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Corrugated plate dryer is a extremely vital equipment for steam-water separation in the fields of heat transfer and nuclear engineering. The corrugated plate is also a commonly used steam-water separator in steam generators in nuclear power plants. It is meaningful to study the breakdown characteristics and mechanism of the water film on corrugated plate wall. Water film thickness of steady flow is measured based on plane laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique and time series and its fitted equation of water film thickness are obtained, respectively. Besides, fluctuation characteristics of water film are analyzed by probability density function (PDF). Based on the dimensionless approach, the water film breakdown model at the corner of the corrugated plate is established. And the calculation equation of the relative position of the water film breakdown at the corner is deprived. The specific conclusions are as follows. The theoretical equation agrees well with the relative position of the water film breakdown at the corrugated plate corner. The evolution of the surface wave of water film is carried out in time and space. The PDF curve have no significant peak characteristics. Therefore, the spectrum has no characteristic frequency, that is, the water film has multi-frequency characteristics. Gravity of water film can be ignored in the water film model. The thickness sequences for falling film is measured and fitted. The two-dimensional model of water film breakdown at the corner is set up. The equation for the film thickness when the water film is just ruptured is obtained. Relative position of the water film rupture at the corner of the corrugated plate is theoretically related only to the structural parameters of the corrugated plate, the parameters of the gas phase and the liquid phase, and the Reynolds number of the liquid film. However, in the low Reynolds number region, the airflow velocity is extremely large, which causes certain fluctuations and nonlinear characteristics of the water film boundary position. Therefore, the theoretical formula is not particularly good at predicting the relative position of the breakdown in this region. I think that this nonlinear feature has obvious chaotic characteristics. The study of the chaotic characteristics generated by shearing the liquid film by high velocity flow airflow at the corner of the corrugated plate may become a prospect for future research.

Anisotropic textiles are commonly used in wearable applications to achieve varied bi-axial stress-strain behavior around the body. Auxetic textiles, specifically those that exhibit a negative Poisson’s ratio (v), likewise exhibit intriguing behavior such as volume increase in response to impact or variable air permeability. Active textiles are traditional textile structures that integrate smart materials, such as shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, or carbon nanotubes, to enable spatial actuation behavior, such as contraction for on-body compression or corrugation for haptic feedback. This research is a first experimental investigation into active auxetic and shearing textile structures. These textile structures leverage the bending- and torsional-deformations of the fibers/filaments within traditional textile structures as well as the shape memory effect of shape memory alloys to achieve novel, spatial performance. Five textile structures were fabricated from shape memory alloy wire deformed into needle lace and weft knit textile structures. All active structures exhibited anisotropic behavior and four of the five structures exhibited auxetic behavior upon free recovery, contracting in both x- and y-axes upon actuation (v = −0.3 to −1.5). One structure exhibited novel shearing behavior, with a mean free angle recovery of 7°. Temperature-controlled biaxial tensile testing was conducted to experimentally investigate actuation behavior and anisotropy of the designed structures. The presented design and performance of these active auxetic, anisotropic, and shearing textiles inspire new capabilities for applications, such as smart wearables, soft robotics, reconfigurable aerospace structures, and medical devices.

The aerospace propulsion industry has seen strides in the use of the additive manufacturing (AM) technology in the rapid prototyping and geometric design flexibility of aerospace parts, with concurrent efforts on 3D printing turbine engine blades of Inconel 718 material [1] for use in aircraft engines. The tensile, compressive and axial fatigue response of AM Inconel 718, along with associated constitutive modeling of the material response exhibited under these mechanical test conditions have been reported. However, in addition to understanding the axial behavioral response exhibited by this material, assessing the role of cyclic shear stresses, through experimental testing and constitutive modeling can provide preliminary insight into the mechanical behavior of AM Inconel 718 under multiaxial loading conditions. This study has presented a novel approach to constitutively model the experimental cyclic shearing deformation of as-built direct metal laser sintered (DMLS) Inconel 718, manufactured along varying build orientations in the xy, yz and xz planes, compared with wrought annealed Inconel 718. Specimens were subjected to completely reversible torsional fatigue tests at room temperature, under angle of twist control. The experimental cyclic shearing response was modeled through the use of the Chaboche model, from which optimized constants are reported with build orientation; and the specimen deformation, under angle of twist control, was captured through a finite-element simulation model of the cylindrical gauge section of the specimens. Overall this study yields a comprehensive understanding of the experimental and modeled cyclic shearing response of an additively manufactured metal, which is vital to develop these components to be conducive for the multiaxial fatigue conditions to which they are subjected to in the gas turbine industry.

Gas foil thrust bearings have been utilized in high speed lightweight machines for many decades. These bearings are environment-friendly and capable of withstanding extreme conditions. However, there are also some challenges for foil thrust bearings at high speed conditions, such as insufficient heat dissipation and thermal management. The heat generated by viscous shearing continues to raise the temperature inside the gas film and may cause failures. Among all the methods to enhance heat dissipation, a promising passive thermal management method is modifying the top foil’s trailing edge shape. This modification will enhance the air mixing in between the bearing pads. The aim of this study is to identify the optimal design of the top foil trailing edge shape and provide a guideline for future bearing design. A 3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for a thrust foil bearing was created using ANSYS-CFX software. The trailing edge of the top foil was modified to a chevron shape. A sensitivity study was conducted to investigate the connection between the top foil trailing edge shape and the thermal conditions in the gas film. The maximum temperature inside the air gas film is selected as the output. The design of experiments (DOE) technique was used to generate the sampling points. A surrogate model was generated based on the output data by using the neural network method. The surrogate model was used together with a genetic multi-objective algorithm to minimize the maximal temperature inside the gas film and maximize the load carrying capacity. The optimal design was then compared with the baseline model. Results suggest the optimized trailing edge shape is capable of reducing the temperature inside the gas film. This optimal design approach can be used for improvements of chevron foil thrust bearing design.

The treatment of early age cyclic loading (EAC) on pile-sleeve grouted connections is one of the challenging problems encountered in the design of offshore jacket structures. ISO 19902 appears to be the only offshore structural design code that quantifies the strength de-rating due to EAC. However, the mechanism of EAC considered in the ISO standard is little understood. Main provision is that the strength reduction due to EAC is considered to be linearly proportional to the compressive strength of the grout. This provision is conservatively applicable for medium strength grouts. However, it is over-conservative when modern high-performance grouts are used, and it can be further argued that it actually loses its physical meaning. Thus, a further investigation into the mechanics of the problem is deemed beneficial in order to understand better its underlying mechanism. Using existing experimental evidence and a simple mechanical model, it is shown that the EAC mechanism considered in ISO 19902 triggers the grout matrix failure mechanism of the grouted connections. This behavior is characteristic of segregating grout materials. The benefit of the approach followed is that it links the interpretation of EAC to the grout material properties. The phenomenon is then understood using methods and experimental results that are well established in concrete mechanics. After a comparison with existing experimental evidence on grouted connections and concrete members, it is suggested that the strength drop for the specific shearing mechanism is independent of the uniaxial compressive strength of the grout material.

Journal bearings of high torque diesel engines are used to cater for high combustion loads which are applied intermittently. A lubrication layer is provided between journal (crankshaft) and bearing to avoid contact between them. The relative velocity between crankshaft and journal bearing results in viscous shear heating among the different layers of lubricating oil. The shear heating reduces the viscosity of the lubricant that ultimately reduces the load carrying ability of the journal bearing. It offers a physical contact and reduces the designed life of crankshaft. In this study the 2-D transient numerical lubrication model is developed by employing the Reynolds equation to calculate the pressure and film thickness profiles as a function of crankshaft speed. The shear heating effects are determined by coupling the energy equation with lubrication model. The finite difference method is used and an appropriate numerical scheme is employed to simulate the conduction and convection based thermal energy transfer in transient and steady state journal bearing lubrication model. The lateral displacement of crankshaft is incorporated in the thermal model to analyze the effect of secondary dynamics of crankshaft. The viscosity and temperature relationship are used to ascertain its variation with temperature. The characteristic of three different viscosity-grade lubricates are incorporated separately in the model to carry out the comprehensive comparative analysis. The results are simulated for particular application where low operating speed and length to width ratio of journal bearing is fixed and analyzed the results for complete 720 degrees of crankshaft in its two revolutions. The results show that the oil with high viscosity produces high hydrodynamic pressures as compared to the oil that have low viscosity. The viscous shearing temperature reduces the hydrodynamic pressures but still the high viscosity lubricating oil have enough pressures to uplift the shaft after incorporating the shear heating effects. This study determines the hydrodynamic pressure, and variation of density, viscosity and thermal-conductivity with temperature for three different lubricating oils. These analyses will facilities towards the selection of appropriate lubricant for high torque low speed diesel engine in order to enhance the life of crankshaft.

With over 30 million people worldwide in need of assistive devices, there is a great need for low-cost, high performance prosthetic technologies in the developing world. A majority of the hydraulic dampers used in prosthetic knee designs are highly specialized, expensive, require regular maintenance, and are incompatible for use with low-cost, single-axis prosthetic knees popular in developing countries. In this study, optimal damping coefficients were computed based on a theoretical analysis of gait, specifically during the transition from the stance to swing phase of human walking when a large damping torque is needed at the knee. A novel rotary hydraulic damper prototype was designed using high-viscosity silicone oil and a concentric meshing of fins for shearing the oil. The prototype was validated experimentally to provide the desired damping torque profile. For preliminary, user-centric validation of the prototype, a gait study on one above-knee amputee in India was conducted with four different damping magnitudes. Feedback from the subject validated the optimal damping torque magnitude predicted for minimizing gait deviations and for enabling able-bodied knee kinematics. The new rotary hydraulic damper design is novel, passive, and compatible with low-cost, single-axis knee prostheses.

A Marcellus shale rock fracture was subjected to four shearing steps and at the end of each shearing step CT (computed tomography) scans with resolution of 26.8 μm were obtained. The CT images were used to generate full aperture maps of the fracture configuration at the end of each shearing phase. The pressure drops along the fracture were also measured for different water flow rates through the fracture. The aperture map of the fracture was used to generate the geometry of the fracture for use in numerical simulations. The water flows and pressure drops in the fracture were simulated with different computational methods that included the full Navier-Stokes simulation, Modified Local Cubic Law (MLCL), and Improved Cubic Law (ICL) methods. Full 3-D Navier-Stokes simulation is the most accurate computational approach which was done with use of the ANSYS-Fluent software for each shear step and different flow rates. The MLCL is a 2-D relatively fast method which is commonly used for prediction of transmissivity of fractures. ICL is a 1-D method proposed in this study in which the effects of surface roughness and tortuosity were included in calculation of the effective aperture height of fractures. To provide an understanding of the accuracy of each of these models their predictions were compared with each other and with the experimental data. Also, to examine the effects of resolution of CT scans and the surface roughness on prediction of fractures transmissivity, similar simulations were performed on average aperture maps. Here the fracture of the full resolution data was averaged over 10 × 10 pixels. Comparing the results of the average aperture maps with those of the full maps showed that the lower resolution of CT scans led to underestimation of the fracture pressure drop due to missing the small features of the fracture surfaces and smoothing out their roughness.

A subsea Blowout Preventer system plays an extremely important role in providing safe working conditions for drilling activities in deepwater oil exploration. However, estimating the performance of Shear Ram Blowout Preventeris still a challenge for the industry. This paper considers different scenarios that may influence the shear capability of a typical subsea Blind Shearing Ram: the pipe size, ram shape, preload of pipe, off-center distance and tool joint of pipe. Element method analysis is conduct on the Abaqus software to calculate the maximum required shearing force for each scenario. Results of those simulations are collected and analyzed according to mechanic theories and oil field experience. Furthermore, some recommendations are offered both in theoretical and practical aspects to build the criterion for the shear ability of a specific type of Blind Shearing Ram. Factors influencing shearing capabilities have been listed according to the result of the numerical simulation.

Drilling fluids are visco-elastic materials, i.e. they behave as a viscous fluid when subject to a sufficient shear stress and like an elastic solid otherwise. Both their elastic and viscous properties are time-dependent, i.e. drilling fluids are thixotropic. Because of thixotropy, it takes a finite time before the effective viscosity of a drilling fluid attains an equilibrium when the fluid is subject to a change of shear rate. This effect is visible when one changes the applied shear rate in a rheometer, as the fluid will gradually adapt to the new shearing conditions. When the velocity of a drilling fluid changes, for instance due to a change in pump flow rate, movement of the drill string, or change of flow geometry, the fluid will exhibit a time-dependent response to the new shearing conditions, requiring a certain time to reach the new equilibrium condition. Unfortunately, the time-dependence of the rheological properties of drilling fluids are usually not measured during drilling operations and therefore it is difficult to estimate how thixotropy impacts pressure losses in drilling operations. For that reason, we have systematically measured the time-dependence of the rheological properties of several samples of water-based, oil-based and micronized drilling fluids with a scientific rheometer in order to capture how drilling fluids systems respond to variations of shear rates. Based on these measurements, we propose to investigate how one existing thixotropic model manages to predict the shear stress as a function of the shear rate while accounting for the shear history and gelling conditions. Then we propose a modified model that fits better, overall, with the measurements even though there are still noticeable discrepancies, especially when switching back to low shear rates.

The Morton Effect refers to a phenomenon of special instability for rotors supported by fluid-film-bearings and present with asymmetric heating for the journal part. This problem tends to occur when rotors exhibit synchronous vibrations. Originating from the temperature gradients during the eccentric orbiting of rotor journals, the Morton Effect has been a latent threaten to rotor stability since the fluid-bearing-supported rotating machinery was first in service. This paper extends the modeling scope to a general scenario when the heating source is not limited only to the viscous shearing effect. Such an extension could apply to the Newkirk effect, a problem induced by light rubbing but exhibiting similar phenomenon as the Morton Effect. The simplified coupled model enables the coupling between the thermal field and structural vibrations directly. To better understand the roles played by the thermal factors in the Morton Effect, this paper extracts the influence of temperature increase in the bearing fluid film on bearing dynamic coefficients. The investigation results show that the temperature rise, an accompany of increased speeds, has a significant influence on the cross-coupled stiffness coefficients but a negligible impact on other components of dynamic coefficients. In general, the speed plays a dominant role in the change of dynamic coefficients. In the end, the coupled dynamic model is validated by a case study of a mid-span rotor model investigated in the literature. Good agreements with the reference imply that the model assembled here is effective and reliable for the analysis of the Morton Effect.

This work details an analytical assessment of heat generation in a turbine aero-engine main-shaft bearing and the development of a model to predict that heat generation. The new model is based on an empirical model, previously developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which features physics based terms multiplied by empirical regression coefficients. That model proved to be limited in that portions of the terms were essentially an extension of the regression coefficients due to the fact that the experimental data was limited to that of one bearing. Additionally, there were separate models for each rolling element material. To develop the new model, the validated bearing analysis code ADORE was used to generate power loss data for angular contact ball bearings of various sizes. The effects of speed, thrust load, pitch diameter, element diameter, number of rolling elements, lubricant inlet temperature, lubricant flow rate, and rolling element material (AISI M50 bearing steel and silicon nitride) are examined. Speed and thrust load are addressed at four levels each. Number of elements, bore diameter, and element diameter as well as lubricant temperature and flow rate are each addressed at three levels. These effects are captured in the model through traction (friction), churning (drag), and shearing (viscous) terms and their respective regression coefficients. The material effect is address through the use of an effective elastic modulus within an estimate of raceway to rolling element contact area. The performance of the model was then compared with experimental data collected in the AFRL High Mach Engine (HME) Bearing Rig. The model created in this work provides designers with an effective tool to examine bearing heat generation during the early engine design phases, avoiding the significant computational and front end expense of other, more detailed methods.

A state-of-the-art, Portable Dispersion Characterization Rig (P-DCR) is used to investigate the effect of nanoparticles on oil-water emulsion formation and stabilization. Mineral oil and distilled water are used as the test fluids and separation profiles are obtained from the experiments using a sophisticated software. Spherical silica nanoparticles of average primary particle size of 20 nm were selected as the emulsifying agent, since silica is commonly found in the produced fluids. Nanoparticles of different wettabilities were used to investigate their effect on separation kinetics of solid stabilized emulsions in terms of solid particle concentration, wettability, initial dispersion phase, water-cut, and shearing time. In one series of experiments the emulsions were prepared with intermediate-wet nanoparticles. Both simple water-in-oil (W/O), as well as multiple oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsions were observed. Faster separation occurred when the particles were initially dispersed in oil. Increased nanoparticle concentration, as well as shearing time typically resulted in slower emulsion separation rates. Another series of experiments was performed with hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanoparticles. Very fast separation rates were observed when using hydrophilic silica nanoparticles and 25% water-cut regardless of solid concentration. However, when the water-cut was increased to 50% and 75% very stable emulsions were produced. Emulsions prepared using hydrophobic particles were the most stable across all water-cuts. For the case of 25% water-cut, no water coalescence was observed for a wide range of oil-wet nanoparticle concentrations. Oil creaming was promoted as the concentration of solids decreased, and the emulsions remained oil continuous and highly resistant to water coalescence even for very low solid concentration (100 ppm), resulting in a dispersed phase volume fraction as high as 93%. The effect of nanoparticles on the properties of pure fluids, namely, density, viscosity and surface/interfacial tension is also reported. The main findings of the study include the following: Nanoparticles, even at low concentrations, can significantly decrease separation rates of oil and water emulsions. The Portable Dispersion Characterization Rig (P-DCR) is recommended as an effective way to measure emulsion stability in the field.

A procedure for Electron Beam Welding (EBW) was developed for the manufacturing of a follower fuel assembly made of an AA 6061-T6 aluminum straps for a U-Mo plate-type fuel proposed to be used in the future in Korea’s Kijang Research Reactor (KJRR) project. The initial welding trials of the weld samples were carried out with a high vacuum chamber using the EBW process. After investigating the welds, EB welding parameters for the full-sized samples were optimized for the required depth of penetration and weld quality. Subsequently, the weld samples made by the filler specimens showed higher shearing strengths than those of the non-filler specimens. This procedure made by EBW process was also confirmed based on the results of the shearing strength test, an examination of the macro-cross sections, and the fracture surfaces of the welded specimens.

Particle image velocimetry and particle scattering measurements are taken over a flat multi-row film cooled surface. The effect of coolant mass flow (characterized by blowing ratio, momentum flux ratio or velocity ratio) is investigated. The array investigated has 8 rows containing 52 holes of 3.8 mm diameter with inclination angles of 20° and hole length-to-diameter ratios of 11.2. The lateral and streamwise pitches are 7.5 times the diameter. The holes are in a staggered arrangement. PIV measurements are taken with CO2 as coolant injecting into an air primary stream. Two streamwise aligned planes are measured; a centerline plane and a plane spaced laterally half a diameter from centerline. The PIV results provide a quantitative view of the flow over eight rows of injection as well as the recovery region. Images are acquired at 8 Hz and have a spatial resolution of 10.3 interrogation windows per hole diameter. The tunnel has low freestream turbulence (1%) and is low speed, so the primary turbulence production mechanism is shearing. As a result, the M = 0.45 blowing ratio case shows higher levels of turbulent kinetic energy compared with the M = 1.05 blowing ratio case. Uncertainty in the PIV measurements is estimated via the correlation statistics method.

Progressive microforming is an attractive option for manufacturing high aspect-ratio micro-parts out of sheet metal. It is a highly economical alternative to both MEMS processing and micro-machining due to the ability to produce near-net shape parts through parallel forming processes. Current limitations in the field include precise alignment of microforming tools and an understanding of forces encountered when scaling down traditional forming processes. A five stage micro-progressive aluminum die set consisting of four shearing stages and one bending stage was fabricated by micro-machining. The die set was designed to produce right angle micro-brackets from 25 um thick annealed copper foil, with a measured average grain size of 47 um. Die clearances were set at 3 um along shearing edges and 38 um along the bending edge, corresponding to 12% and 152% material thickness, respectively. The produced micro-brackets are intended to be used as electrical connectors and consist of a nominally 280 um by 260 um tab extending vertically from a 780 um by 260 um base. In order to implement and investigate the progressive microforming process, a novel micro-press system was constructed which allows for precision alignment of the die set and workpiece. Using a prepared workpiece, forces at the first stage of the die set were measured and compared to analytical predictions based on models from the literature.

Electrically-driven rapid vaporization of thin conductors produces a high-pressure pulse which can be used to accelerate thin metal sheets to high velocities. Recently, vaporizing foil actuators (VFA) have been applied toward a variety of impulse-based metalworking operations such as collision welding, closed-die forming, embossing, and shearing. To better apply VFA to different purposes, it is necessary to develop an understanding of how variations in the characteristics of the foil actuator affect its mechanical impulse generation. In this work, actuators made out of 0.0508, 0.0762, and 0.127 mm thick full hard temper AA1145 foil were used to launch 0.508 mm thick AA2024-T3 sheets toward a photonic Doppler velocimeter (PDV) probe. Launch velocities ranging between 300 and 1000 m/s were observed over a distance of less than 3 mm, and repeated trials demonstrated repeatable results. Velocity, current and voltage traces were used to examine the effect of deposited energy on average pressure and resulting velocity for foil actuators of various thicknesses. Experiments with annealed foil actuators showed that foil temper had no effect on the evolution of flyer velocity for the given electrical energy input of 8 kJ.Copyright © 2014 by ASME

Offshore monopiles are usually designed using the p-y method for cyclic loading. While the method works for static loading, it was not developed for high numbers of cycles. Since the turbines are highly sensitive towards tilting, cyclic loading must be considered. The static results should therefore be combined with results from cyclic model tests with a high number of cycles to account for the accumulation of displacement or rotation during the lifetime of these structures. These model tests can underestimate the accumulation, however, as it has recently been shown that a change of loading direction can increase the accumulation considerably. These results have been verified using small scale modeling and centrifuge testing. The results from modeling the full problem of a laterally loaded pile are compared here with results from cyclic simple shear tests with a change of shearing direction during the cyclic loading. For these tests, a newly developed apparatus is used. This allows further insight into the question how a soil can “retain a memory” of its loading history.Copyright © 2014 by ASME

In this work, we detail the design, fabrication, and initial modeling of a compact, high-strength series elastic element designed for use in snake robots. The spring achieves its elasticity by torsionally shearing a rubber elastomer that is bonded to two rigid plates, and it is able to achieve mechanical compliance and energy storage that is an order of magnitude greater than traditional springs. Its novel design features a tapered conical cross-section that creates uniform shear stress in the rubber, improving the ultimate strength. Tests show that the torque-displacement profile of these springs is approximately linear, and initial results are reported on creating more accurate models that account for the element’s hysteresis and viscoelastic properties. Low-bandwidth force control is demonstrated by measuring the element’s torsional deflection to estimate the torque output of one of our snake robot modules.Copyright © 2013 by ASME

The Omni-Max anchor is a new type of dynamically installed anchor featuring a mooring arm located close to the anchor tip that is free to rotate about the anchor length. An experimental programme has been undertaken on a geotechnical centrifuge to assess the anchor performance in calcareous silt. The testing programme includes (i) anchor drops and measurement of the penetration depth, and (ii) anchor pull and assessment of the anchor trajectory. An anchor embedment model based on strain rate enhanced shearing resistance is capable of satisfactorily predicting anchor embedment using model parameters that are similar to those used for clay. The diving behaviour of the anchor, post keying, is demonstrated, provided that the initial embedment after impact is deep enough to prevent a shallow mechanism to develop during anchor keying.

Nanometer-thick liquid lubricant films are useful for the lubrication of miniaturized mechanical systems, such as hard disk drives or microelectromechanical systems. However, there are no established methods for measuring the mechanical properties of such thin films, which can be an obstacle to the optimal design of lubrication systems. We previously developed a highly sensitive method for measuring shear forces, which we called the fiber-wobbling method (FWM). In the FWM, we used a ball-ended optical fiber to probe shear and we measured the friction force acting on the probe tip by detecting the deflection of the fiber. By this means we succeeded in measuring friction forces in nanometer-thick liquid lubricant films. However, we could not evaluate the mechanical properties of the films quantitatively because the contact area between the probe tip and lubricant film was unknown. Here, we developed a method for measuring the contact area during shearing of nanometer-thick liquid lubricant films in the FWM.Copyright © 2012 by ASME

The objective of this paper is to provide information aiming at a better understanding of the mechanisms that led to the sinkage of a gas pipe during a pull-in operation, also performing a survey of all relevant information regarding this operation and soil investigation. This study also comprises an analysis of the available soil information and the identification of possible scenarios of behaviour to feed mathematical models. A first mathematical model was developed to assess the axial horizontal force Q that causes a horizontal closed end pipe of diameter D and length l to move inside a sandy soil mass when buried at a depth z. Further on, two feasible mechanisms were studied to explain the pipe sinkage during the pull-in operation. The first mechanism was associated with compressive volumetric strains that take place within the sand layer beneath the pipe. These strains are accounted for the relative soil-pipe shearing displacements. The second mechanism assumes that the soil beneath the pipe is submitted to a plastic failure under a vertical load corresponding to the vertical component of the pulling force applied to the pipe-head. This model comprises an elastic pipe resting on a rigid-plastic soil that fails under Mohr-Coulomb envelop of failure. Lack of soil information, however, hampered the full understanding of the process that led to the sinkage of the pipe.Copyright © 2012 by ASME

The paper shows that detailed viscoelastic properties of helical flow can be exactly determined from those known for simple shearing as soon as a constitutive equation is specified. This paper also demonstrates the calculated characteristics of helical flow compared with experimental data.

Since the apparent stiffness due to contact of one surface on another relates directly to the localized resonant frequencies, it is believed that accurate account of this property will lead to the fundamental understanding of causes of friction-induced vibration and noise. The mathematical model of contact is utilized to develop formulae for normal and tangential contact stiffness. The inclusion of a study in which the various modes of elastic deflections of an asperity are also considered, as well as their effects. The bending, shear and Hertz contact modes of elastic deflection are assumed to simultaneously occur for an asperity. Investigation of the combined effect of bending, shear and Hertzian contributions to the contact stiffness is indicating that the equivalent contact stiffness is best represented, among the three types of stiffness, by that due to Hertzian contact.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutters and drag bit designs have been substantially improved since their 1972 introduction, and PCD drill bits now are approaching the rolling cone tungsten carbide insert (TCI) market is terms of revenue size and have surpassed it in terms of economic impact on the drilling industry.1,2 These performance improvements have lead to a significant encroachment into the drill bit market built upon the breakthrough invention of the rolling cone bit by Howard Hughes Sr. Material and design improvements in the last decade, however, have now led to the successful application of patented shear cutting PCD elements as well as conventional diamond enhanced crushing style inserts on rolling cone bits. Diamond enhanced rolling cone bits are also a growth market for diamond elements in drilling. Failing rock in shear is a more efficient process than by crushing, but most cutting materials can not stand up to the forces generated in the shearing process as rock strength increases. To take advantage of the unique ability of the PCD cutter to shear rock efficiently, a concerted R&D effort supported by laboratory and field-testing led to the application of diamond as a shear cutting element on roller cone bits. A variety of rolling cone shear cutting elements have been developed and successfully commercialized in the last decade. This paper will discuss laboratory results and increased field performance achieved relative to conventional crushing style diamond and tungsten carbide inserts. The authors will document through case studies increases in rate of penetration (ROP), footage, overall durability, and gauge holding ability in addition to bearing/seal effectiveness that have further reduced drilling costs and served to increase usage of polycrystalline diamond elements on roller cone bits. These applications range from such diverse markets as high cost offshore North Sea, to low cost North American land operations.

Shearography is a laser interferometric method developed originally for full field observation of surface strains of components. Since flaws usually induce strain concentrations around them, shearography can be employed to detect the flaws. Conventional shearography involves exposing high resolution films before and after the components are loaded. The exposed films are developed and then viewed via a high-pass filtering optical setup. Though the images obtained are good, this method is time-consuming. With the advent of high-speed computers, associated sophisticated imaging hardware and software, the Digital Speckle Shearing Interferometry (DSSI) method which employs a CCD (charged-coupled device) camera and computer image processing to produce the interferometric fringe patterns has been developed. In contrast with the conventional shearography, the electronic version does not require any film and is faster. The techniques are used to detect and characterise (a) flaws simulating delaminations in composites and (b) thinning in pipes.

The central theme of this paper is the representation of tolerances in engineering design and manufacturing. A sub-problem of this central theme is the structure of form and size errors created by typical machining processes. This subproblem is addressed using a fractal-based procedure. In particular, workpiece profiles are generated for the shaping manufacturing process, using a simulation model and incorporating the basic shearing mechanism of machining with typical error sources. The resultant profiles are analyzed using a fractal-based, box counting algorithm. The results, which reveal the presence of variational structure, are discussed, emphasizing the relationship between total variability and function. Finally, modifications and future directions to the research are presented.

In this paper, the framework for a sheet metal part design and manufacturing assessment environment is presented. Based on an investigation of the characteristics of sheet metal part design, form feature methodology is employed to facilitate design and provide information for assessment. The tasks, rules, and the significant items for manufacturing assessment are identified and formalized into a knowledge base with object-oriented techniques. The knowledge base is used for design assessment including evaluation for compatibility with press-working processes, modification of preliminary designs into better ones given cost considerations, and evaluation to avoid defects and failures. To support on-line design evaluations, a part model is constructed by extracting the required feature and connectivity data from a CAD database. The research is concentrated on box-type sheet metal parts primarily made by cutting (e.g., shearing, blanking, punching, etc.), bending, flanging, and local stretching. These parts are produced by both stampers and fabricators.

The turbine center frame (TCF) is an inherent component of modern turbofan aircraft engines, used for facilitating the large radius change between the high-pressure (HPT) and low-pressure (LPT) turbines. Secondary flow features that develop in the TCF result in total pressure loss of the mainstream flow and a subsequent performance reduction for the whole of the engine. Purge flows from the HPT interact with these flow features affecting their development and strength. Understanding the details of this interaction is therefore of paramount importance for the design of more efficient engines of the future. This paper presents a detailed investigation of the interaction of purge flows from the hub and shroud cavities upstream and downstream of the HPT rotor with the secondary flow features in a TCF. The investigation was conducted using aerodynamic and seed gas concentration measurements in an engine-representative HPT-TCF setup and under engine-realistic operating conditions. The upstream purge flows interact with the flow-field of the rotor, and especially with the upper and lower passage vortices where they are mainly entrained, forming “zones-of-influence” that occupy the upper and lower 35% of the span at the TCF inlet. Dilution of these purge flows occurs through vortex-to-vortex interactions and in-plane flow migrations driven by the vortices. At the outlet of the TCF, the upstream purge flows form effectiveness bands that encapsulate the various counter-rotating vortices near the hub and shroud. This indicates that these counter-rotating vortices were formed at the inlet of the TCF, in a flow that already includes the upstream purge flows. The downstream purge flows exit the hub and shroud cavities forming effectiveness boundary layers at the inlet of the TCF of thickness equal to around 15% of the span. The circumferential distribution of these purge flows is however asymmetric, owing to the also asymmetric static pressure distribution at the inlet of the TCF, as a result of the effect of the propagated flow-field of the stator vanes. At the outlet of the TCF, the distribution of the downstream hub purge appears as distinct effectiveness lobes with the same periodicity as the HPT vanes. The formation of the lobes is as a result of intense interaction between the counter-rotating vortex pairs and the downstream hub purge flow. The viscous shear mixing due to this interaction is also the cause for the low total pressure in the regions influenced by the lobes. The distribution of the downstream shroud purge appears as alternating regions of high and low effectiveness as a result of radially inwards and outwards flow migrations caused by the shearing actions of the counter rotating vortices near the shroud. These migrations are the cause of regions with the lowest total pressure at the outlet of the TCF.