Experimental and numerical study regarding H-steel all-bolted connection steel frame with composite wall boards

H-steel all-bolted connection steel frame structures with heat preservation and decoration composite wall boards were investigated and the seismic performances of three scaled specimens were studied.The failure modes,hysteresis curves,bearing capacity,ductility,energy dissipation capacity,stiffness degradation and strain distribution were discussed.The calculation method of structural theoretical internal force was presented.The results showed that the overall structural seismic performance was better,and the structural ductility met the demands of elastic-plastic inter-story drift angle for seismic design.The H-steel weak-axis connection structure obtained better energy dissipation capacity,and its bearing capacity and stiffness were slightly different from the strong-axis connection.The heat preservation and decoration performance of composite wallboard and the all-bolted connection of the steel frame realized prefabrication during the whole construction period.The plastic hinge of the steel beam can be moved outwards because of the L-angles,which effectively avoids stress concentration in joint areas and expands the plastic hinge range.The errors between the theoretical structural capacity calculated by the plastic analysis method and the test results were within 2.44%.In addition,structural failure mechanisms and bearing capacities were verified by the finite element(FE)analysis,and the effects of the main parameters on the structures were investigated.The FE verification results were the same as in the test.The research results provide theoretical support and technical guidance for the application of thermal insulation and decorative composite wall panels in H-shaped steel all-bolted steel frames.

Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Multiscale SiC_p Hybrid Reinforced 6061 Aluminum Matrix Composites

The performance of solid solution aging treatment on aluminum matrix composites prepared by powder metallurgy and reinforced with 6061 aluminum alloy powder as matrix;meanwhile, nano silicon carbide particles(nm Si Cp), submicron silicon carbide particles(1 μm Si Cp) and Ti particles were studied. The Al/Si Cp composite powder was prepared by high-energy ball milling, and then cold-pressed, sintered, hotextruded, and then heat-treated with different solution temperatures and aging times for the extruded composites. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS), X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and extrusion testing were used to analyze and test the microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites. The results show that after the multi-stage solid solution at 530 ℃×2 h+535 ℃×2 h+540 ℃×2 h, the particles are mainly equiaxed grains and uniformly distributed. There is no reinforcement agglomeration, and the surface is dense and the insoluble phase is basically dissolved. In the matrix, the strengthening effect is good, and the hardness and compressive strength are 179.43 HV and 680.42 MPa, respectively. Under this solution process, when the aluminum matrix composites are aged at 170 ℃ for 10 h, the hardness and compressive strength can reach their peaks and increase to 195.82 HV and 721.48 MPa, respectively.

Novel wood-plastic composite fabricated via modified steel slag:Preparation,mechanical and flammability properties

A novel method was developed to enhance the utilization rate of steel slag(SS).Through treatment of SS with phosphoric acid and aminopropyl triethoxysilane(KH550),we obtained modified SS(MSS),which was used to prepare MSS/wood-plastic composites(MSS/WPCs)by replacing talcum powder(TP).The composites were fabricated through melting blending and hot pressing.Their mechanical and combustion properties,which comprise heat release,smoke release,and thermal stability,were systematically investigated.MSS can improve the mechanical strength of the composites through grafting reactions between wood powder and thermoplastics.Notably,MSS/WPC#50(16wt%MSS)with an MSS-to-TP mass ratio of 1:1 exhibited optimal comprehensive performance.Compared with those of WPC#0 without MSS,the tensile,flexural,and impact strengths of MSS/WPC#50 were increased by 18.5%,12.8%,and 18.0%,respectively.Moreover,the MSS/WPC#50 sample achieved the highest limited oxygen index of 22.5%,the highest vertical burning rating at the V-1 level,and the lowest horizontal burning rate at 44.2 mm/min.The formation of a dense and stable char layer led to improved thermal stability and a considerable reduction in heat and smoke releases of MSS/WPC#50.However,the partial replacement of TP with MSS slightly compromised the mechanical and flame-retardant properties,possibly due to the weak grafting caused by SS powder agglomeration.These findings suggest the suitability of MSS/WPCs for high-value-added applications as decorative panels indoors or outdoors.

Numerical Optimization by Finite Element Method of Stainless Steel/Glass-Epoxy Composite Bolted Joint under Tension and Compression

The aim of this study was to optimize the geometry and the design of metallic/composite single bolted joints subjected to tension-compression loading. For this purpose, it was necessary to evaluate the stress state in each component of the bolted join. The multi-material assembly was based on the principle of double lap bolted joint. It was composed of a symmetrical balanced woven glass-epoxy composite material plate fastened to two stainless sheets using a stainless pre-stressed bolt. In order to optimize the design and the geometry of the assembly, ten configurations were proposed and studied: a classical simple bolted joint, two joints with an insert (a BigHeadR insert and a stair one) embedded in the composite, two “waved” solutions, three symmetrical configurations composed of a succession of metallic and composites layers, without a sleeve, with one and with two sleeves, and two non-symmetrical constituted of metallic and composites layers associated with a stair-insert (one with a sleeve and one without). A tridimensional Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to model each configuration mentioned above. The FE models taked into account the different materials, the effects of contact between the different sheets of the assembly and the pre-stress in the bolt. The stress state was analyzed in the composite part. The concept of stress concentration factor was used in order to evaluate the stress increase in the highly stressed regions and to compare the ten configurations studied. For this purpose, three stress concentration factors were defined: one for a monotonic loading in tension, another for a monotonic loading in compression, and the third for a tension-compression cyclic loading. The results of the FEM computations showed that the use of alternative metallic and composite layers associated with two sleeves gived low values of stress concentration factors, smaller than 1.4. In this case, there was no contact between the bolt and the composite part and the most stressed region was not the vicinity of the hole but the end of the longest layers of the metallic inserts.

Anti-explosion performance and dynamic response of an innovative multi-layer composite explosion containment vessel

An innovative multi-layer composite explosion containment vessel(CECV)utilizing a sliding steel platealuminum honeycomb-fiber cloth sandwich is put forward to improve the anti-explosion capacity of a conventional single-layer explosion containment vessel(SECV).Firstly,a series of experiments and finite element(FE)simulations of internal explosions are implemented to understand the basic anti-explosion characteristics of a SECV and the rationality of the computational models and methods is verified by the comparison between the experimental results and simulation results.Based on this,the CECV is designed in detail and a variety of FE simulations are carried out to investigate effects of the sandwich structure,the explosive quantity and the laying mode of the fiber cloth on anti-explosion performance and dynamic response of the CECV under internal explosions.Simulation results indicate that the end cover is the critical position for both the SECV and CECV.The maximum pressure of the explosion shock wave and the maximum strain of the CECV can be extremely declined compared to those of the SECV.As a result,the explosive quantity the CECV can sustain is up to 20 times of that the SECV can sustain.Besides,as the explosive quantity increases,the internal pressure of the CECV keeps growing and the plastic deformation and failure of the sandwich structure become more and more severe,yielding plastic strain of the CECV in addition to elastic strain.The results also reveal that the laying angles of the fiber cloth's five layers have an impact on the anti-explosion performance of the CECV.For example,the CECV with fiber cloth layered in 0°/45°/90°/45°/0°mode has the optimal anti-capacity,compared to 0°/0°/0°/0°/0°and 0°/30°/60°/30°/0°modes.Overall,owing to remarkable anti-explosion capacity,this CECV can be regarded as a promising candidate for explosion resistance.

Effects of diamond particle size on microstructure and properties of diamond/Al-12Si composites prepared by vacuum-assisted pressure infiltration

Diamond/aluminium composites have attracted attention in the field of thermal management of electronic packaging for their excellent properties.In order to solve the interfacial problem between diamond and aluminium,a novel process combining pressure infiltration with vacuum-assisted technology was proposed to prepare diamond/aluminum composites.The effect of diamond particle size on the microstructure and properties of the diamond/Al-12Si composites was investigated.The results show that the diamond/Al-12Si composites exhibit high relative density and a uniform microstructure.Both thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion increase with increasing particle size,while the bending strength exhibits the opposite trend.When the average diamond particle size increases from 45μm to 425μm,the thermal conductivity of the composites increases from 455 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)to 713 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)and the coefficient of thermal expansion increases from 4.97×10^(-6)K^(-1)to 6.72×10^(-6)K^(-1),while the bending strength decreases from 353 MPa to 246 MPa.This research demonstrates that high-quality composites can be prepared by the vacuum-assisted pressure infiltration process and the thermal conductivity of the composites can be effectively improved by increasing the diamond particle size.

Evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties in multi-layer 316L-TiC composite fabricated by selective laser melting additive manufacturing

In this study,the microstructure and mechanical properties of a multi-layered 316L-TiC composite material produced by selective laser melting(SLM)additive manufacturing process are investigated.Three different layers,consisting of 316L stainless steel,316L-5 wt%TiC and 316L-10 wt%TiC,were additively manufactured.The microstructure of these layers was characterized by optical microscopy(OM)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).X-ray diffraction(XRD)was used for phase analysis,and the mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile and nanoindentation tests.The microstructural observations show epitaxial grain growth within the composite layers,with the elongated grains growing predominantly in the build direction.XRD analysis confirms the successful incorporation of the TiC particles into the 316L matrix,with no unwanted phases present.Nanoindentation results indicate a significant increase in the hardness and modulus of elasticity of the composite layers compared to pure 316L stainless steel,suggesting improved mechanical properties.Tensile tests show remarkable strength values for the 316L-TiC composite samples,which can be attributed to the embedded TiC particles.These results highlight the potential of SLM in the production of multi-layer metal-ceramic composites for applications that require high strength and ductility of metallic components in addition to the exceptional hardness of the ceramic particles.

Iron/aluminum nanocomposites prepared by one-step reduction method and their effects on thermal decomposition of AP and AN

Aluminum(Al)powder is widely used in solid propellants.In particular,nano-Al has attracted extensive scholarly attention in the field of energetic materials due to its higher reactivity than micro-Al.However,the existence of aluminum oxide film on its surface reduces the heat release performance of the aluminum powder,which greatly limits its application.Hence,this paper used iron,a component of solid propellant,to coat micron-Al and nano-Al to improve the heat release efficiency and reactivity of Al powder.SEM,TEM,EDS,XRD,XPS,and BET were used to investigate the morphological structure and properties of pure Al and Fe/Al composite fuels of different sizes.The results show that Fe was uniformly coated on the surface of Al powder.There was no reaction between Fe and Al,and Fe/Al composite fuels had a larger specific surface area than pure Al,which could better improve the reactivity of pure Al.Besides,the catalytic effects of pure Al and Fe/Al composite fuels of different sizes on ammonium perchlorate and ammonium nitrate were explored.The results show that the catalysis of pure Al powder could be greatly improved by coating Fe on the surface of Al powder.Especially,the micron-Fe/Al composite fuel had a higher catalytic effect than the pure nano-Al powder.Hence,Fe/Al composite fuels are expected to be widely used in solid propellants.

Formation mechanism and control of aluminum layer thickness fluctuation in embedded aluminum-steel composite sheet produced by cold roll bonding process

The influences of rolling reduction and aluminum sheet initial thickness(AIT)on the thickness fluctuation of aluminum layer(TFA)of embedded aluminum?steel composite sheet produced by cold roll bonding were investigated,the formation mechanism of TFA was analyzed and method to improve the thickness uniformity of the aluminum layer was proposed.The results showed that when the reduction increased,TFA increased gradually.When the reduction was lower than40%,AIT had negligible effect on the TFA,while TFA increased with the decrease of AIT when the reduction was higher than40%.The non-uniformities of the steel surface deformation and the interfacial bonding extent caused by the work-hardened steel surface layer,were the main reasons for the formation of TFA.Adopting an appropriate surface treatment can help to decrease the hardening extent of the steel surface for improving the deformation uniformity during cold roll bonding process,which effectively improved the aluminum thickness uniformity of the embedded aluminum/steel composite sheets.

Direct-chill semi-continuous casting process of three-layer composite ingot of 4045/3004/4045 aluminum alloys

Three-layer composite ingot of 4045/3004/4045 aluminum alloys was prepared by direct-chill semi-continuous casting process,the temperature field distribution near the composite interface,macro-morphology,microstructure and composition distribution of the composite interface were investigated.The results show that semi-solid layer with a certain thickness forms near the interface due to the effect of cooling plate,which ensures successful implementation of casting the composite ingot.Two different aluminum alloys are well bonded metallurgically.The mechanical properties of composite interface were measured,the tensile and shearing strengths of composite interface are 105 and 88 MPa,respectively,which proves that the composite interface is a kind of metallurgical bonding.

Preparation and characterization of Ce-silane-ZrO_2 composite coatings on 1060 aluminum

In order to improve the property of traditional Ce-based conversion coatings, Ce-silane-ZrO2 composite coatings were successfully prepared on 1060 aluminum. The microstructure, chemical element composition and corrosion resistance of Ce-based conversion coatings and Ce-silane-ZrO2 composite coatings were investigated by SEM, AFM, XPS and EIS analyses. Stacking structure of the composite coating can be observed. The inner layer of the composite coatings mainly consists of oxide and hydroxide of Ce（Ⅲ）, and the silane network is composed of the outer layer together with a small amount of Ce（Ⅳ） hydroxide. By adding silane and ZrO2 nanoparticles into Ce-based conversion coatings, the porosity and the micro cracks of the coatings decrease apparently accompanying with the improvement of the corrosion resistance.

Experimental study on ultimate flexural capacity of steel encased concrete composite beams

Based on the experimental study and inelastic theory, the ultimate flexuralcapacity of steel encased concrete composite beams are derived. The difference between steel encasedconcrete composite beams with full shear connection and beams with partial shear connection,together with the relationship between the inelastic neutral axis of steel parts and concrete parts,are considered in the formulae. The calculation results of the eight specimens with full shearconnection and the three specimens with partial shear connection are in good agreement with theexperimental data, which validates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed calculationmethods. Furthermore, the nonlinear finite element analysis of the ultimate flexural capacity of thesteel encased concrete composite beams is performed. Nonlinear material properties and nonlinearcontact properties are considered in the finite element analysis. The finite element analyticalresults also correlate well with the experimental data.

In-situ homogeneous synthesis of carbon nanotubes on aluminum matrix and properties of their composites

Using nickel catalyst supported on aluminum powders, carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were successfully synthesized in aluminum powders by in-situ chemical vapor deposition at 650 ℃. Structural characterization revealed that the as-grown CNTs possessed higher graphitization degree and straight graphite shell. By this approach, more homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in aluminum powders was achieved compared with the traditional mechanical mixture methods. Using the in-situ synthesized CNTs/Al composite powders and powder metallurgy process, CNTs/Al bulk composites were prepared. Performance testing showed that the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the composites were improved obviously, which was attributed to the superior dispersion of CNTs in aluminum matrix and the strong interfacial bonding between CNTs and matrix.

Effect of Hot Processing Technology on Mechanical Properties and Structure of Interface of Ti/Steel Composite Sheet

研究了热加工工艺对钛-钢复合板界面力学性能和显微组织的影响。测试了在A，B，C，D4种温度下热轧复合板界面的力学性能，用金相显微镜及扫描电镜观察了界面显微组织并分析了界面的成分。结果表明，在A，B2种温度下轧制的钛-钢复合板界面机械性能良好，延伸率高，其剪切强度不但可保持坯料原有的水平，甚至还略有增加。在C，D2种温度下轧制的钛-钢复合板界面机械性能相对较低，延伸率较高，但剪切强度要比爆炸复合坯料低，尤其是D加热温度，轧制后界面剪切强度急剧下降。热轧的终轧温度也是影响钛-钢复合板界面结合性能的重要因素。在低于相转变温度的合适温区热轧，且终轧温度合适，获得的钛-钢复合板结合界面无爆炸波纹，没有污染，生产的脆性化合物极细小，组织类同于钛材完全退火的等轴组织。

Fracture Properties of Cement Composites Reinforced with Steel Polypropylene Hybrid Fibres

Polypropylene fibres and three sizes of steel fibres reinforced concrete are discussed. The total fibres content ranges from 0 4%-0 95% by volume of concrete. A four point bending test is adopted on the notched prisms with the size of 100?mm×100?mm×500?mm to investigate the effect of hybrid fibres on crack arresting. The research results show that there is a positive synergy effect between large steel fibres and polypropylene fibres on the load bearing capacity in the small displacement range. But this synergy effect disappears in the large displacement range. The large and strong steel fibre is better than soft polypropylene fibre and small steel fibre in the aspect of energy absorption capacity in the large displacement range. The static usage limitation for the hybrid fibres concrete with “wide peak' or “multi peaks' load CMOD pattern should be carefully selected. The ultimate load bearing capacity and the crack width or CMOD at this load level should be jointly considered.

Three-point bending performance of a new aluminum foam composite structure

A new composite structure based on aluminum foam sandwich and fiber metal laminate was proposed. A layer of glass fiber was provided at the interface between the metal panel and the aluminum foam core in this composite structure, using adhesive technology to bond the materials together by organic glue in the sequence of metal panel, glass fiber, aluminum foam core, glass fiber and metal panel. The experimental results show that the new composite structure has an improved comprehensive performance compared with the traditional aluminum foam sandwiches. The optimized parameters for the fabrication of the new aluminum foam composite structure with best bending strength were obtained. The epoxy resin and low porosity aluminum foams are preferred, the thickness of aluminum sheets should be at least 1.5 mm, and the type of glass fiber has little effect on the bending strength. The main failure modes of the new composite structures with two types of glues were discussed.

Fractal analysis of fracture surfaces in aluminum borate whisker-reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 composite

The effect of interface reaction on the fractal dimensions of fracture surface in aluminum borate whisker-reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 composite was investigated. The composite was fabricated by squeeze-casting technique. The fracture surfaces created in tensile test were measured by vertical sectioning method. Fractal phenomena were found in two plots, in which the measuring units were from 3 to 15 μm and 1 to 5 μm, respectively. The relation was established between the tensile properties and fractal dimension with measuring units of 3-15 μm. The results show that the ultimate tensile strength increases while the fracture surface roughness increases with fractal dimension increasing due to the change in fracture mode depending on the degree of interface reaction status induced by heat treatment. But when the measuring units are 1-5 μm, fractal dimension does not change with heat treatment.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of twin-wire arc sprayed Ni-Al composite coatings on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet

We have systematically studied the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ni-5wt%Al and Ni-20wt%Al composite coat- ings fabricated on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet by twin-wire arc spraying under different experimental conditions. The abrasive wear be- havior and interface diffusion behavior of the composite coatings were evaluated by dry/wet rubber wheel abrasive wear tests and heat treat- ment, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the composite coatings exhibit features of adhesive wear. Besides, the Vickers micro- hardness of NiA1 and Ni3AI intermetallic compounds is relatively larger than that of the substrate, which is beneficial for enhancing the wear resistance. With the increase of annealing temperature and time, the interface diffusion area between the Ni-Al coating and the substrate gradually expands with the formation of NiAl3 and Ni2Al3 phases, and is controlled by diffusion of aluminum atoms. The grain growth ex- ponent n of diffusion kinetics of the Ni-Al coating, calculated via a high-temperature diffusion model at 400, 480, and 550℃, is between 0.28 and 0.38. This satisfies the cubic law, which is consistent with the general theoretical relationship of high-temperature diffusion.

Bonding characteristics of the Al_2O_3-metal composite coating fabricated onto carbon steel by combustion synthesis

The fabrication of an alumina-metal composite coating onto a carbon steel substrate by using a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technique was demonstrated. The effects of the type and thickness of the pre-coated layer on the binding structure and surface qual- ity of the coating were systematically investigated. The macrostructure, phase composition, and bonding interface between the coating and the substrate were investigated by scanning electronic microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry （EDS）. The diffraction patterns indicated that the coating essentially consisted of α-Al2O3, Fe（Cr）, and FeO-Al2O3. With an increase in the thickness of the pre-coated working layer, the coating became more smooth and compact. The transition layer played an important role in enhancing the binding between the coating and the substmte. When the pre-coated working layer was 10 mm and the pre-coated transition layer was 1 ram, a compact structure and metallurgical bonding with the substrate were obtained. Thermal shock test results indicated that the ceramic coating exhibited good thermal shock resistance when the sample was rapidly quenched from 800℃ to room temperature by plunging into water.

A review of particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites fabricated by selective laser melting

Selective laser melting(SLM)is an emerging layer-wise additive manufacturing technique that can generate complex components with high performance.Particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites(PAMCs)are important materials for various applications due to the combined properties of Al matrix and reinforcements.Considering the advantages of SLM technology and PAMCs,the novel SLM PAMCs have been developed and researched in recent years.Therefore,the current research progress about the SLM PAMCs is reviewed.Firstly,special attention is paid to the solidification behavior of SLM PAMCs.Secondly,the important issues about the design and fabrication of high-performance SLM PAMCs,including the selection of reinforcement,the influence of parameters on the processing and microstructure,the defect evolution and phase control,are highlighted and discussed comprehensively.Thirdly,the performance and strengthening mechanism of SLM PAMCs are systematically figured out.Finally,future directions are pointed out on the advancement of high-performance SLM PAMCs.