. Crystallization... 

In this study, a near equiatomic NiTi shape memory alloy was hot rolled at 800°C using thethickness reductions of 30 and 50%. Optical and transmission electron microscopy, together withX-ray diffraction were used to demonstrate the microstructural changes associated with the hotrolling at different thickness reductions. Repeated transformation cycling was employed toinvestigate the evolution of R phase during cycling. Microstructural observations revealed thepresence of deformation twins embedded in an elongated grain matrix in the hot rolled material.Moreover, it was found that with increasing degree of thickness reduction, the size and number ofdeformation twins increased throughout the... 

Ethylene vinyl acetate/graphene oxide (EVA/GO) nanocomposite films were prepared via solution casting method. The morphological studies investigated using SEM and XRD methods and the results confirmed the formation of likely exfoliation structures and good interaction between matrix and fillers. The results of permeability measurements showed that films have good resistance against oxygen. Mechanical measurements revealed that Young’s modulus and tensile strength of EVA have improved with introducing GO because of proper dispersion of GO into matrix and good interaction between them; however, elongation at break decreased due to formation of strong and rigid polymer/filler network preventing... 

Thermo mechanical processing and controlled rolling of microalloyed steel sheets are affected by several factors. In this investigation, finishing temperature of rolling which is considered as the most effective parameters on the final mechanical properties of hot rolled products has been studied. For this purpose, three different finishing temperatures of 950, 900 and 850 °C below the non-recrystallization temperature and one temperature of 800 °C in the intercritical range were chosen. It is observed that decreasing the finishing temperature causes increase of strength and decrease of total elongation. This is accompanied by more grain refinement of microstructure and the morphology was... 

Dual-phase (DP) steels with different martensite contents were produced by subjecting a low carbon steel to various heat treatment cycles. In order to investigate the effect of dynamic strain aging (DSA) on mechanical properties, tensile specimens were deformed 3% at 300 °C. Room temperature tensile tests of specimens which deformed at 300 °C showed that both yield and ultimate tensile strengths increased, while total elongation decreased. The fatigue limit increased after pre-strain in the DSA temperature range. The effects of martensite volume fraction on mechanical properties were discussed