Experiment and finite element method analysis mass erosion and transfer of Ag/La_2NiO_4-based electrical contacts during operation

A uniform transient temperature field model of electrical contacts operation was found by analyzing the process of closing arc constriction resistance Joule heat ~ breaking arc. Essential parameters of Ag/La2NiO4 electrical contact material for transient temperature field calculation were obtained through tests of electrical contact experimental instrument under 18 V DC in different cur- rents, other correlation experiments, and calculation anal- ysis. The finite element method was applied to solve the transient temperature field, and the features and distribution of the transient temperature field were obtained. The condition of material erosion and mass transfer can be forecasted by those calculation results. It is beneficial to research about the lifetime of Ag/La2NiO4 electrical material.

Finite Element Analysis of the Contact Mechanics of Ceramic-on-Ceramic Hip Resurfacing Prostheses

Ceramics are good alternative to metal as bearing couple materials because of their better wear resistance. A Finite Element(FE) study was performed to investigate the contact mechanics and stress distribution of Ceramic-on-Ceramic (COC) hip resurfacingprostheses. It was focused in particular on a parametric study to examine the effects of radial clearance, loading,alumina coating on the implants, bone quality, and fixation of cup-bone interface. It was found that a reduction in the radialclearance had the most significant effect on the predicted contact pressure distribution among all of the parameters considered inthis study. It was determined that there was a significant influence of non-metallic materials, such as the bone underneath thebearing components, on the predicted contact mechanics. Stress shielding within the bone tissue was found to be a major concernwhen regarding the use of ceramic as an alternative to metallic resurfacing prostheses. Therefore, using alumina implantswith a metal backing was found to be the best design for ceramic resurfacing prostheses in this study. The loading, bone quality,and acetabular cup fixation conditions were found to have only minor effects on the predicted contact pressure distribution alongthe bearing surfaces.

Finite element analysis of contact fatigue and bending fatigue of a theoretical assembling straight bevel gear pair

The aim of this work is to propose a 3D FE model of a theoretical assembling straight bevel gear pair to analyze the contact fatigue on the tooth surface and the bending fatigue in the tooth root. Based on the cumulative fatigue criterion and the stress-life equation, the key meshing states of the gear pair were investigated for the contact fatigue and the bending fatigue. Then, the reliability of the proposed model was proved by comparing the calculation result with the simulation result. Further study was performed to analyze the variation of the contact fatigue stress and the bending fatigue stress under different loads. Furthermore, the roles of the driving pinion and the driven gear pair were evaluated in the fatigue life of the straight bevel gear pair and the main fatigue failure mode was determined for the significant gear. The results show that the fatigue failure of the driving pinion is the main fatigue failure for the straight bevel gear pair and the bending fatigue failure is the main fatigue failure for the driving pinion.

BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD FOR MOVING AND ROLLING CONTACT OF 2D ELASTIC BODIES WITH DEFECTS

A scheme of boundary element method for moving contact of two-dimensional elastic bodies using conforming discretization is presented. Both the displacement and the traction boundary conditions are satisfied on the contacting region in the sense of discretization. An algorithm to deal with the moving of the contact boundary on a larger possible contact region is presented. The algorithm is generalized to rolling contact problem as well. Some numerical examples of moving and rolling contact of 2D elastic bodies with or without friction, including the bodies with a hole-type defect, are given to show the effectiveness and the accuracy of the presented schemes.

Influence of particle contact models on soil response of poorly graded sand during cavity expansion in discrete element simulation

The discrete element method(DEM) has been extensively adopted to investigate many complex geotechnical related problems due to its capability to incorporate the discontinuous nature of granular materials. In particular, when simulating large deformations or distortion of soil(e.g. cavity expansion),DEM can be very effective as other numerical solutions may experience convergence problems. Cavity expansion theory has widespread applications in geotechnical engineering, particularly to the problems concerning in situ testing, pile installation and so forth. In addition, the behaviour of geomaterials in a macro-level is utterly determined by microscopic properties, highlighting the importance of contact models. Despite the fact that there are numerous contact models proposed to mimic the realistic behaviour of granular materials, there are lack of studies on the effects of these contact models on the soil response.Hence, in this study, a series of three-dimensional numerical simulations with different contact constitutive models was conducted to simulate the response of sandy soils during cylindrical cavity expansion. In this numerical investigation, three contact models, i.e. linear contact model, rolling resistance contact model,and Hertz contact model, are considered. It should be noted that the former two models are linear based models, providing linearly elastic and frictional plasticity behaviours, whereas the latter one consists of nonlinear formulation based on an approximation of the theory of Mindlin and Deresiewicz. To examine the effects of these contact models, several cylindrical cavities were created and expanded gradually from an initial radius of 0.055 m to a final radius of 0.1 m. The numerical predictions confirm that the calibrated contact models produced similar results regarding the variations of cavity pressure, radial stress, deviatoric stress, volumetric strain, as well as the soil radial displacement. However, the linear contact model may result in inaccurate predictions when highly angular soil particles are involved. In addition, considering the excessive soil displacement induced by the pile installation(i.e. cavity expansion), a minimum distance of11 a(a is the cavity radius) is recommend for practicing engineers to avoid the potential damages to the existing piles and adjacent structures.

LiToTac: An Interactive-Interface Software for Finite Element Analysis of Multiple Contact Dynamics

In order to investigate the mechanical behavior of systems with complex architecture and a large number of contacting bodies,a finite element software,named LiToTac,has been developed by using the object-oriented programming technique.This software,with an interactive graphical user interface,is able to handle highly non-linear problems including multiple contacts and large deformation.More importantly,the contact detection based on a hybrid three-stages methodology can be performed automatically,which is more efficient than the common strategies of pre-defining contact zones in commercial FEM software like ANSYS,ABAQUS,etc.In addition,the contact solver in LiToTac is portable between dynamic and quasi-static codes and can accurately solve contact coupled with friction in a reduced system.Several numerical examples are carried out to illustrate the functionality and capacity of the software package.

Determination of the Normal Contact Stiffness and Integration Time Step for the Finite Element Modeling of Bristle-Surface Interaction

In finite element modeling of impact,it is necessary to define appropriate values of the normal contact stiffness,Kn,and the Integration Time Step(ITS).Because impacts are usually of very short duration,very small ITSs are required.Moreover,the selection of a suitable value of Kn is a critical issue,as the impact behavior depends dramatically on this parameter.In this work,a number of experimental tests and finite element analyses have been performed in order to obtain an appropriate value of Kn for the interaction between a bristle of a gutter brush for road sweeping and a concrete surface.Furthermore,a suitable ITS is determined.The experiments consist of releasing a steel bristle that is placed vertically at a certain distance from a concrete surface and tracking the impact.Similarly,in the finite element analyses,a beam is modeled in free fall and impacting a surface;contact and target elements are attached to the beam and the surface,respectively.The results of the experiments and the modeling are integrated through the principle of conservation of energy,the principle of linear impulse and momentum,and Newton’s second law.The results demonstrate that,for the case studied,Kn and the impact time tend to be independent of the velocity just before impact and that Kn has a very large variation,as concrete is a composite material with a rough surface.Also,the ratio between the largest height of the bristle after impact and the initial height tends to be constant.

BOUNDARY ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CONTACT PROBLEMS USING ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARY NODE APPROACH

An improved version of the regular boundary element method, the artificial boundary node approach, is derived. A simple contact algorithm is designed and implemented into the direct boundary element, regular boundary element and artificial boundary node approaches. The exisiting and derived approaches are tested using some case studies. The results of the artificial boundary node approach are compared with those of the existing boundary element program, the regular element approach, ANSYS and analytical solution whenever possible. The results show the effectiveness of the artificial boundary node approach for a wider range of boundary offsets.

CALCULATION OF MILL RIGIDITY BY THREE DIMENSION CONTACT BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD

Vertical rigidity of the space self adaptive 530 high rigidity mill is calculated by applying the boundary element method (BEM) of three dimension elastic contact problem,which can update the existed deforming separation calculating theory and corresponding methods of material mechanics,elastic mechanics and finite element method.The method has less hypotheses and stronger synthesis in contact type calculating model.The advantages of the method are high calculating rate,high calculating accuracy,etc..

A modified discrete element method for concave granular materials based on energy-conserving contact model

The development of a general discrete element method for irregularly shaped particles is the core issue of the simulation of the dynamic behavior of granular materials.The general energy-conserving contact theory is used to establish a universal discrete element method suitable for particle contact of arbitrary shape.In this study,three dimentional(3D)modeling and scanning techniques are used to obtain a triangular mesh representation of the true particles containing typical concave particles.The contact volumebased energy-conserving model is used to realize the contact detection between irregularly shaped particles,and the contact force model is refined and modified to describe the contact under real conditions.The inelastic collision processes between the particles and boundaries are simulated to verify the robustness of the modified contact force model and its applicability to the multi-point contact mode.In addition,the packing process and the flow process of a large number of irregular particles are simulated with the modified discrete element method(DEM)to illustrate the applicability of the method of complex problems.

Finite Element Analysis of Elastic-Plastic Contact Mechanic Considering the Effect of Contact Geometry and Material Properties

Each surface of roughness has different shape of asperity which is modeled with various shapes of analytical models. In this paper, the differences among various models of shape of asperity investigate using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and various analytical models. The contact stresses in rough surfaces are calculated analytically using various asperity shape models. Finite element analysis is also carried out assuming three types of material properties namely, the linear, the elastic-perfect plastic and the elastic-nonlinear hardening. The analytical results are compared with the results obtained by the finite element method. The results illustrate for using a deterministic approach which the numerical models are suitable. In hertz model, the result of force is very big in interface of causing deformation plastic, while Model Zhao has almost same result with FEM nonlinear property model. It is observed that the results obtained from Zhao’s model are generally in a better agreement with the results obtained from various finite element models especially in elastic-plastic and plastic zones, hence it may be concluded that Zhao’s model can be used for analyzing the rough surfaces in contact mechanics.

Analysis of Leakage in Bolted-Flanged Joints Using Contact Finite Element Analvsis

The evolution of leakage is studied using detailed contact finite element analysis. The distribution of stress at the gasket is analyzed using a contact condition based on slide-line elements using ABAQUS, a commercial finite element code, Slide-line elements also take into account pressure penetration as contact that is lost between flange and gasket. Results are presented for a particular flange, a raised face flange sealed by a mild steel gasket. A comparison of the results from the gasket contact analysis and the contact conditions specified by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Sections VIII, Division 1 shows that the conditions specified in the ASME Code predict leakage relatively accurately.

Study of adaptive finite element techniques for contact problem in elastic bodies

The adaptive element techniques of contact problem are studied by means of penalty method, and the error estimators are discussed. Based on error estimators, algorithm of the adaptive element techniques is developed, then the Gauss - Newton iterations are used which allow the nonlinear problem to be transformed into a sequence of linear sub- problems then easily solved. In addition, the algorithm can be applied into the simulation of de -bonding of fiber - reinforced composites.

CONTACT FRICTION ANALYSIS AND STRESS OSCILLATION SUPPRESSION WITH A SIMPLE INTERFACE ELEMENT

A simple interface element for analyzing contact friction problems is developed. Taking nodal displacements and contact stresses as unknowns, this element can simulate frictional slippage, decoupling and re-bonding of two bodies initially mating or having gaps at a common interface. The method is based on the Finite Element Method and load incremental theory. The geometric and static constraint conditions on contact surfaces are treated as additional conditions and are included in stiffness equations. This simple element has the advantages of easy implementation into standard finite element programs and fast speed for convergence as well as high accuracy for stress distribution in interface. Undesirable stress oscillations are also investigated whenever large stress gradients exist over the contact surfaces. Exact integration or the conventional Gauss integration scheme used to evaluate the interpolation function matrix of the interface element is found to be the source of the oscillations. Eigenmode analysis demonstrates that the stress behavior of an interface element can be improved by using the Newton-Cotes integration scheme. Finally, the test example of a strip footing problem is presented.

Contact position controlling for two-dimensional motion bodies by the boundary element method

An algorithm is presented for controlling two-dimensional motion contact bodies with conforming discretization. Since a kind of special boundary element is utilized in the algorithm, the displacement compatibility and traction equilibrium conditions at nodes can be satisfied simultaneously in arbitrary locations of the contact interface. In addition, a method is also proposed in which the contact boundary location can be moved flexibly on the possible contact boundary. This method is effective to deal with moving and rolling contact problems on a possible larger moving or rolling contact region. Numerical examples show effectiveness of the presented scheme.

Simulation Studies on the Settlement of Composite Foundation with Contact Element of Zero Thickness

The various factors influencing the settlement of composite foundation have been more completely studied through numerical simulation. The influence on the settlement of composite foundation of the geometry and mechanical properties of the pile, soil, cushion, and the interface between pile and soil have been investigated through computer simulation, in which the contact elements with zero thickness are used. Some valuable conclusions for the settlement of composite foundation have been obtained: (1) The method using the contact element of zero thickness is successful when used in the simulation of the settlement of composite foundation; (2) Among the factors influencing the settlement of composite foundation, the compression modulus of the soil is the largest, and the cohesion of the soil is the second largest; (3) The effects on settlement of the internal friction angle of the soil, the elastic modulus, the radius, and the length of the pile, and the elestic modulus of the cushion are also more obvious.

Major elements and lithostratigraphic study of the contact rocks of the Togo and the Dahomeyan formations in Ghana

The thrust contact between the Togo and the Dahomeyan formations in Ghana is a lithotectonic boundary that exists between two major Precambrian formations which are of importance to geologists owing to the fact that Precambrian rocks in Ghana host almost all economic minerals and metals. The lithostratigraphy of the Togo-Dahomyan thrust contact rocks from a borehole in Kwabenya near Accra (the Capital of Ghana) has been studied and major crustal chemical elements assayed using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) techniques. The results have revealed elemental compositions and the mineralogical make up of the lithostratigraphic units of these contact rocks and the general geology of the Togo and the Dahomeyan formations. The profile shows a thrust contact that exists between the Togo formations which are underlying the Dahomeyan formations. The Togo formations here are made mainly of quartzite in fresh schist and the Dahomeyan made of gneisses. In between these two major geologic formations are the rocks of the contact which are intercalation of quartzite and schist. The rocks are felsic with an average felsic index (F) of 85.74 and feldspar rich with K- (orthoclase) feldspars dominating the Dahomeyan rocks. Iron and titanium oxides are depleted with depth from 52 m depth below surface downward and potassium oxide was enriched with depth from 42 m below surface downward. Major mineral forming elements such as aluminum and calcium had varied levels in the Togo and in the Dahomeyan rocks.

F0RMULATION OF BOUNDARY ELEMENT-LINEAR COMPLEMENTARY EQUATION FOR THE FRICTIONAL ELASTIC CONTACT PROBLEMS

Boundary element-linear complementary equations are formulated to solve elastic contact problems with Coulomb frictions.It is also a new attempt to solve free boundary problems in solid mechanics by means of boundary element-mathematical programming techniques.

THREE DIMENSIONAL ELASTO-PLASTIC CONTACT BOUNDARY ELEMENT ANALYSIS FOR ROLLING WITH CONSIDERATION OF FRICTION

The boundary element method in framework is given to evaluate three dimensional frictional contact problems. Elasto plastic material behavior is taken into account by mean of an initial stress formulation and Von Mises yield criterion. The amount of tangential traction at contact surface is limited by Coulomb's friction law and constant shear rule. From some numerical results of a plate rolling problem, it is demonstrated here that the BEM can be used to efficiently and accurately analyze this class of forming problems.

Application of Isogeometric Analysis Method in Three-Dimensional Gear Contact Analysis

Gears are pivotal in mechanical drives,and gear contact analysis is a typically difficult problem to solve.Emerging isogeometric analysis(IGA)methods have developed new ideas to solve this problem.In this paper,a threedimensional body parametric gear model of IGA is established,and a theoretical formula is derived to realize single-tooth contact analysis.Results were benchmarked against those obtained from commercial software utilizing the finite element analysis(FEA)method to validate the accuracy of our approach.Our findings indicate that the IGA-based contact algorithmsuccessfullymet theHertz contact test.When juxtaposed with the FEA approach,the IGAmethod demonstrated fewer node degrees of freedomand reduced computational units,all whilemaintaining comparable accuracy.Notably,the IGA method appeared to exhibit consistency in analysis accuracy irrespective of computational unit density,and also significantlymitigated non-physical oscillations in contact stress across the tooth width.This underscores the prowess of IGA in contact analysis.In conclusion,IGA emerges as a potent tool for addressing contact analysis challenges and holds significant promise for 3D gear modeling,simulation,and optimization of various mechanical components.