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At least 1,171 records · Page 65

EFFECTS OF HIGH G CONDITIONS ON PILOT PERFORMANCE

The general development trend in space vehicle design suggests the desirability of maximally using the occupant to both control capsule attitude and to monitor vehicle systems during the boost (and reentry) acceleration phases, as well as during orbital flight. Consequently, much more information is needed concerning man's ability to perform certain control functions under conditions in which he is exposed to accelerations which approach not only his physiological tolerance limits, but also his performance tolerance limits. In addition to the need for more data concerning the acceleration stress that man can endure and still retain the ability to perform control functions, there is a need to know specifically the nature of performance errors which can arise, not only as the direct result of acceleration, but also as secondary effects of acceleration inter acting with other conditions such as the type of control task, the type of control device, the damping and stability parameters, and the pilot's physiological endurance8 . Current concern over the performance capabilities of the human pilot immersed in certain acceleration environments is well founded since there are very few experimental reports describing the effects of these conditions on performance. The present paper attempts to summarize some of the results of recent studies conducted at the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory (AMAL) in which specific pilot performance capabilities were studied under several conditions of acceleration stress.

Gravity↗

Shear Stress Partitioning in Large Patches of Roughness in the Atmospheric Inertial Sublayer

Drag partition measurements were made in the atmospheric inertial sublayer for six roughness configurations made up of solid elements in staggered arrays of different roughness densities. The roughness was in the form of a patch within a large open area and in the shape of an equilateral triangle with 60 m long sides. Measurements were obtained of the total shear stress (tau) acting on the surfaces, the surface shear stress on the ground between the elements (tau(sub S)) and the drag force on the elements for each roughness array. The measurements indicated that tau(sub S) quickly reduced near the leading edge of the roughness compared with tau, and a tau(sub S) minimum occurs at a normalized distance (x/h, where h is element height) of approx. -42 (downwind of the roughness leading edge is negative), then recovers to a relatively stable value. The location of the minimum appears to scale with element height and not roughness density. The force on the elements decreases exponentially with normalized downwind distance and this rate of change scales with the roughness density, with the rate of change increasing as roughness density increases. Average tau(sub S): tau values for the six roughness surfaces scale predictably as a function of roughness density and in accordance with a shear stress partitioning model. The shear stress partitioning model performed very well in predicting the amount of surface shear stress, given knowledge of the stated input parameters for these patches of roughness. As the shear stress partitioning relationship within the roughness appears to come into equilibrium faster for smaller roughness element sizes it would also appear the shear stress partitioning model can be applied with confidence for smaller patches of smaller roughness elements than those used in this experiment.

Gillies, John A.↗

A stress-sensitive precipitate nucleation model beyond classical nucleation theory

The dynamic evolution of precipitates and second phases dictates the strength and stability of most engineering alloys. By design, or as a consequence of thermo-mechanical aging, engineering metals and alloys often form precipitates of second phases when subjecting to diverse thermal and mechanical loads. Precipitation is governed by several factors, including the alloy’s composition, processing/operating temperature, and stresses — either as a result of external loads or from residual stresses. However, state-of-the-art models for precipitate nucleation (i.e., classical nucleation theory) typically lacks consistent method to capture the effects of externally applied and/or internal stresses on nucleation; thereby severely limiting the applicability of these models to complex materials systems and to representative loading scenarios. Here, in this work, we extend upon classical nucleation theory to account for the effect of stresses on precipitation kinetics and thermodynamics. This is achieved via the use of an Eshelbian micromechanics framework keeping track of (i) the stress build up resulting from second phase formation as a function of mechanical load and, (ii) the effects of dislocations on precipitate formation. This new model is applied to σ precipitate in Fe–Cr binary alloys and M 23 C 6 precipitate in 316H stainless steel (SS). Simulations demonstrate the important role of both the remotely applied loads and dislocation pile ups on precipitate nucleation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Hydrogen irradiation-driven computational surface chemistry of lithium oxide and hydroxide

We have investigated, using molecular dynamics, the surface chemistry of hydrogen incident on the amorphous and crystalline lithium oxide and lithium hydroxide surfaces upon being slowed down by a collision cascade and retained in the amorphous surface of either Li 2 O or LiOH. We looked for the bonding of H to the resident structures in the surface to understand a possible chain of chemical reactions that can lead to surface transformation upon H atom impact. Our findings, using Density-Functional Theory (DFT) trained ReaxFF force field/electronegativity equalization method potentials, stress the importance of inclusion of polarization in the dynamics of a Li–O–H system, which is also illustrated by DFT energy minimization and quantum–classical molecular dynamics using tight binding DFT. The resulting polar-covalent chemistry of the studied systems is complex and very sensitive to the instantaneous positions of all atoms as well as the ratio of concentrations of various resident atoms in the surface.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Adaptable structural synthesis using advanced analysis and optimization coupled by a computer operating system

A finite element program is linked with a general purpose optimization program in a 'programing system' which includes user supplied codes that contain problem dependent formulations of the design variables, objective function and constraints. The result is a system adaptable to a wide spectrum of structural optimization problems. In a sample of numerical examples, the design variables are the cross-sectional dimensions and the parameters of overall shape geometry, constraints are applied to stresses, displacements, buckling and vibration characteristics, and structural mass is the objective function. Thin-walled, built-up structures and frameworks are included in the sample. Details of the system organization and characteristics of the component programs are given.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.↗

Shear buckling of specially orthotropic plates with centrally located cutouts

The shear loading of a composite rectangular plate with a centrally located circular cutout was analyzed in order to predict the buckling load of the plate. The first step in this analysis is to calculare the in-plane stress distribution of the plate prior to buckling. This problem can be solved using finite element methods, but a quicker and more cost efficient method is desired. The method chosen to determine the pre-buckling stresses is that of boundary collocation using complex variables. The real valued force functions are written in terms of two complex valued functions, each of which is a function of a different complex variable. The solution of the generalized biharmonic function is a superposition of functions of these two complex variables. For this analysis, the force functions are represented with a Laurent series. The constants in these series are found using boundary collocation. Two force equations for complex variables are satisfied over the plate boundaries to obtain these constants. The stresses in the plate are then known for any particular locations on the plate given the applied shear on the edges of the plate.

Klang, Eric C.↗

A stress-induced source of phonon bursts and quasiparticle poisoning

Abstract The performance of superconducting qubits is degraded by a poorly characterized set of energy sources breaking the Cooper pairs responsible for superconductivity, creating a condition often called “quasiparticle poisoning”. Both superconducting qubits and low threshold dark matter calorimeters have observed excess bursts of quasiparticles or phonons that decrease in rate with time. Here, we show that a silicon crystal glued to its holder exhibits a rate of low-energy phonon events that is more than two orders of magnitude larger than in a functionally identical crystal suspended from its holder in a low-stress state. The excess phonon event rate in the glued crystal decreases with time since cooldown, consistent with a source of phonon bursts which contributes to quasiparticle poisoning in quantum circuits and the low-energy events observed in cryogenic calorimeters. We argue that relaxation of thermally induced stress between the glue and crystal is the source of these events.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Seismic velocity, attenuation and rheology of the upper mantle

Seismic and rheological properties of the upper mantle in the vicinity of the low-velocity zone are expressed in terms of relaxation by dislocation glide. Dislocation bowing in the glide plane explains seismic velocities and attenuation. Climbing at higher stresses for longer periods of time give the observed viscosity, and explain the low velocity and high temperature attenuation found at seismic frequencies. Due to differing parameters, separate terms for thermal, seismic and rheological lithospheres are proposed. All three lithospheres, however, are related and are functions of temperature, and must be specified by parameters such as period, stress, and stress duration.

Anderson, D. L.↗

The ADS general-purpose optimization program

The mathematical statement of the general nonlinear optimization problem is given as follows: find the vector of design variables, X, that will minimize f(X) subject to G sub J (x) + or - 0 j=1,m H sub K hk(X) = 0 k=1,l X Lower I approx less than X sub I approx. less than X U over I i = 1,N. The vector of design variables, X, includes all those variables which may be changed by the ADS program in order to arrive at the optimum design. The objective function F(X) to be minimized may be weight, cost or some other performance measure. If the objective is to be maximized, this is accomplished by minimizing -F(X). The inequality constraints include limits on stress, deformation, aeroelastic response or controllability, as examples, and may be nonlinear implicit functions of the design variables, X. The equality constraints h sub k(X) represent conditions that must be satisfied precisely for the design to be acceptable. Equality constraints are not fully operational in version 1.0 of the ADS program, although they are available in the Augmented Lagrange Multiplier method. The side constraints given by the last equation are used to directly limit the region of search for the optimum. The ADS program will never consider a design which is not within these limits.

Vanderplaats, G. N.↗

In-Plane Shear Testing of Medium and High Modulus Woven Graphite Fiber Reinforced/Polyimide Composites

Iosipescu shear tests were performed at room temperature and at 316 C (600 F) o woven composites with either M40J or M60J graphite fibers and PMR-II-50 polyimide resin matrix. The composites were tested as supplied and after thermo-cycling, with the thermo-cycled composites being tested under dry and wet conditions. Acoustic emission (AE) was monitored during the room and high temperature Iosipescu experiments. The shear stresses at the maximum loads and the shear stresses at the significant onset of AE were determined for the composites as function of temperature and conditioning. The combined effects of thermo-cycling and moisture on the strength and stiffness properties of the composites were evaluated. It was determined that the room and high temperature shear stresses at the maximum loads were unaffected by conditioning. However, at room temperature the significant onset of AE was affected by conditioning; the thermal conditioned wet specimens showed the highest shear stress at the onset of AE followed by thermal-conditioned and then as received specimens. Also, at igh temperature the significant onset of AE occurred in some specimens after the maximum load due to the viscoelastoplastic nature of the matrix material.

Gentz, M.↗

Arabidopsis thaliana EARLY RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION 7 Localizes to Lipid Droplets via Its Senescence Domain

Lipid droplets (LDs) are neutral-lipid-containing organelles found in all kingdoms of life and are coated with proteins that carry out a vast array of functions. Compared to mammals and yeast, relatively few LD proteins have been identified in plants, particularly those associated with LDs in vegetative (non-seed) cell types. Thus, to better understand the cellular roles of LDs in plants, a more comprehensive inventory and characterization of LD proteins is required. Here, we performed a proteomics analysis of LDs isolated from drought-stressed Arabidopsis leaves and identified EARLY RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION 7 (ERD7) as a putative LD protein. mCherry-tagged ERD7 localized to both LDs and the cytosol when ectopically expressed in plant cells, and the protein’s C-terminal senescence domain (SD) was both necessary and sufficient for LD targeting. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ERD7 belongs to a six-member family in Arabidopsis that, along with homologs in other plant species, is separated into two distinct subfamilies. Notably, the SDs of proteins from each subfamily conferred targeting to either LDs or mitochondria. Further, the SD from the ERD7 homolog in humans, spartin, localized to LDs in plant cells, similar to its localization in mammals; although, in mammalian cells, spartin also conditionally localizes to other subcellular compartments, including mitochondria. Disruption of ERD7 gene expression in Arabidopsis revealed no obvious changes in LD numbers or morphology under normal growth conditions, although this does not preclude a role for ERD7 in stress-induced LD dynamics. Consistent with this possibility, a yeast two-hybrid screen using ERD7 as bait identified numerous proteins involved in stress responses, including some that have been identified in other LD proteomes. Collectively, these observations provide new insight to ERD7 and the SD-containing family of proteins in plants and suggest that ERD7 may be involved in functional aspects of plant stress response that also include localization to the LD surface.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A General Reversible Hereditary Constitutive Model: Theoretical Developments - Part 1

Using an internal-variable formalism as a starting point, we describe the viscoelastic extension of a previously-developed viscoplasticity formulation of the complete potential structure type. It is mainly motivated by experimental evidence for the presence of rate/time effects in the so-called quasilinear, reversible, material response range. Several possible generalizations are described, in the general format of hereditary-integral representations for non-equilibrium, stress-type, state variables, both for isotropic as well as anisotropic materials. In particular, thorough discussions are given on the important issues of thermodynamic admissibility requirements for such general descriptions, resulting in a set of explicit mathematical constraints on the associated kernel (relaxation and creep compliance) functions. In addition, a number of explicit, integrated forms are derived, under stress and strain control to facilitate the parametric and qualitative response characteristic studies reported here, as well as to help identify critical factors in the actual experimental characterizations from test data that will be reported in Part II.

Saleeb, A. F.↗

Influence of load interactions on crack growth as related to state of stress and crack closure

Fatigue crack propagation (FCP) after an application of a low-high loading sequence was investigated as a function of specimen thickness and crack closure. No load interaction effects were detected for specimens in a predominant plane strain state. However, for the plane stress specimens, initially high FCP rates after transition to a higher stress intensity range were observed. The difference in observed behavior was explained by examining the effect of the resulting closure stress intensity values on the effective stress intensity range.

Telesman, J.↗

An efficient virus–induced gene silencing (VIGS) system for gene functional studies in Miscanthus

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful tool for transient gene functional analysis in plants, especially for monocot species (e.g., grasses) that are recalcitrant to transformation. Despite various VIGS systems that have been developed in different plant species, none was previously available for the bioenergy crop Miscanthus. Here, we report the establishment of an efficient and robust VIGS system mediated by Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) in Miscanthus. We first investigated the impact of various factors that may affect gene silencing efficiency using the Miscanthus sinensis Phytoene Desaturase (MsPDS) gene as a visual indicator of photobleaching. Then, we optimized the TRV-elicited VIGS procedure using an orthogonal experimental design with four factors (sprout size, Agrobacterium concentration, vacuum infiltration time, and co-incubation time) each at three levels. The following led to the highest silencing efficiency (~76%): inoculation of germinating seedlings (1.0–2.0 mm), Agrobacterium tumefaciens culture grown to optical density at 600 nm (OD 600 ) of 0.4, vacuum infiltration for 90 min, and co-incubation for 5 h. The VIGS system established was applicable for both M. sinensis and M. lutarioriparius, with comparable gene silencing efficiency. We verified the efficacy of the VIGS system via the functional characterization of the role of a MYB transcription factor, MsMYB112, in salt stress tolerance. Expression of MsMYB112 was successfully knocked down using the VIGS system, and this led to compromised salt tolerance in the silenced Miscanthus plants. The TRV-based VIGS system established may, therefore, substantially facilitate functional genomic studies in Miscanthus.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

A phase-field fracture formulation for generalized standard materials: The interplay between thermomechanics and damage

Accurately modeling fracture of ductile materials poses open challenges in the field of computational mechanics due to the multiphysics nature of their failure processes. Integrating the interplay between thermodynamics and damage into ductile fracture models is vital for predicting critical failure modes. Here, in this paper, we develop a versatile phase-field (PF) framework for modeling ductile fracture, taking into account finite-strain elasto-plasticity. The framework stems from a variational formulation of constitutive relations for generalized standard materials (GSMs), whose response is described by a Helmholtz free energy and a dissipation pseudo-potential. Its variational structure is based on a minimum principle for a functional that expresses the sum of power densities for reversible and irreversible processes. By minimizing this functional with a constraint on a von Mises yield function, we derive the evolution equation for the equivalent plastic strain and an associative flow rule. This constrained optimization problem is analytically solved for a wide class of thermo-viscoplasticity models. The key innovations of the current work include (i) a cubic plastic degradation function that accounts for a non-vanishing damage-dependent yield stress, (ii) closed-form expressions of the Helmholtz free energy and dissipation pseudo-potential for three thermo-viscoplasticity models, (iii) an extended Johnson–Cook plasticity model with a nonlinear hardening law, and (iv) a plastic work heat source that depends on the plastic degradation function and a variable Taylor–Quinney (TQ) coefficient. The capabilities of the proposed framework are tested with the aid of four ductile fracture problems, including the Sandia Fracture Challenge. In each of these problems, we examine the evolution of relevant field variables such as the PF order parameter, the equivalent plastic strain, the temperature, and the internal power dissipation density, in addition to the overall structural response quantified by the force–displacement curve. These numerical studies demonstrate that the proposed framework effectively represents ductile fracture, yielding computational results that exhibit good agreement with experimental data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Antiorthostatic suspension for 14 days does not diminish the oxidative response of neutrophils in mice

The effects of long-term spaceflight on inflammatory responses have not been well-studied in either humans or animals. It is thus important to determine if the functions of immune and inflammatory cells are altered in models of spaceflight. One such animal model is antiorthostatic suspension (AOS), in which the experimental animal is subjected to a head-down tilt that mimics both the stress and the cephalad fluid shift experienced in spaceflight. A previous study reported that the peritoneal neutrophils from mice experiencing AOS generated less superoxide than unsuspended controls. We expanded on this study using several different stimuli and measuring the oxidative response of murine neutrophils in a variety of ways. These responses included the rate, lag period, and dose/response characteristics for superoxide generation, FACS analysis with dihydrodichlorofluorescein as a substrate, and a chemiluminescence response with luminol as a substrate. We also examined phagocytosis of three different microorganisms. While some effects of orthostatic suspension (attributable to the stress of the apparatus) were observed, no clear effects of AOS on oxidative function of the peritoneal neutrophils were seen.

NASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology↗

Scaling patch analysis of turbulent planar plume

Proper scaling in turbulent planar plumes is investigated in this study using a scaling patch approach. Based on the scaled boundary conditions, a proper velocity scale for the mean axial flow is the plume centerline velocity U ref = U ctr , and a proper temperature scale for the temperature excess is Θ ref = T ctr – T ∞ , where T ctr is the plume centerline temperature and T ∞ is the ambient fluid temperature. By seeking an admissible scaling, a key concept in the scaling patch approach, for the mean continuity, mean momentum, and mean energy equations, respectively, the following is found: (1) a proper scale for the mean transverse flow is V ref = ( d δ / d x ) U ctr , where d δ / d x is the growth rate of the plume width. (2) A proper scale for the Reynolds shear stress is R vu , ref = U ctr V ref = ( d δ / d x ) U ctr 2 , a mix of the scales for the mean axial and transverse flows. (3) A proper scale for the turbulent heat flux is R v θ , ref = V ref Θ ctr , a mix of the scales for the mean transverse flow and mean temperature excess. The mean transverse flow thus plays a critical role in the scaling of turbulent planar plumes. Approximate functions are developed for the scaled mean transverse flow, Reynolds shear stress, and turbulent temperature flux, and are found to agree favorably with experimental and numerical simulation data. The integral analysis of the mean momentum equation yields a Richardson number Ri, which remains invariant in the axial direction. The Richardson number is defined as Ri = def g β Θ ctr δ t / ( U ctr V ref ) ≈ 1 / 2 , where g is the gravitational acceleration, β is the thermal expansion coefficient, and δ t is the plume half-width based on the mean temperature profile. This Richardson number arises directly from the scaling patch analysis of the mean momentum equation, including both the streamwise and transverse velocity scales.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Sheet Flows, Avalanches, and Dune Evolution on Earth and Mars

This investigation is a collaboration between researchers at Cornell University, the University of Florida, and the University of Rennes 1, France. Flow modeling at Cornell University focused on mechanisms for the suspension and transport of wind-blown sand that are important in both terrestrial and Martian environments. These mechanisms include the saltation (or jumping) of grains, collisions between grains, and the interaction of grains with the velocity fluctuations of the turbulent wind. Of particular interest are sheet flows; these are relatively thin, highly concentrated regions of grains flowing near the ground under the influence of a strong turbulent wind. In them, the grains are suspended by interparticle collisions. Sheet flows may be relatively rare events, but they have the capacity to move great amounts of sand. In order to describe sheet flows, a turbulent mixture theory was formulated for particles in a fluid in which fluctuations in the volume fiaction of the particles take place on the scale of the turbulent eddies. Ensemble averaged equations for particle and fluid mass, momentum, and energy and fluid rate of dissipation were expressed in terms of Farve (concentration) averaged velocities and the associated velocity fluctuations. Correlations that describe the turbulent suspension of particles and dissipation of turbulent energy of both phases due to fluid particle interactions were modeled and boundary conditions at the bed and at the upper surface of the collisional flow were formulated. The boundary conditions at the upper surface were tested in a numerical simulation developed at the University of Florida. Steady and unsteady solutions for steady and unsteady fully-developed flows were obtained over a range of wind speeds fiom the lowest for which collisional between particles occurred to at which turbulent suspension is found to dominate collisional suspension. Below the value of the wind speed at which collisions between particles were unimportant, numerical solutions were obtained for the velocity distribution function and the resulting fields of concentration, particle and gas mean velocity, and particle shear stress for the steady two-dimensional saltation of spherical sand particles driven by a turbulent wind over a bed characterized by a simple relationship (the splash function) between the properties of incoming particles and those of the rebounding particles and other particles ejected fiom the bed. At the University of Rennes 1, experiments devoted to the characterization of the splash function for beds consisting of either random or ordered arrays of spheres in two- dimensions were completed. These indicated the role played by the packing geometry in the rebound and ejection of grains. Preliminary experiments on response of a three- dimensional collision bed to a collision with a single particle were performed. Data was taken with a single camera focused on the plane of collision. Here, for example, the decrease of the effective coefficient of restitution of the bed with an increase of the angle of incidence of the incoming particle has been measured. Other experiments on avalanches at Rennes studied the properties of the flows of particles that are responsible for the motion of the leeward side of a dune. In these, the dependence of the initiation of avalanches on the packing and depth of the particles was measured. Particle migration was studied in inclined flows of a binary mixture of disks and the mechanisms of diffision and segregation were isolated and characterized. The influence of side wall on dense, rapid inclined flows was measured and shown to be the reason why the angle of the free surface in such flows can exceed the static angle of repose. Future research will be devoted to a better understanding the transition between saltating (collisionless) and collisional flows as the wind speed the increases. This will involve the understanding of the evolution of the splash function as clisions with the bed become more numerous, more frequent, and more violent.

Source record↗