From force-responsive molecules to quantifying and mapping stresses in soft materials

Directly quantifying a spatially varying stress in soft materials is currently a great challenge. We propose a method to do that by detecting a change in visible light absorption. We incorporate a spiropyran (SP) force–activated mechanophore cross-linker in multiple-network elastomers. The random nature of the network structure of the polymer causes a progressive activation of the SP force probe with load, detectable by the change in color of the material. We first calibrate precisely the chromatic change in uniaxial tension. We then demonstrate that the nominal stress around a loaded crack can be detected for each pixel and that the measured values match quantitatively finite element simulations. This direct method to quantify stresses in soft materials with an internal force probe is an innovative tool that holds great potential to compare quantitatively stresses in different materials with simple optical observations.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS STRENGTHENED WITH STEEL FIBER JACKET

The purpose of the study is to experimentally study the joint work of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFB) reinforcement jacket and reinforced concrete beams at all stages of loading to further develop a methodology for calculating this method of reinforcing bending elements. The main results of the study consist in assessing the strength, stiffness, fracture toughness, as well as the nature of fracture with a picture of the development of cracks for the examined 4 samples (two with a jacket of reinforcement, two - control - without reinforcement). It has been established that the use of SFB jacket with a thickness of 45 mm and with a fiber content percentage of 2,5% (at a flow rate of 196 kg/m3) increases the breaking load by 20 %, stiffness from 3,4 to 11 times as it is loaded, crack resistance 2,4-2,8 times. The results are compared with computer modeling in ANSYS PC: the discrepancy in the load of crack formation, fracture and deflection values for full-scale samples and a computer model are within 6,3 %, which indicates the reliability of the numerical results and the possibility of using the proposed computer models in further studies on topic of the article.

Finite Element Analysis of Secondary Cracks at a Crack Front under Pure Mode III Loading

Several hypotheses and concepts exist for the prediction of crack deflection angles from the analysis of the undisturbed stress distribution at the crack front. In this paper, a finite element analysis of small penny shaped secondary cracks with deflection angles ψ0 = π/4 at a pure mode III loaded crack front is presented. The results are compared with the solutions of the well-known 3D fracture criteria. The fracture mechanical analysis is performed by the highly effective MVCCI-method.

Steady-State Crack Propagation in Stressed Elastic Solid

A crack, symmetrically propagating in elastic material, was considered as superposition of surface Rayleigh waves. The self-similar growth of face loaded crack was considered in detail. Exact expressions of deformation and stress fields in the crack’s surrounding were found and asymptotic behavior of stress near cracks’ tips was also obtained. A condition that determines the crack’s velocity of self-similar propagation was found.