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Laminated composites materials are mostly used in dynamically loaded structures. The design of these structures with finite element packages is focused on vibrations, elastic deformations and failure control. Damping is often neglected because of its assumed secondary importance and also because of dearth of information on relevant material properties. This trend is prone to change as it is now realised that damping plays an increasingly important role in vibration comfort, noise radiation and crash simulations. This paper shows in a first step how to identify the orthotropic elastic and damping properties of single layer fibre-reinforced composite material sheets using a new extended version of the Resonalyser procedure. The procedure is based on the elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle and uses a mixed numerical experimental method. In a subsequent step, the complex laminate stiffness values are computed using the identified single layer material properties. To validate this approach, the modal damping ratios of arbitrary laminated plates of different materials at several resonance frequencies are predicted and experimentally verified.

This article describes an inverse method for the identification of the plastic behavior of aluminum plates subjected to sudden blast loads. The method uses full-field optical measurements taken during the first milliseconds of a free air explosion and the finite element method for the numerical prediction of the blast response. The identification is based on a damped least-squares solution according to the Levenberg–Marquardt formulation. Three different rate-dependent plasticity models are examined. First, a combined model based on linear strain hardening and the strain rate term of the Cowper–Symonds model, secondly, the Johnson–Cook model and finally, a combined model based on a bi-exponential relation for the strain hardening term and the strain rate term of the Cowper–Symonds model. A validation of the method and its sensitivity to measurement uncertainties is first provided according to virtual measurements generated with the finite element method. Next, the plastic behavior of aluminum is identified using measurements from real free air explosions obtained from a controlled detonation of C4. The results show that inverse methods can be successfully applied for the identification of the plastic behavior of metals subjected to blast waves. In addition, the material parameters identified with inverse methods enable the numerical prediction of the material’s response with increased accuracy.

Conventionally, the mechanical strength of clinched connections is determined by a single shear lap test and/or a pull-out test. However, in most practical applications a combination of shear and pull-out is exerted on the clinched joint. This paper deals with the development of an Arcan-like device which enables to introduce various shear/tensile ratios in a clinched assembly. An experimental survey of the multi-axial behaviour of a non-cutting single-stroke round clinched connection of two DC05 sheets, which is mild deep drawing steel, is conducted with this modified Arcan setup. These experimental results are used to check the validity of numerical models that predict the strength under multi-axial loading. Since the forming of a clinch is a fairly complex sheet metal operation, a good knowledge of the plastic material properties and the frictional behaviour is of the utmost importance to perform a sufficiently accurate FEA simulation. The impact of these factors on the multi-axial loading behaviour of the DC05–DC05 connection is investigated. ispartof: International Journal of Material Forming vol:6 issue:4 pages:437-451 status: published

Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) is a modern and flexible alternative to traditional forming techniques. It thanks its flexibility to the fact that it does not require a dedicated tool set to operate. Numerical simulation of the SPIF process requires an accurate FE model. In the past several attempts have been undertaken to use inverse methods for sheet metal SPIF material model identification based on shearing, tensile and indenting tests. The basic idea of this paper is that the results of inverse methods can be improved by using the SPIF process itself as experimental data source. A SPIF experiment dedicated for material identification on a simple geometry using large step sizes is presented and compared with the FE simulation of the forming process based on an initial guess for the material behavior.

Clinching is a mechanical joining technique which involves severe local plastic deformation of two or more sheet metal parts resulting in a permanent mechanical interlock or joint. The required forming load and energy can be determined with the aid of the finite element method. However, a good knowledge of the elasto-plastic properties is of utmost importance to perform a sufficiently accurate simulation. This paper presents two alternative material tests to identify the hardening behaviour of sheet metal beyond the point of maximum uniform elongation. In addition, the material tests were applied to DC05 and the identified material behaviour is evaluated through the prediction of the forming load during clinching.

Clinching, commonly referred to as press-joining, is a mechanical joining technique which involves severe local plastic deformation of two or more sheet metal parts resulting in a permanent mechanical interlock or joint. This interlock is achieved by using simple tools like a die, a punch and a blank holder. Since no additional elements are used, the strength of the clinched connection is entirely determined by the clinch geometry, and, consequently, by the geometry of die and punch. As a result, for each combination of material and sheet thickness an optimal geometry of the tools can be derived. This can be done either through extensive experimental testing or, more cost-effectively, with the aid of numerical simulations. However, for these results to be useful they have to be able to reproduce the experimental strength of the connection. In this paper we investigate the possibility of predicting the shear and pull-out strength of a clinched sheet metal assembly using FEA. Numerical difficulties associated with these simulations and the preceding forming operation are discussed. A comparison between experimental data and simulation is provided.

Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) is a relatively new class of sheet forming processes that allow the manufacture of complex geometries based on computer-controlled forming tools in replacement (at least partially) of dedicated tooling. This paper studies the straining behaviour in the Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) variant (in which no dedicated tooling at all is required), both on experimental basis using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and on numerical basis by the Finite Element (FE) method. The aim of the paper is to increase understanding of the deformation mechanisms inherent to SPIF, which is an important issue for the understanding of the high formability observed in this process and also for future strategies to improve the geometrical accuracy. Two distinct large-strain FE formulations, based on shell and first-order reduced integration brick elements, are used to model the sheet during the SPIF processing into the form of a truncated cone. The prediction of the surface strains on the outer surface of the cone is compared to experimentally obtained strains using the DIC technique. It is emphasised that the strain history as calculated from the DIC displacement field depends on the scale of the strain definition. On the modelling side, it is shown that the mesh density in the FE models plays a similar role on the surface strain predictions. A good qualitative agreement has been obtained for the surface strain components. One significant exception has however been found, which concerns the circumferential strain evolution directly under the forming tool. The qualitative discrepancy is explained through a mechanism of through-thickness shear in the experiment, which is not fully captured by the present FE modelling since it shows a bending-dominant accommodation mechanism. The effect of different material constitutive behaviours on strain prediction has also been investigated, the parameters of which were determined by inverse modelling using a specially designed sheet forming test. Isotropic and anisotropic yield criteria are considered, combined with either isotropic or kinematic hardening. The adopted constitutive law has only a limited influence on the surface strains. Finally, the experimental surface strain evolution is compared between two cones with different forming parameters. It is concluded that the way the plastic zone under the forming tool accommodates the moving tool (i.e. by through-thickness shear or rather by bending) depends on the process parameters. The identification of the most determining forming parameter that controls the relative importance of either mechanism is an interesting topic for future research.

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a promising new production technique in which a metal sheet is formed stepwise by a spherical tool. However, the technique still shows some particularities. It is observed that the final geometry of a SPIF part can deviate significantly from the programmed tool path. As illustrated in this paper, elastic springback is only to a minor extent responsible for this phenomenon. The goal of the presented paper is to illustrate the gradual emergence of unintended deviations as measured by means of a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique. Two CCD cameras were used to take the necessary in-process images. The mechanism of deformation in function of the forming depth is documented and discussed.

The purpose of this article is to develop an inverse method for adjusting the material parameters for single point incremental forming (SPIF). The main idea consists in FEM simulations of simple tests involving the SPIF specificities (the “line test”) performed on the machine used for the process itself. This approach decreases the equipment cost. It has the advantage that the material parameters are fitted for heterogeneous stress and strain fields close to the ones occurring during the actual process. A first set of material parameters, adjusted for the aluminum alloy AA3103 with classical tests (tensile and cyclic shear tests), is compared with parameters adjusted by the line test. It is shown that the chosen tests and the strain state level have an important impact on the adjusted material data and on the accuracy of the tool force prediction reached during the SPIF process.

In the early 1980’s, the ultrasonic polar scan (UPS) technique was developed to assess the fiber direction of composites in a nondestructive way. In spite of the recognition by several researchers as being a sophisticated and promising methodology for nondestructive testing and materials science, little advance was made during the following 30 years. Recently however, the UPS technique experienced a strong revival and various modifications to the original UPS setup have been successfully implemented. This revival has exposed several powerful capabilities and interesting applications of the UPS technique for material characterization and damage assessment. This paper gives a short historical overview of the UPS technique for characterizing and inspecting (damaged) fiber reinforced plastics. In addition, a few future research lines are given which will further expand the applicability and potential of the UPS method to a broader range of (damaged) materials, bringing the UPS technique to the next level of maturity. ispartof: Applied Sciences vol:6 issue:2 status: published

A simplified method to determine the strain distribution during incremental forming of a cone is proposed in this paper. Because of the symmetry of the deformed part, the strain can be derived using the results obtained from a limited number of consecutive tool contours instead of going through the whole process. Comparisons made between the measured and simulated results show that the proposed method can be applied to determine the strain encountered in such kind of incremental forming process where axi-symmetric parts are formed.

Inverse methods offer a powerful tool for the identification of elasto-plastic material properties of metals. The basic principle of the inverse method we are studying, is to compare an experimentally measured strain field with a strain field computed by a finite element (FE) model. The material parameters in the FE model are iteratively tuned in such a way that the numerically computed strain field matches the experimentally measured field as closely as possible. One of the building blocks in this identification procedure is the optimization algorithm for the material parameters in the numerical model. The key problem of this optimization algorithm is the determination of a sensitivity matrix, which expresses the sensitivities of the strains with respect to the material parameters. This paper presents an analytical method for the calculation of this sensitivity matrix in the case of a tensile test with non-rotating principal axes of strain.

This paper presents a mixed numerical–experimental method for the identification of the four in-plane orthotropic engineering constants of composite plate materials. A biaxial tensile test is performed on a cruciform test specimen. The heterogeneous displacement field is observed by a CCD camera and measured by a digital image correlation (DIC) technique. The measured displacement field and the subsequently computed strain field are compared with a finite element simulation of the same experiment. The four independent engineering constants are unknown parameters in the finite element model. Starting from an initial value, these parameters are updated till the computed strain field matches the experimental strain field. Two specimen geometries are used: one with a centered hole to increase the strain heterogeneity and one without a hole. It is found that the non-perforated specimen yields the most accurate results.

This paper compares results of three different methods to determine the in-plane elastic properties of sheet materials. Results obtained with standard resonant beam and tensile tests are used to assess a mixed numerical–experimental technique developed to determine the in-plane elastic properties of orthotropic plates from the resonance frequencies of rectangular plate samples (the so-called ‘Resonalyser’ technique). Test materials were selected on the basis of an expected low degree of elastic anisotropy in order to put the accuracy and sensitivity of the different techniques to assess anisotropic materials to a test. Therefore, aluminium alloy and stainless steel samples were prepared from hot-rolled plates, deliberately avoiding pronounced cold-rolling textures. The differences between the results obtained with the three experimental approaches are critically evaluated. In the case of very thin plates, the existing mixed numerical–experimental Resonalyser procedure succeeded in accurately identifying the elastic material properties. A slightly adapted procedure is proposed to extend the applicability of the Resonalyser procedure to thicker plates.

The characterization of the stiffness properties of fibre reinforced composite (FRC) materials presents more difficulties than the characterization of traditional isotropic materials. This paper first describes the difficulties that can arise and next presents a nondestructive method that offers a possible solution to the problems. The proposed method is a so-called ‘Mixed Numerical/Experimental Technique’ (MNET). From an experimental point of view, the method requires the measurement of resonant frequencies of freely suspended rectangular test plates. From the numerical side, an accurate model of the test plate must be available. The stress field associated with the different resonant frequencies is multi-axial. The measurement procedure however is very simple and requires little specimen preparation. The equipment is inexpensive and the measurement procedure can be controlled by a PC program. The proposed MNET allows the simultaneous determination of all the anisotropical properties and provides an estimation of their statistical distribution.

Although Incremental Forming offers distinct advantages over traditional forming processes, such as short lead times and low setup costs, the process still has some drawbacks. Besides the obtainable accuracy, one of the main challenges of the process are the process limits. Many workpiece geometries cannot be manufactured due to the fact that the maximum wall angle that can be formed is limited for a certain sheet material and thickness to a given angle. Different solutions to this approach have been proposed and this paper further investigates one of those solutions, the multi step approach for single point incremental forming. Experiments were performed and compared with simulations to better understand the phenomena underlying the improved process performance.

The Laboratory Soete developed a new test setup, based on the well-known pin-on-disc test rig. Instead of the standard composite specimen and steel disc, a rotating composite disc and a steel pin is presently used to have a visible wear track. Other measurement techniques (Acoustic Emission, vibrations, temperature) can be used on the test rig. Continuous monitoring of the wear track combined with standard wear and friction measurements, give results of the current state of the wear track. Fourier frequency analysis (FFT) of these signals gives an indication of the change in condition and contact geometry of the resulting pin-disc combination. A high-speed camera will be used to acquire digital images of the worn composite surface. These online measurements yield to the gradual evolution in damage of the composite specimens.