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The influence of a keyhole defect on local deformation behaviour in additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V was investigated by comparing it to a representative bulk region without a defect. High resolution digital image correlation (HRDIC) was used to measure the differences in strain localisation at the microstructural length-scale. A nanoscale speckle pattern was used to allow small changes in strain to be detected and resolved within individual lamella and at pre-existing crack locations around the defect. Strain localisation was observed around the defect and formed well below the macroscopic yield stress. In contrast, minimal deformation was found in the bulk at this stress level. Following further deformation into the plastic regime, the strain localisation around the keyhole became more heterogenous with a distinct strain field. A large amount of strain localisation and slip was observed either side of the defect normal to the loading direction compared to relatively little in the regions close to the defect in line with the loading direction. This HRDIC observation was consistent with finite element analysis of the expected strain fields around the defect both below and above the yield point. Furthermore, micro-cracks were observed in αp/αp and αp/βt interfaces in both regions with the more pronounced strain fields around the defect leading to an increased number of long micro-cracks than in the bulk. The formation mechanisms of micro-cracks have been discussed, emphasising the role of localised strain caused by the defect.

Granular materials are made up of smaller particles, manifestation of microstructure results in a macroscopic response of granular material. Understanding the overall mechanical behaviour from microscopic parameters is one of the main challenges in many engineering fields including civil engineering. When modelling this kind of material by Discrete Element Model (DEM) using idealized circular grains, the effects of appropriate sample size and microscopic parameter changes have been a crucial subject. Previous research has primarily relied on the case of purely frictional granular materials. In this paper, we use DEM to investigate the appropriate sample size and the relationship between microscopic parameters and the macroscopic responses of cohesive-frictional granular assemblies by performing a series of biaxial tests. Our findings indicate that a minimum number of particles is required to balance between mechanical behaviour and computing time. In addition, through extensive parametric studies, the paper explores the impact of factors such as interparticle bonds, intergranular friction coefficients, and initial void index on the overall shear behaviour of granular assemblies. Also, the result reveals a strong correlation between shear band formation and the break field of cohesive contact (static variable) and the translations and rotations of grains (kinematic variable).

Continuum Damage Mechanics provides a framework for the description of the mechanical response of concrete and rocks which encompasses distributed micro-cracking, macro-crack initiation, and then its propagation. In order to achieve a consistent setting, an internal length needs to be introduced to circumvent the difficulties inherent to strain softening and to avoid failure without dissipation of energy. Upon inserting this internal length, structural size effect is captured too. This paper reviews some the progresses achieved by the author since the introduction of the nonlocal damage model in 1987. Among them, the early proposals exhibited a proper description of the inception of failure but a poor one for complete failure since it is not straightforward to model a discrete cracking with a continuum approach. Candidate solutions, e.g. by considering a variable internal length are outlined. Then, the coupled effects between material damage and material permeability are considered. Is is recalled that the permeability of the material should be indexed on the damage growth in the regime of distributed cracking. Upon macro-cracking, there is a change of regime and it is the crack opening that controls the fluid flow in the cracked material. Both regimes may be captured with a continuum damage approach, however.

In the present study we elucidate the nature of local strain statistics evolution during tensile deformation in polycrystalline materials. A rate-independent formulation was implemented within a crystal plasticity framework by the means of representative volume element (RVE) analysis. Local elastic strain, as well as stress, were found to obey a normal distribution, whereas the statistics of local plastic strain conforms to a lognormal distribution. In line with experimental observations, the plastic strain becomes progressively localised and the local regions of large strains make significant contribution to the overall average strain increase. The results reveal the nature of strain inhomogeneity at the microscale and emphasize the fact that in metallic materials the elastic strain accumulation represents an additive process, whereas plastic deformation is a multiplicative process.

Full range analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) members covering the post-crack and post-peak regimes is important for obtaining the deformation response and failure mode of structural members. When a RC member is subject to an increasing external load, the critical sections would exhibit cracking and/or softening. Due to stress relief effect in the proximity of crack opening and plastic hinging, unloading may occur at the adjacent regions. The variable stress states of discrete sections would lead to sectional variation of stiffness, which could not be accounted for by conventional structural analysis methods. In this paper, a nonlinear multilevel analysis method for RC frames whereby the frame members are divided into sub-elements and sectional analysis is utilised to evaluate stiffness degradation and strength deterioration is developed. At sectional level, the secant stiffness is determined from moment-curvature relation, where the curvature is evaluated based on both transverse displacements and section rotations of the frame member. Unloading and reloading behaviour of concrete and reinforcing steel is simulated. In implementing the multilevel analysis, secant iteration is performed in each step of displacement increment to obtain the convergent solution satisfying equilibrium. Numerical example of RC frame is presented to demonstrate the applicability and accuracy of the proposed nonlinear multilevel analysis method.

Damage by pitting corrosion of the surface areas of the local oil and gas pipelines was identified and numeri-cally analysed in this paper. Having used the methods of optical and scanning electron microscopy, the basic laws of structural and mechanical degradation were established. Based on the data of fractographic control, the shape of defects and substantiated morphological characteristics were examined. It was established that certain informative signs of the defects correspond to certain stages of operation. Having used methods of fractodiagnostics, the main reasons for the performance defects of main oil and gas pipelines were established, and the mechanisms of degradation as well as frac-ture of the materials they are made from were described. According to the findings, the cause of the decrease in the reli-ability of the main oil and gas pipeline networks is general and localised corrosion as well as technological defects in the pipeline metal. These studies are essential for the establishment of the complex of mechanical and corrosion-mechanical properties, particularly sensitive to degradation in the steel used for the pipe wall after a lengthy use of a pipe.

The effect of the in-service scattered damage in the pipe wall metal is evaluated, and the effect of hydrogen absorbed by metal on the variation of the structure and mechanical properties of the main gas pipeline after a long-term operation is found. The main regularities in the graded nature of the static deformation process and the effect of hydrogenation on the scattered damage and fracture accumulation are found.