Volume Change of Heterogeneous Quasi-brittle Materials in Uniaxial Compression

The volumetric strain was categorized into elastic and plastic parts. The farmer camposed of axial and lateral strains is uniform and determined by Hooke＇s law ; however, the latter consisting of axial and lateral strains is a fuaction af thickness af shear band determined by grndieat-dependeat plasticity by cansidering the heterngeneity of quasi- brittle materials. The non- uniform lateral strain due to the fact that shear band was farmed in the middle of specimen was averaged within specimen to precisely assess the volumetric strain. Then, the analytical expression for volumetric strain was verified by comparison with two earlier experimental results for concrete and rack. Finally, a detailed parametric study was carried out to investigate effects of constitutive parameters （ shear band thickness, elastic and softening rnoduli ） and geometrical size of specimen（ height and width of specimen ） on the volume dilatancy.

Statistical damage model for quasi-brittle materials under uniaxial tension

Based on the parallel bar system, combining with the synergetic method, the catastrophe theory and the acoustic emission test, a new motivated statistical damage model for quasi-brittle solid was developed. Taking concrete for instances, the rationality and the flexibility of this model and its parameters-determining method were identified by the comparative analyses between theoretical and experimental curves. The results show that the model can simulate the whole damage and fracture process in the fracture process zone of material when the materials arc exposed to quasi-static uniaxial tensile traction. The influence of the mesoscopic damage mechanism on the macroscopic mechanical properties of quasi-brittle materials is summarized into two aspects, rupture damage and yield damage. The whole damage course is divided into the statistical even damage phase and the local breach phase, corresponding to the two stages described by the catastrophe theory. The two characteristic states, the peak nominal stress state and the critical state are distinguished, and the critical state plays a key role during the whole damage evolution course.

MICROMECHANICAL MODELLING OF STRAIN SOFTENING IN MICROCRACK-WEAKENED QUASI-BRITTLE MATERIALS

By using the concept of domain of microcrack growth(DMG),the micromechanisms of damage in quasi-brittle materials subjected to triaxial either tensile or compressive loading are investigated and the complete strew-strain relation including four stages is obtained from micromechanical analysis.The regime of pre-peak nonlinear hardening corresponds to the distributed damage,i.e.the stable propagation of microcracks.After the attainment of the ultimate strength of load-bearing capacity, some microcracks experience the second unstable growth and the distributed damage is transmitted to the localization of damage.These analyses improve our understanding of the hardening and softening behaviors of quasi-brittle materials.

A Multiscale Method for Damage Analysis of Quasi-Brittle Heterogeneous Materials

A novel multiscale algorithm based on the higher-order continuum at both micro-and macrostructural level is proposed for the consideration of the quasi-brittle damage response of heterogeneous materials.Herein,the microlevel damage is modelled by the degradation of the homogenized stress and tangent stiffness tensors,which are then upscaled to govern the localization at the macrolevel.The C^1 continuity finite element employing a modified case of Mindlin’s form II strain energy density is derived for the softening analysis.To the authors’knowledge,the finite element discretization based on the strain gradient theory is applied for the modeling of damage evolution at the microstructural level for heterogeneous materials for the first time.The advantage of the novel C1 finite element formulation in comparison with the standard finite element discretization in terms of the regularization efficiency as well as the objectivity has been shown.An isotropic damage law is used for the reduction of the constitutive and nonlocal material behaviour,which is necessary for the physically correct description of the localization formation in quasi-brittle materials.The capabilities of the derived finite element to capture the fully developed localization zones are tested on a random representative volume element(RVE)for several different loading cases.By employing the conventional second-order computational homogenization,the microstructural material constitutive response is averaged over the whole RVE area.In order to model the loss of structural integrity when sharp localization is formed across RVE,the specific conditions which detect a completely formed localization zone are developed.A new failure criterion at the microstructural level has been proposed.The derived finite element formulation,as well as the multiscale damage algorithm,are implemented into the finite element program ABAQUS.The capabilities of the presented multiscale scheme to capture the effects of the deformation localization are demonstrated by few benchmark numerical examples.

Multi-Scale Damage Model for Quasi-Brittle Composite Materials

In the present paper,a hierarchical multi-scale method is developed for the nonlinear analysis of composite materials undergoing heterogeneity and damage.Starting from the homogenization theory,the energy equivalence between scales is developed.Then accompanied with the energy based damage model,the multi-scale damage evolutions are resolved by homogenizing the energy scalar over the meso-cell.The macroscopic behaviors described by the multi-scale damage evolutions represent the mesoscopic heterogeneity and damage of the composites.A rather simple structure made from particle reinforced composite materials is developed as a numerical example.The agreement between the fullscale simulating results and the multi-scale simulating results demonstrates the capacity of the proposed model to simulate nonlinear behaviors of quasi-brittle composite materials within the multi-scale framework.

APPLICATION OF DIAMOND TWIST DRILL FOR DRILLING HARD-BRITTLE MATERIALS

A new conception, which combines the advantages of both twist drill and diamond grit, is proposed to develop a new tool for drilling hard brittle materials. The manufacturing process of the drill is introduced, and drilling experiments are carried out by using of the drill developed. As a result, not only it can drill holes with a high efficiency, but also a good quality of hole inlet and outlet can be obtained for such materials as glasses, marble, granite, Al 2O 3, etc. The prospect in practical application of the technique developed is also discussed.

Particle Discontinuous Deformation Analysis of Static and Dynamic Crack Propagation in Brittle Material

Crack propagation in brittle material is not only crucial for structural safety evaluation,but also has a wideranging impact on material design,damage assessment,resource extraction,and scientific research.A thorough investigation into the behavior of crack propagation contributes to a better understanding and control of the properties of brittle materials,thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of both materials and structures.As an implicit discrete elementmethod,the Discontinuous Deformation Analysis(DDA)has gained significant attention for its developments and applications in recent years.Among these developments,the particle DDA equipped with the bonded particle model is a powerful tool for predicting the whole process of material from continuity to failure.The primary objective of this research is to develop and utilize the particle DDAtomodel and understand the complex behavior of cracks in brittle materials under both static and dynamic loadings.The particle DDA is applied to several classical crack propagation problems,including the crack branching,compact tensile test,Kalthoff impact experiment,and tensile test of a rectangular plate with a hole.The evolutions of cracks under various stress or geometrical conditions are carefully investigated.The simulated results are compared with the experiments and other numerical results.It is found that the crack propagation patterns,including crack branching and the formation of secondary cracks,can be well reproduced.The results show that the particle DDA is a qualified method for crack propagation problems,providing valuable insights into the fracture mechanism of brittle materials.

Rotary ultrasonic-assisted milling of brittle materials

In order to improve the machining efficiency of ultrasonic milling,the easiest and most effective approach was started with the improvement of tool design.The main objective of this research was to utilize rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM's) effectiveness in removing brittle materials to extend the applications of this independent,innovative manufacturing method (self-driving rotary ultrasonic machining),and to experimentally investigate its milling application on brittle materials.The designed tool was used in the conjunction with previously established RUM machine tools,and glass was selected as workpiece for experiments.The interrelationship between feed rate and depth of cut was discussed.By measuring the surface roughness of workpiece,the overall efficacy of utilizing RUM for milling was evaluated and presented.Ultrasonic assisted milling results in the reduction of milling resistance,which leads to a greater process rate.

Laser machining of transparent brittle materials: from machining strategies to applications

Transparent brittle materials such as glass and sapphire are widely concerned and applied in consumer electronics, optoelectronic devices, etc. due to their excellent physical and chemical stability and good transparency. Growing research attention has been paid to developing novel methods for high-precision and high-quality machining of transparent brittle materials in the past few decades. Among the various techniques, laser machining has been proved to be an effective and flexible way to process all kinds of transparent brittle materials. In this review, a series of laser machining methods, e.g. laser full cutting, laser scribing, laser stealth dicing, laser filament, laser induced backside dry etching (LIBDE), and laser induced backside wet etching (LIBWE) are summarized. Additionally, applications of these techniques in micromachining, drilling and cutting, and patterning are introduced in detail. Current challenges and future prospects in this field are also discussed.

Research on Ultrasonic Vibration Grinding of the Hard and Brittle Materials

It is well known that grinding techniques are main methods to machine hard and brittle materials such as engineering ceramics. But the conventional grinding has many shortcomings such as poorer surface finish, quicker wear and tear of grinding tools, lower efficiency and so on. Ultrasonic vibration grinding （UVG） which combines ultrasonic machining and grinding emerged as a developing and promising technique in recent years. In this paper, experimental studies on UVG were conducted on several kinds of hard and brittle material by altering processing parameters such as vibration frequency and its amplitude, diamond abrasive grit size, cutting depth, feeding speed and rotary speed of tools. The experimental results show that alteration in any of above mentioned parameters will bring effects on the processed surface finish of these materials. Of them, the diamond abrasive grit size has the greatest. Moreover, conventional grinding experiments were also carried out on these materials. By comparison, it was found that the UVG is superior to the conventional method in terms of the ground surface quality, the working efficiency and the wear rate of tools.

QUASI-MICROMECHANICAL CONSTITUTIVE THEORY FOR BRITTLE DAMAGED MATERIALS UNDER TENSION

One of fundamental but difficult problems in damage mechanics isthe formulation of the ef- fective constitutive relation ofmicrocrack-weakened brittle o quasi-brittle materials under complexloading, especially when microcrack interaction is taken intoaccount. The combination of phenomenological and mi- cromechanicaldamage mechanics is a promising approach to construction andapplicable damage model with a firm physical foundation.

Experimental study on 3D internal penny-shaped crack propagation in brittle materials under uniaxial compression

Fractures are widely present in geomaterials of civil engineering and deep underground engineering.Given that geomaterials are usually brittle,the fractures can significantly affect the evaluation of underground engineering construction safety and the early warning of rock failure.However,the crack initiation and propagation in brittle materials under composite loading remain unknown so far.In this study,a three-dimensional internal laser-engraved cracking technique was applied to produce internal cracks without causing damage to the surfaces.The uniaxial compression tests were performed on a brittle material with internal cracks to investigate the propagation of these internal cracks at different dip angles under compression and shear.The test results show that the wing crack propagation mainly occurs in the specimen with an inclined internal crack,which is a mixed-ModeⅠ–Ⅱ–Ⅲfracture;in contrast,ModeⅠfracture is present in the specimen with a vertical internal crack.The fractography characteristics of ModeⅢfracture display a lance-like pattern.The fracture mechanism in the brittle material under compression is that the internal wing cracks propagate to the ends of the whole sample and cause the final failure.The initial deflection angle of the wing crack is determined by the participation ratio of stress intensity factors KII to KI at the tip of the internal crack.

3-D NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF FRACTURE PROCESSES IN HETEROGENEOUS BRITTLE MATERIALS

By using the lattice model combined with finite element methods andstatistical techniques, a numerical approach is developed to establish mechanical models ofthree-dimensional heterogeneous brittle materials. A special numerical code is introduced, in whicha lattice model and statistical approaches are used to simulate the initial heterogeneity ofmaterial properties. The size of displacement-load step is adap-tively determined so that only fewelements would fail in each load step. When the tensile principal strain in an element exceeds theultimate strain of this element, the element is considered broken and its Young's modulus is set tobe very low. Some important behaviors of heterogeneous brittle materials are indicated using thiscode. Load-displacement curves and figures of three-dimensional fracture patterns are alsonumerically obtained, which are similar to those observed in laboratory tests.

A Novel Method for Measuring Flexure Strength of Brittle Materials

A novel test method to measure flexure strength for silicon slices and other brittle materials was suggested by using simple supported circular slice samples and steel ball impact loading. The maximal tensile stress expression under concentrating impact load for center of simple supported circular plate was derived based on kinetic energy theorem and small deflection theory of thin plate. The instrument used in the method is simple, the test results are accurate, and the test does not need large scale loading apparatus. An experimental correct method was presented for test results deviated from small deflection limit when the slices were thinner or the strength of slice was higher.

The Stress Analysis for Notched Specimen of Brittle Material under Plane Dead Loading

The stress distribution of notched specimen of brittle material under a plane pressure was studied using a photoelastic meth- od,When elastic deformation appeared inside the specimen,the force transferred by dowel part was triangular transverse force and frictional force on the upper surface of the sample.The quantity of the frictional force was about 31 percent of transverse force.The stress inside the sample was linear along the central cross section of the sample and there was maximum tensile stress σ_y at the tip of the notch.Basing on shearing stress deviation method,the tensile stress σ_y,σ_x and shearing stress τ_(xy) at the cen- tral sections and four adjacent cross sections were calculated.The result pointed out that σ_x and τ_(xy) were smaller than σ_y.There- fore,σ_y was the main factor for crack formation and propagation.

Characteristics of machined surface controlled by cutting tools and conditions in machining of brittle material

One of the ultra-precision machining methods was adapted for brittle material as well as soft material by using multi-arrayed diamond tips and high speed spindle. Conventional machining method is too hard to control surface roughness and surface texture against brittle material because the particles of grinding tools are irregular size and material can be fragile. Therefore, we were able to design tool paths and machine controlled pattern on surface by multi-arrayed diamond tips with uniform size made in MEMS fabrication and high speed spindle, and the maximum speed was about 3×105 r/min. We defined several parameters that can affect the machining surface. Those were multi-array of diamond tips (n×n), speed of air spindle and feeding rate. The surface roughness and surface texture can be controlled by those parameters for micro machining.

A NEW DAMAGE MODEL FOR MICROCRACK-WEAKENED BRITTLE SOLIDS

In the present paper, a micromechanically based damage model for microcrack-weakened solids is developed. The concept of the domain of microcrack growth (DMG) is defined and used to describe the damage state and the anisotropic properties of brittle materials. After choosing an appropriate fracture criterion of microcrack, we obtain the analytical expression of DMG under a monotonically in- creasing proportional plane stress. Under a complex loading path, the evolution equation of DMG and the overall effective compliance tensor of damaged materials are given.

A combined continuous-discontinuous approach for failure process of quasi-brittle materials

Rock,concrete and other geo-materials,due to the presence of microstructural inhomogeneity,their fracture processes and damage characteristics are associated with the distribution of micro-cracks contained in the materials.In this study,by introducing a cohesive zone model based on fracture mechanics into the framework of deformable discrete element method,a continuous-discontinuous coupling analysis approach for simulating the fracture of quasi-brittle materials is proposed.The cohesive interface elements are inserted into certain engineering or research region.It is assumed that damage and fracture occur only in the interface elements,while bulk material is modeled to be elastic.The Mohr-Coulomb criterion with tension cut-off is adopted as the damage initiation criterion,and a scalar damage variable representing damage in the material is used to describe the rate at which the material stiffness is degraded.Cracks are simulated explicitly by the failure of the interface elements.Numerical simulations are performed in order to validate the suggested method.Partial applications are also listed.The results show that this method provides a simple but effective tool for the simulation of crack initiation and propagation,and it can reflect the whole process of quasi-brittle materials from small deformation to large deformation and failure.

Ubiquitiformal Crack Extension in Quasi-Brittle Materials

Based on the concept of ubiquitiform,a ubiquitiformal crack extension model is developed for quasi-brittle materials.Numerical simulations are carried out using the ABAQUS software with the XFEM-based cohesive segments method to determine the ubiquitiformal crack extension path or fracture surface profile of the material under quasi-static loading.Such a ubiquitiformal crack model removes the singularity of a fractal crack;for the latter,the boundary value problem cannot be uniquely defined.In the simulation,the material properties,e.g.,the tensile strength,are assumed to obey the Weibull distribution.The meso-element equivalent method is used to determine the correlation between the Weibull distribution parameters and the aggregate gradation of concrete materials.The numerical results show that the complexities of the ubiquitiformal crack configurations are in good agreement with the previous experimental data.Through the numerical simulation,it is further demonstrated that the complexity of a ubiquitiformal crack is insensitive to the random spatial distribution of the aggregates,but more dependent on the Weibull distribution parameters which reflect the heterogeneity of the concrete.

Femtosecond laser shockwave peening ablation in liquids for hierarchical micro/nanostructuring of brittle silicon and its biological application

This paper presents a new technique,termed femtosecond laser shock peening ablation in liquids(fs-LSPAL),which can realize simultaneous crack micro/nanomanufacturing and hierarchical micro/nanolaser ablation,giving rise to the formation of diverse multiscale hierarchical structures,such as macroporous ratcheted structures and enéchelon microfringes decorated with parabolic nanoripples.Through analysis of surface morphologies,many phenomena have been confirmed to take place during fs-LSPAL,including enéchelon cracks,nanostriation,ripple densification,crack branching,and selective formation of high spatial frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures of 100–200 nm in period.At a high laser power of 700 mW,fs-LSPAL at scanning speeds of 0.2 mm s^-1 and 1 mm s^-1 enables the generation of height-fluctuated and height-homogeneous hierarchical structures,respectively.The height-fluctuated structures can be used to induce‘colony’aggregates of embryonic EB3 stem cells.At 200 mW,fs-LSPAL at 1 mm s^-1 is capable of producing homogeneous tilt macroporous structures with cracked structures interleaved among them,which are the synergistic effects of bubble-induced light refraction/reflection ablation and cracks.As shown in this paper,the conventional laser ablation technique integrated with its self-driven unconventional cracking under extreme conditions expands the horizons of extreme manufacturing and offers more opportunities for complex surface structuring,which can potentially be used for biological applications.