Search

The drilling of composite structure leads to its damage, near the peripheral areas of the drilled hole, due to the laminar structure of the composites. The goodness of a drilling process can be evaluated by measuring the extent of the damage caused by it. In the present study, lock-in thermography non-destructive inspection method is proposed to characterise the drilling damages in glass fiber–reinforced polymer panel. A semi-automated image processing methodology is proposed to calculate damage parameters, namely delamination area and size, and delamination factor. The effect of excitation frequency on the damage characterisation is studied to decide the optimum frequency range to measure the damage parameters through signal-to-noise ratio and damage visibility. The damage parameters are measured at optimum frequency. The study showed that the lock-in thermography technique has the potential to characterise drilling damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in fortifying the glass fiber reinforced polymeric (GFRP) composites are discussed in this paper. Bolted steel straps are utilized at the edges of composite plate to establish clamped conditions in the test setup. To minimize uncertainties caused by bolt attachments, a genetic algorithm-based model updating approach has been implemented by introducing artificial linear springs at the margins to achieve a better balance between theory and reality. The accuracy of the plate's results (natural frequencies and mode shapes) is verified, and the mechanical properties of randomly dispersed CNTs are incorporated in the formulations of folded plates. Remarkably, the motion equations are brought forward by the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Thereafter, two-directional generalized differential quadrature (2D-GDQ) technique is employed to determine natural frequencies from available motion, continuity, and boundary equations. The results of the folded plate are validated first by an experimental modal testing and finally some effective parameters such as folding angle, CNT weight ratio, boundary condition and flange-shape length are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon/glass hybrid rod exhibits high tensile strength, light weight, and strong corrosion resistance. However, the bottleneck of interlayer splitting exists in the interlayer hybrid rod, severely impeding safe operation. To solve the problem of rod splitting, this paper proposed a new scheme of an intralayer carbon/glass hybrid rod. Based on the material constitutive model, a full‐scale simulation model was developed. The stress distribution and deformation of the hybrid rod were analyzed and the progressive damage mechanism of the hybrid rod was explained. The results indicated that, for the intralayer carbon/glass hybrid rod, (a) the ultimate experimental tensile load witnessed a significant increase, rising by 14.0% from 452.4 to 515.7 kN compared to the interlayer hybrid rod; (b) the numerical model predicted the tensile load of 525.9 kN, with an error of 1.9% compared to the test result, meeting engineering accuracy requirements; (c) the elastic deformation stage saw a 146.7% increase from 280.2 to 691.3 MPa in the maximum axial stress of the carbon‐fiber layer, and a 120% increase from 89.8 to 198.0 MPa in the maximum radial stress of the glass fiber layer as the tensile displacement increased from 0.16 to 0.32 mm. In conclusion, the intralayer carbon/glass hybrid rod proposed in this paper can significantly improve the tensile strength compared to the interlayer hybrid rod, which can accelerate the application of carbon/glass hybrid rods in oil and gas fields. Highlights: According to the problem of interlayer splitting in the interlayer carbon/glass hybrid rods, a novel scheme of an intralayer carbon/glass hybrid rod was proposed.Based on the material constitutive model, a full‐scale simulation model of an intralayer carbon/glass hybrid rod was developed to analyze the stress distribution and deformation response under tensile load.The dynamic progressive damage analysis method for intralayer carbon/glass hybrid rods was proposed to reveal the damage evolution mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring the sufficient residual resistance of glass structures after the failure of one glass ply to the failure of all the glass plies is an integral part of the design of glass structures. This paper presents an experimental study of bolted connections in laminated glass during three stages of a glass specimen: an intact glass specimen, a specimen with one ply of glass broken, and a specimen with both plies of glass broken. The effect of the type of glass was observed. The experiment proved that laminated glass made from thermally-toughened glass with bolted connections in its unfractured state has significantly higher resistance than laminated glass made from annealed glass. In a state of both plies of glass broken, the specimens made from annealed glass showed a higher residual resistance than specimens made from thermally toughened glass. The performance at this stage was also influenced by the temperature and loading speed. The expected strength of the glass was calculated on the basis of numerical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windows are commonly the primary way for noise to enter the building environment. Most windows achieve higher sound insulation targets by simply increasing glass thickness or laminate. However, the glass thickness cannot be increased freely due to the window frame's limitation. This research selects eleven kinds of asymmetric insulating laminated glass (glass + polyvinyl butyral + glass + air + glass) within 27 mm, which are the typical thicknesses of window frames. The three pieces of glass have equal thicknesses. The half-space acoustics method investigated the acoustic properties and modal behavior of the glass with finite thickness. The results show that when PVB or three glass increases simultaneously, and the sound insulation of each glass can be improved by 0.9∼3.4 dB or 3.7∼21.8 dB at first resonant frequencies, respectively. The glass with the best sound insulation is 7 mm glass + 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral + 7 mm glass + 5 mm air + 7 mm glass (7 + 0.76 + 7 + 5A + 7 for short). Its sound transmission loss (TL) is 38.5 dB from 125 to 4000 Hz and 16.8 dB in the first resonant frequency (200 Hz). In addition, its first resonant frequency is the highest among eleven kinds of glass, and the number of natural frequencies in the low frequency range is only 9. These findings can provide a basis for designing asymmetric insulating laminated glass to improve the low frequency noise reduction effect effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the coupling between time-dependent behaviours (viscoelasticity, viscoplasticity) and damage mechanisms within carbon woven-ply polyphenylene sulfide (C/PPS) thermoplastic composites subjected to creep loadings at T > Tg (Glass transition temperature), it is necessary to develop experimental protocols adapted to high temperature conditions. To this aim, the present study combines different complementary techniques (acoustic emission, edge replication, fractographic analysis, tomography) allowing in-situ analyses of the damage mechanisms that coexist and interact during the different phases of creep-type loadings. These techniques provide information to quantify and dissociate the different material behaviours (viscoelasticity, viscoplasticity, damage). Two main damage mechanisms are identified: intra-bundle cracking and inter-bundle cracking leading to extensive meta-delamination. Image analyses based on morphological operations allow the evaluation of the surface cracking density (intra- and inter-strand) from edge replicas. At macroscopic scale, the thermo-mechanical response is little influenced by the viscous behaviour of angle-ply C/PSS laminates though their thermo-mechanical behaviour is mainly driven by the PPS matrix. At micro and mesoscopic scales, the results clearly show the onset and propagation of time-dependent damage in C/PPS specimens. By implementing this protocol, the acoustic emission monitoring associated with the quantification of the cracking density proved to be relevant and complementary to study the coupling between viscous effects and damage within C/PPS laminates subjected to high temperature loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical soft–hard transition of hydrogels is desired in conditions‐adaptive deformation and mechanics reconfiguration applications. However, highly efficient, stimuli‐responsive, and reversible transition strategies are hard to achieve. Inspired by the supercooling of salt‐aqueous solutions, solid and supersaturated hydrogels are prepared based on a hydrophilic polymer network and salt‐aqueous solution. The inner crystallization‐ or melting‐induced reversible phase‐change realizes the switch between the soft hydrogel (modulus: 0.1 MPa) and rigid composite (modulus: 24.0 MPa). The soft and supersaturated hydrogels easily deform to achieve diverse new 3D models and the unfamiliar soft–hard transition makes temporary shapes be efficiently fixed (hardening). Interestingly, the initial hydrogel's shapes can be regenerated relying on the resilience of the polyacrylamide network when the crystal is melted (softening). Shape memory, complex surface morphology replication, rapid mold application, and self‐supporting laminated glass are accomplished by this unique crystallization‐melting introduced soft–hard transition. This phase change soft‐hard switching strategy will broaden the functionalities of hydrogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using glass as a structural element that could obtain the role of the primary load-bearing elements of iconoclast structures has had a superficial history. Because of its aesthetic and admissible mechanical properties, glass has been considered one of the structural elements in the construction industry. Because of its extrasafety, laminated glass on top of the most widely used elements has been appraised with more depth. The study aimed to evaluate the failure modes in laminated glass and the possibility of detecting the pre-failure status of the surveyed elements, referring to the proffered approaches and image processing (IP) procedures in the literature. The outcomes have compared the peculiarity and strength points of various routes and have reached the inference for proper approaches in every procedure. According to the results, image processing (IP) is the most appropriate method of pre-failure detection in load-bearing laminated glass elements. Among the image processing (IP) techniques, digital image correlation has the widest application. The results of this study, in combination with other pieces of research, may propound a database for evaluating the failure status of glass structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new method for synthesizing cold‐resistant laminated anti‐fire glass using a K2O·nSiO2‐based ultrathin flexible membrane, which is prepared by vacuum surface treatment method with ball‐milled core–shell SiO2 emulsion (55 wt%). We systemically characterize the mechanical, optical, rheological, cold‐resistant, fire‐resistant, and weather‐resistant performances of this glass. The formation mechanism of K2O·nSiO2‐based ultrathin membrane is studied in detail using multispeckle diffusing–wave spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Then, the tensile strength, plasticity, and rheological behavior of the materials with different moduli are characterized. Combined with thermal gravity analysis, we characterize the compositions of K2O·nSiO2‐based materials with different moduli. For the K2O·nSiO2‐based ultrathin flexible membrane, the appearance of air‐conducting microchannels is designed, resembling the Wu Zhu coin morphology (a square hole circular coin in ancient China) or honeycomb wall morphology. These structures endow the visible region of the anti‐fire glass with a reduced presence of microbubbles. As a type of building safety glass, the spongelike microporous insulation layer can increase the heat‐insulating time in the event of a fire. Furthermore, the weather‐resistant performance of this glass is demonstrated to be more than 3000 h through an ultraviolet test. This work also provides a new routine for synthesizing high‐quality anti‐fire glass with different shapes, including curved surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline cesium tungsten bronze (CsxWO3) exhibits high transparency and near-infrared blocking effect caused by localized surface plasmon resonance and small-polaron absorption, making it a promising transparent heat insulation material. CsxWO3 has certain application in energy-saving coated glass for building, but its application in laminated glass, another widely used building glass, has rarely been studied. The research on laminated glass mainly focuses on safety, but it also has high energy-saving potential, and the research in this area is relatively backward. Compared with the glass coating whose thickness limits the application of thermal insulation materials, the interlayer of laminated glass can introduce both infrared shielding materials and low thermal conductivity materials by virtue of its larger thickness, so as to achieve better thermal insulation effect. Herein, a new type of thermal insulation laminated glass was proposed. For this purpose, two types of thermal insulation nanomaterials, nanocrystalline CsxWO3 and SiO2 aerogel, were incorporated into polyvinyl butyral (PVB) to prepare PVB/CsxWO3/ SiO2-aerogel composite for the preparation of laminated glass. The materials containing CsxWO3 exhibited high visible light transmittance (75%) and NIR shielding rate (77%). In addition, when appropriate content of SiO2 aerogel was added, the thermal insulation was further improved with minimal change in the transmittance spectrum. The PVB/CsxWO3/SiO2-aerogel achieved both good visible light transmittance and excellent thermal insulation performance, making it a composite material for laminated glass in line with contemporary green energy-saving concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, fiber‐metal laminates (FMLs) consisting of alternated continuous fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic composite layers and aluminum alloy sheets were proposed by the hot‐pressing method. Carbon fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6/CF) and glass fiber‐reinforced polypropylene (PP/GF) prepregs were selected as composite layers. The effect of the assembly method between composite prepreg and aluminum sheets as well as the stacking configurations on the flexural response of FMLs were investigated. Meanwhile, the macro and micro‐structural observations were performed to characterize failure mechanisms in these structures. Experimental results revealed that the strength and stiffness of hybrid FLMs depended on the material property on the surface layer. With the stacking sequence of aluminum sandwiched by PA6/CF achieved the highest flexural strength of 535.3 MPa and modulus of 63.6 GPa in the series of FMLs, which could achieve satisfied lightweight and strength‐stiffness properties. The ductile deformation of aluminum sheets and fracturing and pulling out of the fibers were the main characterized failure mechanisms of thermoplastic FMLs. For glass fiber‐metal laminates, stacking configurations of three aluminum sheets alternation with four PP/GF intermediate layers achieved a favorable flexural property. Above all, the proposed thermoplastic FMLs have great potential in civil applications especially in the automobile industry as structural parts. Highlights: Thermoplastic fiber‐metal laminates are designed and fabricated.The assembly method and stacking sequences influence the flexural property.FMLs with PA6/CF and aluminum achieve satisfied strength stiffness.PP/GF prepreg and aluminum layer display ductile deformation mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerospace, automotive, and energy industries can use fiber‐reinforced composites due to their high specific strength and stiffness. However, unexpected external impacts in work cause internal damage and residual strength loss in composite structures. Another ongoing issue is the sustainable management of composite materials' end‐of‐life. The quasi‐static indentation properties of glass epoxy composites are investigated in this study using different kinds of novel filler materials that are recycled from old composite materials: recycled milled carbon (rmCF), recycled milled Kevlar filler (rmKF), and an innovative hybrid filler (rmBF) composed of recycled milled carbon and Kevlar fillers (rmBF). Surface roughness and hardness studies assessed the quasi‐static indentation (QSI) response of neat glass epoxy and glass epoxy composites loaded with fillers using indentation force, absorbed energy, residual dent depth, and evolution of damage area. Compared to the baseline samples, the rmCF composites performed exceptionally well, showing a 16% increase in peak force, a 59% decrease in damaged area, and a 6.32% and 22.5% reduction in surface roughness, respectively (Ra and Sa). After QSI tests, rmC filler samples had 26.8% higher residual flexural strength than neat glass epoxy composites in a three‐point bending test. Through toughening mechanisms like filler interlocking and bridging, micrographs captured using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that recycled fillers provide a higher level of stiffness, better energy dissipation, less damaged area, and overall improved hardness. Highlights: Recycled milled carbon (rmCF) and Kevlar hybrid fillers (rmKF) have been integrated into glass/epoxy composites.The damage tolerance of glass epoxy composites was as a whole significantly improved by the rmCF integration.The Kevlar fillers' inadequate adhesion and interlaminar shear strength were compensated for by the Hybrid fillers (rmBF).Micrographs taken with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) clearly show the fillers' role in the resistance to damage propagation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looks at the mechanical and free vibration properties of glass laminated with functionalized aluminium reinforced epoxy. NaOH, K2Cr2O7, Fe2(SO4)3. XH2O, and C8H18O3Si were employed to functionalize aluminum. The flexural, impact, and shear strengths, as well as their failures, were investigated using electron microscope images. The impulsive hammer approach was applied to investigate laminate vibration behaviour. The results showed that the flexural strength (623.83 MPa), impact strength (76.41 J/mm2), and shear strength (55.31 MPa) of C8H18O3Si functionalized laminates outperformed those of other functionalized laminates. The improvement of mechanical properties was due to the change in interfacial adhesion. This is dependent on the functionalization of aluminium used in stacked laminates. Moreover, C8H18O3Si functionalized laminates exhibit a higher natural frequency and higher damping than other functionalized laminates. This natural frequency and damping are enhanced due to the strong mechanical interlocking between polymer and metal adhesion. It was noted that the same laminates have higher toughness than other laminates because of the high impact energy obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present investigation, experimental and numerical approaches were combined to investigate the distance between impact positions (DBIP) effects upon impact response and damage accumulation regarding carbon/glass hybrid laminates with multiple low‐velocity impacts. Force/energy‐time curves as well as force‐displacement curves with respect to the laminates with three various impact energies at four different impact positions were obtained from experiment data. Then C‐scans were made to quantify the damage of all the impacted specimens. Additionally, an integrated multi‐impact model was created considering both interlaminar delamination and intralaminar damage. Continuum damage mechanics model (CDM) was developed to calculate the impact resistance regarding laminates under various impact loadings with high efficiency. The simulation and experimental results agreed well. Moreover, the qualitative effects of impact positions on the laminates' mechanical responses were summarized utilizing predictive model that validated. Highlights: The effect of the DBIP on the impact response and damage accumulation of carbon/glass hybrid laminates subjected to multiple low‐velocity impacts was studied.An integrated multi‐impact model was developed to predict the impact resistance of laminates under various impact loadings with high efficiency.The qualitative effects of impact positions on the laminates' mechanical responses were summarized using a validated predictive model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An evaluation of the interlaminar fracture toughness of polyamide/glass fiber laminates with various layups is reported. Due to large differences in thermal expansion coefficients of fiber and binder the laminates with layups where single layers are swapped exhibit high warping. A technique for avoiding this is proposed, allowing evaluating interlaminar fracture toughness of various angle interfaces. Two different layups for evaluating the Mode I and II interlaminar fracture toughness are tested. The differences of delamination behavior of a number of different-angle fiber interfaces are shown and analyzed. The applicability of the proposed testing technique is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a high-performance electrode with low Ir loading for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) stands as the primary challenge in advancing proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). In this study, we designed an electrode comprising a self-supported interlayer of TiO 2 nanotubes (TiO 2 NTs) on Ti felt, followed by a coating of IrRuO x on TiO 2 NTs/Ti felt. Due to a significant electrochemical active area (ECSA) and lattice contraction, Ti/TiO 2 NTs/IrRuO x -20 V effectively boost the oxygen evolution activity, achieving an Ir loading of 85.1 μg cm−2 and an overpotential of only 190 mV@10 mA cm−2. Both the interlayer and IrRuOx coating contribute to increased durability. The stability test reveals that Ti/TiO 2 NTs/IrRuO x -20 V remains stable for up to 300 h@10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4. Moreover, the electrode lasts 260 h@500 mA cm−2 in a full cell. This study suggests a promising direction for the design of future electrodes. [Display omitted] • The interlayer serves to protect the Ti felt and supports the anodic catalyst. • The Ti/TiO 2 NTs/IrRuO x -20 V exhibits an optimum TiO 2 NTs length for enhanced activity. • TiO 2 interlayer reduces noble metal loading and improves OER performance. • The incorporation of the interlayer decreases crack width, resulting in improved stability of the electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical analysis of photovoltaics and building integrated photovoltaics is a key step for their optimal design and certification, and requires careful consideration, alongside solar power, durability and functionality issues. The solar cells are encapsulated in thin interlayers that are usually composed of a viscoelastic Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate compound, and protected by thin glass and/or plastic layers. This paper investigates the out-of-plane bending response of a full-scale commercial PV module and focuses attention on the shear bonding efficiency of the thin encapsulant for quasi-static and dynamic mechanical considerations. The parametric analytical analysis, carried out in this study for a laminated glass plate, highlights the possible consequences of the viscoelastic shear coupling on the cross-section load-bearing demand in the covers. As a direct effect of severe operational conditions (i.e., ageing, non-uniform/cyclic thermal gradients, humidity, extreme mechanical/thermal loads, etc.) the shear rigidity and adhesion of these films can suffer from repeated/progressive modification and even degradation, and thus induce major stress and deflection effects in the out-of-plane mechanical response of the PV module components. The minimum shear bond efficiency required to prevent mechanical issues is calculated for various configurations of technical interest. Accordingly, it is shown how the quasi-static and dynamic mechanical performance of the system modifies as a function of a more rigid or weak shear coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent explosions and impact events have highlighted the exposure of civil structures, prompting the need for resilient new constructions and retrofitting of existing ones. Laminated glass panels, particularly in glazed facades, are increasingly used to enhance blast resistance. However, the understanding of glass fragments and their interaction with the interlayer is still incomplete. This paper investigates experimentally the quasi-static and dynamic responses of cured and uncured polymers for seven different materials—two different products of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), two ethylene vinyl acetate products (EVA), one product of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and two SentryGlas products (SG)—that were tested between 21 and 32 °C (69.8 and 89.6 °F), which is the recommended room temperature. In these experiments, the responses of PVB, EVA, TPU, and SG were evaluated under a quasi-static strain rate of 0.033 s−1 and compared to the results under a relatively higher strain rate of 2 s−1. Moreover, the high strain rate loading of the materials was accomplished using a drop-weight testing appliance to evaluate the engineering stress–strain response under strain rates between 20 and 50 s−1. The results demonstrated that with strain rates of 20 s−1, PVB behaved like a material with viscoelastic characteristics, but at 45 s−1 strain rates, PVB became a non-elastic material. SG, on the other hand, offered both a high stiffness and a high level of transparency, making it a very good alternative to PVB in structural applications. In contrast, after the maximum stress point, the response to the failure of the seven materials differed significantly. The tests provided ample information for evaluating alternative approaches to modeling these different materials in blast events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of adhesively bonded joints between composite panels, metal panels, or between composites and metals are used in the aerospace and automotive industries to avoid stress concentrations due to fasteners while reducing weight. Quantifying the bond thickness allows for confidence that loading is being properly transferred. This study presents a methodology to measure bondline thickness using the data obtained from an immersion quality ultrasound scan using an out‐of‐tank, field‐portable, utlrasonic testing (UT) scanner. Eighteen bonded coupons were fabricated using a paste‐type adhesive filling a range of gaps between substrates of 0.254 and 1.27 mm. Three adhesively bonded coupon types were investigated: carbon fiber laminates, fiber glass laminates, and aluminum plates. A semiautomated algorithm is presented to quantify bondline thickness from the ultrasound data for each coupon type, generating a spatially varying 3D point cloud of adhesive thickness. Bondline measurements obtained using ultrasound are then validated over two orthogonal planes against measurements taken from x‐ray computed tomography reconstructions. Results indicate a typical accuracy of 0.081 mm for bondline thickness quantification for all samples studied, with the results from the inspection of the composite coupons yielding an error of 0.078 mm, whereas the accuracy when scanning the aluminum coupons yielded an error of 0.086 mm. Highlights: Field‐portable, inspection station is presented for full waveform ultrasonics.Mathematical procedure to characterize adhesive bondline thickness.Results are presented for a variety of material systems and adhesive thicknesses.Results are validated against x‐ray computed tomography with a typical accuracy of 0.081 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) provide an advanced platform for interlayer exciton generation to detect the exceeding cutoff wavelengths of individual TMDCs. Herein, the first demonstration of high‐performance infrared (IR) photodetectors driven by interlayer excitons and based on HfS2/MoS2 vdW heterojunctions grown by chemical vapor deposition is presented. HfS2 exhibits selective growth only on MoS2, establishing a vertical heterojunction that effectively generates interlayer excitons. The synthesized HfS2/MoS2 vertical heterojunction with type‐II band alignment exhibits a low interlayer bandgap and a significantly large interface area, enabling highly efficient IR detection. Moreover, the built‐in potential in HfS2/MoS2 plays a pivotal role in the outstanding photoresponse by suppressing the dark current and providing gradient band bending for the interlayer exciton‐induced photocarriers to drift toward each electrode. The HfS2/MoS2 photodetector exhibits remarkable performance, achieving a detectivity (D*) of ≈7 × 1013 Jones at 1550 nm, D* of ≈2 × 1014 Jones at 980 nm, and fast response time of 60 µs, surpassing previously reported 2D photodetectors. Overall, the successful demonstration of a photodetector based on vdW epitaxial HfS2/MoS2 paves the way for the advancement of large‐scale high‐performance IR sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a Whipple structure to enhance the impact resistance of graphene/aluminum alloy composites by varying the interlayer spacing between graphene and aluminum alloy. The increased interlayer spacing provides more deformation space for the graphene to absorb more deformation energy, and enables the formation of a debris cloud from the bullet fragments and graphene fragments, significantly reducing the impact energy per unit area of the next material. The impact limit serves as a critical metric for assessing the impact resistance of the Whipple structure. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, we developed a machine learning model to predict the protection of aluminum alloy, and quickly determined the impact limits of velocity, bullet radius, and interlayer spacing by using the machine learning model. An empirical equation for the impact limit of interlayer spacing was established. The results showed that non-zero interlayer spacing can significantly improve the impact resistance of the hybrid structure; to fully exploit the superior impact resistance of this Whipple structure, the number of graphene layers should be at least 3. Furthermore, at high impact velocities and large bullet radii, the impact limit of the interlayer spacing exhibits a substantial correlation with the number of graphene layers. These results provide valuable information for the design of the impact resistance of the graphene/aluminum alloy composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the LES model, the compressible transient CFD simulation combined with the acoustic finite element method optimizes the effect of the rearview mirror and side window glass on in-vehicle noise from the perspective of sound source and transmission. The primary and secondary orders of the influence of different mirror shape and side window glass geometric parameters on the noise in the car were obtained through the design and analysis of orthogonal experiments, and the results of the flow and sound fields were compared. The following results are presented: acoustic source noise reduction from the rearview mirror is mainly affected by acoustic pressure excitation. The proportion of the mirror body of the rearview mirror, the angle of the lower edge, and the length of the mirror column affect the noise in the car in turn. The noise reduction control with PVB laminated glass as the transmission path is mainly limited by the low frequency turbulent pressure excitation. The inner and outer thicknesses of PVB laminated glass have different influences on the noise in the car under different frequency bands, and the results in the full frequency band are mainly affected by the low frequency band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate structural analyses of continuous fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are imperative for diverse engineering applications, demanding efficient material constitutive models. Nonetheless, the constitutive modeling of FRPs is complicated by the nonlinear behavior resulting from internal damages and the inherent plasticity. Consequently, this study presents an innovative anisotropic constitutive model for FRPs, designed to adeptly capture both the damage evolution and plasticity. All requisite parameters can be easily obtained through fundamental mechanical tests, rendering the model practical and user-friendly. The model utilizes the three-dimensional Puck criteria to determine damages, initiating the evolution process through a combination of continuum damage mechanics and linear stiffness attenuation methods. This evolution is coupled with a one-parameter plastic model. Subsequently, the numerical implementation method, integrated into ANSYS, is detailed. This emphasizes the Cauchy stress and consistent tangent stiffness solution strategy. Finally, the effectiveness of the developed model is demonstrated through comprehensive verification, encompassing existing biaxial tension and open-hole-tension tests conducted on carbon and glass FRP laminates. The simulation results exhibit a remarkable correspondence with the experimental data, validating the reliability and accuracy of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent sapphire and magnesium aluminum spinel (MgAl 2 O 4) ceramic was first brazed using La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 (LSBN) or La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 -MgO (LSBNM) glass filler. The Al 2 O 3 layer was formed at MgAl 2 O 4 /LSBN interface or sapphire/LSBNM interface, which caused the decrease of light transmission of joints. To avoid the formation of this interface layer, sapphire/LSBN/LSBNM/MgAl 2 O 4 joints with double glass interlayers were fabricated by using a two-step joining method consisting of high-temperature coating and low-temperature bonding. After the first step of high-temperature coating, no interfacial layer was observed in sapphire/LSBN glass and MgAl 2 O 4 /LSBNM glass samples. During the bonding process, low bonding temperature (750 °C) resulted in cracks and unbonding, while high bonding temperature (950 °C) caused the crystallization of glass interlayers. However, when the bonding temperature was 850 °C, the in-line transmission and shear strength of the sapphire/MgAl 2 O 4 joints reached 78.3% and 52 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a simple, solvent‐free method to fabricate polymer‐encapsulated halide perovskite photoconductors is described. Dry mechanochemical synthesis is used to prepare CsPbBr3 in the presence of poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA). The resulting composite powder is then heated and pressed into a free‐standing disk with a thickness controlled by a metallic spacer ring. The disk can be laminated on a glass substrate patterned with interdigitated electrodes, resulting in a planar photoconductor device. The best photoconductive performance is obtained for disks that consist of 75 wt.% CsPbBr3 in PBMA, reaching a detectivity of ≈2 × 1011 Jones. Moreover, by adjusting the thickness of the disk, narrowband detectors can be obtained due to charge collection narrowing. Depending on the thickness of the pressed disk, the position and width of the detectivity peak can be tuned. At last, the disks are tested as possible absorber materials for X‐ray detectors, where ow detection limit, and fast and linear response are measured for perovskite‐polymer disks with 50 wt.% perovskite content. This work shows a simple and versatile approach toward the fabrication of halide perovskite photodetectors, which can be carried out in air and without the use of solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent sapphire and magnesium aluminum spinel (MgAl 2 O 4) ceramic was first brazed using La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 (LSBN) or La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 -MgO (LSBNM) glass filler. The Al 2 O 3 layer was formed at MgAl 2 O 4 /LSBN interface or sapphire/LSBNM interface, which caused the decrease of light transmission of joints. To avoid the formation of this interface layer, sapphire/LSBN/LSBNM/MgAl 2 O 4 joints with double glass interlayers were fabricated by using a two-step joining method consisting of high-temperature coating and low-temperature bonding. After the first step of high-temperature coating, no interfacial layer was observed in sapphire/LSBN glass and MgAl 2 O 4 /LSBNM glass samples. During the bonding process, low bonding temperature (750 °C) resulted in cracks and unbonding, while high bonding temperature (950 °C) caused the crystallization of glass interlayers. However, when the bonding temperature was 850 °C, the in-line transmission and shear strength of the sapphire/MgAl 2 O 4 joints reached 78.3% and 52 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic responses and generated voltage in a curved sandwich beam with glass reinforced laminate (GRL) layers and a pliable core in the presence of a piezoelectric layer under low-velocity impact (LVI) are investigated. The current study aims to carry out a dynamic analysis on the sandwich beam when the impactor hits the top face sheet with an initial velocity. For the layer analysis, the high-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) and Frostig's second model for the displacement fields of the core layer are used. The classical non-adhesive elastic contact theory and Hunter's principle are used to calculate the dynamic responses in terms of time. In order to validate the analytical method, the outcomes of the current investigation are compared with those gained by the experimental tests carried out by other researchers for a rectangular composite plate subject to the LVI. Finite element (FE) simulations are conducted by means of the ABAQUS software. The effects of the parameters such as foam modulus, layer material, fiber angle, impactor mass, and its velocity on the generated voltage are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is widely used as an interlayer material in laminated glass applications, mainly in the automotive industry, but also for construction and photovoltaic applications. Post-consumed laminated glass is a waste that is mainly landfilled; nevertheless, it can be revalorized upon efficient separation and removal of adhered glass. PVB interlayers in laminated glass are always plasticized with a significant fraction in the 20–40% w/w range of plasticizer, and they are protected from the environment by two sheets of glass. In this work, the aim is to develop a thorough characterization strategy for PVB films. Neat reference PVB grades intended for interlayer use are compared with properly processed (delaminated) post-consumed PVB grades from the automotive and construction sectors. Methods are developed to open opportunities for recycling and reuse of the latter. The plasticizer content and chemical nature are determined by applying well-known analytical techniques, namely, FT-IR, TGA, NMR. The issue of potential aging during the life cycle of the original laminated material is also addressed through NMR. Based on the findings, a sensor capable of directly sorting PVB post-consumer materials will be developed and calibrated at a later stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new test specimen for investigating the fracture property of PVB/laminated glass. • Study of the delamination phenomenon in mixed-mode I/II loadings. • Obtaining the interfacial cohesive law parameters at four different loading rates. • Comparing the measured fracture parameters with those existing in literature. The polyvinyl butyral (PVB) laminated glass (LG) structures are widely used in architectural and automotive sectors. Determination of the interfacial fracture energy (i.e. G) between the PVB layer and glass is one of the most vital procedures for ensuring the structural safety and fracture resistance of these kinds of components. The present study investigates the adhesion characteristics between glass and PVB interface in a LG composite structure. A new simple test fixture is introduced to measure the mixed-mode fracture energy from pure mode I (i.e. G I) to pure mode II (i.e. G II). By making use of the concept of Equivalent material Concept (EMC), linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) formulations together with finite element (FE) analysis can be used to compute the compliance parameter of the system and pure modes I/II fracture energies. Besides, the interaction of cohesive forces between the PVB layer and glass are simulated by using a FE method based on a bi-linear cohesive zone model (CZM) technique. In this regard, the cohesive law parameters are computed for mode I and mode II in an iterative process. Then, the obtained pure mode cohesive law parameters are utilized to predict the mixed-mode load–displacement diagrams. The obtained results demonstrate the satisfactory accuracy of the cohesive law parameters and fracture energies in predicting the mixed-mode loading results across four different loading rates (i.e. LR = 2, 5, 10, and 15 mm/min). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite laminated glass is widely used in building construction, its susceptibility to cracking and collapsing during an accidental fire can intensify fire propagation, leading to substantial casualties and economic losses. In this work, we developed a meshfree framework for modeling thermomechanical cracking of laminated glass via peridynamic (PD) theory. First, to overcome the incomplete input experimental data for implementing thermal boundary conditions, we proposed both the uniform and non-uniform temperature field strategies. Second, PD interface model and the stochastic distribution of defects were implemented within this framework. Third, the challenging problem of crack path selection in thermally loaded borosilicate/steel bi-material beams was studied to validate the feasibility of the proposed model. It is demonstrated that the proposed framework can capture the temperature history and crack features of laminated glass under fire, showing great consistency with experimental results. Our findings show that with the decrease of the glass strength or the increase of the defect content, more islands form in the central region of the glazing, implying higher risks of glass fall-out in fire conditions. This model constitutes a promising tool for predicting the fire performance of laminated glass and contributes to designing safer engineering structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper utilizes an emerging machine learning technique, namely physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), to analyze the static mechanical behavior of two-side supported 2-ply laminated glass panes. The PINN model utilizes prior physical information in the form of partial differential equations during model training, eliminating the need for tremendous amounts of data required by traditional data-driven machine learning methods. The governing equations for the structural behavior of two-side supported 2-ply laminated glass panes are derived, based on which a PINN framework encompassing the neural network architecture and the loss functions is constructed. The training stability is evidently improved after the linearly inducing process, with the relative error maintained within a reasonable range. Extensive validation examples and case studies are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method. Composite action analysis results reveal that below 70 % in the design is a conservative estimate for thinner laminated glass. Furthermore, the PINN method achieves exceptional computational efficiency, reducing computational times from six hours to just a few minutes for the uncertainty evaluation of laminated glass, indicating its potential in engineering practice. [Display omitted] • PINN model is firstly introduced for the structural analysis of two-side supported 2-ply laminated glass pane. • A linearly inducing technique is proposed to improve the PINN training stability. • The complex composite action of two-side supported 2-ply laminated glass panes can be effectively captured. • The proposed method takes around 1/48 computational costs compared with the existing solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their high aesthetic value, energy-efficient properties, and contribution to daylighting, the demand for using glass panels in modern buildings has considerably increased over the past decades. However, ordinary glass panels are highly susceptible to cracking during a fire because of the temperature difference between the part of the glass exposed to the fire and the part protected by the frame. Damage to the glass can allow additional oxygen intake, leading to the flashover phenomenon significantly increasing fire severity. Laminated glass is superior to ordinary glass in its impact resistance, sound insulation, and ability to maintain post-breakage integrity. This paper provides a simplified method to study the effect of temperature gradients on the cracking behaviour of laminated glass panels. The temperature of the unprotected portion of the glass panel is first estimated by evaluating the mid-thickness temperature using the general heat transfer equation. Then, equations developed based on a parametric study that utilized ABAQUS are proposed to estimate the exposed and unexposed surface temperatures. This step was followed by evaluating the temperature of the protected glass portion. Subsequently, a method based on strain-equilibrium principles was developed to predict the corresponding maximum thermal stress. Comparisons with experimental and numerical work by others validated the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminated glass achieves improved post-critical response through the composite effect of stiff glass layers and more compliant polymer films, manifested in progressive layer failure by multiple localized cracks. As a result, laminated glass exhibits greater ductility than non-laminated glass, making structures made with it suitable for safety-critical applications while maintaining their aesthetic qualities. However, such post-critical response is challenging to reproduce using deterministic failure models, which mostly predict failure through a single through-thickness crack localized simultaneously in all layers. This numerical–experimental study explores the extent to which progressive failure can be predicted by a simple randomized model, where layer-wise tensile strength is modeled by independent, identically distributed Weibull variables. On the numerical side, we employ a computationally efficient, dimensionally-reduced phase field formulation – with each layer considered to be a Timoshenko beam – to study progressive failure through combinatorial analysis and detailed Monte Carlo simulations. The reference experimental data were obtained from displacement-controlled four-point bending tests performed on multi-layer laminated glass beams. For certain combinations of the glass layer strengths, results show that the randomized model can reproduce progressive structural failure and the formation of multiple localized cracks in the glass layers. However, the predicted response was less ductile than that observed in experiments, and the model could not reproduce the most frequent glass layer failure sequence. These findings highlight the need to consider strength variability along the length of a beam and to include it in phase-field formulations. • Numerical–experimental study of progressive laminated glass failure. • Phase-field/Monte-Carlo formulation for stochastic glass layer strengths. • Quasi-static testing of multi-layer glass beams under 4-point bending. • Gradual layer fracture/multiple cracking reproduced for some strength combinations. • Strength variability along beam length needed for the most frequent failure sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ballistic limits of CFRP and GLARE laminated structures are determined. • The damage modes of composite laminated structures are clarified. • Cohesive force damage morphology is closely related to the fiber laying direction. • Damage mechanism of composite laminated structures is revealed in high-impact load. Composite laminated structures are often subjected to high-speed impact from external objects in high impact environments, resulting in unpredictable forms of damage and even uncontrollable damage modes. To ensure the safety and reliability of these structures, research was conducted on the anti-penetration response and response mechanism of laminated structures made of different composite materials. Using carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminated structures and glass fiber/epoxy resin composite aluminum alloy (GLARE) laminated structures as research objects, a high-impact experimental setup was constructed based on a first-stage light gas gun to explore the relationship between the energy absorption characteristics and impact energy of composite laminates. Combined with the ballistic limit equations, the ballistic limit values of the composite laminated structures were determined, and the ballistic limits of the 2 mm thick CFRP laminated structure and the 2 mm thick GLARE laminated structure were 138.3 m/s and 215.6 m/s, respectively. The damage modes of CFRP laminated structure are mainly fiber fracture on the impact surface and fiber delamination, fiber tensile fracture and fiber bundle splitting on the back surface, while the damage modes of GLARE laminated structure are mainly plastic deformation, internal fiber fracture and crack extension at the penetration. At the same time, the cohesion unit is introduced to carry out numerical simulation research, which shows that the damage pore morphology of the cohesion unit between layers of composite laminated structures are closely related to their fiber layups, and the damage mode of cohesion unit between layers of composite laminated structures have been investigated, which reveals the damage mechanism in high-impact environments. The research results provide theoretical basis and common technical support for reverse design of composite laminated structures suitable for high impact environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • WS 2 -based ammonia senor tuned from p-type to n-type response via aerosol-jet printing. • The aerosol-jet-printed sensor response much faster than that of dip-coated sensor. • Elemental doping was achieved via a simple aerosol-jet printing process. • The interlayer spacing of the WS 2 increased after aerosol-jet printing. Transition metal dichalcogenides possess physical properties that are layer-dependent because of the adjustable band gap. Two dimensional WS 2 shows room-temperature ammonia gas sensing property, while the sluggish response and recovery performance needs further improvement. The WS 2 -based ammonia gas sensor showed significant faster response and recovery property via aerosol-jet printing as compared to that of the dip-coating method results from the increased interlayer spacing of the WS 2 nanosheets. Furthermore, the sensor's characteristics were changed from p-type to n-type through a simple aerosol-jet printing process because of the O and N doping introduced by the ultrasonic atomization and aerosol-jet printing. The aerosol-jet printing technology was demonstrated as a facile doping and assembling method that can change the p/n property of the WS 2 nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Completed graded upper stress limit interval fatigue (GUIF) tests and graded lower stress limit interval fatigue (GLIF) tests, comparing the effects of different time intervals and stress amplitudes on the fatigue failure characteristics of mudstone. • The fatigue life of mudstone shows an increasing trend with increasing time intervals. • The study found that the residual strain cycles before and after the time intervals exhibited opposite patterns in the GUIF tests compared to the GLIF tests. • In discontinuous graded fatigue tests, the impact of the fatigue stage on the damage to mudstone was smaller than the impact of the interval stage. During the operation of an underground salt cavern gas storage, Fatigue failure occurs in the surrounding rock of gas storage reservoirs under non-continuous gas injection and extraction loading. Due to the special layered salt rock structure in China, the mudstone interlayer is the weak part of the gas storage. It is necessary to study the effect of stress magnitude and interval time on the fatigue mechanical properties of mudstone. Graded upper stress limit interval fatigue (GUIF) test and graded lower stress limit interval fatigue (GLIF) test were carried out on mudstone respectively. And different interval times were set to investigate the effect of interval time on the mechanical properties of mudstone. With the increase in the interval time, the fatigue life and peak strain of the mudstone increased. Under the same interval time, the lower-limit interval test result showed a significantly higher fatigue life than the upper-limit interval test result. The stress–strain curve exhibited three stages: scattered–dense–scattered. During the unloading phase, the modulus of elasticity increased with increasing stress levels, indicating that the internal structure of the mudstone is extremely sensitive to the stress. In the (GUIF) test, the average residual strain increased with the increase in the interval time, and the residual strain during the cycle after the time interval under different grades was lower than the residual strain before the time interval; the results of the (GLIF) test showed the opposite trend. In the (GUIF) test, the average creep strain increased with increasing interval time under the same stress level, and the average creep strain was greater than the average residual strain, and the creep stage had a greater effect on mudstone damage than the fatigue stage. The post-fatigue creep strain was significantly greater than the pre-fatigue creep strain. The research results can be useful in ensuring the stable operation of gas storage in salt caverns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the current state-of-practice, point-supported glazing systems can be supported by different structures with varying levels of flexibility. This paper presents results from numerical studies on the blast performance of frameless, point-supported Laminated Glass (LG) panes, with special consideration of the effects of support flexibility on the blast performance of the panes. Capacity Pressure-Duration (P-D) curves, maximum reaction forces, and maximum displacements of point-supported LG panes are derived for 36 unique point-supported LG panes subjected to nearly 80 different blast scenarios and evaluated at four limit states ranging from initial cracking to ultimate failure. Obtained results indicate that, generally, as the support stiffness decreases, initial cracking capacity of the point-supported LG panes increases. However, this is not the case in other limit states. For example, in the case of ultimate failure performance criteria, support flexibility has detrimental effects; as the support stiffness decreases, ultimate capacity of the point-supported LG panes also decreases. Therefore, neglecting the support flexibility is not necessarily a conservative assumption. This affirms the importance of considering support flexibility in the design of blast resistant glazing systems. Additionally, under the same blast loading, as the support stiffness decreases, the maximum support reaction tends to decrease and the maximum displacement of the pane tends to increase. It is important to note that these correlations may not agree in design cases targeting specific limit states. • Blast performance of point-supported LG panes with varying dimensions, layups and support stiffnesses are investigated. • Different limit states ranging from initial cracking to ultimate failure are investigated. • Multi-performance blast P-D curves are developed from 3D FE simulations. • Effect of support flexibility on blast performance of point-supported LG panes are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A transformation matrix T is used as a correlation technique. • Matrix T is used to know the source of discrepancies between two models. • Matrix T is factorized with the polar and QR decompositions. • Matrix T is a rotation matrix in the case of no mass discrepancies. • A novel version of the modal assurance criterion (ROTMAC) is proposed. According to the structural dynamic modification theory, the perturbed mode shapes can be expressed as a linear combination of the unperturbed mode shapes through a transformation matrix T. This matrix is proposed in this paper as a powerful technique to determine whether the discrepancies between two models can be attributed to differences in stiffness, in mass, or both. It is demonstrated that matrix T becomes a rotation matrix when there are no mass discrepancies. In the case of mass discrepancies, or a combination of mass and stiffness differences, matrix T can be decomposed into a product of a rotation matrix and a matrix containing information about the changes in scaling and in shear. The angle of rotation depends on the closeness of the modes, and large rotations can be obtained when the system presents closely spaced or repeated modes. The polar and the QR decompositions are used in this paper to factorize matrix T as a product of two matrices, one of them being a rotation matrix. A new version of the modal assurance criterion (MAC), denoted in this paper as rotated MAC or ROTMAC, is proposed to detect mass discrepancies between two models. The equations and the conclusions derived in this paper have been validated through numerical simulations on a 2-degrees-of-freedom system and by correlating a numerical model and an experimental model of a square laminated glass plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A viscoelastic description via fractional calculus is used to theoretically determine the time-varying stress state in single-curvature cold-bent laminated glass. This approach is proven effective when the relaxation function of the polymeric interlayer can be approximated by branches of power laws, as in most commercial materials. Solutions are obtained numerically by approximating the fractional time derivatives with the L1 formula. This conveniently allows to use a variable time step for a phenomenon characterized by two time-scales, corresponding to the loading process and the long-term relaxation. A parametric analysis shows the effects of polymer type, interlayer thickness, deformation history and operating temperature. A comparison is made with the results from the quasi-elastic approximation, which neglects the memory effect of viscoelasticity, showing that, since the interlayer strain is kept constant in the long term, it provides accurate results in term of peak and asymptotic stresses in glass, although the early stages of the deformation history give rise to differences when the structure is far from the layered or monolithic limits. This study can be useful for the optimization of the cold-bending process. • Laminated glass can be "cold bent" to obtain curved surfaces without thermal processes or molds. • The interlayer viscoelasticity produces a gradual modification of the stress in the glass pane. • The viscoelastic response is here mathematically described via Fractional calculus. • Fractional derivatives are integrated with variable time steps to cover short- and long-term relaxation. • A parametric analysis considers interlayer type and thickness, deformation history and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Interleaving non-woven microfiber veil/ply is the most promising and cost-effective strategy to enhance the Interlaminar Fracture Toughness. • Interleaved composites have more stable crack propagation. • Areal density of non-woven Carbon and Glass ply made a significant role in achieving good shear resistance in composites. • Interleaving of veils helped to decrease the kinetic energy through deviate the crack path and fiber bridging. The study explores the impact of Carbon and Glass nonwoven interleaving veils with varying areal density on delamination resistance in unidirectional (UD) Glass epoxy composites under Opening (Mode-I) and Shearing (Mode-II) mode loadings. Commercially available non-woven Carbon and Glass interleaves with areal densities of 15, 20, 25, and 30 g/m2 were used to manufacture the interleaved Glass epoxy laminates. Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and End Notch Flexural (ENF) specimens were used to determine the mode-I and mode-II fracture energies. The results reveal that, during mode-I initiation, interleaved laminates exhibit a lower interlaminar fracture toughness (IFT) except for the Carbon fiber interleaved laminates of areal density 30 g/m2. However, during propagation, all veils interleaved laminates presented significant improvement in IFT ranging from 5 to 25 % accompanied by substantial fiber bridging. In case of mode-II test, the laminates with Carbon and Glass veils exhibit enhanced IFT (60–182 %) with increasing areal density compared with the non-interleaved Glass laminates. Optical and scanning electron micrographs (SEM) provide evidence of fracture mechanisms involved in the interleaved and non-interleaved composite laminates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new Pd nanoparticle electrode with high dechlorination activity was prepared. • Dendrite-like Ni-Cu-P was adopted as the interlayer. • The increased Pd2+ facilitated C Cl bond cleavage and the dechlorination of 2,4-DCP. • A fairly low Pd load (0.42 mg/cm2) was used. A new electrode with high electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination activity was prepared by pulse electrodeposition of Pd nanoparticles on a dendrite-like Ni-Cu-P interlayer with foam nickel as the substrate. The physical and chemical properties of the composite electrode were systematically investigated by various characterizations. The dechlorination performance was evaluated with 2,4-dichlorophenol as the model pollutant. The results indicated that in 150 min the dechlorination efficiency over the electrode without the Ni-Cu-P interlayer was only 52.7 %, while 100 % of 2,4-dichlorophenol could be removed by the composite electrode. The enhanced dechlorination performance was mainly attributed to the synergic effect between Pd nanoparticles and the Ni-Cu-P interlayer. The dendrite morphology of Ni-Cu-P facilitated Pd nanoparticle dispersion, thus providing more active sites and reducing the consumption of Pd. Furthermore, the Ni-Cu-P interlayer assisted Pd0 to produce more active hydrogen and increased the content of Pd2+ to promote C Cl bond cleavage. Consequently, the dechlorination performance was improved. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the experimental and numerical study of the performance of point-fixed connections in structural glass panels. For that purpose, an experimental program of in-plane uniaxial compressive tests was conducted on small-scale specimens. The specimens were manufactured using monolithic and laminated heat-strengthened glass (HSG). The point-fixed connections were realized using two infill products: (a) fischer FIS V Plus and (b) Hilti Hit HY270. A Digital Image Correlation (DIC) based measurement system in combination with strain gauges is used for tracking kinematics and deformations of the investigated specimens. It was found that the performance of the two infill products is comparable. The tests demonstrate that the failure mode of the monolithic panels is governed by infill failure, whereas the failure of the laminated panels is controlled by glass fracture. The numerical study was performed to assess the stress distribution around the hole in laminated glass. A 3D Finite Element (FE) model built in Abaqus is validated based on DIC and strain gauge measurements. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the eccentricity in the laminated glass panels and the friction coefficient between infill and glass/steel. It was observed that the eccentricity in the laminated panels has a significant influence on the stress amplification in the panels. Also, it was found that the value of the friction coefficient can significantly change the distribution of the principal stresses around the hole. • Structural glass as a building material. • Experimental testing. • Point-fixed connections in laminated glass. • Infill products. • Refined measurements using digital image correlation and strain gauges. • Influence of the eccentricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Transparent polyurea is used as a novel interlayer material for laminated glass. • The mechanical properties of polyurea laminated glass are between PVB, EVA and SGP. • A method for calculating the effective thickness of laminated glass under coaxial double ring test is established. • The failure prediction model of polyurea laminated glass was proposed by using two-parameter Weibull function. This paper studies the bending capacity of polyurea laminated glass (PLG). The focus of study is to study the influence of sandwich thickness, thickness of two tempered glass plates and loading rate on bending ability. The results were compared with the widely used interlayer models of PVB (Polyvinyl Butyric), SG (SentryGlas®), and EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate). The coaxial double ring (CDR) test was carried out on multiple groups of specimens with different specimen size parameters. The mechanical properties of PLG showed in results are close to the laminated glass which interlayer material is SG, much higher than the laminated glass which interlayer material is PVB or EVA. In addition, an improved method of calculating h w and h σ , i for laminated glass was constructed for CDR testing. A two-parameter Weibull distribution model was used to predict the ultimate load of specimens with a given probability of failure. The results of this study concludes by introducing a novel interlayer material for laminated glass, which effectively fulfills the requirements of safety glass and prevents fragments from falling off or splashing upon destruction. This study can be used as the mechanical basis for it to meet the requirements of building safety glass. And it can promote the application and development of this novel interlayer material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise and rapid calculation of triple-glazed insulating glass units (TIGUs) under uniform loads is crucial for the wind-resistant design and safety assessments of glass curtain wall systems (GCWS). However, available empirical data and numerical simulations are inadequate in accurately evaluating the mechanical behavior of this material. This paper presented an experimental and numerical study on the load-bearing performance of TIGUs, focusing on the equivalent thickness and load-sharing ratio calculation. Three pieces of TIGUs and five pieces of Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB)-laminated TIGUs were used in the loading tests. The major factors varied in the investigation include rectangular dimensions, glass pane thicknesses, and inner and outer airspace thicknesses. Two finite element (FE) models were built based on different methods. The applicability, accuracy, and computational efficiency of the models above were compared. Based on the conceptual and FE parametric analysis, the combined coefficient formula applicable to the calculation of equivalent thickness of PVB-laminated glass was proposed by surface fitting, and the load sharing ratio with respect to changes in the inner and outer airspace thicknesses was investigated. Finally, a simplified calculation method based on airspace coefficients, considering the effects of outer and inner airspace thicknesses, aspect ratio, and area, was proposed, which has superior applicability for precise and rapid evaluation of both TIGUs and PVB-laminated TIGUs commonly used in practical engineering, as the improvements to the stiffness distribution method adopted by the ASTM E1300. • Influences of airspace thickness, aspect ratio, and area on load distribution in TIGUs were investigated. • Two high-precision FE models were built, validated, and compared. • Fitted formulas for load-sharing ratio and equivalent thickness were proposed by conceptual and parametric analysis. • Airspace coefficient was employed for improving the stiffness distribution method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigating laminated glass failure under blast loading, optimizing accuracy and computational efficiency. • Hybrid techniques (FEM with erosion/deletion, SPH) yield optimal results for extreme loading. • Models replicate peak displacement, considering mesh distortion and energy dissipation. • Adaptive meshing crucial for accurate, homogeneous crack distribution in blast-loaded laminated glass. • Findings enhance understanding of laminated glass behavior, aiding protective structure design. Modeling laminated glass response to extreme loading scenarios is a computationally demanding process in designing and analyzing protective structures. Therefore, an optimal modeling scheme requires a delicate trade-off between accuracy and computational demand. This article investigates the failure modeling of laminated glass layups of thin and thick panels (three and 11 layers) under blast loading. This is done by implementing various simulation techniques: the finite element method with element erosion/deletion, the mesh-free method of smoothed particle hydrodynamics, and the hybrid implementation of mesh-based and mesh-free simulation through element conversions into particles. This Article examines the feasibility and limitations of each method, considering both the aspects of accuracy and computational cost in light of experimental testing results obtained from both arena and shock tube scenarios. Mesh sensitivity and the significance of adaptive meshing in capturing the fracture patterns are evaluated. The present paper suggests that using hybrid techniques leads to optimal modeling results. Furthermore, the stability of the modeling results under diverse blast conditions is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stereocorrelation (SC) is a versatile experimental method increasingly used to measure 3D surface displacements in complex mechanical tests. However, convergence issues may arise when gray-level conservation is no longer validated, particularly when local specular reflections are observed. Brightness and contrast corrections (BCCs) are added to the Global Stereocorrelation framework, including different spatial regularization strategies. A challenging experimental test case was chosen for validation purposes where extreme brightness and contrast changes were observed. An impact test on laminated glass was monitored with two high-speed cameras. It is shown that BCCs significantly improve the robustness and convergence rate for both calibration and kinematic measurements. Moreover, the numerical implementation cost into a finite element stereocorrelation code is negligible. • Camera calibration and kinematic measurements formulated for global stereocorrelation • Brightness and contrast corrections (BCCs) are decomposed over a finite element mesh • Staggered calibration/kinematic measurements and BCCs are easily implemented • Procedure tested on a difficult test case where specular reflection occurs • BCCs induce better and faster convergence to the solution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]