Evaluation of thermomechanical damage in silicon carbide/titanium composites
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Self-actuating thermal coupling device is light, and transfers heat efficiently. Coupling is thermostatic, making contact as necessary to maintain nearly steady temperature at hot side of interface. Hot pins on hot plate poised near cold pins on cold-plate. As temperature of hot plate rises, shape-memory wire contracts, drawing hot pin against cold pin. When temperature falls below critical level, wire expands, allowing hot pin to pull away. Critical temperature determined by composition of alloy.
A simple bend stress relaxation (BSR) test was developed to measure the creep related properties of ceramic fibers and whiskers. The test was applied to a variety of commercial and developmental Si based fibers to demonstrate capabilities and to evaluate the relative creep resistance of the fibers at 1200 to 1400 C. The implications of these results and the advantages of the BSR test over typical tensile creep tests are discussed.
The nonlinear response of laminated composite structures subjected to thermal loads is investigated. Analysis is performed using a refined theory and an associated finite element model for geometrically nonlinear analysis of laminated composite shell structures. The model is based on a third-order displacement field which accounts for both transverse shear and transverse normal deformations. Numerical studies of simply-supported plates and cylindrical panels indicate that when the panels are free to expand or contract in the transverse direction, the predicted critical buckling temperatures do not depend significantly upon whether or not transverse normal deformations are explicitly accounted for in the analysis model. However, the critical buckling temperatures are strongly dependent upon whether or not the transverse normal deformations are restrained along the boundaries of the panels.
Analytic three-dimensional thermoelasticity solutions are presented for static problems of simply supported sandwich panels and cylindrical shells subjected to mechanical and thermal loads. The panels and shells have laminated composite face sheets of arbitrary thickness separated by a core. Each of the individual layers of the face sheets and the core is modeled as a three-dimensional continuum. Analytic first-order sensitivity coefficients are evaluated to assess the sensitivity of the responses to variations in material parameters of the face sheets and the core, as well as to variations in the curvatures and thicknesses of the sandwich and face sheets. Also, the strain energy associated with various stress components in the face sheets and core are calculated and compared. The information obtained in the present study can aid the development and assessment of two-dimensional models for sandwich structures and illuminate the role of particular material parameters in an equivalent model for the core.
Underintegrated methods are investigated with respect to their stability and convergence properties. The focus was on identifying regions where they work and regions where techniques such as hourglass viscosity and hourglass control can be used. Results obtained show that underintegrated methods typically lead to finite element stiffness with spurious modes in the solution. However, problems exist (scalar elliptic boundary value problems) where underintegrated with hourglass control yield convergent solutions. Also, stress averaging in underintegrated stiffness calculations does not necessarily lead to stable or convergent stress states.
In order to relate single fiber behavior to multiple fiber behavior in composites, fast-fracture tensile strength, creep, and stress-rupture studies were conducted on advanced SiC fiber multifilament tows in the temperature range from 20 to 1400 C in air as well as in inert environments. For conditions of small fiber creep (short times and low temperatures), the tow results of this study confirm the ability of limited single fiber data to model the strength behavior of multiple fibers in a bundle. For conditions of high creep (long times and high temperatures), further studies are needed to explain tow rupture behavior being better than average single fiber behavior.
In order to better understand SiC fiber behavior within CMC microstructures, mechanical tests were performed on multifilament tows consisting of different types of as produced and pretreated fibers. Tensile strengths of tows and single fibers were measured at room temperature for nonstoichiometric Hi-Nicalon and ZMI fibers and for stoichiometric Hi-Nicalon-S, Tyranno SA. and Sylramic fibers. Based on simple bundle theory, measured strengths for as-produced and sized tows were in general agreement with the single fiber results. However, after sizing removal under inert conditions, tow strengths for the coarser grained stoichiometric fibers were typically lower than those predicted from individual fiber data. This effect is attributed to enhanced fiber-fiber mechanical interaction caused by sizing removal from the rough surfaces of these fibers. In support of this, tow strengths remained high for those fiber types with fine grains or excess surface carbon; and, when re-coated with a BN interphase coating, tow strengths for the coarser grained fibers returned to their as-produced values. When the tows were pretreated in air at intermediate temperatures, tow strengths decreased in a manner that could be correlated with the oxidation characteristics of each fiber type as measured by thermogravimetric analysis. The creep and rupture properties of Hi-Nicalon and Sylramic tows were also measured in air and argon from 1200 to 1400 C. Although displaying transient and environmental effects similar to single fibers, the tows crept faster at short times and slower at long times. This resulted in the tow rupture strengths at long time being much greater than the rupture strengths of single fibers. The CMC implications of the tow results are discussed, as well as the benefits and limitations of tow testing.
At temperatures above 1/2 T(sub m), the generation and movement of dislocations may result due to the load created by the weight of the crystal itself The deformation may be expected to increase the line defect density and may result in generation of low angle grain boundaries, especially in the regions of the crystal attached to the ampule. It has often been suspected that elimination of this effect in space can improve crystallinity of crystals grown under microgravity conditions, however, a direct experimental proof of such relation is still missing. In this work we have designed and built a system of in-situ optical detection and measurement of the mechanical deformations of a crystal wafer under its own weight, and studied the deformation effects as a function of temperature. The results of the measurements for ZnSe and ZnTe crystal wafers will be presented.
A significant numerical simulation capability now exists for studying the various phenomena associated with the response, failure, and performance of multilayered composite panels and shells subjected to combined pressure, mechanical, and thermal loads. The phenomena involved cover a wide range of length scales from local to global structural response. The modeling approaches used for multilayered panels include micromechanical models, three-dimensional continuum models, quasi-three-dimensional models, and two-dimensional plate and shell models. Within each category a number of models with several levels of sophistication has evolved. The four categories are described in review papers. Despite the extensive literature cited in the afore-mentioned references, only a few studies have been reported on the effects of stiffness discontinuities, such as those associated with an abrupt stiffener termination or dropped plies, on the response of composite panel. Stiffener termination is often necessary in composite aerospace structures to satisfy detailed design requirements, and therefore an understanding and a prediction of its effect on the response and failure of composite panels are desirable. Such a prediction must take into account the fact that current measurement technology does not allow the accurate determination of the material parameters that are used in the analytical models.
A two-phase approach and a computational procedure are used for predicting the variability of the response of stiffened composite panels associated with variations in the geometric and material parameters of the structures. In the first phase, hierarchical sensitivity analysis is used to identify the major parameters that have the most effect on the response quantities of interest. In the second phase, the major parameters are taken to be fuzzy parameters, and a fuzzy set analysis is used to determine the range of variation of the response, associated with preselected variations in the major parameters. Numerical results are presented showing the variability of the response of panels with both continuous and terminated stiffeners associated with variations in the micro mechanical and geometric parameters. Both flat and curved panels are considered.
To increase performance and durability of high-temperature composites for potential rocket engine components, it is necessary to optimize wetting and interfacial bonding between high modulus carbon fibers and high-temperature polyimide resins. It has been previously demonstrated that the electro-oxidative shear treatments used by fiber manufacturers are not effective on higher modulus fibers that have fewer edge and defect sites in the surface crystallites. In addition, sizings commercially supplied on most carbon fibers are not compatible with polyimides. In this study, the surface chemistry and energy of high modulus carbon fibers (M40J and M60J, Torray) and typical fluorinated polyimide resins, such as PMR-11-50 were characterized. A continuous desizing system that uses an environmentally friendly chemical- mechanical process was developed for tow level fiber. Composites were fabricated with fibers containing the manufacturer's sizing, desized, and further treated with a reactive finish. Results of room temperature tests show that desizing reduces interface sensitive properties compared to the manufacturer's sizing and that subsequent surface re-treatment with reactive finish increases interface sensitive properties. Properties of thermally aged composites and composites with varying finish concentrations will also be discussed.
To increase performance and durability of high-temperature composites for potential rocket engine components, it is necessary to optimize wetting and interfacial bonding between high modulus carbon fibers and high-temperature polyimide resins. It has been previously demonstrated that the electro-oxidative shear treatments used by fiber manufacturers are not effective on higher modulus fibers that have fewer edge and defect sites in the surface crystallites. In addition, sizings commercially supplies on most carbon fibers are not compatible with polyimides. In this study, the surface chemistry and energy of high modulus carbon fibers (M40J and M60J, Torray) and typical fluorinated polyimide resins, such as PMR-II-50 were characterized. A continuous desizing system that uses an environmentally friendly chemical-mechanical process was developed for tow level fiber. Composites were fabricated with fibers containing the manufacturer's sizing, desized, and further treated with a reactive finish. Results of room temperature tests show that desizing reduces interface sensitive properties compared to the manufacturer's sizing and that subsequent surface re-treatment with reactive finish increases interface sensitive properties. Properties of thermally aged composites and composites with varying finish concentrations are also discussed.
Traditional computational approaches for predicting the life and long-term behavior of materials rely on empirical data and are neither generic nor unique in nature. Also, those approaches are not easy to implement in a design procedure in an effective, integrated manner. The focus of ongoing research at the NASA Lewis Research Center has been to develop advanced integrated computational methods and related computer codes for a complete reliability-based assessment of composite structures. These methods - which account for uncertainties in all the constituent properties, fabrication process variables, and loads to predict probabilistic micromechanics, ply, laminate, and structural responses - have already been implemented in the Integrated Probabilistic Assessment of Composite Structures (IPACS) computer code. The main objective of this evaluation is to illustrate the effectiveness of the methodology to predict the long-term behavior of composites under combined mechanical and thermal cyclic loading conditions.
Hybrid fiber approaches have been attempted in the past to alloy desirable properties of different fiber-types for mechanical properties, thermal stress management, and oxidation resistance. Such an approach has potential for the CrSiC and SiCrSiC composite systems. SiC matrix composites with different stacking sequences of woven C fiber (T300) layers and woven Sic fiber (Hi-NicalonTM) layers were fabricated using the standard CVI process. Delamination occurred to some extent due to thermal mismatch for all of the composites. However, for the composites with a more uniform stacking sequence, minimal delamination occurred, enabling tensile properties to be determined at room temperature and elevated temperatures (stress-rupture in air). Composites were seal-coated with a CVI SiC layer as well as a proprietary C-B-Si (CBS) layer. Definite improvement in rupture behavior was observed in air for composites with increasing SiC fiber content and a CBS layer. The results will be compared to standard C fiber reinforced CVI SiC matrix and Hi-Nicalon reinforced CVI SiC matrix composites.
Previous work at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) involved fabrication and testing of composite beams with embedded, pre-strained shape memory alloy (SMA) ribbons. That study also provided comparison of experimental results with numerical predictions from a research code making use of a new thermoelastic model for shape memory alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) structures. The previous work showed qualitative validation of the numerical model. However, deficiencies in the experimental-numerical correlation were noted and hypotheses for the discrepancies were given for further investigation. The goal of this work is to refine the experimental measurement and numerical modeling approaches in order to better understand the discrepancies, improve the correlation between prediction and measurement, and provide rigorous quantitative validation of the numerical model. Thermal buckling, post-buckling, and random responses to thermal and inertial (base acceleration) loads are studied. Excellent agreement is achieved between the predicted and measured results, thereby quantitatively validating the numerical tool.
A comparison of the data from microaccelerometers of the same type and between several types will be presented. Self-test output signals and X-ray evaluation test data after completion of 182 thermal cycles will also be presented.
TiNiPt shape memory alloys are particularly promising for use as solid state actuators in environments up to 300 C, due to a reasonable balance of properties, including acceptable work output. However, one of the challenges to commercializing a viable high-temperature shape memory alloy (HTSMA) is to establish the appropriate primary and secondary processing techniques for fabrication of the material in a required product form such as rod and wire. Consequently, a Ti(50.5)Ni(29.5)Pt20 alloy was processed using several techniques including single-pass high-temperature extrusion, multiple-pass high-temperature extrusion, and cold drawing to produce bar stock, thin rod, and fine wire, respectively. The effects of heat treatment on the hardness, grain size, room temperature tensile properties, and transformation temperatures of hot- and cold-worked material were examined. Basic tensile properties as a function of temperature and the strain-temperature response of the alloy under constant load, for the determination of work output, were also investigated for various forms of the Ti(50.5)Ni(29.5)Pt20 alloy, including fine wire.