Browsing by Author "Case, Scott W."

Now showing 1 - 20 of 174
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    Accelerated Durability Characterization of Laminated Polycarbonate Systems
    Riddle, Samuel George (Virginia Tech, 2024-08-27)
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    Accelerated Testing Method to Estimate the Lifetime of Polyethylene Pipes
    Kalhor, Roozbeh (Virginia Tech, 2017-02-14)
    The ability to quickly develop predictions of the time-to-failure under different loading levels allows designers to choose the best polymeric material for a specific application. Additionally, it helps material producers to design, manufacture, test, and modify a polymeric material more rapidly. In the case of polymeric pipes, previous studies have shown that there are two possible time-dependent failure mechanisms corresponding to ductile and brittle failure. The ductile mechanism is evident at shorter times-to-failure and results from the stretching of the amorphous region under loading and the subsequent plastic deformation. Empirical results show that many high-performance polyethylene (PE) materials do not exhibit the brittle failure mechanism. Hence, it is critical to understand the ductile mechanism and find an approach to predict the corresponding times-to-failure using accelerated means. The aim of this study is to develop an innovative rupture lifetime acceleration protocol for PE pipes which is sensitive to the structure, orientation, and morphology changes introduced by changing processing conditions. To accomplish this task, custom fixtures are developed to admit tensile and hoop burst tests on PE pipes. A pressure modified Eyring flow equation is used to predict the rupture lifetime of PE pipes using the measured mechanical properties under axial tensile and hydrostatic pressure loading in different temperatures and strain rates. In total, the experimental method takes approximately one week to be completed and allows the prediction of pipe lifetimes for service lifetime in excess of 50 years.
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    Analysis and Modeling of the Mechanical Durability of Proton Exchange Membranes Using Pressure-Loaded Blister Tests
    Grohs, Jacob R. (Virginia Tech, 2009-04-10)
    Environmental fluctuations in operating fuel cells impose significant biaxial stresses in the constrained proton exchange membranes (PEM). The PEM's ability to withstand cyclic environment-induced stresses plays an important role in membrane integrity and consequently, fuel cell durability. In this thesis, pressure loaded blister tests are used to study the mechanical durability of Gore-Select® series 57 over a range of times, temperatures, and loading histories. Ramped pressure tests are used with a linear viscoelastic analog to Hencky's classical solution for a pressurized circular membrane to estimate biaxial burst strength values. Biaxial strength master curves are constructed using traditional time-temperature superposition principle techniques and the associated temperature shift factors show good agreement when compared with shifts obtained from other modes of testing on the material. Investigating a more rigorous blister stress analysis becomes nontrivial due to the substantial deflections and thinning of the membrane. To further improve the analysis, the digital image correlation (DIC) technique is used to measure full-field displacements under ramped and constant pressure loading. The measured displacements are then used to validate the constitutive model and methods of the finite element analysis (FEA). With confidence in the FEA, stress histories of constant pressure tests are used to develop linear damage accumulation and residual strength based lifetime prediction models. Robust models, validated by successfully predicting fatigue failures, suggest the ability to predict failures under any given stress history whether mechanically or environmentally induced - a critical step in the effort to predict fuel cell failures caused by membrane mechanical failure.
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    Analysis of Static and Dynamic Deformations of Laminated Composite Structures by the Least-Squares Method
    Burns, Devin James (Virginia Tech, 2021-10-27)
    Composite structures, such as laminated beams, plates and shells, are widely used in the automotive, aerospace and marine industries due to their superior specific strength and tailor-able mechanical properties. Because of their use in a wide range of applications, and their commonplace in the engineering design community, the need to accurately predict their behavior to external stimuli is crucial. We consider in this thesis the application of the least-squares finite element method (LSFEM) to problems of static deformations of laminated and sandwich plates and transient plane stress deformations of sandwich beams. Models are derived to express the governing equations of linear elasticity in terms of layer-wise continuous variables for composite plates and beams, which allow inter-laminar continuity conditions at layer interfaces to be satisfied. When Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto (LGL) basis functions with the LGL nodes taken as integration points are used to approximate the unknown field variables, the methodology yields a system of discrete equations with a symmetric positive definite coefficient matrix. The main goal of this research is to determine the efficacy of the LSFEM in accurately predicting stresses in laminated composites when subjected to both quasi-static and transient surface tractions. Convergence of the numerical algorithms with respect to the LGL basis functions in space and time (when applicable) is also considered and explored. In the transient analysis of sandwich beams, we study the sensitivity of the first failure load to the beam's aspect ratio (AR), facesheet-core thickness ratio (FCTR) and facesheet-core stiffness ratio (FCSR). We then explore how failure of sandwich beams is affected by considering facesheet and core materials with different in-plane and transverse stiffness ratios. Computed results are compared to available analytical solutions, published results and those found by using the commercial FE software ABAQUS where appropriate
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    Bench Scale Characterization of Joints and Coatings
    Kulkarni, Akhilesh (Virginia Tech, 2023-07-03)
    The ASTM E119 is a large-scale test used to qualify assemblies for fire resistance, including heat transmission and structural integrity. The test requires specialized furnaces and full-scale assemblies that are 3.0 m (10 ft) or more on each side, making it very expensive to perform. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of the scaling methodology for a reduced-scale fire resistance test on different types of wood-based structures, specifically commercially available intumescent coating applied onto wood and bolted lap joints in wood. We build upon a previously developed scaling methodology for wood and gypsum boards, which integrated geometric scaling, Fourier number time scaling, and furnace boundary condition matching. Intumescent coating presents a particular challenge in scaling in that it expands when exposed to fire conditions. To account for this expansion, we identified a relationship between initial dry film thickness and final expanded thickness through cone calorimeter tests and integrated it into a modified scaling methodology. This approach was then validated through fire exposure tests in furnace on wood samples painted with intumescent coating at full, half, and quarter scales. Finally, we demonstrated the scaling laws for joints under combined thermo-structural loading, by subjecting wood-based half-lap joint samples to combined bending and thermal loading at half and quarter scale. The samples were subjected to static three-point bending with the load scaled to achieve structural similitude, while simultaneously being exposed to a scaled fire exposure on the bottom surface. Our study provides insights into the practical application of scaling methodology for testing the fire resistance of joints and fire-resistant coated wood, paving the way for more cost-effective and quicker fire testing for the wood-based composite industry.
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    Bending and warpage of elastic plates
    Wood, Harrison Grant (Virginia Tech, 2019-06-24)
    This thesis presents two studies on elastic plates. In the first study, we discuss the choice of elastic energies for thin plates and shells, an unsettled issue with consequences for much recent modeling of soft matter. Through consideration of simple deformations of a thin body in the plane, we demonstrate that four bulk isotropic quadratic elastic theories have fundamentally different predictions with regard to bending behavior. At finite thickness, these qualitative effects persist near the limit of mid-surface isometry, and not all theories predict an isometric ground state. We discuss how certain kinematic measures that arose in early studies of rod mechanics lead to coherent definitions of stretching and bending, and promote the adoption of these quantities in the development of a covariant theory based on stretches rather than metrics. In the second work, the effects of in-plane swelling gradients on thin, anisotropic plates are investigated. We study systems with a separation of scales between bending energy terms. Warped equilibrium shapes are described by two parameters controlling the spatial "rolling up'' and twisting of the surface. Shapes within this two-parameter space are explored, and it is shown that shapes will either be axisymmetric or twisted depending on swelling function parameters and material anisotropy. In some axisymmetric shapes, pitchfork bifurcations to twisted solutions are observed by varying these parameters. We also show that a familiar soft mode of the catenoid to helicoid transformation of an isotropic material no longer exists with material anisotropy.
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    Benign Processing of High Performance Polymeric Foams of Poly(arylene ether sulfone)
    VanHouten, Desmond J. (Virginia Tech, 2008-12-02)
    This work is concerned with the production of high performance polymer foams via a benign foaming process. The first goal of this project was to develop a process and the conditions necessary to produce a low density (>80% density reduction) foam from poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PAES). Water and supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) were used as the blowing agents in a one-step batch foaming process. Both water and scCO2 plasticize the PAES, allowing for precise control on both the foam morphology and the foam density. To optimize the foaming conditions, both thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) were used to determine the solubility and the reduced glass transition temperature (Tg) due to plasticization of the polymer. It was determined that 2 hours was sufficient time to saturate the PAES with water and scCO2 when subjected to a temperature of 220 oC and 10.3 MPa of pressure. Under these conditions, a combination of 7.5% of water and scCO2 were able to diffuse into the PAES specimen, correlating to ~60 oC reduction in the Tg of the PAES. The combination of water and scCO2 produced foam with up to an 80% reduction in density. The compressive properties, tensile modulus, and impact strength of the foam were measured. The relative compressive properties were slightly lower than the commercially available structural foam made of poly(methacrylimide). The second objective of the dissertation was to enhance the compressive properties of the PAES foam, without concern for the foam density. Foam was produced over a range of density, by controlling the cell size, in order to optimize the compressive properties. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were also added to the PAES matrix prior to foaming to both induce heterogeneous nucleation, which leads to smaller cell size, and to reinforce the cell walls. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), on saturated CNF-PAES, was used to determine the reduced Tg due to plasticization and establish the temperature for pressure release during foaming. DMTA proved to be more effective than DSC in establishing quantitative results on the reduction in the Tg. The CNF-PAES foam produced had compressive properties up to 1.5 times the compressive properties of the PAES foam.
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    Buried Pipe Life Prediction in Sewage Type Environments
    Bodin, Jean-Matthieu Marie Jacques Sebastien (Virginia Tech, 1999-02-06)
    In this study, we develop a method of life prediction of buried pipe using the concepts of a characteristic damage state and damage accumulation. A stress analysis corresponding to the different types of load during service with environmental effects, a moisture diffusion model, and a lifetime prediction analysis combining the above models has been constructed. The model uses an elasticity solution for axial-symmetric loading in the case of pressurized pipe, and an approximate non-linear solution for transverse loading due to soil pressure in the case of buried pipe. The axial-symmetric stress analysis has been constructed taking into account the moisture content and the temperature of each ply of the laminate. The moisture diffusion model takes into account the geometry of the laminate, the different diffusivity coefficients in each ply, and also the geometric changes due to ply failure. The failure mode and material behavior of the pipe has been investigated and identified according to Owens Corning data. Thus, the code that has been developed allows one to predict the time to failure of Owens Corning industrial pipes under any time-dependent profile of environmental and loading conditions.
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    Burnthrough Modeling of Marine Grade Aluminum Alloy Structural Plates Exposed to Fire
    Rippe, Christian M. (Virginia Tech, 2015-11-13)
    Current fire induced burnthrough models of aluminum typically rely solely on temperature thresholds and cannot accurately capture either the occurrence or the time to burnthrough. This research experimentally explores the fire induced burnthrough phenomenon of AA6061-T651 plates under multiple sized exposures and introduces a new burnthrough model based on the near melting creep rupture properties of the material. Fire experiments to induce burnthrough on aluminum plates were conducted using localized exposure from a propane jet burner and broader exposure from a propane sand burner. A material melting mechanism was observed for all localized exposures while a material rupture mechanism was observed for horizontally oriented plates exposed to the broader heat flux. Numerical burnthrough models were developed for each of the observed burnthrough mechanisms. Material melting was captured using a temperature threshold model of 633 deg C. Material rupture was captured using a Larson-Miller based creep rupture model. To implement the material rupture model, a characterization of the creep rupture properties was conducted at temperatures between 500 and 590 deg C. The Larson-Miller curve was subsequently developed to capture rupture behavior. Additionally, the secondary and tertiary creep behavior of the material was modeled using a modified Kachanov-Rabotnov creep model. Thermal finite element model accuracy was increased by adapting a methodology for using infrared thermography to measure spatially and temporally varying full-field heat flux maps. Once validated and implemented, thermal models of the aluminum burnthrough experiments were accurate to 20 deg C in the transient and 10 deg C in the steady state regions. Using thermo-mechanical finite element analyses, the burnthrough models were benchmarked against experimental data. Utilizing the melting and rupture mechanism models, burnthrough occurrence was accurately modeled for over 90% of experiments and modeled burnthrough times were within 20% for the melting mechanism and 50% for the rupture mechanism. Simplified burnthrough equations were also developed to facilitate the use of the burnthrough models in a design setting. Equations were benchmarked against models of flat and stiffened plates and the burnthrough experiments. Melting mechanism burnthrough time results were within 25% of benchmark values suggesting accurate capture of the mechanism. Rupture mechanism burnthrough results were within 60% of benchmark values.
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    Carbon Nanotube Based Dosimetry of Neutron and Gamma Radiation
    Nelson, Anthony J. (Virginia Tech, 2016-04-29)
    As the world's nuclear reactors approach the end of their originally planned lifetimes and seek license extensions, which would allow them to operate for another 20 years, accurate information regarding neutron radiation exposure is more important than ever. Structural components such as the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) become embrittled by neutron irradiation, reducing their capability to resist crack growth and increasing the risk of catastrophic failure. The current dosimetry approaches used in these high flux environments do not provide real-time information. Instead, radiation dose is calculated using computer simulations, which are checked against dose readings that are only available during refueling once every 1.5-2 years. These dose readings are also very expensive, requiring highly trained technicians to handle radioactive material and operate specialized characterization equipment. This dissertation describes the development of a novel neutron radiation dosimeter based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that not only provides accurate real-time dosimetry, but also does so at very low cost, without the need for complex instrumentation, highly trained operators, or handling of radioactive material. Furthermore, since this device is based on radiation damage rather than radioactivation, its readings are time-independent, which is beneficial for nuclear forensics. In addition to development of a novel dosimeter, this work also provides insight into the particularly under-investigated topic of the effects of neutron irradiation of carbon nanotubes. This work details the fabrication and characterization of carbon nanotube based neutron and gamma radiation dosimeters. They consist of a random network of CNTs, sealed under a layer of silicon dioxide, spanning the gap between two electrodes to form a conductive path. They were fabricated using conventional wafer processing techniques, making them intrinsically scalable and ready for mass production. Electrical properties were measured before and after irradiation at several doses, demonstrating a consistent repeatable trend that can be effectively used to measure dose. Changes to the microstructure were investigated using Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed that the changes to electrical properties are due to increasing defect concentration. The results outlined in this dissertation will have significant impacts on both the commercial nuclear industry and on the nanomaterials scientific community. The dosimeter design has been refined to the point where it is nearly ready to be deployed commercially. This device will significantly improve accuracy of RPV lifetime assessment while at the same time reducing costs. The insights into the behavior of CNTs in neutron and gamma radiation environments is of great interest to scientists and engineers studying these nanomaterials.
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    Carbon Nanotube Mechanics: Continuum Model Development from Molecular Mechanics Virtual Experiments
    Sears, Aaron Thomas (Virginia Tech, 2006-11-07)
    Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) hold great promise as an important engineering material for future applications. To fully exploit CNTs to their full potential, it is important to characterize their material response and ascertain their material properties. We have used molecular mechanics (MM) simulations to conduct virtual experiments on single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs and MWNTs respectively) similar to those performed in the mechanics of materials laboratory on a continuum structure. The output (energy and deformation rather than the load and deflection) is used to understand the material response and formulate macroscopic constitutive relations. From results of MM simulations of axial and torsional deformations on SWNTs, Young's modulus, the shear modulus and the wall thickness of an equivalent continuum tube made of a linear elastic isotropic material were found. These values were used to compare the response of the continuum tube, modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam, in bending and buckling with those obtained from the MM simulations. MM simulations have been carried out to find energetically favorable double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) configurations, and analyze their responses to extensional, torsional, radial expansion/contraction, bending, and buckling deformations. Loads were applied either to one wall or simultaneously to both walls of an open-ended DWNT. These results were compared against SWNT results. It was found that for simple tension and torsional deformations, results for a DWNT can be derived from those for its constituent SWNTs within 3% error. Radial deformations of a SWNT were achieved by considering a DWNT with the SWNT as one of its walls and moving radially through the same distance all atoms of the other wall of the DWNT thereby causing a pseudo-pressure through changes in the cumulative van der Waals forces which deform the desired wall. Results of radial expansion/contraction of a SWNT were used to deduce an expression for the van der Waals forces, and find through-the-thickness elastic moduli (Young's modulus in the radial direction, Er, and Poisson's ratio ?r?) of the SWNT. We have found four out of the five elastic constants of a SWNT taken to be transversely isotropic about a radial line. MWNTs were studied using the same testing procedures as those used SWNTs. Based on the results from those simulations a continuum model is proposed for a MWNT whose response to mechanical deformations is the same as that of the MWNT. The continuum structure is comprised of concentric cylindrical tubes interconnected by truss elements. Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, the thickness of each concentric tube, and the stiffness of the truss elements are given. The proposed continuum model is validated by studying its bending and buckling deformations and comparing these results to those from MM simulations. The major contributions to the field on nanotubes and the scientific literature is a simple and robust continuum model for nanotubes. This model can be used to study both SWNTs and MWNTs in either global or local responses by applying different analytic techniques. This model was developed using a consistent engineering methodology that mimicked traditional engineering testing, assumptions and constraints.
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    Characterization and Response of Thermoplastic Composites and Constituents
    Umberger, Pierce David (Virginia Tech, 2010-06-01)
    The research presented herein is an effort to support computational modeling of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites. An effort is made to characterize the composites and their constituents. UHMWPE, as a polymer, is time and temperature dependent. Using time-temperature superposition (tTSP), the constituent properties are studied as a function of strain rate. Properties that are believed to be significant are fiber tensile properties as a function of strain rate, as well as the through-thickness shear behavior of composite laminates. Obtaining fiber properties proved to be a challenge. The high strength and low surface energy of the fibers makes gripping specimens difficult. Several different methods of fixturing and gripping are investigated, eventually leading to a combination of friction and adhesion approaches where a fiber was wrapped on an adhesive coated cardboard mandrel and then gripped in the test fixture. Fiber strength is estimated using tTSP to equivalent strain rates approaching 10^6 sec^-1. Punch-shear testing of UHMWPE laminates is conducted at quasi-static strain rates and the dependence of the results on thickness and test geometry is investigated.
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    Characterization of Quarry By-Products as a Partial Replacement of Cement in Cementitious Composites
    Nguyen, Tu-Nam N. (Virginia Tech, 2023-08-21)
    Concrete is the most widely used man-made material in the world. Its versatility, strength, and relative ease of construction allow it to be used in the majority of civil infrastructure. However, concrete production plays a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for around 8% of CO2 emissions worldwide. This thesis aims to reduce the demand for cement in concrete construction, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the concrete, by focusing on classifying and determining the effectiveness of seven different quarry by-products as partial replacements of cement. Several methods were utilized in this study to characterize the quarry by-products: particle size distribution, helium pycnometry, X-Ray diffraction, X-Ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and a modified ASTM C1897 Method A that utilizes isothermal calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. These various methods allowed for the determination of the physical properties (e.g., gradation, specific gravity, and morphology) and the chemical properties (e.g., mineralogy and reactivity in a cementitious system). The quarry by-products were classified as four granites, two limestones, and one greenstone. These quarry by-products were found to be non-pozzolanic and non-hydraulic. However, there are indications that there may be reactions with the various clays and feldspars in the quarry by-products with calcium hydroxide, which suggests a degree of reactivity that is not necessarily pozzolanic or hydraulic.
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    Characterization of Shear Strengths and Microstructures for Solid Rocket Motor Insulation Materials
    Kyriakides, Steven Alan (Virginia Tech, 2007-11-29)
    As advances in solid rocket technology push rocket motors to more extreme operating speeds and temperatures, it becomes increasingly important to have well-designed material systems capable of surviving these harsh conditions. One common component in these systems is the use of a fiber- and particle-reinforced EPDM insulation layer between the motor casing and the solid fuel to shield the casing from the temperatures of the burning fuel and from the high velocity of gas particles traveling within the motor. This work studies several insulation materials to determine which exhibits the highest shear strength after being charred. Double-notch shear test specimens of three materials, ARI-2718, ARI-2719, and ARI-2750, were charred and tested to measure the failure strength of each charred material. The ARI-2750 showed the highest shear strength when loaded along the material orientation, but the ARI-2719 was strongest when transversely loaded. The strength measurements for ARI-2750 were highly sensitive to loading direction, unlike ARI-2718 and ARI-2719. Extensive scanning electron microscopy to identify correlations between shear strength and microstructure revealed that the amount of fiber orientation and amount of residual matrix material may have significant impacts on charred shear strength in these materials.
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    Characterization of Sulfonated Perfluorocyclobutane /Poly(Vinylidene Difluoride)-co-Hexafluoropropylene (PFCB/PVDF-HFP) Blends for Use as Proton Exchange Membranes
    Finlay, Katherine A. (Virginia Tech, 2013-04-22)
    The research herein focuses on the characterization of a PFCB/PVDF-HFP (70:30 wt:wt) blend fuel cell membrane including the constitutive and morphological properties, how these properties predict the stresses incurred under fuel cell operating conditions, and how these properties change over time under fuel cell operating conditions. Characterization was performed to mimic temperature and moisture conditions found in operating fuel cells to understand how these materials will behave in service.  This included thermal and hygral expansion, mass uptake, and the stress relaxation modulus.  These constitutive properties were chosen for characterization such that a model could be created to predict the stresses incurred during fuel cell operation, and examine how these stresses may change under different operating conditions and over time.  Based on the results of this model, lifetime predictions were made resulting in recommendations to further extend the operating time of this membrane beyond the DOE 5000 hr requirement. Stress predictions are useful, however if the material properties are changing over time under the fuel cell operating conditions, they may no longer be valid.  Therefore, PFCB/PVDF-HFP membranes were conditioned for different amounts of time under conditions similar to those commonly found in operating fuel cells.  These conditioned membranes were then characterized and compared with solvent exchanged membranes, the same materials used for previous material characterization.  The properties examined included stress relaxation modulus, bi-axial strength, mass uptake, water diffusion, and proton conductivity.  To further understand any changes noted in these properties after different environmental exposures, morphological analysis was performed.  This included small angle x-ray scattering, infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. It was initially found that the proton conductivity decreased severely when the material was immersed at high temperatures over short time periods.  This was consistent with changes noted in other properties, and morphological analysis showed a decrease in the ionic network as well as an increase in the phase separation of the PFCB block copolymer as well as the PVDF-HFP crystallinity.  These large morphological changes could be very detrimental while in service, resulting in early termination of the fuel cell.  However, it was also noted that if these materials are annealed at high temperature (140"C), the negative property changes are abated.  This abatement is again tied to the morphology of the material, as annealing the material at high temperature creates stronger physical crosslinks, and induces a small amount of chemical crosslinking via condensation of the sulfonic acid groups, thus allowing the stress predictions performed earlier to have greater validity.   Therefore, it is important to not only understand the properties of a material during characterization, but also the underlying polymer structure, and how this structure can change over time, as all of these items control the long term material performance while in service.
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    Characterization of the Interfacial Fracture of Solvated Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network (S-IPN) Silicone Hydrogels with a Cyclo-Olefin Polymer (COP)
    Murray, Katie Virginia (Virginia Tech, 2011-02-02)
    As hydrogel products are manufactured and used for applications ranging from biomedical to agricultural, it is useful to characterize their behavior and interaction with other materials. This thesis investigates the adhesion between two different solvated semi-interpenetrating polymer network (S-IPN) silicone hydrogels and a cyclo-olefin (COP) polymer through experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. Interfacial fracture data was collected through the application of the wedge test, a relatively simple test allowing for the measurement of fracture properties over time in environments of interest. In this case, the test was performed at discrete temperatures within range of 4Ë C to 80Ë C. Two COP adherends were bonded together by a layer of one of the S-IPN silicone hydrogels. Upon the insertion of a wedge between the two adherends, debonding at one of the two interfaces would initiate and propagate at a decreasing rate. Measurements were taken of the debond length over time and applied to develop crack propagation rate versus strain energy release rate (SERR) curves. The SERR values were determined through the application of an analytical model derived for the wedge test geometry and to take into account the effects of the hydrogel interlayer. The time-temperature superposition principle (TTSP) was applied to the crack propagation rate versus SERR curves by shifting the crack propagation rates with the Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) equation-based shift factors developed for the bulk behavior of each hydrogel. The application of TTSP broadened the SERR and crack propagation rate ranges and presented a large dependency of the adhesion of the system on the viscoelastic nature of the hydrogels. Power-law fits were applied to the master curves in order to determine parameters that could describe the adhesion of the system and be applied in the development of a finite element model representing the interfacial fracture that occurs for each system. The finite element models were used to validate the analytical model and represent the adhesion of the system such that it could be applied to future geometries of interest in which the S-IPN silicone hydrogels are adhered to the COP substrate. [Files modified per J. Austin, July 9, 2013 Gmc]
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    Characterization of the viscoelastic and flow properties of High Density Polyethylene Resins for Pipes in the Solid and Melt State
    Pretelt Caceres, Juan Antonio (Virginia Tech, 2020-01-15)
    The frequent use of high-density polyethylene pipes over the last decades has been possible because these pipes are lightweight, corrosion resistant, unlikely to have leaks, and are low cost. The chain structure of the polymer, the extrusion and cooling conditions, the resulting morphology and the ambient conditions all play an important role in the pipe's performance. A new generation of high density polyethylene resins has improved the performance of pipes, but brought new challenges to their testing and characterization. There is a need to understand the rheological behavior of the resins, their processing, and their associated properties in a finished pipe. The rheological behavior of the resins was studied to characterize the effect of high molecular weight tails in a bimodal molecular weight distribution. The use of cone-and-plate and parallel-plate geometries in a rheometer provided simple flow that characterized the steady and dynamical response of the polymer melts. The rheological measurements detected differences in the resins: the resin with higher molecular weight tail showed increased zero shear-rate viscosity, a much slower relaxation of stresses and a resin that more readily deviates from linear viscoelastic behavior. The rheology of the resins allowed modeling their flow through different extrusion dies. The flow channels for pipe dies are thick, so velocities and shear rates are low. Using a different die had a larger impact in shear rates and stresses compared to using different resins. The resin with higher molecular weight shows much higher shear stresses for the same die and temperature, which makes processing harder. The flow of a fluid through a pipe causes constant stress, which at long enough times is one the reasons for pipe failure. Tests that characterize the service lifetime of pipes take long times and are expensive. Dynamical mechanical analysis allows characterizing the viscoelastic properties of the pipe and creep testing confirms that shift factors work for viscoelastic properties measured inde-pendently. For the characterized pipes, one hour of testing at 80 °C is equivalent to a month of test-ing at 25 °C. This works characterizes pipes made from two resins and two different dies. The meas-urements showed that the pipes were statistically the same.
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    Characterization of the Viscoelastic Fracture of Solvated Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network Silicone Hydrogels
    Tizard, Geoffrey Alexander (Virginia Tech, 2010-07-22)
    The unique compressive, optical, and biocompatible properties of silicone hydrogels allow them to be used in a wide variety of applications in the biomedical field. However, the relatively weak mechanical behavior, as well as the highly deformable nature of these elastomeric materials, presents a myriad of challenges when attempting to understand their constitutive and fracture properties in order to improve hydrogel manufacturing and performance in applications. In this thesis, a series of experimental techniques were developed or adapted from common engineering approaches in order to investigate the effects of rate and temperature on the viscoelastic constitutive and fracture behavior of two solvated semi-interpenetrating polymer network silicone hydrogel systems. Viscoelastic characterization of these material systems was performed by implementing a series of uniaxial tension and dynamic mechanical analysis shear tests in order to generate relevant master curves and corresponding thermal shift factors of such properties as shear relaxation modulus, dynamic moduli, and the loss factor. Concurrently, the cohesive fracture properties were studied by utilizing a "semi-infinite" strip geometry under constrained tension in which thin pre-cracked sheets of these cured hydrogels were exposed to several different loading conditions. Fracture tests were performed over a relevant range of temperatures and crosshead rates to determine and generate a master curve of the subcritical strain energy release rate. Experimental methods utilizing high-speed camera images and digital image correlation to monitor viscoelastic strain recovery in the wake of a propagating crack were explored. The results from this thesis may prove useful in an investigation of the interfacial fracture of these hydrogel systems on several different polymer substrates associated with an industrial manufacturing problem.
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    Characterization of UHMWPE Laminates for High Strain Rate Applications
    Cook, Frederick Philip (Virginia Tech, 2010-01-04)
    The research presented in this thesis represents an effort to characterize the properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). As a composite of polymers, the properties of UHMWPE are time-dependent. It is desired by research sponsors to know the properties of the material at high strain rates, in order to simulate the use of these materials in computer models. Properties believed to be significant which are investigated in this research are the tensile properties of lamina and laminates, and the interlaminar shear properties of laminates. The efficacy of using time-temperature superposition to shift tensile properties of the composite is investigated, and a novel apparent shear strength test is proposed and demonstrated. The effects of processing the material at various temperatures and pressures are also investigated.
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    Characterizing the Mechanical Properties of Composite Materials Using Tubular Samples
    Carter, Robert Hansbrough (Virginia Tech, 2001-07-16)
    Application of composite materials to structures has presented the need for engineering analysis and modeling to understand the failure mechanisms. Unfortunately, composite materials, especially in a tubular geometry, present a situation where it is difficult to generate simple stress states that allow for the characterization of the ply-level properties. The present work focuses on calculating the mechanical characteristics, both on a global and local level, for composite laminate tubes. Global responses to axisymmetric test conditions (axial tension, torsion, and internal pressure) are measured on sections of the material. New analysis techniques are developed to use the global responses to calculate the ply level properties for tubular composite structures. Error analyses are performed to illustrate the sensitivity of the nonlinear regression methods to error in the experimental data. Ideal test matrices are proposed to provide the best data sets for improved accuracy of the property estimates. With these values, the stress and strain states can be calculated through the thickness of the material, enabling the application of failure criteria, and the calculation of failure envelopes.