Article
Materials Science, Composites
Chunxing Hu, Yujiao Bai, Zhonghai Xu, Jiezheng Qiu, Rongguo Wang, Xiaodong He
Summary: In this study, the effect of initial delamination defects on the axial compression properties of carbon fiber L-shaped stiffened composite panels was investigated using a combination of experimental and numerical simulations. A progressive damage model (PDM) was proposed to predict the damage initiation and evolution process, and a user-defined field variable (USDFLD) subroutine based on the Hashin failure criteria was developed to study the initiation and progression of intra-laminar damages. The results of finite element simulations were in good agreement with experimental measurements, confirming the reliability of the models.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Vishwas Divse, Deepak Marla, Suhas S. Joshi
Summary: This work develops a 3D progressive damage model to predict drilling-induced damage and its effect on the load-carrying capacity of fiber reinforced plastics laminates. The model is validated and applied to simulate drilling and its induced damage, showing good agreement with experimental data.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Heyuan Huang, Xuanjia Zhang, Zhicheng Dong, Dong Wang
Summary: This study investigates the adhesive interface performance and damage evolution law of T-stiffened composite panels under different loading conditions. Experimental and numerical methods are used to analyze the load-bearing capacity and damage distribution under various states. The results show that interface damages mainly occur on the loading side and rib corners, while damages extend along the loading direction at defect locations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Yezhi Qin, Xiongliang Yao, Zhi Wang, Ying Wang
Summary: The damage characteristics of cabin structures under internal explosion load are important for designing vessel's anti-explosion performance. Experimental studies were conducted to investigate the dynamic response characteristics and failure modes of stiffened cabin structures under internal blast loading. A dimensionless damage number was proposed to predict the damage modes of stiffened cabin structures. The results showed that the damage modes of cabin structures depend on the material and scaled detonation distance.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Chunxing Hu, Zhonghai Xu, Jiezheng Qiu, Shibao Wu, Rongguo Wang, Xiaodong He
Summary: This paper proposes a novel and unified modeling strategy to predict the stability behavior and progressive damage processes of CFRP double-blade composite stiffened structure (DCSS) under compression. User-defined materials subroutine and continuum damage mechanics model are developed to simulate the intra-laminar and inter-laminar damage initiation and propagation processes. Experimental methods such as digital image correlation and strain gauges are employed to obtain the buckling, post-buckling, and failure behavior of the DCSS. The results from the developed 3D finite element model are verified with experimental results, showing a high correlation and confirming the reliability of the proposed modeling strategy.
THIN-WALLED STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Xinyue Li, Yanan Yuan, Zuoqi Zhang
Summary: The use of ultra-thin plies in composite laminates brings advantages such as increased design flexibility, improved damage tolerance, and reduced delamination. However, the amplification of fiber damage in thin-ply laminates poses a challenge. To address this, a novel ply structure with a gradient thickness of thick/thin/thick plies was proposed, which showed superior impact damage resistance and enhanced damage tolerance compared to laminates with uniform ply thickness.
EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Qingyuan Lin, Yong Zhao, Wei Pan, Yuming Liu
Summary: Bolted joint is a common connection method in composite structure assembling. The initial assembly state affects subsequent performance. An improved 3D model is proposed to simulate the assembly process of composite bolted joints, considering detailed thread structure and realistic tightening process. The relationship between tightening torque and bolt tension is analyzed, as well as the effect of friction coefficient on tightening coefficient. A fitting model and quantitative analysis method for nonlinear pressure distribution on the outer surface of composite laminates during assembly process are established. The effects of bolt tension and washer type on initial assembly damage are analyzed and experimentally verified.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Mahrez Ait Mohammed, Mostapha Tarfaoui
Summary: This paper focuses on the certification of composite cylindrical structures for the composite MJM tidal turbine in harsh and unpredictable tidal site environments. The effects of different failure criteria on the impact response of thick filament wound glass/epoxy cylindrical structures are investigated. A user-defined material model is implemented into the finite element software Abaqus-Explicit to explore the dynamic response with intralaminar damage. The interlaminar damage is modeled using a bilinear cohesive zone model (CZM) and compared with experimental results for validation. The outcomes and predicted damage can be applied in the design and development of the MJM tidal turbine prototype.
ENGINEERING FAILURE ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Min Gyu Ryu, Kunhou He, Dong Hun Lee, Sung-In Park, Giles Thomas, Jeom Kee Paik
Summary: This paper introduces new computational models for analyzing the heat transfer and fire-induced progressive collapse behavior of steel stiffened plate structures, which were validated through comparisons with test data. The novelty of this paper lies in the new procedure proposed for the fire-induced progressive collapse analysis of steel stiffened-plate structures.
THIN-WALLED STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Jack S. Turicek, Alexander D. Snyder, Kalyana B. Nakshatrala, Jason F. Patrick
Summary: Interlaminar delamination in fiber-reinforced composites can lead to catastrophic failures. Traditional mitigation strategies are difficult to detect and repair, while proactive toughening and responsive self-healing offer practical solutions. Our recently developed strategy using 3D-printed thermoplastic interlayers and structurally integrated heaters has shown to improve composite toughening and in situ self-healing.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
P. Journoud, C. Bouvet, B. Castanie, L. Ratsifandrihana
Summary: An experimental study was conducted to describe the evolution of failure load in curved carbon-epoxy laminates with out-of-plane wrinkle defects at varying misalignment angles. The results showed that an increase in wrinkling levels led to a decrease in failure loads.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
P. Fernandes, R. Pinto, N. Correia
Summary: Composite deployable structures are gaining importance in the space industry as an alternative to traditional metallic systems, allowing for increased efficiency and applicability. By ensuring reliability, materials can be used beyond their elastic range, leading to improved designs. The possibility of combining different design approaches for deployable structures is also being discussed.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Mechanics
George Irven, Adam Whitehouse, Declan Carolan, Alexander Fergusson, John P. Dear
Summary: The methods of improving the toughness of the bond between a foam core and a carbon fibre face-sheet in a sandwich structure were investigated. It was found that introducing machined grooves in the foam and using core-shell rubber particles to toughen the face-sheets resulted in significant improvements in bond toughness. Additionally, using aramid fiber-reinforced foam as the core of the sandwich structure also contributed to enhancing the interface bond toughness and promoting R-curve behavior during crack propagation.
ENGINEERING FRACTURE MECHANICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Foad Kiakojouri, Mohammad Reza Sheidaii, Valerio De Biagi, Bernardino Chiaia
Summary: Research on progressive collapse and structural robustness has significantly advanced since 9/11, with a growing interest in the phenomenon. Definitions and concepts in this field have seen minor changes over the past twenty years, prompting this paper to challenge current definitions and suggest improvements to provide a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Article
Mechanics
Kenan Cinar, Okan Inam
Summary: L-shaped laminates with a syntactic foam core were studied for their bending behavior, including sharp corners. Through four-point bending tests and finite element method, the bending behavior and failure modes of the sandwich structure were analyzed. Different models were used to simulate inter-laminar and intra-laminar failure, as well as the behavior of the foam material. The predictions of load-displacement curves and strain fields were in good agreement with experimental results, and the failure mechanisms were captured well using the model.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
P. A. Grudniewski, A. J. Sobey
Summary: The growing interest in dynamic optimization has led to the development of genetic algorithms with specific mechanisms. To ensure the effectiveness of these mechanisms, a diverse set of benchmarking functions is needed. However, the currently available benchmarking sets are limited to unconstrained problems. This paper extends the range of dynamic problems with 15 novel constrained multi-objective functions and compares the performance of different genetic algorithms on these problems.
Article
Engineering, Marine
J. I. R. Blake, S. W. Boyd, H. J. Phillips, R. Trask, R. M. Cripps
Summary: This article discusses the unique relationship between the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and academia, which has driven engineering innovations in search and rescue crafts.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS PART M-JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR THE MARITIME ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Mechanics
Jiangbo Bai, Zhenzhou Wang, Adam Sobey, Ajit Shenoi
Summary: A novel micromechanical model is proposed in this study to predict the biaxial tensile strengths of plain weave fabric composites. Through validation experiments and comparisons, the model shows accurate and effective predictions for a range of material types and yarn specifications.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
G. M. Gemilang, P. A. S. Reed, A. J. Sobey
Summary: Mooring chains are critical components for floating platforms, and failure can have catastrophic economic and environmental impacts. Research shows that mooring failures often occur earlier than expected, and there are variations in the accuracy of different methods used to predict failure mechanisms.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Hossam Ragheb, Adam Sobey
Summary: This study examines the impact of transitioning from steel risers to composite materials on safety factors, uncovering uncertainties and changes in dynamic response, as well as the influence of extensibility on predicted results.
Article
Engineering, Marine
G. M. Gemilang, P. A. S. Reed, A. J. Sobey
Summary: The integrity of mooring chains is crucial for offshore platform safety, but early fatigue failures are a significant concern. The fatigue initiation processes are sensitive to the mean load and involve plastic strain accumulation, highlighting the importance of considering low-cycle fatigue in mooring chain design.
Article
Engineering, Marine
H. A. Ragheb, M. Goodridge, D. C. Pham, A. J. Sobey
Summary: This paper conducts a strength-based reliability analysis of composite catenary risers operating at depths between 1,500 m and 4,000 m, showing that they perform well at greater depths but face performance degradation due to moisture absorption. Further investigation is needed in this area.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
A. I. Parkes, T. D. Savasta, A. J. Sobey, D. A. Hudson
Summary: Recent legislation in the shipping industry has increased pressure to reduce fuel consumption, requiring accurate power prediction for comparison of efficiency advancements and route optimisation. Neural networks trained on operational data from vessels show promise in predicting powering with a mean error of 2%, but data gathering is costly. Fusion of data from sensors on multiple vessels in a fleet can achieve around 4% prediction accuracy for most ships, showing the potential for extrapolation and highlighting the importance of sufficient data across the desired prediction domain.
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Saima Khan, Przemyslaw Grudniewski, Yousaf Shad Muhammad, Adam J. Sobey
Summary: Reducing emissions is becoming increasingly important globally. The regulations of the International Maritime Organisation are pressuring shipping companies to quickly reduce their emissions. Optimizing a ship's route is one solution, with even small reductions leading to significant cost and environmental benefits. This paper compares state-of-the-art algorithms on three case studies and demonstrates the impact of algorithm selection on fuel consumption and expected voyage time. Co-evolutionary algorithms, particularly cMLSGA, show top performance in reducing fuel usage (7.6% on average) and voyage times (8.4% on average) compared to other algorithms.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
D. Cevasco, J. Tautz-Weinert, M. Richmond, A. Sobey, A. J. Kolios
Summary: This study aims to investigate the feasibility of detecting and locating anomalies in the jacket support structure of an offshore wind turbine. A monitoring scheme is proposed based on a database of simulated modal properties, and a supervised Fisher's linear discriminant analysis is used to transform modal indicators for anomaly identification. A fuzzy clustering algorithm is trained to predict the membership of new data. A case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the global monitoring in detecting and locating simulated scenarios.
ASCE-ASME JOURNAL OF RISK AND UNCERTAINTY IN ENGINEERING SYSTEMS PART B-MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Mechanics
Zhenzhou Wang, Adam Sobey
Summary: Plain weave fabrics provide low-cost composites with mechanical properties dependent on weave and yarn dimensions. This paper benchmarks 9 top performing Genetic Algorithms to find designs that satisfy five-objective, three-objective and bi-objective formulations. The results highlight the importance of considering five-objective optimization and demonstrate the benefits of optimization with more objectives.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Mohammad Divband Soorati, Enrico H. Gerding, Enrico Marchioni, Pavel Naumov, Timothy J. Norman, Sarvapali D. Ramchurn, Bahar Rastegari, Adam Sobey, Sebastian Stein, Danesh Tarpore, Vahid Yazdanpanah, Jie Zhang
Summary: The Agents, Interaction and Complexity research group at the University of Southampton has a strong research background in multiagent systems, especially in the areas of learning, game-theoretic techniques, and formal methods. They have made significant scientific contributions and are focused on developing trustworthy autonomous systems and human-centered AI systems for societal good.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sizhe Yuen, Thomas H. G. Ezard, Adam J. Sobey
Summary: Evolutionary computation is a set of biologically inspired algorithms used for solving complex optimization problems. This paper analyzes successful bioinspired algorithms under a contemporary biological framework based on the extended evolutionary synthesis. The analysis reveals a lack of exploration in epigenetic inheritance, leaving it as a potential area for further research within evolutionary computation.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Przemyslaw Andrzej Grudniewski, Adam James Sobey
Summary: This study proposes a new coevolutionary multilevel selection genetic algorithm (cMLSGA) that incorporates multiple distinct evolutionary strategies simultaneously. The results show that diversity divergence in the selected coevolutionary approaches is more important than their individual performances.
DATA-CENTRIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Cody R. Crusenberry, Adam J. Sobey, Stephanie C. TerMaath
Summary: The curse of dimensionality makes it difficult to comprehensively evaluate computational structural mechanics problems. Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) methods can reduce model dimensionality and identify dominant input parameters for structural performance output. The selection of a suitable GSA method should consider computational resources, required information, and available data.
DATA-CENTRIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Rawan Aqel, Patrick Severson, Rani Elhajjar
Summary: A novel core splice joint configuration for composite sandwich structures is studied and proposed to improve the strength and toughness. Experimental and numerical efforts show that this configuration can significantly increase the ultimate strength by 13% to 51% and the toughness by 2% to 35%.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Xianheng Wang, Cong Chen, Jinsong Zhang, Xinming Qiu
Summary: In this paper, a new form-finding method based on spatial elastica model (FMSE) is proposed for elastic gridshells. The method integrates the deformations of elastic rods into the overall deformation of the gridshell, and solves a set of transcendental equations using the quasi-Newton method to ensure the deformation satisfies the given boundary conditions. The method is validated through experiments and expected to have potential applications in the investigations of elastic gridshells.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Hao Huang, Zitong Guo, Zhongde Shan, Zheng Sun, Jianhua Liu, Dong Wang, Wang Wang, Jiale Liu, Chenchen Tan
Summary: The conventional evaluation of 3D braided composites' mechanical properties through numerical and experimental methodologies hinders material application due to the expenses, time constraints, and laborious efforts involved. This study establishes a multi-scale finite element model and a surrogate model for predicting the elastic properties of 3D4D rotary braided composites with voids. By optimizing a neural network model, the results are validated and provide valuable insights into the microstructure and properties of these composites.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Xinyu Li, Hao Zhang, Haiyang Yang, Junrong Luo, Zhongmin Xiao, Hongshuai Lei
Summary: Due to their excellent mechanical properties and design flexibility, fluted-core composite sandwich structures have gained significant attention in aerospace and rail transit applications. This study investigated the free-vibration characteristics and optimized design of composite fluted-core sandwich cylinders through theoretical models and experimental tests.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Chao Li, Chunzheng Duan, Xiaodong Tian, Chao Wang
Summary: A mechanistic model considering the bottom edge cutting effect and the anisotropic characteristics of the material is proposed in this paper to accurately predict cutting forces. The model was validated through a series of milling experiments and can be used to predict the cutting force of various parts of the cutter and any feed direction.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Camila Sanches Schimidt, Leopoldo Pisanelli Rodrigues de Oliveira, Carlos De Marqui Jr
Summary: This work investigates the vibro-acoustic performance of graded piezoelectric metamaterial plates. The study shows that piezoelectric metamaterial plates with reconfigurable properties can provide enhanced vibration and sound power attenuation.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Jun Ke, Li-jie Liu, Zhen-yu Wu, Zhong-ping Le, Luo Bao, Dong-wei Luo
Summary: Compared with other green natural fibers, ramie has higher mechanical properties and lower cost. In this study, ramie and glass fiber are made into composite circular tubes. The results show that the hybrid circular tube with ramie and glass fiber has improved torsional mechanical properties and reduced weight and cost. The failure mechanisms are affected by the loading direction and the content of each fiber.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Natalia Pingaro, Gabriele Milani
Summary: This paper proposes an enhanced analytical model for predicting the behavior of FRCM samples tested under standard tensile tests. The model takes into account the interaction between fibers and matrix through the interface, and assumes different material properties at different phases. By solving a second order linear differential equation, an analytical solution can be obtained. The model is validated with experimental data and shows good predictability.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Jialiang Fan, Anastasios P. Vassilopoulos, Veronique Michaud
Summary: This article investigates the effects of voids, joint geometry, and test conditions on the fracture performance of thick adhesive Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) joints. It concludes that grooved DCB joints with low void content tested at low displacement rates showed stable crack propagation without significant crack path deviation.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Auwalu I. Mohammed, Kaarthikeyan Raghupathy, Osvaldo De Victoria Garcia Baltazar, Lawson Onokpasah, Roger Carvalho, Anders Mogensen, Farzaneh Hassani, James Njuguna
Summary: This study investigates the performance of composite pressure vessels under damaged and undamaged conditions, providing insights into their reliability and residual strength capabilities. The results demonstrate that the damage profile and its effect on compressive strength are similar between damaged and non-damaged cylinders. When subjected to quasi-static compression, the polyethylene liner absorbs enough elastic strain energy to recover without plastic deformation. Additionally, quasi-static compression has little to no influence on the axial strength of the cylinders. The damage characterization reveals fiber breakage, delamination, local buckling, and brooming failure. This study has direct implications for the safety design tolerances, manufacturing strategies, and operational failure conditions of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs).
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Muhammad Irfan Shirazi, Samir Khatir, Djilali Boutchicha, Magd Abdel Wahab
Summary: Structural health monitoring is important to ensure the safety of components and structures. This study proposes a method using finite element models and 1D-CNN network to extract and classify vibration responses for crack detection. The results show that the proposed approach is effective in real-time damage detection.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Maryam Mirsalehi, Kiarash Kianpour, Sharif Shahbeyk, Mohammad Bakhshi
Summary: This study comprehensively investigates the one-way response of 3D-woven sandwich panels (3DWSPs) and their interfering parameters, providing interpretation of elastic and failure results, failure maps, and reliable theoretical models for linear elastic response and observed failure mechanisms.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Yiming Zhao, Zhonggang Wang, Zhigang Yang, Bin Qin
Summary: The paper proposes a Ritz and statistical energy analysis (Ritz SEA) hybrid method for calculating rectangular plate acoustic vibration coupling in the mid-frequency range. This method combines the fast convergence and ability to handle arbitrary boundary conditions of the Ritz method with the power flow equation of the statistical energy analysis method. The results show that this approach effectively filters out random fluctuations in mid-frequency domains while demonstrating exceptional stability and precision.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Joao Henrique Fonseca, Woojung Jang, Dosuck Han, Naksoo Kim, Hyungyil Lee
Summary: This study addresses the enhancement of an injection-molded fiber-reinforced plastic / metal hybrid automotive structure and its plastic injection molding process through the integration of the finite element method, artificial intelligence, and evolutionary search methods. Experimental validation of finite element models, the generation of a database through orthogonal array and Latin hypercube methods, and the training of artificial neural networks are conducted. The genetic optimization algorithm is then applied to identify optimal process parameters. The results show significant reduction in product warpage and manufacturing time while maintaining structural strength, contributing to the advancement of composite automotive structures with superior quality.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
Article
Mechanics
Alessandro Vescovini, Carina Xiaochen Li, Javier Paz Mendez, Bo Cheng Jin, Andrea Manes, Chiara Bisagni
Summary: This paper presents a study on six single-stringer specimens manufactured using the card-sliding technique with non-crimp fabrics and adopting a Double-Double (DD) stacking sequence. The specimens were tested under compression loading conditions to investigate post-buckling and failure in aerospace structures. Experimental results and numerical simulations were compared to analyze the behavior and failure modes of the specimens. The study found promising evidence of a viable solution to optimize aeronautical structures and enhance resistance to skin-stringer separation, particularly with the use of tapered flanges.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2024)
