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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 235 records · Page 13

Elevated temperature biaxial fatigue

Biaxial fatigue is often encountered in the complex thermo-mechanical loadings present in gas turbine engines. Engine strain histories can involve non-constant temperature, mean stress, creep, environmental effects, both isotropic and anisotropic materials and non-proportional loading. Life prediction for the general case involving all the above factors is not a practicable research project. The current research program is limited to isothermal fatigue at room temperature and 1200 F of Hastalloy-X for both proportional and non-proportional loading. An improved method for predicting the fatigue life and deformation response under biaxial cycle loading is sought.

Jordan, E. H.↗

Gear optimization

The use of formal numerical optimization methods for the design of gears is investigated. To achieve this, computer codes were developed for the analysis of spur gears and spiral bevel gears. These codes calculate the life, dynamic load, bending strength, surface durability, gear weight and size, and various geometric parameters. It is necessary to calculate all such important responses because they all represent competing requirements in the design process. The codes developed here were written in subroutine form and coupled to the COPES/ADS general purpose optimization program. This code allows the user to define the optimization problem at the time of program execution. Typical design variables include face width, number of teeth and diametral pitch. The user is free to choose any calculated response as the design objective to minimize or maximize and may impose lower and upper bounds on any calculated responses. Typical examples include life maximization with limits on dynamic load, stress, weight, etc. or minimization of weight subject to limits on life, dynamic load, etc. The research codes were written in modular form for easy expansion and so that they could be combined to create a multiple reduction optimization capability in future.

Vanderplaats, G. N.↗

Structural Evaluation of a Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Fuel Turbopump Turbine Blade

Thermal and structural finite-element analyses were performed on the first high pressure fuel turbopump turbine blade of the space shuttle main engine (SSME). A two-dimensional (2-D) finite-element model of the blade and firtree disk attachment was analyzed using the general purpose MARC (finite-element) code. The loading history applied is a typical test stand engine cycle mission, which consists of a startup condition with two thermal spikes, a steady state and a shutdown transient. The blade material is a directionally solidified (DS) Mar-M 246 alloy, the blade rotor is forged with waspalloy material. Thermal responses under steady-state and transient conditions were calculated. The stresses and strains under the influence of mechanical and thermal loadings were also determined. The critical regions that exhibited high stresses and severe localized plastic deformation were the blade-rotor gaps.

Abdul-Aziz, Ali↗

Forced axisymmetric response of fluid filled spherical shells.

A general solution for the forced, linear axisymmetric response of a fluid filled spherical shell is derived with the effects of shell transverse shear and rotational inertia included. The fluid is assumed to be inviscid and compressible. Expressions for the shell radial displacement are computed for the problem of a uniform radial Heaviside load on a cap of the shell surface. In addition, the time history of the shell inner fiber stresses at the impact pole is obtained. Some comparisons with the in vacuo shell theory are also given.

Lee, Y. C.↗

Optimization of helicopter rotor blade design for minimum vibration

The optimization approach discussed is part of an ongoing effort to develop a general automated procedure for rotor blade design. This procedure can be used to determine the necessary geometric, structural, and material properties of a rotor system to achieve desired objectives relating to vibration, stress, and aerodynamic performance. The approach used for helicopter vibration is emphasized. Based on analytical studies performed at the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), a simplified vibration analysis was developed to be used in conjunction with a forced response analysis in the optimization process. This simplified analysis improves the efficiency of the design process significantly. Results of applying this approach to the design of an existing rotor blade model are presented.

Davis, M. W.↗

Porous Media Approach for Modeling Closed Cell Foam

In order to minimize boil off of the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen and to prevent the formation of ice on its exterior surface, the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) is insulated using various low-density, closed-cell polymeric foams. Improved analysis methods for these foam materials are needed to predict the foam structural response and to help identify the foam fracture behavior in order to help minimize foam shedding occurrences. This presentation describes a continuum based approach to modeling the foam thermo-mechanical behavior that accounts for the cellular nature of the material and explicitly addresses the effect of the internal cell gas pressure. A porous media approach is implemented in a finite element frame work to model the mechanical behavior of the closed cell foam. The ABAQUS general purpose finite element program is used to simulate the continuum behavior of the foam. The soil mechanics element is implemented to account for the cell internal pressure and its effect on the stress and strain fields. The pressure variation inside the closed cells is calculated using the ideal gas laws. The soil mechanics element is compatible with an orthotropic materials model to capture the different behavior between the rise and in-plane directions of the foam. The porous media approach is applied to model the foam thermal strain and calculate the foam effective coefficient of thermal expansion. The calculated foam coefficients of thermal expansion were able to simulate the measured thermal strain during heat up from cryogenic temperature to room temperature in vacuum. The porous media approach was applied to an insulated substrate with one inch foam and compared to a simple elastic solution without pore pressure. The porous media approach is also applied to model the foam mechanical behavior during subscale laboratory experiments. In this test, a foam layer sprayed on a metal substrate is subjected to a temperature variation while the metal substrate is stretched to simulate the structural response of the tank during operation. The thermal expansion mismatch between the foam and the metal substrate and the thermal gradient in the foam layer causes high tensile stresses near the metal/foam interface that can lead to delamination.

Ghosn, Louis J.↗

Induction of a Radio-Adaptive Response by Low-dose Gamma Irradiation in Mouse Cardiomyocytes

One of the most significant occupational hazards to an astronaut is the frequent exposure to radiation. Commonly associated with increased risk for cancer related morbidity and mortality, radiation is also known to increase the risk for cardiovascular related disorders including: pericarditis, hypertension, and heart failure. It is believed that these radiation-induced disorders are a result of abnormal tissue remodeling. It is unknown whether radiation exposure promotes remodeling through fibrotic changes alone or in combination with programmed cell death. Furthermore, it is not known whether it is possible to mitigate the hazardous effects of radiation exposure. As such, we assessed the expression and mechanisms of radiation-induced tissue remodeling and potential radio-adaptive responses of p53-mediated apoptosis and fibrosis pathways along with markers for oxidative stress and inflammation in mice myocardium. 7 week old, male, C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to 6Gy (H) or 5cGy followed 24hr later with 6Gy (LH) 137Cs gamma radiation. Mice were sacrificed and their hearts extirpated 4, 24, or 72hr after final irradiation. Real Time - Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to evaluate target genes. Apoptotic genes Bad and Bax, pro-cell survival genes Bcl2 and Bcl2l2, fibrosis gene Vegfa, and oxidative stress genes Sod2 and GPx4 showed a reduced fold regulation change (Bad,-6.18; Bax,-6.94; Bcl2,-5.09; Bcl2l2,-4.03; Vegfa, -11.84; Sod2,-5.97; GPx4*,-28.72; * = Bonferroni adjusted p-value < or = 0.003) 4hr after H, but not after 4hr LH compared to control. Other p53-mediated apoptosis genes Casp3, Casp9, Trp53, and Myc exhibited down-regulation but did not achieve a notable level of significance 4hr after H. 24hr after H, genetic down-regulation was no longer present compared to 24hr control. These data suggest a general reduction in genetic expression 4hrs after a high dose of gamma radiation. However, pre-exposure to 5cGy gamma radiation appears to facilitate a radio-adaptive response that mitigates the reduction in genetic expression associated with single high-dose gamma radiation exposure. This radio-adaptive response may serve as a potential countermeasure to radiation-induced myocardial remodeling and preserve the cardiovascular health of astronauts; thus, reducing the risks of human space exploration.

Westby, Christian M.↗

Radio-Adaptive Responses of Mouse Myocardiocytes

One of the most significant occupational hazards to an astronaut is the frequent exposure to radiation. Commonly associated with increased risk for cancer related morbidity and mortality, radiation is also known to increase the risk for cardiovascular related disorders including: pericarditis, hypertension, and heart failure. It is believed that these radiation-induced disorders are a result of abnormal tissue remodeling. It is unknown whether radiation exposure promotes remodeling through fibrotic changes alone or in combination with programmed cell death. Furthermore, it is not known whether it is possible to mitigate the hazardous effects of radiation exposure. As such, we assessed the expression and mechanisms of radiation-induced tissue remodeling and potential radio-adaptive responses of p53-mediated apoptosis and fibrosis pathways along with markers for oxidative stress and inflammation in mice myocardium. 7 week old, male, C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to 6Gy (H) or 5cGy followed 24hr later with 6Gy (LH) Cs-137 gamma radiation. Mice were sacrificed and their hearts extirpated 4, 24, or 72hr after final irradiation. Real Time - Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to evaluate target genes. Pro-apoptotic genes Bad and Bax, pro-cell survival genes Bcl2 and Bcl2l2, fibrosis gene Vegfa, and oxidative stress genes Sod2 and GPx4 showed a reduced fold regulation change (Bad,-6.18; Bax,-6.94; Bcl2,-5.09; Bcl2l2,-4.03; Vegfa, -11.84; Sod2,-5.97; GPx4*,-28.72; * = Bonferroni adjusted p-value . 0.003) 4hr after H, but not after 4hr LH when compared to control. Other p53-mediated apoptosis genes Casp3, Casp9, Trp53, and Myc exhibited down-regulation but did not achieve a notable level of significance 4hr after H. 24hr after H, genetic down-regulation was no longer present compared to 24hr control. These data suggest a general reduction in genetic expression 4hrs after a high dose of gamma radiation. However, pre-exposure to 5cGy gamma radiation appears to facilitate a radio-adaptive response that mitigates the reduction in genetic expression associated with single high-dose gamma radiation exposure. This radio-adaptive response may serve as a potential countermeasure to radiation-induced myocardial remodeling and preserve the cardiovascular health of astronauts; thus, reducing the risks of human space exploration.

Seawright, John W.↗

Commercialization of NESSUS: Status

A plan was initiated in 1988 to commercialize the Numerical Evaluation of Stochastic Structures Under Stress (NESSUS) probabilistic structural analysis software. The goal of the on-going commercialization effort is to begin the transfer of Probabilistic Structural Analysis Method (PSAM) developed technology into industry and to develop additional funding resources in the general area of structural reliability. The commercialization effort is summarized. The SwRI NESSUS Software System is a general purpose probabilistic finite element computer program using state of the art methods for predicting stochastic structural response due to random loads, material properties, part geometry, and boundary conditions. NESSUS can be used to assess structural reliability, to compute probability of failure, to rank the input random variables by importance, and to provide a more cost effective design than traditional methods. The goal is to develop a general probabilistic structural analysis methodology to assist in the certification of critical components in the next generation Space Shuttle Main Engine.

Thacker, Ben H.↗

Cell signaling by reactive nitrogen and oxygen species in atherosclerosis

The production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species has been implicated in atherosclerosis principally as means of damaging low-density lipoprotein that in turn initiates the accumulation of cholesterol in macrophages. The diversity of novel oxidative modifications to lipids and proteins recently identified in atherosclerotic lesions has revealed surprising complexity in the mechanisms of oxidative damage and their potential role in atherosclerosis. Oxidative or nitrosative stress does not completely consume intracellular antioxidants leading to cell death as previously thought. Rather, oxidative and nitrosative stress have a more subtle impact on the atherogenic process by modulating intracellular signaling pathways in vascular tissues to affect inflammatory cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Furthermore, cellular responses can affect the production of nitric oxide, which in turn can strongly influence the nature of oxidative modifications occurring in atherosclerosis. The dynamic interactions between endogenous low concentrations of oxidants or reactive nitrogen species with intracellular signaling pathways may have a general role in processes affecting wound healing to apoptosis, which can provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Review, Tutorial↗

Dynamic response of membranes with finite elements

A general set of finite-element equations is developed for treating the nonlinear dynamic response of membranes consisting of complex nonlinear materials. The approach proposed by Key (1974) for a most complete treatment of the finite-element method to the nonlinear dynamic analysis of solids is used in developing the nonlinear equations of motion for membranes with cubic quadrilateral finite elements. The computations are kept general with respect to material modeling by computing the deformation gradient and requiring a constitutive subroutine to supply the Cauchy stress. An example calculation of the vibration of a square membrane demonstrates the accuracy of the formulation for small deformation theory and shows the nonlinear effect of large deformations.

Benzley, S. E.↗

A thermoelastic transversely isotropic thick walled cylinder/disk application: An analytical solution and study

A continuum theory is utilized to represent the thermoelastic behavior of a thick walled composite cylinder that can be idealized as transversely isotropic. A multiaxial statement of the constitutive theory employed is presented, as well as the out of the plane of isotropy, plane stress, and plane strain reductions. The derived analytical solution presented is valid for a cylindrical tube or thin disk with a concentric hole, subjected to internal and/or external pressure and a general radial temperature distribution. A specific problem examined is that of a thick walled cylinder subjected to an internal and external pressure loading and a linear radial temperature distribution. The results are expressed in nondimensional form and the effects on the response behavior are examined for various material properties, fiber orientation and types of loadings.

Arnold, S. M.↗

Treatment of Transient Pressure Events in Space Flight Pressurized Systems

The general physics of pressure transients, sources of pressure transients, and major factors influencing pressure transients are addressed. Mitigation strategies that aid in reducing the magnitude of pressure transients are discussed. Methods to characterize pressure transients and their effects on the structure are presented. Case studies illustrate the structural analysis methodology used to predict the structural dynamic response. The structural verification process involves formulating acceptance and qualification programs, which requires knowledge of the stress state. The maximum expected operating pressure (MEOP) is established such that the maximum stress produced by static pressure is equivalent to the maximum stress at the same critical location produced by the combined effect of steady state pressure and the magnitude of the pressure transient. A roadmap on how to treat transient pressures in the structural verification process of spaceflight pressurized systems (e.g., valves, lines, pressure vessels, pressurized structures) is presented.

Transient Pressure Events↗

Analysis of the anisotropic viscoplastic-damage response of composite laminates - Continuum basis and computational algorithms

The mathematical structure underlying the rate equations of a recently-developed constitutive model for the coupled viscoplastic-damage response of anisotropic composites is critically examined. In this regard, a number of tensor projection operators have been identified, and their properties were exploited to enable the development of a general computational framework for their numerical implementation using the Euler fully-implicit integration method. In particular, this facilitated (i) the derivation of explicit expressions of the (consistent) material tangent stiffnesses that are valid for both three-dimensional as well as subspace (e.g. plane stress) formulations, (ii) the implications of the symmetry or unsymmetry properties of these tangent operators from a thermodynamic standpoint, and (iii) the development of an effective time-step control strategy to ensure accuracy and convergence of the solution. In addition, the special limiting case of inviscid elastoplasticity is treated. The results of several numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the schemes developed.

Saleeb, A. F.↗

Silicon Micromachined Sensor for Broadband Vibration Analysis

The development of a family of silicon based integrated vibration sensors capable of sensing mechanical resonances over a broad range of frequencies with minimal signal processing requirements is presented. Two basic general embodiments of the concept were designed and fabricated. The first design was structured around an array of cantilever beams and fabricated using the ARPA sponsored multi-user MEMS processing system (MUMPS) process at the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC). As part of the design process for this first sensor, a comprehensive finite elements analysis of the resonant modes and stress distribution was performed using PATRAN. The dependence of strain distribution and resonant frequency response as a function of Young's modulus in the Poly-Si structural material was studied. Analytical models were also studied. In-house experimental characterization using optical interferometry techniques were performed under controlled low pressure conditions. A second design, intended to operate in a non-resonant mode and capable of broadband frequency response, was proposed and developed around the concept of a cantilever beam integrated with a feedback control loop to produce a null mode vibration sensor. A proprietary process was used to integrat a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensing device, with actuators and a cantilever beam, as part of a compatible process. Both devices, once incorporated as part of multifunction data acquisition and telemetry systems will constitute a useful system for NASA launch vibration monitoring operations. Satellite and other space structures can benefit from the sensor for mechanical condition monitoring functions.

Gutierrez, Adolfo↗

Experimental stress analysis of a thin-walled pressurized torus loaded by contact with a plane

It is pointed out that pneumatic tires have a large effect on the overall landing characteristics of an aircraft. The dynamic response upon landing and steering are crucial to the safety of the vehicle and the occupants. The present investigation has the objective to compare experimentally determined strains on an inner tube in contact with a flat plate with numerical values obtained on the basis of a finite element prediction, taking into account an employment of the Structural Analysis of General Shells (STAGS). The obtained results suggest that the clamped boundary condition utilized in the STAGS calculation is not exactly simulated by the employed test setup.

Hill, D. E.↗

Efficient identification of critical stresses in structures subject to dynamic loads

Optimum structural design problems generally employ constraints which are parametric in terms of space and time variables. A parametric constraint may be replaced by equivalent critical point constraints at its local minima for optimization applications. In complex structures, accurate identification of such critical points is computationally expensive due to the cost of finite element analyses. Three techniques are described for efficiently and accurately identifying critical points for space- and time-dependent parametric constraints. An adaptive search technique and a spline interpolation technique are developed for exactly known response. A least squares spline approximation is suggested for noisy behavior. A helicopter tail-boom structure subjected to transient loading is used as an example to demonstrate the techniques described. All three techniques are shown to be computationally efficient for critical point identification and the least squares approximation also removes noise from the data. The case of multiple constraints per element is shown to be particularly suited to the use of spline techniques.

Haftka, R. T.↗

Workload: Measurement and Management

Poster: The workload research project has as its task to survey the available literature on: (1) workload measurement techniques; and (2) the effects of workload on operator performance. The first set of findings provides practitioners with a collection of simple-to-use workload measurement techniques along with characterizations of the kinds of tasks each technique has been shown reliably address. This allows design practitioners to select and use the most appropriate techniques for the task(s) at hand. The second set of findings provides practitioners with the guidance they need to design for appropriate kinds and amounts of workload across all tasks for which the operator is responsible. This guidance helps practitioners design systems and procedures that ensure appropriate levels of engagement across all tasks, and avoid designs and procedures that result in operator boredom, complacency, loss of awareness, undue levels of stress, or skill atrophy that can result from workload that distracts operators from the tasks they perform and monitor, workload levels that are too low, too high, or too consistent or predictable. Only those articles that were peer reviewed, long standing and generally accepted in the field, and applicable to a relevant range of conditions in a select domain of interest, in analogous "extreme" environments to those in space were included. In addition, all articles were reviewed and evaluated on uni-dimensional and multi-dimensional considerations. Casner & Gore also examined the notion of thresholds and the conditions that may benefit mostly from the various methodological approaches. Other considerations included whether the tools would be suitable for guiding a requirement-related and design-related question. An initial review of over 225 articles was conducted and entered into an EndNote database. The reference list included a range of conditions in the domain of interest (subjective/objective measures), the seminal works in workload, as well as summary works

Gore, Brian Francis↗