A Study of the Stress-Strain State of the Planetary Carrier Cheek

Planetary gears are commonly used in drive technology due to their high load capacity and good weight and size parameters. Among planetary gears, multi-satellite structures with a minimum number of excessive links are most widely used. They have a close to uniform distribution of the load in the engaged gears, which has a positive effect on the strength and bearing capacity of the drive. Such designs include planetary gears, the satellites of which are mounted on spherical bearings, and one of the main links (most often the sun gear) is self-aligning. This provides a theoretically uniform distribution of the load in the engaged gears when the mechanism has three satellites. However, high-loaded drives often use designs with a large number of satellites where the load is distributed unevenly due to gear manufacturing errors. The deformability of individual transmission elements has a significant positive effect on the distribution of the load in the gears, thus compensating for the manufacturing errors. In view of this, the authors propose a multi-satellite planetary gear with a carrier made with grooves in the cheeks, which reduces their rigidity and provides, with a rational choice of the parameters of the mechanism, an increase in the mechanism’s bearing capacity. When determining the carrier cheek’s compliance, two schemes of loading in the coupling zone with the axis of the satellite (uniform and nonuniform) are considered. The solution is obtained using Mohr’s integrals. A numerical analysis of the stressed-strain state of the carrier cheek performed using the finite element method in the SolidWorks environment showed that the results of the analysis were close to the theoretical ones. They corresponded to a uniform load distribution in the coupling zone of the satellite axis and the carrier cheek. The obtained dependences can be used in the design of a mechanical drive to determine the coefficients of the uneven load distribution over the planetary gear satellites and over the individual crowns of the satellite.

The Effect of Thermo-Mechanical Coupling on Microstructures and Tensile Properties of Al-Li 2198-T8 Alloy via Friction Spot Welding

Al-Li 2198-T8 alloy sheet was processed by friction spot welding (FSpW). The microstructures and tensile properties of FSpW 2198-T8 alloy were studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and tensile testing. The results show that the grain size of Al-Li 2198-T8 alloy processed by FSpW was refined with the strengthening precipitates dissolved into Al matrix and dislocation density decreased. Hence, the plasticityin thermo-mechanical coupling zone (TMCZ) of FSpW 2198-T8 alloy was improved, while the yield strength (YS) of TMCZ zone was lower than the original material (239 MPa <470 MPa). In addition, the strengthening mechanisms of different zones of FSpW 2198-T8 alloy were estimated.

The link between great earthquakes and the subduction of oceanic fracture zones

Giant subduction earthquakes are known to occur in areas not previously identified as prone to high seismic risk. This highlights the need to better identify subduction zone segments potentially dominated by relatively long (up to 1000 yr and more) recurrence times of giant earthquakes. We construct a model for the geometry of subduction coupling zones and combine it with global geophysical data sets to demonstrate that the occurrence of great (magnitude ≥ 8) subduction earthquakes is strongly biased towards regions associated with intersections of oceanic fracture zones and subduction zones. We use a computational recommendation technology, a type of information filtering system technique widely used in searching, sorting, classifying, and filtering very large, statistically skewed data sets on the Internet, to demonstrate a robust association and rule out a random effect. Fracture zone–subduction zone intersection regions, representing only 25% of the global subduction coupling zone, are linked with 13 of the 15 largest (magnitude Mw ≥ 8.6) and half of the 50 largest (magnitude Mw ≥ 8.4) earthquakes. In contrast, subducting volcanic ridges and chains are only biased towards smaller earthquakes (magnitude < 8). The associations captured by our statistical analysis can be conceptually related to physical differences between subducting fracture zones and volcanic chains/ridges. Fracture zones are characterised by laterally continuous, uplifted ridges that represent normal ocean crust with a high degree of structural integrity, causing strong, persistent coupling in the subduction interface. Smaller volcanic ridges and chains have a relatively fragile heterogeneous internal structure and are separated from the underlying ocean crust by a detachment interface, resulting in weak coupling and relatively small earthquakes, providing a conceptual basis for the observed dichotomy.

The link between great earthquakes and the subduction of oceanic fracture zones

Giant subduction earthquakes are known to occur in areas not previously identified as prone to high seismic risk. This highlights the need to better identify subduction zone segments potentially dominated by relatively long (up to 1000 yr and more) recurrence times of giant earthquakes. We construct a model for the geometry of subduction coupling zones and combine it with global geophysical data sets to demonstrate that the occurrence of great (magnitude ≥ 8) subduction earthquakes is strongly biased towards regions associated with intersections of oceanic fracture zones and subduction zones. We use a computational recommendation technology, a type of information filtering system technique widely used in searching, sorting, classifying, and filtering very large, statistically skewed data sets on the internet, to demonstrate a robust association and rule out a random effect. Fracture zone-subduction zone intersection regions, representing only 25% of the global subduction coupling zone, are linked with 13 of the 15 largest (magnitude (Mw ≥ 8.6) and half of the 50 largest, magnitude ≥ 8.4) earthquakes. In contrast, subducting volcanic ridges and chains are only biased towards smaller earthquakes (magnitude < 8). The associations captured by our statistical analysis can be conceptually related to physical differences between subducting fracture zones and volcanic chains/ridges. Fracture zones are characterized by laterally continuous, uplifted ridges that represent normal ocean crust with a high degree of structural integrity, causing strong, persistent coupling in the subduction interface. Smaller volcanic ridges and chains, not have a relatively fragile heterogeneous internal structure and are separated from the underlying ocean crust by a detachment interface, resulting in weak coupling and relatively small earthquakes, explaining the observed dichotomy.