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Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2020) | Viewed by 32439
Related Special Issue: Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures (Volume 2)

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesco Tornabene

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Guest Editor

Department of Innovation Engineering, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: theory of shells, plates, arches, and beams; generalized differential quadrature; FEM; SFEM; WFEM; IGA; SFIGA; WFIGA; advanced composite materials; functionally graded materials; nanomaterials and nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Rossana Dimitri

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Guest Editor

Department of Innovation Engineering, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: damage and fracture mechanics; contact mechanics; structural mechanics; solid mechanics; computational mechanics; advanced composite materials; nanomaterials and nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, composite materials have been increasingly applied in many engineering applications, e.g., aerospace components, aircrafts, boat hulls and sails, car bodies, long span roofs, as well as biomedical prostheses, electronic devices, and drones. Accordingly, this Special Issue aims at gathering together experts and young researchers in modeling heterogeneous materials and structures at different scales.

Composite materials provide higher values of strength and stiffness, superior thermal properties, and lower levels of weights, which can affect the mechanical behavior of beams, plates, and shells, in terms of static response, vibrations, and buckling loads. Enhanced structures and composite materials feature internal length scales and non-local behaviors, whose responses can be analyzed through parametric investigations, including the effect of staking sequences, ply orientations, the agglomeration of nanoparticles, the volume fractions of constituents, and porosity level.

In addition to fiber-reinforced composites and laminates, studies on innovative components such as functionally graded materials (FGMs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets, SMART constituents, as well as innovative and advanced classes of composites are welcomed. Examples of SMART applications involve large stroke SMART actuators, piezoelectric sensors, shape memory alloys, magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials, as well as auxetic components and angle-tow laminates. These constituents can be included in the lamination schemes of SMART structures to control and monitor the vibrational behavior or the static deflection of several composites.

The development of advanced theoretical and computational models for composite materials and structures is a subject of active research and will be explored for complex systems, including their static, dynamic, and buckling response; fracture mechanics at different scales; as well as the adhesion, cohesion, and delamination of materials and interfaces.

Classical theories, multiscale approaches, cohesive zone modeling of brittle and ductile materials, and the regularization and approximation of crack discontinuities can be presented and discussed to this end. Contributions to theoretical, experimental, and numerical aspects are welcome from scientists working in mathematics and mechanics, involving different industrial applications.

Prof. Dr. Francesco Tornabene
Prof. Dr. Rossana Dimitri
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Adhesion
Advanced computational methods
Auxetic materials
Buckling behavior
Carbon nanotubes
Complex materials
Composite beams, plates, and shells
Constitutive models
Damage
Delamination
Dynamics
Fracture mechanics
Functionally graded materials
Homogenization techniques
Metamaterials
Nanostructures
Smart materials
Statics
Theoretical, numerical, and experimental strategies

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 183 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue on Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures

by Francesco Tornabene and Rossana Dimitri

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 2532; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11062532 - 12 Mar 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 976

Abstract

The large use of composite materials and shell structural members with complex geometries in technologies related to various branches of engineering, has gained increased attention from scientists and engineers for the development of even more refined approaches, to investigate their mechanical behavior [...] [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 6838 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling Palletized Products: The Case of Semi-Filled Bottles under Top-Load Conditions

by Ana Pavlovic, Cristiano Fragassa, Luca Vegliò, Felipe Vannucchi de Camargo and Giangiacomo Minak

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(1), 332; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10010332 - 02 Jan 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4793

Abstract

An investigation on numerical methods able to simplify the mechanical behavior of PET bottles, partially filled with liquid, under compression loadings is presented here. Compressive stress conditions on bottles are very common during their transportation and can be accompanied by large deformations and instabilities that can compromise the integrity of the pack, with the risk of significant damages. The present paper proposes two approaches, both based on finite elements, and with elastic-plastic material models properly defined with the scope of investigating the complex phenomena that take place during these loading conditions. Although not perfect in terms of accuracy, these numerical methods have been proven to be capable to predicti the transport-related integrity risks, showing results that agree with experimental data, especially during the initial phases of load compression. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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14 pages, 2054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Improved Method for Predicting the Greenfield Stratum Movements Caused by Shield Tunnel Construction

by XinRong Tan, Heng Zhang, Gang Zhang, Yimo Zhu and Peng Tu

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4522; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9214522 - 24 Oct 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2675

Abstract

Shield tunneling is becoming the preferred construction scheme for metro construction because of its advantages of fast construction speed and small disturbance. However, limited by process defects, the stratum movements induced by the construction of shield tunnels still affects the safety of nearby underground structures and aboveground buildings. Therefore, the reliable prediction of stratum movements is important. Described in this paper is an analysis method of the Greenfield stratum movements (Greenfield is an area of land that has not yet had buildings on it, stratum movements means the movement of various soil layers) caused by shield tunnel construction combining an elastic half-space model of mirror source–sink method with the use of modified analytical method. Based on the theoretical formula in this paper, not only can the curve of surface settlement trough be calculated, but also the three-dimensional displacement field of deep soil can be obtained. By comparing vertical and horizontal contour maps of Greenfield stratum movements, good consistency between theoretical formula results and centrifugal test results are shown. This solves the defects and limitations of existing two-dimensional formulas; furthermore, based on this, it is convenient to evaluate the effect on the other skewed underground structures through the elastic foundation beam and other similar methods; therefore, this paper can provide a wide guidance and service for the design and construction of underground engineering in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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11 pages, 2128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Conductivity in Nano-Conduit Flows by Using Thermal Pulse-Induced Brownian Motion: A Spectral Impulse Intensity Approach

by Ugur Tuzun

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(18), 3889; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9183889 - 17 Sep 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1724

Abstract

Inter-particle and particle-wall connectivity in suspension flow has profound effects on thermal and electrical conductivity. The spectral impulse generation and the imparting of kinetic energy on the particles is shown through a mathematical analysis to be effective as a means of achieving an approximate equivalent of a Langevin thermostat. However, with dilute suspensions, the quadratic form of the thermal pulse spectra is modified with a damping coefficient to achieve the desired Langevin value. With the dense suspension system, the relaxation time is calculated from the non-linear differential equation, and the fluid properties were supported by the viscosity coefficient. A “smoothed” pulse is used for each time-step of the flow simulation to take care of the near-neighbor interactions of the adjacent particles. An approximate optimal thermostat is achieved when the number of extra pulses introduced within each time step is found to be nearly equal to the co-ordination number of each particle within the assembly. Furthermore, the ratio of the particle kinetic energy and the thermal energy imparted is found to be never quite equal to unity, as they both depend upon the finite values of the pulse duration and the relaxation time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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14 pages, 1336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nonlocal and Size-Dependent Dielectric Function for Plasmonic Nanoparticles

by Kai-Jian Huang, Shui-Jie Qin, Zheng-Ping Zhang, Zhao Ding and Zhong-Chen Bai

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(15), 3083; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9153083 - 31 Jul 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2917

Abstract

We develop a theoretical approach to investigate the impact that nonlocal and finite-size effects have on the dielectric response of plasmonic nanostructures. Through simulations, comprehensive comparisons of the electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and the optical performance are discussed for a gold spherical dimer system in terms of different dielectric models. Our study offers a paradigm of high efficiency compatible dielectric theoretical framework for accounting the metallic nanoparticles behavior combining local, nonlocal and size-dependent effects in broader energy and size ranges. The results of accurate analysis and simulation for these effects unveil the weight and the evolution of both surface and bulk plasmons vibrational mechanisms, which are important for further understanding the electrodynamics properties of structures at the nanoscale. Particularly, our method can be extended to other plasmonic nanostructures where quantum-size or strongly interacting effects are likely to play an important role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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15 pages, 4312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Analysis of Soil Displacement Induced by Ground Loss and Shield Machine Mechanical Effect in Metro Tunnel Construction

by Yimo Zhu, Liang Chen, Heng Zhang, Peng Tu and Shougen Chen

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(15), 3028; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9153028 - 26 Jul 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2574

Abstract

In order to relieve the increasing ground traffic pressure in the process of urbanization in China, it is inevitable to build more metro lines. However, the stratum movement caused by tunneling affects the safety of adjacent underground structures and aboveground buildings. Therefore, how to evaluate and control the stratum movement is a prominent problem. In this paper, based on the engineering project of an interval tunnel between Shizishan Station and Chuanshi Station in Chengdu Metro Line 7, China, the action mechanism of stratum movement induced by shield tunneling is analyzed, and the effect factors are divided into two categories: ground loss factors and mechanical factors. Combining the advantages of Loganathan method and mirror source-sink method, a new solution of three-dimensional displacement induced by ground loss is proposed. Based on the elastic half-space Mindlin model, the displacement at any point induced by four mechanical effect factors is deduced. Finally, the total displacement is verified by field monitoring data and quantitative analyzed in various parts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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12 pages, 2663 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stochastic Natural Frequency Analysis of Composite Structures Based on Micro-Scale and Meso-Scale Uncertainty

by Shufeng Zhang and Xun Chen

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(13), 2603; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9132603 - 27 Jun 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2366

Abstract

Composite structure often shows undesirably significant uncertainty in its mechanical properties, which may consequently result into large stochastic variation of its natural frequency. This study provides stochastic natural frequency analysis of typical composite structures based on micro-scale (constituent-scale) and meso-scale (ply-scale) uncertainty. Uncertainty propagation across micro-scale and meso-scale is investigated. Response surface method (RSM) based on finite element modeling is employed to obtain approximate natural frequency of structures with complex shape or boundary conditions, and mean value and standard deviation of natural frequency of composite plate and cylindrical shell are derived. Differences in natural frequency statistics of composite plates and cylindrical shells derived by considering uncertainty at different scales are quantified and discussed. Significant statistical correlation between ply elastic properties and ply density is observed, and the statistical correlation is demonstrated to lay great influence on the statistics of structure natural frequency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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12 pages, 2683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Precise Prediction of Tunnel Deformation Caused by Circular Foundation Pit Excavation

by Huasheng Sun, Lingwei Wang, Shenwei Chen, Hengwei Deng and Jihua Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(11), 2275; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9112275 - 02 Jun 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2954

Abstract

In comparison with tetragonal retaining structures, circular retaining structures have an advantage in terms of controlling the deformation caused by foundation excavation, and are a reasonable choice in engineering practice. Many results have been obtained regarding the effect of tetragonal excavation on the deformation of an adjacent tunnel. Nevertheless, a sufficient understanding of the circular excavation’s effect on the deformation of an adjacent tunnel is currently lacking. Therefore, this study focused on the problem of precise predicting tunnel deformation below a circular excavation. A numerical model was established to calculate the tunnel deformation caused by the circular excavation. An advanced nonlinear constitutive model, known as a hypoplasticity model, which can capture path-dependent and strain-dependent soil stiffness even at small strains, was adopted. The models and their associated parameters were calibrated by centrifuge test results reported in the literature. The deformation mechanism was revealed, and the calculated results were compared with those obtained with a square excavation and the same excavation amount. The differences between the deformations caused by these two types of excavation shapes were analyzed. It was found that under equal excavation area conditions, the excavation-induced deformations of the metro tunnel below a circular excavation were approximately 1.18–1.22 times greater than those below a square excavation. The maximum tunnel tensile bending strain caused by the circular excavation was 32% smaller than that caused by the square excavation. By comparing with the measured results, it is proved that the proposed numerical method can provide effective reference for engineers to analyze soil-structure problems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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17 pages, 1976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Response of Steel Moment Frames (SMFs) Considering Simultaneous Excitations of Vertical and Horizontal Components, Including Fling-Step Ground Motions

by Shahrokh Shahbazi, Armin Karami, Jong Wan Hu and Iman Mansouri

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(10), 2079; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9102079 - 20 May 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3345

Abstract

Near-field (NF) earthquakes have drawn considerable attention from earthquake and structural engineers. In the field of earthquake engineering, numerous studies have identified the devastating nature of such earthquakes, and examined the characteristics related to the response of engineering structures to these types of earthquakes. Herein, special steel moment frames (SMFs) of three-, five-, and eight-story buildings have been examined via a nonlinear time history analysis in OpenSees software. The behavioral seismic differences of these frames have been evaluated in two states: (1) under the simultaneous excitation of the horizontal and vertical constituents of near-field earthquakes that have Fling-steps in their records; and (2) under simultaneous excitation of the horizontal and vertical constituents of far-field (FF) earthquakes. In addition, during modeling, the effects of panel zones have been considered. Considering that the simultaneous effects of the horizontal and vertical constituents of near-field earthquakes were subjected to a fling-step resulting in an increased inter-story drift ratio, the horizontal displacement of stories, an axial force of columns, created the moment in columns, base shearing of the structure, and velocity and acceleration of the stories. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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19 pages, 4078 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evidence-Theory-Based Robust Optimization and Its Application in Micro-Electromechanical Systems

by Zhiliang Huang, Jiaqi Xu, Tongguang Yang, Fangyi Li and Shuguang Deng

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(7), 1457; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9071457 - 07 Apr 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2300

Abstract

The conventional engineering robustness optimization approach considering uncertainties is generally based on a probabilistic model. However, a probabilistic model faces obstacles when handling problems with epistemic uncertainty. This paper presents an evidence-theory-based robustness optimization (EBRO) model and a corresponding algorithm, which provide a potential computational tool for engineering problems with multi-source uncertainty. An EBRO model with the twin objectives of performance and robustness is formulated by introducing the performance threshold. After providing multiple target belief measures (Bel), the original model is transformed into a series of sub-problems, which are solved by the proposed iterative strategy driving the robustness analysis and the deterministic optimization alternately. The proposed method is applied to three problems of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), including a micro-force sensor, an image sensor, and a capacitive accelerometer. In the applications, finite element simulation models and surrogate models are both given. Numerical results show that the proposed method has good engineering practicality due to comprehensive performance in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and convergence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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15 pages, 2910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Soil Reinforcement on Tunnel Deformation as a Result of Stress Relief

by Huasheng Sun and Wenbin Sun

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(7), 1420; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9071420 - 04 Apr 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2447

Abstract

Adjacent geotechnical engineering activities, such as deep excavation, may adversely affect or even damage adjacent tunnels. Ground reinforcement before excavation may be an effective approach to reduce tunnel heave as a result of stress relief. However, there are few quantitative studies on the effect of soil reinforcement on tunnel deformation. Moreover, the reinforcement mechanism of the reinforced soil and the reinforcement depth are not fully understood. In order to investigate the effect of reinforcing the ground on the tunnel response, a finite element analysis was conducted based on a previously reported centrifugal model test with no ground reinforcement. The effect of the Young’s modulus and depth of the reinforced soil on tunnel deformation was analyzed. Soil stresses around the tunnel were also considered to explain the tunnel response. The results revealed that the Young’s modulus of the reinforced soil and the reinforcement depth had a significant impact on tunnel deformation as a result of basement excavation. The tunnel heave in the longitudinal direction decreased by 18% and 27% for modulus of the reinforced soil, five times and ten times higher than that of the non-reinforced soil, respectively. The reinforcement depth was effective with regard to controlling the tunnel heave caused by stress relief. This is because the reinforced soil blocked the stress transfer and thus reduced the tunnel heave caused by excavation unloading. It is expected that this study will be useful with regard to taking effective measures and ensuring the safety and serviceability of existing metro tunnels during adjacent excavation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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15 pages, 1737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Stability of Temperature-Dependent Graphene Sheet Embedded in an Elastomeric Medium

by Mohammad Hossein Jalaei, Rossana Dimitri and Francesco Tornabene

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(5), 887; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9050887 - 01 Mar 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2327

Abstract

This work applies the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) to study the dynamic stability of orthotropic temperature-dependent single-layered graphene sheet (SLGS) embedded in a temperature-dependent elastomeric medium and subjected to a biaxial oscillating loading in a thermal environment. Possible thermal effects are considered in the size-dependent governing equations of the problem. These last ones are derived by means of the Hamilton’s variational principle combined with the Eringen’s differential constitutive model. Navier’s solution as well as Bolotin’s approach are applied to obtain the dynamic instability region (DIR) of the graphene sheet. Thus, a parametric study is carried out to explore the sensitivity of the DIR of the graphene sheet to the temperature variation, the static load factor, the aspect ratio, the foundation type, and the nonlocal parameter (NP). Results indicate that the dimensionless pulsation frequency reduces for increasing values of temperature and NP, whereas the size effect becomes even more pronounced for increasing temperatures. In addition, the adoption of temperature-dependent mechanical properties, rather than independent ones, yields a global shift of the DIR to smaller pulsating frequencies. This proves the relevance of the temperature-dependent mechanical properties to obtain reliable results, in a physical sense. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Theoretical and Computational Methods for Complex Materials and Structures)

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