NONLINEAR TRANSIENT RESPONSE OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED SHALLOW SPHERICAL SHELLS SUBJECTED TO MECHANICAL LOAD AND UNSTEADY TEMPERATURE FIELD

This paper is concerned with the transient deformation of functionally graded （FG） shallow spherical shells subjected to time-dependent thermomechanical load. Based on Timoshenko- Mindlin hypothesis and yon Karman nonlinear theory, a set of nonlinear governing equations of motion for FG shallow spherical shells in regard to transverse shear deformation and all the inertia terms are established using Hamilton＇s principle. The collocation point method and Newmark- beta scheme in conjunction with the finite difference method are adopted to solve the governing equations of motion and the unsteady heat conduction equation numerically. In the numerical examples, the transient deflection and stresses of FG shallow spherical shells with various material properties under different loading conditions are presented.

MECHANICAL AND ACOUSTIC RESPONSE OF AN UNDERWATER STRUCTURE SUBJECTED TO MECHANICAL EXCITATION

In this paper, an underwater structure is modeled as a cylindrical shell with internal bulkheads, and closed by a truncated conical shell, and it consists of metal substrate and sound absorbing coating, whose FGM core is considered. Suppose the inner cavity and outer space of the structure are filled with air and fluid mediums, the mechanical response of the underwater structure is calculated with Galerkin method while the acoustic response is investigated by means of the Helmholtz integral. Some numerical examples are given and the effect of geometrical size and material parameters on mechanical and acoustic response is discussed.

Chemomechanical Properties of Electrospun Polyvinyl Acetate(PVAc)Fiber Mat and its Application in Water-Triggered Self-folding

Environmental-stimulus-triggered self-folding mechanisms have found promising applications in many engineering fields.Recently,a water-activated self-folding procedure has been designed by using the electrospun polyvinyl acetate(PVAc)fiber mat which contains high tensile residual stresses in the vitrified fibers during the spinning processes.The water permeation initiates plasticization of PVAc fiber mat and leads to a material shrinkage.When water diffusion starts at the top surface of a PVAc sheet,a shrinkage variation along the diffusion pathway forms a bending hinge on the sheet,which has been demonstrated in 3D origami design.To capture the water-triggered plasticization mechanism and chemomechanical coupling deformation compatibility,a consistent finite deformation viscoplastic model is developed for the PVAc fiber mat under coupled chemomechanical loading conditions.The residual stress and‘fixed’strain are modeled through the unrecoverable plastic strain in the PVAc fiber mat.As water permeates into the PVAc fiber mat,the induced increase in mixing entropy lowers the glass transition temperature of the material,and results in a gradual relaxation of the fixed viscoplastic strain.A non-Fickian diffusion model suitable for glassy material is adopted to capture the water permeation in the PVAc fiber mat.After calibrated and validated by a series of experiments,the proposed model is implemented in ABAQUS software to simulate the water-activated self-folding of PVAc sheet.The numerical example for a typical origami design suggests a promising engineering application prospect.

Application of interpolated double network model for carbon nanotube composites in electrothermal shape memory behaviors

Multi-wall carbon nanotube filled shape memory polymer composite(MWCNT/SMC)possessed enhanced modulus,strength,and electric conductivity,as well as excellent electrothermal shape memory properties,showing wide design scenarios and engineering application prospects.The thermoelectrically triggered shape memory process contains complex multi-physical mechanisms,especially when coupled with finite deformation rooted on micro-mechanisms.A multi-physical finite deformation model is necessary to get a deep understanding on the coupled electro-thermomechanical properties of electrothermal shape memory composites(ESMCs),beneficial to its design and wide application.Taking into consideration of micro-physical mechanisms of the MWCNTs interacting with double-chain networks,a finite deformation theoretical model is developed in this work based on two superimposed network chains of physically crosslinked network formed among MWCNTs and the chemically crosslinked network.An intact crosslinked chemical network is considered featuring with entropic-hyperelastic properties,superimposed with a physically crosslinked network where percolation theory is based on electric conductivity and electric-heating mechanisms.The model is calibrated by experiments and used for shape recoveries triggered by heating and electric fields.It captures the coupled electro-thermomechanical behavior of ESMCs and provides design guidelines for MWCNTs filled shape memory polymers.