Investigation of Micro-mechanical Response of Asphalt Mixtures by a Three-dimensional Discrete Element Model

The micro-mechanical response of asphalt mixtures was studied using the discrete element method. The discrete element sample of stone mastic asphalt was generated first and the vehicle load was applied to the sample. A user-written program was coded with the FISH language in PFC3 D to extract the contact forces within the sample and the displacements of the particles. Then, the contact forces within the whole sample, in asphalt mastic, in coarse aggregates and between asphalt mastic and coarse aggregates were investigated. Finally, the movement of the particles in the sample was analyzed. The sample was divided into 15 areas and a figure was drawn to show how the balls move in each area according to the displacements of the balls in each area. The displacements of asphalt mastic balls and coarse aggregates were also analyzed. The experimental results explain how the asphalt mixture bears vehicle load and the potential reasons why the rutting forms from a micro-mechanical view.

Micro-mechanical properties of shale due to water/supercritical carbon dioxide-rock interaction

To investigate the impacts of water/supercritical CO_(2)-rock interaction on the micro-mechanical properties of shale,a series of high-temperature and high-pressure immersion experiments were performed on the calcareous laminated shale samples mined from the lower submember of the third member of Paleogene Shahejie Formation in the Jiyang Depression,Bohai Bay Basin.After that,grid nanoindentation tests were conducted to analyze the influence of immersion time,pressure,and temperature on micro-mechanical parameters.Experimental results show that the damage of shale caused by the water/supercritical CO_(2)-rock interaction was mainly featured by the generation of induced fractures in the clay-rich laminae.In the case of soaking with supercritical CO_(2),the aperture of induced fracture was smaller.Due to the existence of induced fractures,the statistical averages of elastic modulus and hardness both decreased.Meanwhile,compaction and stress-induced tensile fractures could be observed around the laminae.Generally,the longer the soaking time,the higher the soaking pressure and temperature,the more significant the degradation of micro-mechanical parameters is.Compared with water-rock interaction,the supercritical CO_(2)-rock interaction caused a lower degree of mechanical damage on the shale surface.Thus,supercritical CO_(2)can be used as a fracturing fluid to prevent the surface softening of induced fractures in shale reservoirs.

Micro-mechanical properties of 2219 welded joints with twin wire welding

Nanoindentation method was adopted to investigate the distribution regularities of micro-mechanical properties of 2219 twin wire welded joints, thus providing the necessary theoretical basis and guidance for joint strengthening and improvement of welding procedure. Experimental results show that in weld zone, micro-mechanical properties are seriously uneven. Both hardness and elastic modulus distribute as uneven sandwich layers, while micro-mechanical properties in bond area are much more uniform than weld zone;In heat-affected zone of 2219 twin wire welded joint, distribution regularity of hardness is similar to elastic modulus. The average hardness in quenching zone is higher than softening zone, and the average elastic modulus in solid solution zone is slightly higher than softening zone. As far as the whole welded joint is concerned, metal in weld possesses the lowest hardness. For welded specimens without reinforcement, fracture position is the weld when tensioning. While for welded specimens with reinforcement, bond area is the poorest position with joint strength coefficient of 61%. So, it is necessary to strengthen the poor positions--weld and bond area of 2219 twin wire welded joint in order to solve joint weakening of welding this kind of alloy.

INCREMENTAL MICRO-MECHANICAL MODEL OF PLAIN WOVEN FABRIC

Warp yarns and weft yarns of plain woven fabric are the principal axes of mate- rial of fabric. They are orthogonal in their original con?guration, but are obliquely crisscross in deformed con?guration in general. In this paper the expressions of incremental components of strain tensor are derived, the non-linear model of woven fabric is linearized physically and its geometric non-linearity survives. The convenience of determining the total deformation is shown by the choice of the coordinate system of the principal axes of the material, with the convergence of the incremental methods illustrated by examples. This incremental model furnishes a basis for numerical simulations of fabric draping and wrinkling based on the micro-mechanical model of fabric.

Compressive failure analysis of unidirectional carbon/epoxy composite based on micro-mechanical models

A 2D micro-mechanical model was proposed to study the compressive failure of Uni Directional（UD） carbon/epoxy composite. Considering the initial imperfection and strength distribution of the fiber, the plasticity and ductile damage of the matrix, the failure of T300/914 UD composite under longitudinal compression and in-plane combined loads was simulated by this model. Simulation results show that the longitudinal compressive failure of the UD composite is caused by the plastic yielding of the matrix in kink band, and the fiber initial imperfection is the main reason for it. Under in-plane combined loads, the stress state of the matrix in kink band is changed, which affects the longitudinal compressive failure modes and strength of UD composite.The failure envelope of r_1–s_（12） and r_1–r_2 are obtained by the micro-mechanical model. Meanwhile,the compressive failure mechanism of the UD composite is analyzed. Numerical results agree well with the experimental data, which verifies the validity of the micro-mechanical model.

DEM investigation of macro-and micro-mechanical properties of rigid-grain and soft-chip mixtures

We investigated the macro-and micro-mechanical properties of rigid-grain and soft-chip mixtures(GCMs)through numerical simulations using the discrete element method.We present a novel framework for the discrete modeling of soft chips and rigid grains in conjunction with calibration processes.Several numerical triaxial tests were also performed on GCMs with 0%,10%,20%,and 30%volumetric chip contents,P.The simulation results demonstrate that increasing P leads to higher GCM toughness,higher deviatoric peak stress,and higher corresponding shear strain.Higher P also contributes to more volume contraction and less dilation.The friction angles at both the peak and residual state significantly increase with increasing P.In view of the micro-mechanical features,strong contact force chains develop along the loading direction,which results in considerable anisotropy in the peak and residual states.Both the formation of strong force chains and rotation of grains decrease with increasing P,whereas the grain sliding percentage increases.The tensile force is mobilized with shearing and higher P leads to less mobilization of the tensile force.These findings are useful for better understanding the internal structure of GCMs with different soft-chip contents,especially in granular mixture mechanics and geomechanics.

Micro-mechanical analysis of dynamic processes of nanomanipulation

In this study, atomic force microscope (AFM) tips are used as tools to cut and manipulate carbon nanotubes on various surfaces. The lateral forces acting on AFM tips during manipulation are also recorded and analyzed from the perspective of micro-mechanics. It is found that differences in surface conditions can lead to obvious increase in micro-friction between nanotube and substrate. And also due to rehybridization, carbon nanotubes present excellent resilience when undergoing different degrees of strain. Finally, carbon nanotubes can complexly deform from elastic stage to plastic stage before complete rupture.

Micro-mechanical damage diagnosis methodologies based on machine learning and deep learning models

A loss of integrity and the effects of damage on mechanical attributes result in macro/micro-mechanical failure,especially in composite structures.As a progressive degradation of material continuity,predictions for any aspects of the initiation and propagation of damage need to be identified by a trustworthy mechanism to guarantee the safety of structures.Besides material design,structural integrity and health need to be monitored carefully.Among the most powerful methods for the detection of damage are machine learning(ML)and deep learning(DL).In this paper,we review state-of-the-art ML methods and their applications in detecting and predicting material damage,concentrating on composite materials.The more influential ML methods are identified based on their performance,and research gaps and future trends are discussed.Based on our findings,DL followed by ensemble-based techniques has the highest application and robustness in the field of damage diagnosis.

Use of recycled gypsum in the cement-based stabilization of very soft clays and its micro-mechanism

This paper presents an experimental study and micro-mechanism discussion on gypsum role in the mechanical improvements of cement-based stabilized clay(CBSC).A soft marine clay at two initial water contents(i.e.50%and 70%)was treated by reconstituted cementitious binders with varying gypsum to clinker(G/C)ratios and added metakaolin to facilitate the formation of ettringite,followed by the measurements of final water contents,dry densities and strengths in accordance with ASTM standards as well as microstructure by mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Results reveal that the gypsum fraction has a significant influence on the index and mechanical properties of the CBSC,and there exists a threshold of the G/C ratio,which is 10%and 15%for clays with 50%and 70%initial water contents,respectively.Beyond which adding excessive gypsum cannot improve the strength further,eliminating the beneficial role.At these thresholds of the G/C ratio,the unconfined compressive strength(UCS)values for clays with 50%and 70%initial water contents are 1.74 MPa and 1.53 MPa at 60 d of curing,respectively.Microstructure characterization shows that,besides the common cementation-induced strengthening,newly formed ettringite also acts as significant pore infills,and the associated remarkable volumetric expansion is responsible,and may be the primary factor,for the beneficial strength gain due to the added gypsum.Moreover,pore-filling ettringite also leads to the conversion of relatively large inter-aggregate to smaller intra-aggregate pores,thereby causing a more homogeneous matrix or solid skeleton with higher strength.Overall,added gypsum plays a vital beneficial role in the strength development of the CBSC,especially for very soft clays.

Hot compressive deformation behaviors and micro-mechanisms of TA15 alloy

The hot deformation behaviors of TA15 alloy,as well as the microstructure obtained after compressive deformation,were investigated.The results show that TA15 alloy exhibits a peak stress when deformed at temperature lower than 900 ℃,implying recrystallization characteristics.However,steady flow stress-stain behavior is observed without peak stress when deformation is employed at temperature higher than 900 ℃,showing recovery characteristics.Micro-deformation band appears at deformation temperature of 750 ℃,and equiaxed grains are found at 800 ℃,implying the occurrence of recrystallization.When deformed at 925 ℃,the specimen shows the recovery characteristics with dislocation networks and sub-grain boundaries.

Micro-Mechanism of Silicon-Based Waveguide Surface Smoothing in Hydrogen Annealing

The micro-mechanism of the silicon-based waveguide surface smoothing is investigated systematically to explore the effects of silicon-hydrogen bonds on high-temperature hydrogen annealing waveguides. The effect of silicon- hydrogen bonds on the surface migration movement of silicon atoms and the waveguide surface topography are revealed. The micro-migration from an upper state to a lower state of silicon atoms is driven by silicon- hydrogen bonding, which is the key to ameliorate the rough surface morphology of the silicon-based waveguide. The process of hydrogen annealing is experimentally validated based on the simulated parameters. The surface roughness declines from 1.523nm to 0.461 nm.

A Micro-Mechanism Model for Porous Media

Based on the tortuous-expanding path/channel model,a micro-mechanism model for porous media is developed.The proposed model is expressed as a function of tortuosity,porosity,resistance coefficient,and fluid properties.Every parameter in the proposed model has clear physical meaning.The results show that the model predictions are ingood agreement with those from the existing experimental data.

An extended micromechanical-based plastic damage model for understanding water effects on quasi-brittle rocks

Water effects on the mechanical properties of rocks have been extensively investigated through experiments and numerical models.However,few studies have established a comprehensive link between the microscopic mechanisms of water-related micro-crack and the constitutive behaviors of rocks.In this work,we shall propose an extended micromechanical-based plastic damage model for understanding weakening effect induced by the presence of water between micro-crack’s surfaces on quasi-brittle rocks,based on the Mori-Tanaka homogenization and irreversible thermodynamics framework.Regarding the physical mechanism,water strengthens micro-crack propagation,which induces damage evolution during the pre-and post-stage,and weakens the elastic effective properties of rock matrix.After proposing a special calibration procedure for the determination of model parameters based on the laboratory compression tests,the proposed micromechanical-based model is verified by comparing the model predictions to the experimental results.The model effectively captures the mechanical behaviors of quasibrittle rocks subjected to the weakening effects of water.

Coupling effect of cement-stabilization and biopolymer-modification on the mechanical behavior of dredged sediment

Nowadays,biopolymer stabilization as a promising eco-friendly approach in soft ground improvement has attracted wide attentions.However,the feasibility of using biopolymer as a green additive of cementstabilized dredged sediment(CDS)with high water content is still unknown.In this study,guar gum(GG)and xanthan gum(XG)were adopted as typical biopolymers,and a series of unconfined compressive strength(UCS),splitting tensile strength(STS)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical and microstructural properties of XG-and GG-modified CDSs considering several factors including biopolymer modification,binderesoil ratio and wateresolid ratio.Furthermore,the micro-mechanisms revealing the evolutions of mechanical properties of biopolymermodified CDS were analyzed.The results indicate that the addition of XG can effectively improve the strength of CDS,while the GG has a side effect.The XG content of 9%was recommended,which can improve the 7 d-and 28 d-UCSs by 196%and 51.8%,together with the 7 d-and 28 d-STSs by 118.3%and 42.2%,respectively.Increasing the binderesoil ratio or decreasing the wateresolid ratio significantly improved the strength gaining but aggravated the brittleness characteristics of CDS.Adding XG to CDS contributed to the formation of microstructure with more compactness and higher cementation degrees of ordinary Portland cement(OPC)-XG-stabilized DS(CXDS).The micro-mechanism models revealing the interactions of multiple media including OPC cementation,biopolymer film bonding and bridging effects inside CXDS were proposed.The key findings confirm the feasibility of XG modification as a green and high-efficiency mean for improving the mechanical properties of CDS.

A comparative study of the properties of TiN films deposited by MAIP and FCAP

In this study two types of TIN films were prepared, one using the filtered cathodic arc plasma （FCAP） technique with an in-plane ＂S＂ triter, and the other using the multi-arc ion-plating （MAIP）, and both deposited under the same parameters. Comparisons of the texture, hardness, roughness, tribological and electrochemical corrosion behaviors of the two types of TiN films were given. The TiN films obtained by the FCAP technology were found to be highly uniform, smooth and macroparticle-free. The TiN films deposited by FCAP had a （111） preferred orientation, while there was no texture in the films deposited by MAIP. Under low load the two kinds of TiN coatings had very different wear mechanisms; the films of FCAP had a lower wear rate and friction coefficient compared with the TiN films deposited by the MAIP technique. The dense and hole-free structure of TiN films of FCAP could effectively avoid the avalanche of TiN films from the substrate during corrosion tests.

Influence Mechanism of Curing Regimes on Interfacial Transition Zone of Lightweight Ultra-High Performance Concrete

This study aims to clarify the effects of curing regimes and lightweight aggregate(LWA)on the morphology, width and mechanical properties of the interfacial transition zone(ITZ) of ultra-high performance concrete(UHPC), and provide reference for the selection of lightweight ultra-high performance concrete(L-UHPC) curing regimes and the pre-wetting degree LWA. The results show that, under the three curing regimes(standard curing, steam curing and autoclaved curing), LWA is tightly bound to the matrix without obvious boundaries. ITZ width increases with the water absorption of LWA and decreases with increasing curing temperature. The ITZ microhardness is the highest when water absorption is 3%, and the microhardness value is more stable with the distance from LWA. Steam and autoclaved curing increase ITZ microhardness compared to standard curing. As LWA pre-wetting and curing temperatures increase, the degree of hydration at the ITZ increases, generating high-density CSH(HD CSH) and ultra-high-density CSH(UHD CSH), and reducing unhydrated particles in ITZ. ITZ micro-mechanical properties are optimized due to hydration products being denser.

Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Process Modeling for Hydro-forming Micro-tubular Components

Micro-tubes manufactured by hydro-forming techniques have now been widely used in medical and microelectronics applica- tions. One of the difficulties in forming such parts is the control of localized necking in the initial stages of the deformation/forming process. A lack of microstructural information causes conventional macro-mechanics finite element（FE） tools to break down when used to investigate the localized microstructure evolution and necking encountered in micro-forming. An effort has been made to create an integrated crystal plasticity finite element（CPFE） system that enables micro-forming process simulations to be carried out easily, with the important features in forming micro-parts captured by the model. Based on Voronoi tessellation and probability theory, a virtual GRAIN（VGRAIN） system is created for generating grains and grain boundaries for micro-materials. Numerical procedures are devel- oped to link the physical parameters of a material to the control variables in a Gamma distribution. A script interface is developed so that the virtual microstructure can be input to the commercial FE code, ABAQUS, for mesh generation. A simplified plane strain CPFE modeling technique is developed and used to capture localized thinning and failure features for hydro-forming of micro-tubes. Grains within the tube workpiece, their distributions and orientations are generated automatically by using the VGRAIN system. A set of crystal viscoplasticity constitutive equations are implemented in ABAQUS/Explicit by using the user-defined material subroutine, VUMAT. Lo- calized thinning is analyzed for different microstructures and deformation conditions of the material using the CPFE modeling technique. The research results show that locations of thinning in forming micro-tubes can be random, which are related to microstructure and grain orientations of the material. The proposed CPFE technique can be used to predict the locations of thinning in forming micro-tubes.

Improving the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Red Clay by Combining Biopolymers with Fibers

To explore an environmentally friendly improvement measure for red clay,the function and mechanism of xanthan gum biopolymer and polypropylene fibers on the strength properties of red clay were investigated by unconfined compressive strength and scanning electron microscopy tests.The test results demonstrated that the contents and curing ages of xanthan gum had significant influences on the unconfined compressive strength of red clay.Compared with untreated soil,1.5%xanthan gum content was the optimal ratio in which the strength increment was between 41.52 kPa and 64.73 kPa.On the other hand,the strength of xanthan gum-treated red clay increased,whereas the ductility decreased with the increase in curing ages,indicating that the xanthan gum-treated red clay started to gradually consolidate after 3 days of curing and stiffness significantly improved between 7 and 28 days of curing.The results also showed that the synergistic consolidation effects of the xanthan gum–polypropylene fibers could not only effectively enhance the strength of red clay but also reduce the brittle failure phenomenon.The strengths of soil treated with 2.0%xanthan gum-polypropylene fibers were 1.9–2.41 and 1.12–1.47 times than that of red clay and 1.5%xanthan gum-treated clay,respectively.The results of study provide the related methods and experiences for the field of ecological soil treatment.

Post-liquefaction shearing behaviour of saturated gravelly soils: Experimental study and discrete element simulation

To investigate the post-liquefaction shearing behaviour of saturated gravelly soil,laboratory tests were conducted using a staticedynamic multi-purpose triaxial apparatus.In addition,numerical simulations using the discrete element method(DEM)were performed to preliminarily understand the micromechanism of gravelly soil in monotonic loading after liquefaction.The influences of dry density,initial confining stress and degree of liquefaction on the post-liquefaction shearing behaviour of gravelly soil were discussed,and the evolution of the micro-parameters of the granular system was also analysed.The results show that the stressestrain responses of gravelly soil after liquefaction can be divided into three stages:(1)low strength stage,(2)super-linear strength recovery stage,and(3)sublinear strength recovery stage,which are distinctly different from those of the general saturated gravelly soil without previous cyclic loading.The initial state and prior dynamic stress history have significant influences on the post-liquefaction shearing behaviour of gravelly soil.The DEM simulation revealed that the average coordination number sharply increases,the contact normal shows an obvious orientation distribution,and the destroyed force chain backbones are reconstructed in the monotonic reloading process after liquefaction.The evolution of the micro-parameters of the granular system clearly reflects the interior interaction process and micro-mechanisms in the particles during the three different stages of the macro-mechanical behaviour of gravelly soil.

卤素的苯甲酸乙酯电化学微萃取的量子化学研究

以AM1半经验量子化学方法研究了卤素分子电化学微萃取进入苯甲酸乙酯有机相的分子机理.卤素阴离子在电极上氧化成为卤素分子,卤素分子萃取进入苯甲酸乙酯有机相,萃取过程取决于卤素分子与苯甲乙酯分子间相互作用.AM1半经验量子化学方法计算了卤素分子与苯甲酸乙酯分子作用前后,分子轨道和相应的热力学参数.分子萃取决定于局部分子间的局部作用能(Br2—EB>I2—EB>Cl2—EB)而不是体系的焓变;卤素分子的还原性取决于与苯甲酸乙酯作用前后最低空轨道的能量的变化,萃取后最低空轨道能量下降,具有相转移电化学催化作用,预测结果与实验结果一致.