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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 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Creep deformation of B2 aluminides

The creep resistance and elevated temperature deformation mechanisms in CoAl, FeAl, and NiAl are reviewed. The stress and temperature dependencies of the steady state creep rate, the primary creep behavior, the dislocation substructure, and the response during transient tests are used as the main indicators of the deformation processes. In single phase intermetallics, the influence of grain size, stoichiometry, and solid solution hardening have been examined. In addition, the effect of adding dispersoids, precipitates, and other types of reinforcements to improve creep strength are compared.

Nathal, M. V.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Effective thermoelastic and thermal properties of unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites and their sensitivity coefficients

Three-dimensional finite element models are used to assess the accuracy of the thermoelastic and thermal properties of unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites predicted by six different micromechanical models. The six models are: simple mechanics of materials type equations, fiber substructuring model, vanishing fiber diameter model, self-consistent model, Mori-Tanaka model, and method of cells. In addition, the finite element models are used to assess the accuracy of derivatives of the effective properties, with respect to each of the constituent material properties and fiber-volume ratio, computed using the six micromechanical models. The predictions of the micromechanical and finite element models for four advanced composite material systems are compared with experimental data. The results obtained in the present study show that the predictions of the Mori-Tanaka model and the method of cells are closer to those of the finite element models than those of all the other micromechanical models.

Noor, Ahmed K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Experimental component mode systhesis of structures with nonlinear joints

The accuracy of component mode synthesis is investigated experimentally for substructures coupled by non-ideal joints. The work is based upon a segmented experimental beam for which the free-interface frequency response matrices are measured for each segment. These measurements are used directly in component mode synthesis to predict the behavior of the assembled structure; the segments are then physically joined and the resulting frequency response of the superstructure is compared to the prediction. Rotational freeplay is then introduced into the connecting joint and the new superstructure frequency response is compared to the original linear CMS prediction. The level of accuracy to be expected in component mode synthesis is discussed in terms of the degree of nonlinearity in the joints, mode number and mode shapes.

Blackwood, Gary H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Stiffnesses of a solid-rocket motor from an ambient vibration survey

Experience with many spacecraft configurations boosted by a variety of launch vehicles indicates that the maximum loads experienced throughout most of the structure are inertial in origin. These loads arise from the dynamic elastic response of the flight vehicle to the transient disturbances of launch and flight, and are highly dependent on the dynamic characteristics of both the spacecraft and the launch vehicle. It has proved to be most advantageous, in the analysis of this critical dependency of loads upon vehicle dynamic properties, to establish a mathematical model in terms of normal mode characteristics. In this way, the vibration behavior of an elastomechanical structure (or substructure) can be described by means of the so-called modal or natural degrees of freedom. The conduct of a mode survey test and the use of a suitably test-verified model in loads analyses is essential to the flight worthiness certification process of space systems. The desirability of such tests is confirmed by the fact that, almost invariably, significant deficiencies in the analytical models are revealed by the results. Therefore, this experimental program was undertaken to determine those properties of a solid-propellant rocket motor (SRM) which are required to characterize a dynamic model. Random ambient-excited accelerations were measured at a series of stations along the motor for the purpose of identifying the motor beam-like stiffnesses in bending, shear, and torsion. From a system identification point of view, it is significant that stiffness properties of a subsystem (the motor) are determined from modes of the full system (motor/stand configuration) using mode shape data of the subsystem only. This contrasts with traditional system identification approaches which rely upon complete system mode shapes.

Rubin, S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Guideline For Design Of Adaptive Structures

Guideline for design of adaptive structures specifies active members should be located at positions of maximum strain energy. Equations of motion of flexible structures formulated in terms of kinetic energies, strain energies, and direct measurements of forces. Maintaining precise dimensional control during assembly essential to assembly without large external loads or to prevent jamming of substructure preventing successful deployment. Active members used to prevent "binding" during deployment of structure. Then structure adjusted to precision shape requirement and adjusted during operation as required.

Utku, Senol↗
NASA NTRS1993

Property enchancement of polyimide films by way of the incorporation of lanthanide metal ions

Lanthanide metal ions were incorporated into the polyimide derived from 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) and 1,3-bis(aminophenoxy) benzene (APB) in an attempt to produce molecular level metal-polymer composites. The lanthanide series of metal ions (including aluminum, scandium, and yttrium) provide discrete and stable metal ions in the 3+ oxidation state. Throughout the series there is a uniform variation in ionic size ranging from 50 pm for aluminum to a maximum of 103.4 pm for cerium and gradually decreasing again to 84.8 pm for lutetium. The high charge-to-size ratio for these ions as well as the ability to obtain large coordination numbers makes them excellent candidates for interacting with the polymer substructure. The distinct lack of solubility of simple lanthanide salts such as the acetates and halides has made it difficult to obtain metal ions distributed in the polymer framework as discrete ions or metal complexes rather than microcomposites of metal clusters. (Lanthanum nitrates are quite soluble, but the presence of the strongly oxidizing nitrate ion leads to serious degradation of the polymer upon thermal curing. This work was successful at extending the range of soluble metals salts by using chelating agents derived from the beta-diketones dipivaloylmethane, dibenzoylmethane, trifluoroacetylacetone, and hexafluoroacetylacetone. Metal acetates which are insoluble in dimethylacetamide dissolve readily in the presence of the diketones. Addition of the polyimide yields a homogeneous resin which is then cast into a clear film. Upon curing clear films were obtained with the dibenzoylmethane and trifluoroacetylacetone ligands. The dipavaloylmethane precipitates the metal during the film casting process, and hexafluoroacetylacetone gives cured films which are deformed and brittle. These clear films are being evaluated for the effect of the metal ions on the coefficient of thermal expansion, resistance to atomic oxygen, and on selective gas permeability. Much more commonly than above, polyimide films are prepared by casting the film as the poly(amic acid) precursor which is then converted to the imidized form during the thermal cure cycle. Very limited success was achieved in the past in adding lanthanide metal ions to the amide precursors because of gellation and lack of solubility. With the use of the diketone ligands cited above, the solubility and gellation problems were overcome. However, the films after curing were clear but unacceptably brittle. Attempts to overcome this cure embrittlement problem are in progress.

Thompson, David W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A Fully Associative, Non-Linear Kinematic, Unified Viscoplastic Model for Titanium Based Matrices

Specific forms for both the Gibb's and complementary dissipation potentials are chosen such that a complete (i.e., fully associative) potential based multiaxial unified viscoplastic model is obtained. This model possesses one tensorial internal state variable that is associated with dislocation substructure, with an evolutionary law that has nonlinear kinematic hardening and both thermal and strain induced recovery mechanisms. A unique aspect of the present model is the inclusion of non-linear hardening through the use of a compliance operator, derived from the Gibb's potential, in the evolution law for the back stress. This non-linear tensorial operator is significant in that it allows both the flow and evolutionary laws to be fully associative (and therefore easily integrated) and greatly influences the multiaxial response under non-proportional loading paths. In addition to this nonlinear compliance operator, a new consistent, potential preserving, internal strain unloading criterion has been introduced to prevent abnormalities in the predicted stress-strain curves, which are present with nonlinear hardening formulations, during unloading and reversed loading of the external variables. Specification of an experimental program for the complete determination of the material functions and parameters for characterizing a metallic matrix, e.g., TIMETAL 21S, is given. The experiments utilized are tensile, creep, and step creep tests. Finally, a comparison of this model and a commonly used Bodner-Partom model is made on the basis of predictive accuracy and numerical efficiency.

Arnold, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The kinematics of dense clusters of galaxies. I - The data

We have measured redshifts in the fields of the 31 R greater than 1 Abell clusters with z of 0.02-0.05 and absolute b exp II above 30 deg. At least ten of the fields are severely contaminated by superimposed velocity peaks. We derive the mean velocities and velocity dispersions of the 25 dense peaks in the sample. The abundance of peaks, 6.6 x 10 exp -6 h-cubed Mpc exp -3, is consistent with the mean number density of R above 1 Abell clusters. The range of velocity dispersions is 304-1346 km/s. The median dispersion is 718 km/s. The subset of eight systems with cD galaxies has a median velocity dispersion of 792 km/s, close to that of non-cD systems (626 km/s). When these data are combined with 16 cD cluster velocity dispersions from our previous study (Zabludoff et al., 1990, or ZHG) and Dunn (1991), eight of 25 cD galaxies have peculiar motions larger than half the cluster velocity dispersions. These findings further support the conclusions of Beers and Geller (1983), ZHG, and Dunn (1991), who argue that cD galaxies do not lie in the global kinematic center, but in local potential minima. If so, systems with speeding cD's are probably a guide to substructure in dynamically evolving systems.

Zabludoff, Ann I.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The mid-infrared transmission spectra of Antarctic ureilites

The mid-IR (4000-450/cm; 2.5-22.2 microns) transmission spectra of seven Antarctic ureilites and 10 Antarctic H-5 ordinary chondrites are presented. The ureilite spectra show a number of absorption bands, the strongest of which is a wide, complex feature centered near 1000/cm (10 microns) due to Si-O stretching vibrations in silicates. The profiles and positions of the substructure in this feature indicate that Mg-rich olivines and pyroxenes are the main silicates responsible. The relative abundances of these two minerals, as inferred from the spectra, show substantial variation from meteorite to meteorite, but generally indicate olivine is the most abundant (olivine:pyroxene = 60:40 to 95:5). Both the predominance of olivine and the variable olivine-to-pyroxene ratio are consistent with the known composition and heterogeneity of ureilites. The H-5 ordinary chondrites spanned a range of weathering classes and were used to provide a means of addressing the extent to which the ureilite spectra may have been altered by weathering processes. It was found that, while weathering of these meteorites produces some weak bands due to the formation of small amounts of carbonates and hydrates, the profile of the main silicate feature has been little affected by Antarctic exposure in the meteorites studied here. The mid-IR ureilite spectra provide an additional means of testing potential asteroidal parent bodies for the ureilites.

Sandford, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Optimization of aerospace structures

Research carried out is grouped under two topics: (1) Design Optimization, and (2) Integrated Force Method of Analysis. Design Optimization Research Topics are singularity alleviation enhances structural optimization methods, computer based design capability extended through substructure synthesis, and optimality criteria provides optimum design for a select class of structural problems. Integrated Force Method of Analysis Research Topics are boundary compatibility formulation improves stress analysis of shell structures. Brief descriptions of the four topics are appended.

Keith, Theo G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Orbital processing of high-quality CdTe compound semiconductors

CdZnTe crystals were grown in one-g and in micro-g for comparative analysis. The two micro-g crystals were grown in the Crystal Growth Furnace during the First United States Microgravity Laboratory mission (USML-1). The samples were analyzed for chemical homogeneity, structural perfection, and optoelectronic performance (infrared transmission). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) transmission of both ground and flight materials showed that the infrared transmission was close to theoretical, 63% versus 66%, suggesting that the material was close to the stochiometric composition during both the ground and flight experiments. Infrared microscopy confirmed that the principal precipitates were Te and their size (1-10 microns) and density suggested that the primary flight and ground base samples experienced similar cooling rates. Macrosegregation was predicted, using scaling analysis, to be low even in one-g crystals and this was confirmed experimentally, with nearly diffusion controlled growth achieved even in the partial mixing regime on the ground. Radial segregation was monitored in the flight samples and was found to vary with fraction solidified, but was disturbed due to the asymmetric grvitational and thermal fields experienced by the flight samples. The flight samples, however, were found to be much higher in structural perfection than the ground samples produced in the same furnace under identical growth conditions except for the gravitational level. Rocking curve widths were found to be substantially reduced, from 20/35 (one-g) to 9/20 (micro-g) for the best regions of the crystals. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 9 arc seconds is as good as the best reported terrestrially for this material. The ground samples were found to have a fully developed mosaic structure consisting of subgrains, whereas the flight sample dislocations were discrete and no mosaic substructure was evident. The defect density was reduced from 50-100,000 (one-g) to 500-25000 EPD (micro-g). These results were confirmed using rocking curve analysis, synchrotron topography, and etch pit analysis. The low dislocation density is thought to have resulted from the near-absence of hydrostatic pressure which allowed the melt to solidify with minimum or no wall contact, resulting in very low stress being exerted on the crystal during growth or during post-solidification cooling.

Larson, David J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Error estimation and adaptive mesh refinement for parallel analysis of shell structures

The formulation and application of element-level, element-independent error indicators is investigated. This research culminates in the development of an error indicator formulation which is derived based on the projection of element deformation onto the intrinsic element displacement modes. The qualifier 'element-level' means that no information from adjacent elements is used for error estimation. This property is ideally suited for obtaining error values and driving adaptive mesh refinements on parallel computers where access to neighboring elements residing on different processors may incur significant overhead. In addition such estimators are insensitive to the presence of physical interfaces and junctures. An error indicator qualifies as 'element-independent' when only visible quantities such as element stiffness and nodal displacements are used to quantify error. Error evaluation at the element level and element independence for the error indicator are highly desired properties for computing error in production-level finite element codes. Four element-level error indicators have been constructed. Two of the indicators are based on variational formulation of the element stiffness and are element-dependent. Their derivations are retained for developmental purposes. The second two indicators mimic and exceed the first two in performance but require no special formulation of the element stiffness mesh refinement which we demonstrate for two dimensional plane stress problems. The parallelizing of substructures and adaptive mesh refinement is discussed and the final error indicator using two-dimensional plane-stress and three-dimensional shell problems is demonstrated.

Keating, Scott C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Modeling of stress/strain behavior of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites including stress redistribution

A computational simulation procedure is presented for nonlinear analyses which incorporates microstress redistribution due to progressive fracture in ceramic matrix composites. This procedure facilitates an accurate simulation of the stress-strain behavior of ceramic matrix composites up to failure. The nonlinearity in the material behavior is accounted for at the constituent (fiber/matrix/interphase) level. This computational procedure is a part of recent upgrades to CEMCAN (Ceramic Matrix Composite Analyzer) computer code. The fiber substructuring technique in CEMCAN is used to monitor the damage initiation and progression as the load increases. The room-temperature tensile stress-strain curves for SiC fiber reinforced reaction-bonded silicon nitride (RBSN) matrix unidirectional and angle-ply laminates are simulated and compared with experimentally observed stress-strain behavior. Comparison between the predicted stress/strain behavior and experimental stress/strain curves is good. Collectively the results demonstrate that CEMCAN computer code provides the user with an effective computational tool to simulate the behavior of ceramic matrix composites.

Mital, Subodh K.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A fully associative, nonisothermal, nonlinear kinematic, unified viscoplastic model for titanium alloys

Specific forms for both the Gibb's and complementary dissipation potentials are chosen such that a complete (i.e., fully associative) potential base multiaxial, nonisothermal unified viscoplastic model is obtained. This model possesses one tensorial internal state variable (that is, associated with dislocation substructure) and an evolutionary law that has nonlinear kinematic hardening and both thermal and strain induced recovery mechanisms. A unique aspect of the present model is the inclusion of nonlinear hardening through the use of a compliance operator, derived from the Gibb's potential, in the evolution law for the back stress. This nonlinear tensorial operator is significant in that it allows both the flow and evolutionary laws to be fully associative (and therefore easily integrated), greatly influences the multiaxial response under non-proportional loading paths, and in the case of nonisothermal histories, introduces an instantaneous thermal softening mechanism proportional to the rate of change in temperature. In addition to this nonlinear compliance operator, a new consistent, potential preserving, internal strain unloading criterion has been introduced to prevent abnormalities in the predicted stress-strain curves, which are present with nonlinear hardening formulations, during unloading and reversed loading of the external variables. The specific model proposed is characterized for a representative titanium alloy commonly used as the matrix material in SiC fiber reinforced composites, i.e., TIMETAL 21S. Verification of the proposed model is shown using 'specialized' non-standard isothermal and thermomechanical deformation tests.

Arnold, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Nonlinear structural analysis on distributed-memory computers

A computational strategy is presented for the nonlinear static and postbuckling analyses of large complex structures on massively parallel computers. The strategy is designed for distributed-memory, message-passing parallel computer systems. The key elements of the proposed strategy are: (1) a multiple-parameter reduced basis technique; (2) a nested dissection (or multilevel substructuring) ordering scheme; (3) parallel assembly of global matrices; and (4) a parallel sparse equation solver. The effectiveness of the strategy is assessed by applying it to thermo-mechanical postbuckling analyses of stiffened composite panels with cutouts, and nonlinear large-deflection analyses of HSCT models on Intel Paragon XP/S computers. The numerical studies presented demonstrate the advantages of nested dissection-based solvers over traditional skyline-based solvers on distributed memory machines.

Watson, Brian C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Postbuckling and large-deflection nonlinear analyses on distributed-memory computers

A computational strategy is presented for postbuckling and nonlinear static analyses of large complex structures on distributed-memory parallel computers. The strategy is designed for message-passing parallel computer systems. The key elements of the proposed strategy are: (1) a multiple-parameter reduced basis technique; (2) a nested dissection (or multilevel substructuring) ordering scheme; (3) parallel assembly of global matrices; and (4) a parallel sparse equation solver. The effectiveness of the strategy is assessed by performing thermomechanical postbuckling analyses of stiffened composite panels with cutouts, and nonlinear large-deflection analyses of High Speed Civil Transport models on three distributed-memory computers. The numerical studies presented demonstrate the advantages of nested dissection-based solvers over traditional skyline-based solvers on distributed-memory machines.

Watson, Brian C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Sensitivity analysis for large-deflection and postbuckling responses on distributed-memory computers

A computational strategy is presented for calculating sensitivity coefficients for the nonlinear large-deflection and postbuckling responses of laminated composite structures on distributed-memory parallel computers. The strategy is applicable to any message-passing distributed computational environment. The key elements of the proposed strategy are: (1) a multiple-parameter reduced basis technique; (2) a parallel sparse equation solver based on a nested dissection (or multilevel substructuring) node ordering scheme; and (3) a multilevel parallel procedure for evaluating hierarchical sensitivity coefficients. The hierarchical sensitivity coefficients measure the sensitivity of the composite structure response to variations in three sets of interrelated parameters; namely, laminate, layer and micromechanical (fiber, matrix, and interface/interphase) parameters. The effectiveness of the strategy is assessed by performing hierarchical sensitivity analysis for the large-deflection and postbuckling responses of stiffened composite panels with cutouts on three distributed-memory computers. The panels are subjected to combined mechanical and thermal loads. The numerical studies presented demonstrate the advantages of the reduced basis technique for hierarchical sensitivity analysis on distributed-memory machines.

Watson, Brian C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Assembly induced delaminations in composite structures

Experimental and analytical studies of the development of delaminations around fastener holes in composite structures are presented. This type of delamination is known to occur in composite skins that are mechanically fastened to a poorly mating substructure. Results of an experimental study to determine the resistance of laminates to the initiation of assembly induced delaminations and the residual strength of assembly damaged coupons are presented for AS4/3501-6, IM7/8551-7A, and AS4/PEEK material systems. A survey of existing analytical models for predicting the residual strength and stability of delaminations is presented, and the development of a new model for predicting the initiation of delaminations around a fastener hole is outlined. The fastener hole damage initiation model utilizes a finite element based Fourier series solution, and is validated through comparisons of analytical and experimental results.

Goering, J.↗