This paper discusses a successful experimental procedure to determine the hygroscopic swelling property of polymeric materials used in electronic packaging. Saturated moisture concentration and moisture diffusivity were determined by measuring the weight gain during moisture absorption. Hygromechanical properties, such as the coefficientof moisture expansion (CME), were determined through Thermo-Mechanical Analyzer (TMA) and Thermo-Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) techniques. Fick's law of transient diffusion is solved by using finite element (FE) analysis to evaluate the overall moisture distributions. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional models based on the FE software ANSYS were developed to predict the thermal-induced strain, hygroscopic swelling deformation, and residual thermohygro-mechanicalstress distributions. Reliability analysis at three JEDEC preconditioning standards 60°C60%RH, 85°C60%RH and 85°C85%RH was carried out. A series of comprehensive parametric studies were conducted in this research.

This paper presents the experimental results of the characteristics of hydraulic shock waves in an inclined chute contraction with consideration of the effects of sidewall deflection angle φ, bottom inclination angle θ and approach Froude number Fr0. Seventeen runs of laboratory experiments were conducted in the range of 27.45° ≤φ≤ 40.17°, 6.22°≤ θ ≤ 25.38° and 1.04 ≤ Fr0 ≤ 3.51. Based on the experimental data, three empirical dimensionless relations for the shock angle, maximum shockwave height, and corresponding position of maximum shockwave were obtained by regression analyses, respectively. These empirical relations would be useful for hydraulic engineers in designing chute contraction structures.

The flexural characteristic of a cantilever plate, which is heated from a fixed end, is considered and the effects of heat transfer on the plate are examined. The plate is heated with a temperature source while an excitation force is applied at the free end. Size of heat source is varied and temperature dependent properties of the plate are accommodated in the simulations. The finite element method (FEM) is adopted to determine the temperature field in the plate and flexural characteristics due to the applied impulsive load. It is found that the flexural characteristics of the plate change notably with the size of the heat source located at the fixed end of the plate. In this case, increasing the size of the heat source results in the enhancement of the amplitude and time shift in the flexural motion of the plate due to the heating and noheating situations.

A Simple Model to Predict Critical Ricochet Angle in Long-Rod Penetration by Kamran Daneshjou and Majid Shahravi was published in Journal of Mechanics in the March issue of 2009 (Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 117-128).

Based on the radial basis function (RBF) and the singular hybrid boundary node method (SHBNM), this paper presents an inherent meshless, boundary-only technique, which names dual reciprocity singular hybrid boundary node method (DRSHBNM), for numerical solution of various inhomogeneous equations. In this study, the RBFs are employed to approximate the inhomogeneous terms via dual reciprocity method (DRM), while the general solution is solved by means of SHBNM, in which only requires discrete nodes constructed on the boundary of a domain, while several nodes in the domain are needed for the RBF interpolation. The treatment of singularity integration and the 'boundary layer effect' have been given by a series of effective approaches. Numerical examples for the solution of inhomogeneous equations show that high convergence rates and high accuracy with a small node number are achievable.

Double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) are expected to be useful as elements in improving conventional polymer-based fibers and films. An extensive molecular dynamics simulation and continuum analyses are carried out to estimate the influence of matrix stiffness and the intertube radial displacements on free vibration of an individual DWNT. The effects of nanotube length and chirality are also taken into account. The continuum analyses are based on both Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories which considers shear deformation and rotary inertia and for both concentric and non-concentric assumptions considering intertube radial displacements and the related internal degrees of freedom. New intertube resonant frequencies are calculated. Detailed results are demonstrated for the dependence of resonant frequencies on the matrix stiffness. The results indicate that internal radial displacement and surrounding matrix stiffness could substantially affect resonant frequencies especially for longer doublewalled carbon nanotubes of larger innermost radius at higher resonant frequencies, and thus the latter does not keep the otherwise concentric structure at ultrahigh frequencies.

Thermoelastic temperature, displacement and stress in heat transfer during laser surface hardening are solved in both Lagrangian formulation and Eulerian formulation. In the Eulerian formulation, the heat flux is fixed in space and the work-piece is moved through a control volume. In the case of uniform velocity and uniform heat flux distribution, the Eulerian formulation leads to a steady-state problem, while the Lagrangian formulation remains transient. In the Eulerian formulation, the reduction to a steady-state problem increases the computational efficiency. Also, in this study, an analytical solution is developed for an uncoupled transient heat conduction equation in which a plane slab is heated by a laser beam. The thermal results of the numerical models are compared with the results of the analytical model. A comparison of the results shows that numerical solutions in the case of uncoupled problem are in good agreement with the analytical solution.

This paper is concerned with an axially symmetric frictionless contact between an elastically transversely isptropic functionally graded half-space and a rigid base that has a small axisymmetric surface recess. The graded half-space is modeled as a nonhomogeneous medium. We reduce the problem to solving Fredholm integral equations, solve these equations numerically and establish a relationship between the applied pressure and gap radius. The effects of anisotropy and nonhomogeneity parameter of the graded half-space on the normal pressure as well as on the critical pressure have been shown graphically.

This study designs, fabricates and characterizes three valveless impedance pumps, namely a symmetrical pump with a circular cross-section, an asymmetrical pump with a circular cross-section, and an asymmetrical pump with a rectangular cross-section. The pressure head and flow rate characteristics of the three pumps are investigated as a function of the compression location, the compression frequency and the compression amplitude. The experimental results show that the flow is reversible in every case. Moreover, the pressure head is found to be significantly dependent on the actuating frequency, the compression location and the compression amplitude. However, no pressure head is produced when the pinching effect is applied at the center of channel configuration for the symmetrical pump. In the symmetrical pump, a maximum pressure head of 590mm is obtained at a frequency of 26Hz, and results in a flow rate of 0.581/min in the positive direction (i.e. from the left-hand reservoir of the pump to the righthand reservoir). Meanwhile, in the asymmetrical pumps with circular and rectangular cross-sections, respectively, maximum pressure heads of −620mm and −570mm are developed at frequencies of 36Hz and 32Hz, respectively. The corresponding flow rates are determined to be 0.641/min and 0.531/min, respectively. In both cases, the fluid moves in the negative direction (i.e. from the right-hand reservoir of the pump to the left-hand reservoir). Overall, the valveless impedance pumps developed in this study generate a high pumping rate, are easily fabricated and have no moving mechanical valves. As a result, they are eminently suitable for pumping applications in such diverse systems as biomedical devices, fuel cells, PC cooling systems, and so forth.

A new method for separation of isochromatic stresses is presented. This method is derived from the series solution of self-equilibrium polynomial stress equations and compatibility equations. The equations are quantified in terms of a stress function as the photoelastic stresses. Those equations are combined with the digital image processing technique and the linear regression curve fitting method to determine the contour equations of isochromictics and isoclinics fields. The solution of those equations provides a relationship between the normal stresses/shear stress and the photoelastic stress (maximum shearing stress). The results are consistent with the results obtained by the finite element method.

The temperature versus life (T-N) curves of both centrally notched and unnotched AS-4/PEEK (APC-2) composite laminates due to constant stress amplitude tension-tension (T-T) fatigue loading were investigated systematically. The cross-ply laminate possesses the higher mechanical properties than those of the quasi-isotropic laminate at elevated temperature, and also the mechanical properties of both lay-ups are degraded significantly as the temperature increasing. Combining both effects of notch and temperature at various normalized stresses it is found the cross-ply laminate possesses more resistance to cyclic loading than that of the quasi-isotropic laminate. Additionally, the predictive strain model is in a practical and simple form. Alternatively, the T-N curves, instead of conventionally S-N curves, at variously applied stresses are accomplished for preliminary designs and applications.

This study examines the parallel computing as a means to minimize the execution time in the optimization applied to thermohydrodynamic (THD) lubrication. The objective of the optimization is to maximize the load capacity of a slider bearing with two design variables. A global optimization method, DIviding RECTangle (DIRECT) algorithm, is used. The first approach was to apply the parallel computing within the THD model in a shared-memory processing (SMP) environment to examine the parallel efficiency of fine-grain computation. Next, a distributed parallel computing in the search level was conducted by use of the standard DIRECT algorithm. Then, the algorithm is modified to provide a version suitable for effective parallel computing. In the latter coarse-grain computation the speedups obtained by the DIRECT algorithms are compared with some previous studies using other parallel optimization methods. In the fine-grain computation of the SMP machine, the communication and overhead time costs prohibit high speedup in the cases of four or more simultaneous threads. It is found that the standard DIRECT algorithm is an efficient sequential but less parallel-computing-friendly method. When the modified algorithm is used in the slider bearing optimization, a parallel efficiency of 96.3% is obtained in the 16-computing-node cluster. This study presents the modified DIRECT algorithm, an efficient parallel search method, for general engineering optimization problems.

The objective of this study is to derive a time dependent effective based constitutive law on the basis of framework of the Modified Cam-Clay model. This model takes into account the anisotropic characteristics and creep behavior, based on the theory of viscoplasticity. The model sets the initial yield surface symmetric to the Ko line for modeling the initial Ko condition. A method is then developed to compute the gyration and expansion of the loading surface to simulate the anisotropic behavior due to the principal stress gyration after shear. The creep or time dependent behavior is considered in the model by adopting Kutter and Sathialingam's model, which was derived from Taylor's secondary consolidation theory and Bjerrum's delayed compression model. Compared with the Modified Cam-Clay model, the model requires five additional parameters to describe the soil behavior. All of the additional parameters can be obtained through conventional soil tests or parametric studies. The model is evaluated through a series of simulation of undrained shear tests and undrained creep tests.

In this study, the effects of various endpoint constraints, including the first derivative, natural, quadratic, and not-a-knot endpoint constraints, on the time-line cubic spline interpolation are examined by solving the advection-diffusion equation with constant and variable velocities, and the viscous Burgers equation. The natural endpoint constraint could produce large numerical diffusion. The quadratic endpoint constraint can decrease the numerical diffusion from the natural endpoint constraint, but it could trigger large numerical oscillation. The first derivative endpoint constraint with higher-order central difference approximation has better simulated results than the natural and quadratic endpoint constraints. It can significantly reduce not only the numerical diffusion produced by the natural endpoint constraint, but also the numerical oscillation caused by the quadratic endpoint constraint. The applicability of the time-line cubic spline interpolation together with the not-a-knot endpoint constraint is limited, since the computational instability is caused while the Courant number is greater than unity. Therefore, as far as accuracy and applicability are concerned, the first derivative endpoint constraint with higher-order central difference approximation rather than the commonly used natural endpoint constraint should be a better choice for the time-line cubic spline interpolation.

In this paper a wide range of temp. dependent kernel function ρ(Z) and the strain-rate function h(, T) in the Endochronic viscoplasticity were established first by using experimental steady hysteresis loops of Wei et. al., for Sn/3.9Ag/0.6Cu Solder at fixed 298K or 373K and strain rate at 10−3, 10−4 and 10−51/s; and then extended to predict the thermomechanical behavior of solder under constant low strain rate (10−51/s), from 0 to 1% max. strain fatigue loading with in-phase thermal cycling between 298K and 373K.

A novel approach in the theory to account for the microstructural changes enhanced by the stressassisted grain boundary diffusion mechanism during thermal cycling was proposed by using a partial relaxation function h1(T) of back stress (i.e. ρ0 in ρ(Z)).The theoretical results were in very well agreement with experimental data. These results and the out-phase results from the present theory were new and might be used as references to compare with results derived from other theories.

In this work, we introduced an innovative technique that enables simultaneous measurement of the 3D kinematics and 2D–3 Components fluid velocities of the induced flow of a swimming fish, which greatly advanced the experimental technique for research in fish biomechanics. This technique was theoretically based on the combined use of new reconstruction formulas of position and the calibration polynomials of stereo-DPIV, employing only two cameras in the imaging system. Both kinematic and hydrodynamic characteristics of a fish executing three-dimensional and complicated locomotion are readily and accurately revealed. Measuring simultaneously 3D kinematics and hydrodynamics is significantly important for an accurate investigation of fish biomechanics because fish motions are three-dimensional. We demonstrate results of 3D kinematics and fluid velocity fields measured in the wake of a maneuvering pectoral fin of a fish, which proves the effectiveness and usefulness of this technique. The application of this technique is extendable to biomechanics research concerning locomotion of both swimming and flying animals.

The objective of the present study is to explore pressure-driven flows with the presence of electric double layer (EDL) in nanochannels of various wall lattice planes. Three face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice planes, i.e. fcc(111), fcc(100), and fcc(110), of the channel wall are considered. The structure of diffuse EDL and electrokinetic flow characteristics are dealt with in an atomistic view. Fluid and charge density layering phenomena and their influences on the Stern layer are investigated with the molecular dynamic simulation results. In most of the simulations, a monatomic molecule, W, is used as the solvent model and the charged particles W+ and W− of the same size as the ions. To examine behaviors of the dissimilar particles, a simulation with the aqueous model W for fluid, Na+ for cation and Cl− for anion is also performed. Effects of ion concentrations, wall-fluid interaction energy, and surface charge density on the electro-hydrodynamics are studied. In addition, based on the continuum theory, two analytic expressions for zeta potential with the presence of fluid slippage are derived and analyzed. The present results disclose interesting physics about the influences of wall lattice-fluid interactions, which are significant in further understanding and applications of the nanoscale electrokinetic flows.

Milling is becoming an increasingly universal machining operation for producing parts used in aerospace, automotive, and life science engineering industries. The characteristics common to such parts are a high level of complexity and structural flexibility, both of which usually necessitate using low radial immersion milling operations. Low radial immersion milling operations involve interrupted cutting which induces chatter vibration under certain cutting conditions. The stability behavior of low immersion helical end milling processes is investigated in this paper. Time Finite Element Analysis (TFEA) is suggested for an approximate solution for delayed differential equations encountered during interrupted milling. An improved TFEA is proposed which includes the effects of helix angle variations on cutting force, cutting time and specific cutting force coefficients for a 2 DOF vibratory system. To verify the proposed method, experimental tests have been conducted which prove that the improved TFEA method accurately predicts the stability behavior of low immersion milling.

Thermal buckling behaviour of rectangular laminated composite plates with initial geometrical imperfections is investigated in this article. The equilibrium, stability, and compatibility equations of an imperfect composite plate are derived using the first order shear deformation plate theory. The plate is assumed to be under longitudinal temperature rise. Resulting equations are used to obtain the thermal buckling load of the composite plate in closed-form solutions. The effect of initial imperfections on buckling loads are discussed.

The use of artificial roughness or turbulence promoters on a surface is an effective technique to enhance the rate of heat transfer of the fluid flowing in a duct. In this study, a computer code has been developed to perform a numerical simulation for optimizing the shape of two-dimensional channel with periodic ribs mounted on the bottom wall to enhance turbulent heat transfer. The Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes analysis is used as a numerical technique and the SST k-(ω) turbulent model with near-wall treatment as a turbulent model. The simulations were performed for two rib shapes, trapezoidal with decreasing height in the flow direction with and without grooves between the ribs. The results are validated by comparing with existing experimental data and semi-empirical correlations. The Reynolds number, pitch-to-rib high ratio and relative groove position are chosen as design variables. The effects of roughness parameters on Nusselt number and friction factor have been discussed and the conditions for the best performance have been determined and presented.