Sample records for element analysis procedures

  1. Contact Stress Analysis of Spiral Bevel Gears Using Finite Element Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bibel, G. D.; Kumar, A; Reddy, S.; Handschuh, R.

    1995-01-01

    A procedure is presented for performing three-dimensional stress analysis of spiral bevel gears in mesh using the finite element method. The procedure involves generating a finite element model by solving equations that identify tooth surface coordinates. Coordinate transformations are used to orientate the gear and pinion for gear meshing. Contact boundary conditions are simulated with gap elements. A solution technique for correct orientation of the gap elements is given. Example models and results are presented.

  2. Contact stress analysis of spiral bevel gears using nonlinear finite element static analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bibel, G. D.; Kumar, A.; Reddy, S.; Handschuh, R.

    1993-01-01

    A procedure is presented for performing three-dimensional stress analysis of spiral bevel gears in mesh using the finite element method. The procedure involves generating a finite element model by solving equations that identify tooth surface coordinates. Coordinate transformations are used to orientate the gear and pinion for gear meshing. Contact boundary conditions are simulated with gap elements. A solution technique for correct orientation of the gap elements is given. Example models and results are presented.

  3. From Laser Scanning to Finite Element Analysis of Complex Buildings by Using a Semi-Automatic Procedure.

    PubMed

    Castellazzi, Giovanni; D'Altri, Antonio Maria; Bitelli, Gabriele; Selvaggi, Ilenia; Lambertini, Alessandro

    2015-07-28

    In this paper, a new semi-automatic procedure to transform three-dimensional point clouds of complex objects to three-dimensional finite element models is presented and validated. The procedure conceives of the point cloud as a stacking of point sections. The complexity of the clouds is arbitrary, since the procedure is designed for terrestrial laser scanner surveys applied to buildings with irregular geometry, such as historical buildings. The procedure aims at solving the problems connected to the generation of finite element models of these complex structures by constructing a fine discretized geometry with a reduced amount of time and ready to be used with structural analysis. If the starting clouds represent the inner and outer surfaces of the structure, the resulting finite element model will accurately capture the whole three-dimensional structure, producing a complex solid made by voxel elements. A comparison analysis with a CAD-based model is carried out on a historical building damaged by a seismic event. The results indicate that the proposed procedure is effective and obtains comparable models in a shorter time, with an increased level of automation.

  4. Element-by-element Solution Procedures for Nonlinear Structural Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hughes, T. J. R.; Winget, J. M.; Levit, I.

    1984-01-01

    Element-by-element approximate factorization procedures are proposed for solving the large finite element equation systems which arise in nonlinear structural mechanics. Architectural and data base advantages of the present algorithms over traditional direct elimination schemes are noted. Results of calculations suggest considerable potential for the methods described.

  5. Comparison of procedures for correction of matrix interferences in the analysis of soils by ICP-OES with CCD detection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sadler, D.A.; Sun, F.; Littlejohn, D.

    1995-12-31

    ICP-OES is a useful technique for multi-element analysis of soils. However, as a number of elements are present in relatively high concentrations, matrix interferences can occur and examples have been widely reported. The availability of CCD detectors has increased the opportunities for rapid multi-element, multi-wave-length determination of elemental concentrations in soils and other environmental samples. As the composition of soils from industrial sites can vary considerably, especially when taken from different pit horizons, procedures are required to assess the extent of interferences and correct the effects, on a simultaneous multi-element basis. In single element analysis, plasma operating conditions can sometimesmore » be varied to minimize or even remove multiplicative interferences. In simultaneous multi-element analysis, the scope for this approach may be limited, depending on the spectrochemical characteristics of the emitting analyte species. Matrix matching, by addition of major sample components to the analyte calibrant solutions, can be used to minimize inaccuracies. However, there are also limitations to this procedure, when the sample composition varies significantly. Multiplicative interference effects can also be assessed by a {open_quotes}single standard addition{close_quotes} of each analyte to the sample solution and the information obtained may be used to correct the analyte concentrations determined directly. Each of these approaches has been evaluated to ascertain the best procedure for multi-element analysis of industrial soils by ICP-OES with CCD detection at multiple wavelengths. Standard reference materials and field samples have been analyzed to illustrate the efficacy of each procedure.« less

  6. Contact stresses in meshing spur gear teeth: Use of an incremental finite element procedure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hsieh, Chih-Ming; Huston, Ronald L.; Oswald, Fred B.

    1992-01-01

    Contact stresses in meshing spur gear teeth are examined. The analysis is based upon an incremental finite element procedure that simultaneously determines the stresses in the contact region between the meshing teeth. The teeth themselves are modeled by two dimensional plain strain elements. Friction effects are included, with the friction forces assumed to obey Coulomb's law. The analysis assumes that the displacements are small and that the tooth materials are linearly elastic. The analysis procedure is validated by comparing its results with those for the classical two contacting semicylinders obtained from the Hertz method. Agreement is excellent.

  7. From Laser Scanning to Finite Element Analysis of Complex Buildings by Using a Semi-Automatic Procedure

    PubMed Central

    Castellazzi, Giovanni; D’Altri, Antonio Maria; Bitelli, Gabriele; Selvaggi, Ilenia; Lambertini, Alessandro

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, a new semi-automatic procedure to transform three-dimensional point clouds of complex objects to three-dimensional finite element models is presented and validated. The procedure conceives of the point cloud as a stacking of point sections. The complexity of the clouds is arbitrary, since the procedure is designed for terrestrial laser scanner surveys applied to buildings with irregular geometry, such as historical buildings. The procedure aims at solving the problems connected to the generation of finite element models of these complex structures by constructing a fine discretized geometry with a reduced amount of time and ready to be used with structural analysis. If the starting clouds represent the inner and outer surfaces of the structure, the resulting finite element model will accurately capture the whole three-dimensional structure, producing a complex solid made by voxel elements. A comparison analysis with a CAD-based model is carried out on a historical building damaged by a seismic event. The results indicate that the proposed procedure is effective and obtains comparable models in a shorter time, with an increased level of automation. PMID:26225978

  8. Finite element mesh refinement criteria for stress analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kittur, Madan G.; Huston, Ronald L.

    1990-01-01

    This paper discusses procedures for finite-element mesh selection and refinement. The objective is to improve accuracy. The procedures are based on (1) the minimization of the stiffness matrix race (optimizing node location); (2) the use of h-version refinement (rezoning, element size reduction, and increasing the number of elements); and (3) the use of p-version refinement (increasing the order of polynomial approximation of the elements). A step-by-step procedure of mesh selection, improvement, and refinement is presented. The criteria for 'goodness' of a mesh are based on strain energy, displacement, and stress values at selected critical points of a structure. An analysis of an aircraft lug problem is presented as an example.

  9. Organic Elemental Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, T. S.; Gutterson, Milton

    1980-01-01

    Reviews general developments in computerization and data processing of organic elemental analyses; carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen analyzers; procedures for determining oxygen, sulfur, and halogens, as well as other nometallic elements and organometallics. Selected papers on trace analysis of nonmetals and determination of metallic elements are…

  10. An unconditionally stable staggered algorithm for transient finite element analysis of coupled thermoelastic problems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farhat, C.; Park, K. C.; Dubois-Pelerin, Y.

    1991-01-01

    An unconditionally stable second order accurate implicit-implicit staggered procedure for the finite element solution of fully coupled thermoelasticity transient problems is proposed. The procedure is stabilized with a semi-algebraic augmentation technique. A comparative cost analysis reveals the superiority of the proposed computational strategy to other conventional staggered procedures. Numerical examples of one and two-dimensional thermomechanical coupled problems demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed numerical solution algorithm.

  11. Finite element stress analysis of the human left ventricle whose irregular shape is developed from single plane cineangiocardiogram

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ghista, D. N.; Hamid, M. S.

    1977-01-01

    The three-dimensional left ventricular chamber geometrical model is developed from single plane cineangiocardiogram. This left ventricular model is loaded by an internal pressure monitored by cardiac catheterization. The resulting stresses in the left ventricular model chamber's wall are determined by computerized finite element procedure. For the discretization of this left ventricular model structure, a 20-node, isoparametric finite element is employed. The analysis and formulation of the computerised procedure is presented in the paper, along with the detailed algorithms and computer programs. The procedure is applied to determine the stresses in a left ventricle at an instant, during systole. Next, a portion (represented by a finite element) of this left ventricular chamber is simulated as being infarcted by making its active-state modulus value equal to its passive-state value; the neighbouring elements are shown to relieve the 'infarcted' element of stress by themselves taking on more stress.

  12. Development and application of a technique for reducing airframe finite element models for dynamics analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hashemi-Kia, Mostafa; Toossi, Mostafa

    1990-01-01

    A computational procedure for the reduction of large finite element models was developed. This procedure is used to obtain a significantly reduced model while retaining the essential global dynamic characteristics of the full-size model. This reduction procedure is applied to the airframe finite element model of AH-64A Attack Helicopter. The resulting reduced model is then validated by application to a vibration reduction study.

  13. Developments in Titrimetry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parry-Jones, R.

    1980-01-01

    Described are some new uses and procedures of titration procedures. Topics included are titration in non-aqueous solvents, thermometric titration and catalytic methods for end-point detection, titration finish in organic elemental analysis, and sub-micro analysis and automatic titration procedures. (CS)

  14. Procedure for implementation of temperature-dependent mechanical property capability in the Engineering Analysis Language (EAL) system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Glass, David E.; Robinson, James C.

    1990-01-01

    A procedure is presented to allow the use of temperature dependent mechanical properties in the Engineering Analysis Language (EAL) System for solid structural elements. This is accomplished by including a modular runstream in the main EAL runstream. The procedure is applicable for models with multiple materials and with anisotropic properties, and can easily be incorporated into an existing EAL runstream. The procedure (which is applicable for EAL elastic solid elements) is described in detail, followed by a description of the validation of the routine. A listing of the EAL runstream used to validate the procedure is included in the Appendix.

  15. Advanced composites structural concepts and materials technologies for primary aircraft structures: Structural response and failure analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dorris, William J.; Hairr, John W.; Huang, Jui-Tien; Ingram, J. Edward; Shah, Bharat M.

    1992-01-01

    Non-linear analysis methods were adapted and incorporated in a finite element based DIAL code. These methods are necessary to evaluate the global response of a stiffened structure under combined in-plane and out-of-plane loading. These methods include the Arc Length method and target point analysis procedure. A new interface material model was implemented that can model elastic-plastic behavior of the bond adhesive. Direct application of this method is in skin/stiffener interface failure assessment. Addition of the AML (angle minus longitudinal or load) failure procedure and Hasin's failure criteria provides added capability in the failure predictions. Interactive Stiffened Panel Analysis modules were developed as interactive pre-and post-processors. Each module provides the means of performing self-initiated finite elements based analysis of primary structures such as a flat or curved stiffened panel; a corrugated flat sandwich panel; and a curved geodesic fuselage panel. This module brings finite element analysis into the design of composite structures without the requirement for the user to know much about the techniques and procedures needed to actually perform a finite element analysis from scratch. An interactive finite element code was developed to predict bolted joint strength considering material and geometrical non-linearity. The developed method conducts an ultimate strength failure analysis using a set of material degradation models.

  16. Major to ultra trace element bulk rock analysis of nanoparticulate pressed powder pellets by LA-ICP-MS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peters, Daniel; Pettke, Thomas

    2016-04-01

    An efficient, clean procedure for bulk rock major to trace element analysis by 193 nm Excimer LA-ICP-MS analysis of nanoparticulate pressed powder pellets (PPPs) employing a binder is presented. Sample powders are milled in water suspension in a planetary ball mill, reducing average grain size by about one order of magnitude compared to common dry milling protocols. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is employed as a binder, improving the mechanical strength of the PPP and the ablation behaviour, because MCC absorbs 193 nm laser light well. Use of MCC binder allows for producing cohesive pellets of materials that cannot be pelletized in their pure forms, such as quartz powder. Rigorous blank quantification was performed on synthetic quartz treated like rock samples, demonstrating that procedural blanks are irrelevant except for a few elements at the 10 ng g-1 concentration level. The LA-ICP-MS PPP analytical procedure was optimised and evaluated using six different SRM powders (JP-1, UB-N, BCR-2, GSP-2, OKUM, and MUH-1). Calibration based on external standardization using SRM 610, SRM 612, BCR-2G, and GSD-1G glasses allows for evaluation of possible matrix effects during LA-ICP-MS analysis. The data accuracy of the PPP LA-ICP-MS analytical procedure compares well to that achieved for liquid ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS glass analysis, except for element concentrations below ˜30 ng g-1, where liquid ICP-MS offers more precise data and in part lower limits of detection. Uncertainties on the external reproducibility of LA-ICP-MS PPP element concentrations are of the order of 0.5 to 2 % (1σ standard deviation) for concentrations exceeding ˜1 μg g-1. For lower element concentrations these uncertainties increase to 5-10% or higher when analyte-depending limits of detection (LOD) are approached, and LODs do not significantly differ from glass analysis. Sample homogeneity is demonstrated by the high analytical precision, except for very few elements where grain size effects can rarely still be resolved analytically. Matrix effects are demonstrated for PPP analysis of diverse rock compositions and basalt glass analysis when externally calibrated based on SRM 610 and SRM 612 glasses; employing basalt glass GSD-1G or BCR-2G for external standardisation basically eliminates these problems. Perhaps the most prominent progress of the LA-ICP-MS PPP analytical procedure presented here is the fact that trace elements not commonly analysed, i.e. new, unconventional geochemical tracers, can be measured straightforwardly, including volatile elements, the flux elements Li and B, the chalcophile elements As, Sb, Tl, Bi, and elements that alloy with metal containers employed in conventional glass production approaches. The method presented here thus overcomes many common problems and limitations in analytical geochemistry and is shown to be an efficient alternative for bulk rock trace elements analysis.

  17. Kuhn-Tucker optimization based reliability analysis for probabilistic finite elements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, W. K.; Besterfield, G.; Lawrence, M.; Belytschko, T.

    1988-01-01

    The fusion of probability finite element method (PFEM) and reliability analysis for fracture mechanics is considered. Reliability analysis with specific application to fracture mechanics is presented, and computational procedures are discussed. Explicit expressions for the optimization procedure with regard to fracture mechanics are given. The results show the PFEM is a very powerful tool in determining the second-moment statistics. The method can determine the probability of failure or fracture subject to randomness in load, material properties and crack length, orientation, and location.

  18. Analysis of aircraft tires via semianalytic finite elements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noor, Ahmed K.; Kim, Kyun O.; Tanner, John A.

    1990-01-01

    A computational procedure is presented for the geometrically nonlinear analysis of aircraft tires. The tire was modeled by using a two-dimensional laminated anisotropic shell theory with the effects of variation in material and geometric parameters included. The four key elements of the procedure are: (1) semianalytic finite elements in which the shell variables are represented by Fourier series in the circumferential direction and piecewise polynomials in the meridional direction; (2) a mixed formulation with the fundamental unknowns consisting of strain parameters, stress-resultant parameters, and generalized displacements; (3) multilevel operator splitting to effect successive simplifications, and to uncouple the equations associated with different Fourier harmonics; and (4) multilevel iterative procedures and reduction techniques to generate the response of the shell.

  19. Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; comparison of a nitric acid in-bottle digestion procedure to other whole-water digestion procedures

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garbarino, John R.; Hoffman, Gerald L.

    1999-01-01

    A hydrochloric acid in-bottle digestion procedure is used to partially digest wholewater samples prior to determining recoverable elements by various analytical methods. The use of hydrochloric acid is problematic for some methods of analysis because of spectral interference. The inbottle digestion procedure has been modified to eliminate such interference by using nitric acid instead of hydrochloric acid in the digestion. Implications of this modification are evaluated by comparing results for a series of synthetic whole-water samples. Results are also compared with those obtained by using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1994) (USEPA) Method 200.2 total-recoverable digestion procedure. Percentage yields that use the nitric acid inbottle digestion procedure are within 10 percent of the hydrochloric acid in-bottle yields for 25 of the 26 elements determined in two of the three synthetic whole-water samples tested. Differences in percentage yields for the third synthetic whole-water sample were greater than 10 percent for 16 of the 26 elements determined. The USEPA method was the most rigorous for solubilizing elements from particulate matter in all three synthetic whole-water samples. Nevertheless, the variability in the percentage yield by using the USEPA digestion procedure was generally greater than the in-bottle digestion procedure, presumably because of the difficulty in controlling the digestion conditions accurately.

  20. Equipment-Device Task Commonality Analysis and Transfer of Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caro, Paul W.

    Procedures were developed to enable training personnel systematically and objectively to determine the potential utility of training devices for teaching how to perform missions in operational rotary wing aircraft. These procedures allow comparison of task stimulus and response elements with corresponding elements in synthetic training equipment.…

  1. Partitioning strategy for efficient nonlinear finite element dynamic analysis on multiprocessor computers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noor, Ahmed K.; Peters, Jeanne M.

    1989-01-01

    A computational procedure is presented for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of unsymmetric structures on vector multiprocessor systems. The procedure is based on a novel hierarchical partitioning strategy in which the response of the unsymmetric and antisymmetric response vectors (modes), each obtained by using only a fraction of the degrees of freedom of the original finite element model. The three key elements of the procedure which result in high degree of concurrency throughout the solution process are: (1) mixed (or primitive variable) formulation with independent shape functions for the different fields; (2) operator splitting or restructuring of the discrete equations at each time step to delineate the symmetric and antisymmetric vectors constituting the response; and (3) two level iterative process for generating the response of the structure. An assessment is made of the effectiveness of the procedure on the CRAY X-MP/4 computers.

  2. The Job Dimensions Underlying the Job Elements of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) (Form B). Report No. 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marquardt, Lloyd D.; McCormick, Ernest J.

    This study was concerned with the identification of the job dimension underlying the job elements of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ), Form B. The PAQ is a structured job analysis instrument consisting of 187 worker-oriented job elements which are divided into six a priori major divisions. The statistical procedure of principal components…

  3. A verification procedure for MSC/NASTRAN Finite Element Models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stockwell, Alan E.

    1995-01-01

    Finite Element Models (FEM's) are used in the design and analysis of aircraft to mathematically describe the airframe structure for such diverse tasks as flutter analysis and actively controlled landing gear design. FEM's are used to model the entire airplane as well as airframe components. The purpose of this document is to describe recommended methods for verifying the quality of the FEM's and to specify a step-by-step procedure for implementing the methods.

  4. Elemental Impurities in Pharmaceutical Excipients.

    PubMed

    Li, Gang; Schoneker, Dave; Ulman, Katherine L; Sturm, Jason J; Thackery, Lisa M; Kauffman, John F

    2015-12-01

    Control of elemental impurities in pharmaceutical materials is currently undergoing a transition from control based on concentrations in components of drug products to control based on permitted daily exposures in drug products. Within the pharmaceutical community, there is uncertainty regarding the impact of these changes on manufactures of drug products. This uncertainty is fueled in part by a lack of publically available information on elemental impurity levels in common pharmaceutical excipients. This paper summarizes a recent survey of elemental impurity levels in common pharmaceutical excipients as well as some drug substances. A widely applicable analytical procedure was developed and was shown to be suitable for analysis of elements that are subject to United States Pharmacopoeia Chapter <232> and International Conference on Harmonization's Q3D Guideline on Elemental Impurities. The procedure utilizes microwave-assisted digestion of pharmaceutical materials and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for quantitative analysis of these elements. The procedure was applied to 190 samples from 31 different excipients and 15 samples from eight drug substances provided through the International Pharmaceutical Excipient Council of the Americas. The results of the survey indicate that, for the materials included in the study, relatively low levels of elemental impurities are present. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  5. Design and Stress Analysis of Low-Noise Adjusted Bearing Contact Spiral Bevel Gears

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fuentes, A.; Litvin, F. L.; Mullins, B. R.; Woods, R.; Handschuh, R. F.; Lewicki, David G.

    2002-01-01

    An integrated computerized approach for design and stress analysis of low-noise spiral bevel gear drives with adjusted bearing contact is proposed. The procedure of computations is an iterative process that requires four separate procedures and provide: (a) a parabolic function of transmission errors that is able to reduce the effect of errors of alignment on noise and vibration, and (b) reduction of the shift of bearing contact caused by misalignment. Application of finite element analysis enables us to determine the contact and bending stresses and investigate the formation of the bearing contact. The design of finite element models and boundary conditions is automated and does not require intermediate CAD computer programs for application of general purpose computer program for finite element analysis.

  6. Study of the use of axial viewed inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with ultrasonic nebulization for the determination of select elemental impurities in oral drug products.

    PubMed

    Menoutis, James; Parisi, Angela; Verma, Natasha

    2018-04-15

    In efforts to control the potential presence of heavy metals in pharmaceuticals, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) have put forth new requirements and guidelines for their control. The new requirements and guidelines establish specific daily exposures (PDE) for 24 heavy metals/elemental impurities (EI) based upon their toxicological properties. USP General Chapter 〈233〉 provides a general reference procedure for preparing pharmaceutical samples for analysis employing microwave assisted digestion (MWAD). It also provides two Compendial Procedures, Procedure 1 employing ICP-AES, and Procedure 2 employing ICP-MS. Given the extremely low detection limits afforded by ICP-MS, much work has been done in developing and evaluating analytical methods to support the analysis of elemental impurities in finished pharmaceutical products, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and excipients by this analytical technique. In this study, we have evaluated the use of axial ICP-AES. This employs ultrasonic nebulization (UN) for the determination of Class 1 and 2 EI, instead of traditional pneumatic nebulization. The study also employed closed vessel MWAD to prepare samples for analysis. Limits of quantitation were element specific and significantly lower than the PDEs for oral drugs. Spike recoveries for the elements studied ranged between 89.3% and 109.25%, except for Os, which was subject to OsO4 formation during MWAD. The use of axial ICP-AES UN provides an alternative to ICP-MS in the analysis of EI requiring low detection limits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. The microwave induced plasma with optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) in 23 elements determination in geological samples.

    PubMed

    Niedzielski, P; Kozak, L; Wachelka, M; Jakubowski, K; Wybieralska, J

    2015-01-01

    The article presents the optimisation, validation and application of the microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) dedicated for a routine determination of Ag, Al, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, Zn, in the geological samples. The three procedures of sample preparation has been proposed: sample digestion with the use of hydrofluoric acid for determination of total concentration of elements, extraction by aqua regia for determination of the quasi-total element concentration and extraction by hydrochloric acid solution to determine contents of the elements in acid leachable fraction. The detection limits were on the level 0.001-0.121 mg L(-1) (from 0.010-0.10 to 1.2-12 mg kg(-1) depend on the samples preparation procedure); the precision: 0.20-1.37%; accuracy 85-115% (for recovery for certified standards materials analysis and parallel analysis by independent analytical techniques: X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and flame absorption spectrometry (FAAS)). The conformity of the results obtained by MIP-OES analytical procedures with the results obtained by XRF and FAAS analysis allows to propose the procedures for studies of elemental composition of the fraction of the geological samples. Additionally, the MIP-OES technique is much less expensive than ICP techniques and much less time-consuming than AAS techniques. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Optimization of multi-element airfoils for maximum lift

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Olsen, L. E.

    1979-01-01

    Two theoretical methods are presented for optimizing multi-element airfoils to obtain maximum lift. The analyses assume that the shapes of the various high lift elements are fixed. The objective of the design procedures is then to determine the optimum location and/or deflection of the leading and trailing edge devices. The first analysis determines the optimum horizontal and vertical location and the deflection of a leading edge slat. The structure of the flow field is calculated by iteratively coupling potential flow and boundary layer analysis. This design procedure does not require that flow separation effects be modeled. The second analysis determines the slat and flap deflection required to maximize the lift of a three element airfoil. This approach requires that the effects of flow separation from one or more of the airfoil elements be taken into account. The theoretical results are in good agreement with results of a wind tunnel test used to corroborate the predicted optimum slat and flap positions.

  9. The Job Dimensions Underlying the Job Elements of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) (Form B).

    DTIC Science & Technology

    The study was concerned with the identification of the job dimension underlying the job elements of the Position Analysis Questionnaire ( PAQ ), Form B...The PAQ is a structured job analysis instrument consisting of 187 worker-oriented job elements which are divided into six a priori major divisions...The statistical procedure of principal components analysis was used to identify the job dimensions of the PAQ . Forty-five job dimensions were

  10. The Cluster Analysis of Jobs Based on Data from the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ). Report No. 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeNisi, Angelo S.; McCormick, Ernest J.

    The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) is a structured job analysis procedure that provides for the analysis of jobs in terms of each of 187 job elements, these job elements being grouped into six divisions: information input, mental processes, work output, relationships with other persons, job context, and other job characteristics. Two…

  11. Computer aided stress analysis of long bones utilizing computer tomography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marom, S.A.

    1986-01-01

    A computer aided analysis method, utilizing computed tomography (CT) has been developed, which together with a finite element program determines the stress-displacement pattern in a long bone section. The CT data file provides the geometry, the density and the material properties for the generated finite element model. A three-dimensional finite element model of a tibial shaft is automatically generated from the CT file by a pre-processing procedure for a finite element program. The developed pre-processor includes an edge detection algorithm which determines the boundaries of the reconstructed cross-sectional images of the scanned bone. A mesh generation procedure than automatically generatesmore » a three-dimensional mesh of a user-selected refinement. The elastic properties needed for the stress analysis are individually determined for each model element using the radiographic density (CT number) of each pixel with the elemental borders. The elastic modulus is determined from the CT radiographic density by using an empirical relationship from the literature. The generated finite element model, together with applied loads, determined from existing gait analysis and initial displacements, comprise a formatted input for the SAP IV finite element program. The output of this program, stresses and displacements at the model elements and nodes, are sorted and displayed by a developed post-processor to provide maximum and minimum values at selected locations in the model.« less

  12. Exploiting symmetries in the modeling and analysis of tires

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noor, Ahmed K.; Andersen, C. M.; Tanner, John A.

    1989-01-01

    A computational procedure is presented for reducing the size of the analysis models of tires having unsymmetric material, geometry and/or loading. The two key elements of the procedure when applied to anisotropic tires are: (1) decomposition of the stiffness matrix into the sum of an orthotropic and nonorthotropic parts; and (2) successive application of the finite-element method and the classical Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The finite-element method is first used to generate few global approximation vectors (or modes). Then the amplitudes of these modes are computed by using the Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The proposed technique has high potential for handling practical tire problems with anisotropic materials, unsymmetric imperfections and asymmetric loading. It is also particularly useful for use with three-dimensional finite-element models of tires.

  13. Soils element activities for the period October 1973--September 1974

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fowler, E.B.; Essington, E.H.; White, M.G.

    Soils Element activities were conducted on behalf of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission's Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) program to provide source term information for the other program elements and maintain continuous cognizance of program requirements for sampling, sample preparation, and analysis. Activities included presentation of papers; participation in workshops; analysis of soil, vegetation, and animal tissue samples for $sup 238$Pu, $sup 239-240$Pu, $sup 241$Am, $sup 137$Cs, $sup 60$Co, and gamma scan for routine and laboratory quality control purposes; preparation and analysis of animal tissue samples for NAEG laboratory certification; studies on a number of analytical, sample preparation, andmore » sample collection procedures; and contributions to the evaluation of procedures for calculation of specialized counting statistics. (auth)« less

  14. Contact stresses in gear teeth: A new method of analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Somprakit, Paisan; Huston, Ronald L.; Oswald, Fred B.

    1991-01-01

    A new, innovative procedure called point load superposition for determining the contact stresses in mating gear teeth. It is believed that this procedure will greatly extend both the range of applicability and the accuracy of gear contact stress analysis. Point load superposition is based upon fundamental solutions from the theory of elasticity. It is an iterative numerical procedure which has distinct advantages over the classical Hertz method, the finite element method, and over existing applications with the boundary element method. Specifically, friction and sliding effects, which are either excluded from or difficult to study with the classical methods, are routinely handled with the new procedure. Presented here are the basic theory and the algorithms. Several examples are given. Results are consistent with those of the classical theories. Applications to spur gears are discussed.

  15. Modeling and analysis of the space shuttle nose-gear tire with semianalytic finite elements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kim, Kyun O.; Noor, Ahmed K.; Tanner, John A.

    1990-01-01

    A computational procedure is presented for the geometrically nonlinear analysis of aircraft tires. The Space Shuttle Orbiter nose gear tire was modeled by using a two-dimensional laminated anisotropic shell theory with the effects of variation in material and geometric parameters included. The four key elements of the procedure are: (1) semianalytic finite elements in which the shell variables are represented by Fourier series in the circumferential direction and piecewise polynominals in the meridional direction; (2) a mixed formulation with the fundamental unknowns consisting of strain parameters, stress-resultant parameters, and generalized displacements; (3) multilevel operator splitting to effect successive simplifications, and to uncouple the equations associated with different Fourier harmonics; and (4) multilevel iterative procedures and reduction techniques to generate the response of the shell. Numerical results of the Space Shuttle Orbiter nose gear tire model are compared with experimental measurements of the tire subjected to inflation loading.

  16. Quantification of Processing Effects on Filament Wound Pressure Vessels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aiello, Robert A.; Chamis, Christos C.

    1999-01-01

    A computational simulation procedure is described which is designed specifically for the modeling and analysis of filament wound pressure vessels. Cylindrical vessels with spherical or elliptical end caps can be generated automatically. End caps other than spherical or elliptical may be modeled by varying circular sections along the x-axis according to the C C! end cap shape. The finite element model generated is composed of plate type quadrilateral shell elements on the entire vessel surface. This computational procedure can also be sued to generate grid, connectivity and material cards (bulk data) for component parts of a larger model. These bulk data are assigned to a user designated file for finite element structural/stress analysis of composite pressure vessels. The procedure accommodates filament would pressure vessels of all types of shells-of-revolution. It has provisions to readily evaluate initial stresses due to pretension in the winding filaments and residual stresses due to cure temperature.

  17. Quantification of Processing Effects on Filament Wound Pressure Vessels. Revision

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aiello, Robert A.; Chamis, Christos C.

    2002-01-01

    A computational simulation procedure is described which is designed specifically for the modeling and analysis of filament wound pressure vessels. Cylindrical vessels with spherical or elliptical end caps can be generated automatically. End caps other than spherical or elliptical may be modeled by varying circular sections along the x-axis according to the end cap shape. The finite element model generated is composed of plate type quadrilateral shell elements on the entire vessel surface. This computational procedure can also be used to generate grid, connectivity and material cards (bulk data) for component parts of a larger model. These bulk data are assigned to a user designated file for finite element structural/stress analysis of composite pressure vessels. The procedure accommodates filament wound pressure vessels of all types of shells-of -revolution. It has provisions to readily evaluate initial stresses due to pretension in the winding filaments and residual stresses due to cure temperature.

  18. Numerical solution of quadratic matrix equations for free vibration analysis of structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gupta, K. K.

    1975-01-01

    This paper is concerned with the efficient and accurate solution of the eigenvalue problem represented by quadratic matrix equations. Such matrix forms are obtained in connection with the free vibration analysis of structures, discretized by finite 'dynamic' elements, resulting in frequency-dependent stiffness and inertia matrices. The paper presents a new numerical solution procedure of the quadratic matrix equations, based on a combined Sturm sequence and inverse iteration technique enabling economical and accurate determination of a few required eigenvalues and associated vectors. An alternative procedure based on a simultaneous iteration procedure is also described when only the first few modes are the usual requirement. The employment of finite dynamic elements in conjunction with the presently developed eigenvalue routines results in a most significant economy in the dynamic analysis of structures.

  19. Analysis of multiple activity manual materials handling tasks using A Guide to Manual Materials Handling.

    PubMed

    Mital, A

    1999-01-01

    Manual handling of materials continues to be a hazardous activity, leading to a very significant number of severe overexertion injuries. Designing jobs that are within the physical capabilities of workers is one approach ergonomists have adopted to redress this problem. As a result, several job design procedures have been developed over the years. However, these procedures are limited to designing or evaluating only pure lifting jobs or only the lifting aspect of a materials handling job. This paper describes a general procedure that may be used to design or analyse materials handling jobs that involve several different kinds of activities (e.g. lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing, etc). The job design/analysis procedure utilizes an elemental approach (breaking the job into elements) and relies on databases provided in A Guide to Manual Materials Handling to compute associated risk factors. The use of the procedure is demonstrated with the help of two case studies.

  20. Project visual analysis for the Allegheny National Forest

    Treesearch

    Gary W. Kell

    1979-01-01

    The Project Visual Analysis is a landscape assessment procedure involving forest vegetative manipulation. A logical step by step analysis leads the user to a specific set of landscape management guidelines to be used as an aid in designing a project or in evaluating whether the proposed project impacts will meet visual objectives. Key elements within the procedure are...

  1. Nonlinear probabilistic finite element models of laminated composite shells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelstad, S. P.; Reddy, J. N.

    1993-01-01

    A probabilistic finite element analysis procedure for laminated composite shells has been developed. A total Lagrangian finite element formulation, employing a degenerated 3-D laminated composite shell with the full Green-Lagrange strains and first-order shear deformable kinematics, forms the modeling foundation. The first-order second-moment technique for probabilistic finite element analysis of random fields is employed and results are presented in the form of mean and variance of the structural response. The effects of material nonlinearity are included through the use of a rate-independent anisotropic plasticity formulation with the macroscopic point of view. Both ply-level and micromechanics-level random variables can be selected, the latter by means of the Aboudi micromechanics model. A number of sample problems are solved to verify the accuracy of the procedures developed and to quantify the variability of certain material type/structure combinations. Experimental data is compared in many cases, and the Monte Carlo simulation method is used to check the probabilistic results. In general, the procedure is quite effective in modeling the mean and variance response of the linear and nonlinear behavior of laminated composite shells.

  2. Simplified multi-element analysis of ground and instant coffees by ICP-OES and FAAS.

    PubMed

    Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna; Welna, Maja; Pohl, Pawel

    2015-01-01

    A simplified alternative to the wet digestion sample preparation procedure for roasted ground and instant coffees has been developed and validated for the determination of different elements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) (Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na). The proposed procedure, i.e. the ultrasound-assisted solubilisation in aqua regia, is quite fast and simple, requires minimal use of reagents, and demonstrated good analytical performance, i.e. accuracy from -4.7% to 1.9%, precision within 0.5-8.6% and recovery in the range 93.5-103%. Detection limits of elements were from 0.086 ng ml(-1) (Sr) to 40 ng ml(-1) (Fe). A preliminary classification of 18 samples of ground and instant coffees was successfully made based on concentrations of selected elements and using principal component analysis and hierarchic cluster analysis.

  3. Compendium of Methods for Applying Measured Data to Vibration and Acoustic Problems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-10-01

    statistical energy analysis , finite element models, transfer function...Procedures for the Modal Analysis Method .............................................. 8-22 8.4 Summary of the Procedures for the Statistical Energy Analysis Method... statistical energy analysis . 8-1 • o + . . i... "_+,A" L + "+..• •+A ’! i, + +.+ +• o.+ -ore -+. • -..- , .%..% ". • 2 -".-2- ;.-.’, . o . It is helpful

  4. Finite element procedures for coupled linear analysis of heat transfer, fluid and solid mechanics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sutjahjo, Edhi; Chamis, Christos C.

    1993-01-01

    Coupled finite element formulations for fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and solid mechanics are derived from the conservation laws for energy, mass, and momentum. To model the physics of interactions among the participating disciplines, the linearized equations are coupled by combining domain and boundary coupling procedures. Iterative numerical solution strategy is presented to solve the equations, with the partitioning of temporal discretization implemented.

  5. A triangular thin shell finite element: Nonlinear analysis. [structural analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, G. R.; Gallagher, R. H.

    1975-01-01

    Aspects of the formulation of a triangular thin shell finite element which pertain to geometrically nonlinear (small strain, finite displacement) behavior are described. The procedure for solution of the resulting nonlinear algebraic equations combines a one-step incremental (tangent stiffness) approach with one iteration in the Newton-Raphson mode. A method is presented which permits a rational estimation of step size in this procedure. Limit points are calculated by means of a superposition scheme coupled to the incremental side of the solution procedure while bifurcation points are calculated through a process of interpolation of the determinants of the tangent-stiffness matrix. Numerical results are obtained for a flat plate and two curved shell problems and are compared with alternative solutions.

  6. Landslide risk models for decision making.

    PubMed

    Bonachea, Jaime; Remondo, Juan; de Terán, José Ramón Díaz; González-Díez, Alberto; Cendrero, Antonio

    2009-11-01

    This contribution presents a quantitative procedure for landslide risk analysis and zoning considering hazard, exposure (or value of elements at risk), and vulnerability. The method provides the means to obtain landslide risk models (expressing expected damage due to landslides on material elements and economic activities in monetary terms, according to different scenarios and periods) useful to identify areas where mitigation efforts will be most cost effective. It allows identifying priority areas for the implementation of actions to reduce vulnerability (elements) or hazard (processes). The procedure proposed can also be used as a preventive tool, through its application to strategic environmental impact analysis (SEIA) of land-use plans. The underlying hypothesis is that reliable predictions about hazard and risk can be made using models based on a detailed analysis of past landslide occurrences in connection with conditioning factors and data on past damage. The results show that the approach proposed and the hypothesis formulated are essentially correct, providing estimates of the order of magnitude of expected losses for a given time period. Uncertainties, strengths, and shortcomings of the procedure and results obtained are discussed and potential lines of research to improve the models are indicated. Finally, comments and suggestions are provided to generalize this type of analysis.

  7. Guidelines for collecting and processing samples of stream bed sediment for analysis of trace elements and organic contaminants for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Shelton, Larry R.; Capel, Paul D.

    1994-01-01

    A major component of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program is to assess the occurrence and distribution of trace elements and organic contaminants in streams. The first phase of the strategy for the assessment is to analyze samples of bed sediments from depositional zones. Fine-grained particles deposited in these zones are natural accumulators of trace elements and hydrophobic organic compounds. For the information to be comparable among studies in many different parts of the Nation, strategies for selecting stream sites and depositional zones are critical. Fine-grained surficial sediments are obtained from several depositional zones within a stream reach and composited to yield a sample representing average conditions. Sample collection and processing must be done consistently and by procedures specifically designed to separate the fine material into fractions that yield uncontaminated samples for trace-level analytes in the laboratory. Special coring samplers and other instruments made of Teflon are used for collection. Samples are processed through a 2.0-millimeter stainless-steel mesh sieve for organic contaminate analysis and a 63-micrometer nylon-cloth sieve for trace-element analysis. Quality assurance is maintained by strict collection and processing procedures, duplicate samplings, and a rigid cleaning procedure.

  8. Thermal-stress analysis for a wood composite blade

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fu, K. C.; Harb, A.

    1984-01-01

    A thermal-stress analysis of a wind turbine blade made of wood composite material is reported. First, the governing partial differential equation on heat conduction is derived, then, a finite element procedure using variational approach is developed for the solution of the governing equation. Thus, the temperature distribution throughout the blade is determined. Next, based on the temperature distribution, a finite element procedure using potential energy approach is applied to determine the thermal-stress distribution. A set of results is obtained through the use of a computer, which is considered to be satisfactory. All computer programs are contained in the report.

  9. The determination of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations and their tisanes.

    PubMed

    Pohl, Pawel; Dzimitrowicz, Anna; Jedryczko, Dominika; Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna; Welna, Maja; Jamroz, Piotr

    2016-10-25

    Elemental analysis of herbal teas and their tisanes is aimed at assessing their quality and safety in reference to specific food safety regulations and evaluating their nutritional value. This survey is dedicated to atomic spectroscopy and mass spectrometry element detection methods and sample preparation procedures used in elemental analysis of herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations. Referring to original works from the last 15 years, particular attention has been paid to tisane preparation, sample matrix decomposition, calibration and quality assurance of results in elemental analysis of herbal teas by different atomic and mass spectrometry methods. In addition, possible sources of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations have been discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Improved Equivalent Linearization Implementations Using Nonlinear Stiffness Evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rizzi, Stephen A.; Muravyov, Alexander A.

    2001-01-01

    This report documents two new implementations of equivalent linearization for solving geometrically nonlinear random vibration problems of complicated structures. The implementations are given the acronym ELSTEP, for "Equivalent Linearization using a STiffness Evaluation Procedure." Both implementations of ELSTEP are fundamentally the same in that they use a novel nonlinear stiffness evaluation procedure to numerically compute otherwise inaccessible nonlinear stiffness terms from commercial finite element programs. The commercial finite element program MSC/NASTRAN (NASTRAN) was chosen as the core of ELSTEP. The FORTRAN implementation calculates the nonlinear stiffness terms and performs the equivalent linearization analysis outside of NASTRAN. The Direct Matrix Abstraction Program (DMAP) implementation performs these operations within NASTRAN. Both provide nearly identical results. Within each implementation, two error minimization approaches for the equivalent linearization procedure are available - force and strain energy error minimization. Sample results for a simply supported rectangular plate are included to illustrate the analysis procedure.

  11. A new procedure for calculating contact stresses in gear teeth

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Somprakit, Paisan; Huston, Ronald L.

    1991-01-01

    A numerical procedure for evaluating and monitoring contact stresses in meshing gear teeth is discussed. The procedure is intended to extend the range of applicability and to improve the accuracy of gear contact stress analysis. The procedure is based upon fundamental solution from the theory of elasticity. It is an iterative numerical procedure. The method is believed to have distinct advantages over the classical Hertz method, the finite-element method, and over existing approaches with the boundary element method. Unlike many classical contact stress analyses, friction effects and sliding are included. Slipping and sticking in the contact region are studied. Several examples are discussed. The results are in agreement with classical results. Applications are presented for spur gears.

  12. Effective Simulation of Delamination in Aeronautical Structures Using Shells and Cohesive Elements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davila, Carlos G.; Camanho, Pedro P.; Turon, Albert

    2007-01-01

    A cohesive element for shell analysis is presented. The element can be used to simulate the initiation and growth of delaminations between stacked, non-coincident layers of shell elements. The procedure to construct the element accounts for the thickness offset by applying the kinematic relations of shell deformation to transform the stiffness and internal force of a zero-thickness cohesive element such that interfacial continuity between the layers is enforced. The procedure is demonstrated by simulating the response and failure of the Mixed Mode Bending test and a skin-stiffener debond specimen. In addition, it is shown that stacks of shell elements can be used to create effective models to predict the inplane and delamination failure modes of thick components. The results indicate that simple shell models can retain many of the necessary predictive attributes of much more complex 3D models while providing the computational efficiency that is necessary for design.

  13. Cohesive Elements for Shells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davila, Carlos G.; Camanho, Pedro P.; Turon, Albert

    2007-01-01

    A cohesive element for shell analysis is presented. The element can be used to simulate the initiation and growth of delaminations between stacked, non-coincident layers of shell elements. The procedure to construct the element accounts for the thickness offset by applying the kinematic relations of shell deformation to transform the stiffness and internal force of a zero-thickness cohesive element such that interfacial continuity between the layers is enforced. The procedure is demonstrated by simulating the response and failure of the Mixed Mode Bending test and a skin-stiffener debond specimen. In addition, it is shown that stacks of shell elements can be used to create effective models to predict the inplane and delamination failure modes of thick components. The results indicate that simple shell models can retain many of the necessary predictive attributes of much more complex 3D models while providing the computational efficiency that is necessary for design.

  14. A procedure to estimate proximate analysis of mixed organic wastes.

    PubMed

    Zaher, U; Buffiere, P; Steyer, J P; Chen, S

    2009-04-01

    In waste materials, proximate analysis measuring the total concentration of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid contents from solid wastes is challenging, as a result of the heterogeneous and solid nature of wastes. This paper presents a new procedure that was developed to estimate such complex chemical composition of the waste using conventional practical measurements, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon. The procedure is based on mass balance of macronutrient elements (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus [CHNOP]) (i.e., elemental continuity), in addition to the balance of COD and charge intensity that are applied in mathematical modeling of biological processes. Knowing the composition of such a complex substrate is crucial to study solid waste anaerobic degradation. The procedure was formulated to generate the detailed input required for the International Water Association (London, United Kingdom) Anaerobic Digestion Model number 1 (IWA-ADM1). The complex particulate composition estimated by the procedure was validated with several types of food wastes and animal manures. To make proximate analysis feasible for validation, the wastes were classified into 19 types to allow accurate extraction and proximate analysis. The estimated carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and inerts concentrations were highly correlated to the proximate analysis; correlation coefficients were 0.94, 0.88, 0.99, and 0.96, respectively. For most of the wastes, carbohydrate was the highest fraction and was estimated accurately by the procedure over an extended range with high linearity. For wastes that are rich in protein and fiber, the procedure was even more consistent compared with the proximate analysis. The new procedure can be used for waste characterization in solid waste treatment design and optimization.

  15. Development of Multiobjective Optimization Techniques for Sonic Boom Minimization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Rajadas, John Narayan; Pagaldipti, Naryanan S.

    1996-01-01

    A discrete, semi-analytical sensitivity analysis procedure has been developed for calculating aerodynamic design sensitivities. The sensitivities of the flow variables and the grid coordinates are numerically calculated using direct differentiation of the respective discretized governing equations. The sensitivity analysis techniques are adapted within a parabolized Navier Stokes equations solver. Aerodynamic design sensitivities for high speed wing-body configurations are calculated using the semi-analytical sensitivity analysis procedures. Representative results obtained compare well with those obtained using the finite difference approach and establish the computational efficiency and accuracy of the semi-analytical procedures. Multidisciplinary design optimization procedures have been developed for aerospace applications namely, gas turbine blades and high speed wing-body configurations. In complex applications, the coupled optimization problems are decomposed into sublevels using multilevel decomposition techniques. In cases with multiple objective functions, formal multiobjective formulation such as the Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser function approach and the modified global criteria approach have been used. Nonlinear programming techniques for continuous design variables and a hybrid optimization technique, based on a simulated annealing algorithm, for discrete design variables have been used for solving the optimization problems. The optimization procedure for gas turbine blades improves the aerodynamic and heat transfer characteristics of the blades. The two-dimensional, blade-to-blade aerodynamic analysis is performed using a panel code. The blade heat transfer analysis is performed using an in-house developed finite element procedure. The optimization procedure yields blade shapes with significantly improved velocity and temperature distributions. The multidisciplinary design optimization procedures for high speed wing-body configurations simultaneously improve the aerodynamic, the sonic boom and the structural characteristics of the aircraft. The flow solution is obtained using a comprehensive parabolized Navier Stokes solver. Sonic boom analysis is performed using an extrapolation procedure. The aircraft wing load carrying member is modeled as either an isotropic or a composite box beam. The isotropic box beam is analyzed using thin wall theory. The composite box beam is analyzed using a finite element procedure. The developed optimization procedures yield significant improvements in all the performance criteria and provide interesting design trade-offs. The semi-analytical sensitivity analysis techniques offer significant computational savings and allow the use of comprehensive analysis procedures within design optimization studies.

  16. BOPACE 3-D (the Boeing Plastic Analysis Capability for 3-dimensional Solids Using Isoparametric Finite Elements)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vos, R. G.; Straayer, J. W.

    1975-01-01

    The BOPACE 3-D is a finite element computer program, which provides a general family of three-dimensional isoparametric solid elements, and includes a new algorithm for improving the efficiency of the elastic-plastic-creep solution procedure. Theoretical, user, and programmer oriented sections are presented to describe the program.

  17. Mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures, appendix 5

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, W. K.

    1982-01-01

    Mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures are studied. An efficient solution procedure for predicting the thermal behavior of aerospace vehicle structures was developed. A 2D finite element computer program incorporating these methodologies is being implemented. The performance of these mixed time finite element algorithms can then be evaluated employing the proposed example problem.

  18. Finite element methodology for integrated flow-thermal-structural analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thornton, Earl A.; Ramakrishnan, R.; Vemaganti, G. R.

    1988-01-01

    Papers entitled, An Adaptive Finite Element Procedure for Compressible Flows and Strong Viscous-Inviscid Interactions, and An Adaptive Remeshing Method for Finite Element Thermal Analysis, were presented at the June 27 to 29, 1988, meeting of the AIAA Thermophysics, Plasma Dynamics and Lasers Conference, San Antonio, Texas. The papers describe research work supported under NASA/Langley Research Grant NsG-1321, and are submitted in fulfillment of the progress report requirement on the grant for the period ending February 29, 1988.

  19. A 2-D Interface Element for Coupled Analysis of Independently Modeled 3-D Finite Element Subdomains

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kandil, Osama A.

    1998-01-01

    Over the past few years, the development of the interface technology has provided an analysis framework for embedding detailed finite element models within finite element models which are less refined. This development has enabled the use of cascading substructure domains without the constraint of coincident nodes along substructure boundaries. The approach used for the interface element is based on an alternate variational principle often used in deriving hybrid finite elements. The resulting system of equations exhibits a high degree of sparsity but gives rise to a non-positive definite system which causes difficulties with many of the equation solvers in general-purpose finite element codes. Hence the global system of equations is generally solved using, a decomposition procedure with pivoting. The research reported to-date for the interface element includes the one-dimensional line interface element and two-dimensional surface interface element. Several large-scale simulations, including geometrically nonlinear problems, have been reported using the one-dimensional interface element technology; however, only limited applications are available for the surface interface element. In the applications reported to-date, the geometry of the interfaced domains exactly match each other even though the spatial discretization within each domain may be different. As such, the spatial modeling of each domain, the interface elements and the assembled system is still laborious. The present research is focused on developing a rapid modeling procedure based on a parametric interface representation of independently defined subdomains which are also independently discretized.

  20. You Learn by Your Mistakes. Effective Training Strategies Based on the Analysis of Video-Recorded Worked-Out Examples

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cattaneo, Alberto A. P.; Boldrini, Elena

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents an empirical study on procedural learning from errors that was conducted within the field of vocational education. It examines whether, and to what extent, procedural learning can benefit more from the detection and written analysis of errors (experimental condition) than from the correct elements (control group). The study…

  1. Chemical Compositions of Kinematically Selected Outer Halo Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lan; Ishigaki, Miho; Aoki, Wako; Zhao, Gang; Chiba, Masashi

    2009-12-01

    Chemical abundances of 26 metal-poor dwarfs and giants are determined from high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained with the Subaru/High Dispersion Spectrograph. The sample is selected so that most of the objects have outer-halo kinematics. Self-consistent atmospheric parameters were determined by an iterative procedure based on spectroscopic analysis. Abundances of 13 elements, including α-elements (Mg, Si, Ca, Ti), odd-Z light elements (Na, Sc), iron-peak elements (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn), and neutron-capture elements (Y, Ba), are determined by two independent data reduction and local thermodynamic equillibrium analysis procedures, confirming the consistency of the stellar parameters and abundances results. We find a decreasing trend of [α/Fe] with increasing [Fe/H] for the range of -3.5< [Fe/H] <-1, as found by Stephens & Boesgaard. [Zn/Fe] values of most objects in our sample are slightly lower than the bulk of halo stars previously studied. These results are discussed as possible chemical properties of the outer halo in the Galaxy. Based on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

  2. Reduced complexity structural modeling for automated airframe synthesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hajela, Prabhat

    1987-01-01

    A procedure is developed for the optimum sizing of wing structures based on representing the built-up finite element assembly of the structure by equivalent beam models. The reduced-order beam models are computationally less demanding in an optimum design environment which dictates repetitive analysis of several trial designs. The design procedure is implemented in a computer program requiring geometry and loading information to create the wing finite element model and its equivalent beam model, and providing a rapid estimate of the optimum weight obtained from a fully stressed design approach applied to the beam. The synthesis procedure is demonstrated for representative conventional-cantilever and joined wing configurations.

  3. Orbital operations study. Volume 2: Interfacing activities analysis. Part 4: Support operations activity group

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Steinwachs, W. L.; Patrick, J. W.; Galvin, D. M.; Turkel, S. H.

    1972-01-01

    The findings of the support operations activity group of the orbital operations study are presented. Element interfaces, alternate approaches, design concepts, operational procedures, functional requirements, design influences, and approach selection are presented. The following areas are considered: (1) crew transfer, (2) cargo transfer, (3) propellant transfer, (4) attached element operations, and (5) attached element transport.

  4. Design/Analysis of the JWST ISIM Bonded Joints for Survivability at Cryogenic Temperatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bartoszyk, Andrew; Johnston, John; Kaprielian, Charles; Kuhn, Jonathan; Kunt, Cengiz; Rodini, Benjamin; Young, Daniel

    2005-01-01

    Contents include the following: JWST/ISIM introduction. Design and analysis challenges for ISIM bonded joints. JWST/ISIM joint designs. Bonded joint analysis. Finite element modeling. Failure criteria and margin calculation. Analysis/test correlation procedure. Example of test data and analysis.

  5. A new procedure for investigating three-dimensional stress fields in a thin plate with a through-the-thickness crack

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yi, Dake; Wang, TzuChiang

    2018-06-01

    In the paper, a new procedure is proposed to investigate three-dimensional fracture problems of a thin elastic plate with a long through-the-thickness crack under remote uniform tensile loading. The new procedure includes a new analytical method and high accurate finite element simulations. In the part of theoretical analysis, three-dimensional Maxwell stress functions are employed in order to derive three-dimensional crack tip fields. Based on the theoretical analysis, an equation which can describe the relationship among the three-dimensional J-integral J( z), the stress intensity factor K( z) and the tri-axial stress constraint level T z ( z) is derived first. In the part of finite element simulations, a fine mesh including 153360 elements is constructed to compute the stress field near the crack front, J( z) and T z ( z). Numerical results show that in the plane very close to the free surface, the K field solution is still valid for in-plane stresses. Comparison with the numerical results shows that the analytical results are valid.

  6. Minimally-invasive Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry analysis of model ancient copper alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walaszek, Damian; Senn, Marianne; Wichser, Adrian; Faller, Markus; Wagner, Barbara; Bulska, Ewa; Ulrich, Andrea

    2014-09-01

    This work describes an evaluation of a strategy for multi-elemental analysis of typical ancient bronzes (copper, lead bronze and tin bronze) by means of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS).The samples originating from archeological experiments on ancient metal smelting processes using direct reduction in a ‘bloomery’ furnace as well as historical casting techniques were investigated with the use of the previously proposed analytical procedure, including metallurgical observation and preliminary visual estimation of the homogeneity of the samples. The results of LA-ICPMS analysis were compared to the results of bulk composition obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) after acid digestion. These results were coherent for most of the elements confirming the usefulness of the proposed analytical procedure, however the reliability of the quantitative information about the content of the most heterogeneously distributed elements was also discussed in more detail.

  7. SR-XFA of uranium-containing materials. A case of Bazhenov formation rocks exploration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phedorin, M. A.; Bobrov, V. A.; Tchebykin, Ye. P.; Melgunov, M. S.

    2000-06-01

    When an X-ray fluorescent analysis (XFA) is carried out, errors are possible because fluorescent K-lines of "light" elements and L-lines of some "dark" elements can overlap in energy domain. With certain contents of these elements and insufficient resolution of the spectrometer, this leads to considerable errors of determination. An example is the overlapping of a large number of uranium (U) L-lines and Rb, Nb, Mo K-lines. In this paper a procedure is suggested to correct such overlapping. It was tested on uranium-containing rock samples. These samples represent the oil-producing Bazhenov rock formation, which is characterized by organic matter accumulated in abundance and accompanied by "organophile" elements, including U. The procedure is based on scanning the energy of initial exciting X-radiation. This may be regarded advisable only in the XFA versions that use synchrotron radiation — SR-XFA. As a result of this investigation, geochemical characteristics of the Bazhenov formation rocks are demonstrated and the efficiency of energy scanning procedure in determining both Rb, Nb, Mo and U contents is revealed (using comparison with other methods). The energy scanning procedure also works in the presence of L-lines of some other dark elements (Pb, Th, etc.) in the energy domain of K-lines of As-Mo.

  8. A Study on Urban Road Traffic Safety Based on Matter Element Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Qizhou; Zhou, Zhuping; Sun, Xu

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines a new evaluation of urban road traffic safety based on a matter element analysis, avoiding the difficulties found in other traffic safety evaluations. The issue of urban road traffic safety has been investigated through the matter element analysis theory. The chief aim of the present work is to investigate the features of urban road traffic safety. Emphasis was placed on the construction of a criterion function by which traffic safety achieved a hierarchical system of objectives to be evaluated. The matter element analysis theory was used to create the comprehensive appraisal model of urban road traffic safety. The technique was used to employ a newly developed and versatile matter element analysis algorithm. The matter element matrix solves the uncertainty and incompatibility of the evaluated factors used to assess urban road traffic safety. The application results showed the superiority of the evaluation model and a didactic example was included to illustrate the computational procedure. PMID:25587267

  9. A CAD Approach to Integrating NDE With Finite Element

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Downey, James; Ghosn, Louis J.; Baaklini, George Y.

    2004-01-01

    Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is one of several technologies applied at NASA Glenn Research Center to determine atypical deformities, cracks, and other anomalies experienced by structural components. NDE consists of applying high-quality imaging techniques (such as x-ray imaging and computed tomography (CT)) to discover hidden manufactured flaws in a structure. Efforts are in progress to integrate NDE with the finite element (FE) computational method to perform detailed structural analysis of a given component. This report presents the core outlines for an in-house technical procedure that incorporates this combined NDE-FE interrelation. An example is presented to demonstrate the applicability of this analytical procedure. FE analysis of a test specimen is performed, and the resulting von Mises stresses and the stress concentrations near the anomalies are observed, which indicates the fidelity of the procedure. Additional information elaborating on the steps needed to perform such an analysis is clearly presented in the form of mini step-by-step guidelines.

  10. Quantitation and detection of vanadium in biologic and pollution materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gordon, W. A.

    1974-01-01

    A review is presented of special considerations and methodology for determining vanadium in biological and air pollution materials. In addition to descriptions of specific analysis procedures, general sections are included on quantitation of analysis procedures, sample preparation, blanks, and methods of detection of vanadium. Most of the information presented is applicable to the determination of other trace elements in addition to vanadium.

  11. Stress Recovery and Error Estimation for 3-D Shell Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Riggs, H. R.

    2000-01-01

    The C1-continuous stress fields obtained from finite element analyses are in general lower- order accurate than are the corresponding displacement fields. Much effort has focussed on increasing their accuracy and/or their continuity, both for improved stress prediction and especially error estimation. A previous project developed a penalized, discrete least squares variational procedure that increases the accuracy and continuity of the stress field. The variational problem is solved by a post-processing, 'finite-element-type' analysis to recover a smooth, more accurate, C1-continuous stress field given the 'raw' finite element stresses. This analysis has been named the SEA/PDLS. The recovered stress field can be used in a posteriori error estimators, such as the Zienkiewicz-Zhu error estimator or equilibrium error estimators. The procedure was well-developed for the two-dimensional (plane) case involving low-order finite elements. It has been demonstrated that, if optimal finite element stresses are used for the post-processing, the recovered stress field is globally superconvergent. Extension of this work to three dimensional solids is straightforward. Attachment: Stress recovery and error estimation for shell structure (abstract only). A 4-node, shear-deformable flat shell element developed via explicit Kirchhoff constraints (abstract only). A novel four-node quadrilateral smoothing element for stress enhancement and error estimation (abstract only).

  12. Evaluation of Graduated vs All-or-None Contingencies on Rate Tasks for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kassardjian, Alyne; Leaf, Jeremy A.; Leaf, Justin B.; Townley-Cochran, Donna; Alcalay, Aditt; Milne, Christine; Dale, Stephanie; Tsuji, Kathleen; Leaf, Ronald; Taubman, Mitchell; McEachin, John

    2016-01-01

    The graduated reinforcement procedure (also known as differential reinforcement) is an often-used procedure in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis to teach new skills and increase pro-social behaviors. In this study, the researchers used a multi-element design to evaluated the graduated reinforcement procedure for six children with a diagnosis…

  13. Fuzzy Structures Analysis of Aircraft Panels in NASTRAN

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sparrow, Victor W.; Buehrle, Ralph D.

    2001-01-01

    This paper concerns an application of the fuzzy structures analysis (FSA) procedures of Soize to prototypical aerospace panels in MSC/NASTRAN, a large commercial finite element program. A brief introduction to the FSA procedures is first provided. The implementation of the FSA methods is then disclosed, and the method is validated by comparison to published results for the forced vibrations of a fuzzy beam. The results of the new implementation show excellent agreement to the benchmark results. The ongoing effort at NASA Langley and Penn State to apply these fuzzy structures analysis procedures to real aircraft panels is then described.

  14. Ultra-Sensitive Elemental Analysis Using Plasmas 7.Application to Criminal Investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suzuki, Yasuhiro

    This paper describes the application of trace elemental analysis using ICP-AES and ICP-MS to criminal investigation. The comparison of trace elements, such as Rb, Sr, Zr, and so on, is effective for the forensic discrimination of glass fragments, which can be important physical evidence for connecting a suspect to a crime scene or to a victim. This procedure can be applied also to lead shotgun pellets by the removal of matrix lead as the sulfate precipitate after the dissolution of a pellet sample. The determination of a toxic element in bio-logical samples is required to prove that a victim ingested this element. Arsenous acids produced in Japan, China, Germany and Switzerland show characteristic patterns of trace elements characteristic to each country.

  15. Engine dynamic analysis with general nonlinear finite element codes. Part 2: Bearing element implementation overall numerical characteristics and benchmaking

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Padovan, J.; Adams, M.; Fertis, J.; Zeid, I.; Lam, P.

    1982-01-01

    Finite element codes are used in modelling rotor-bearing-stator structure common to the turbine industry. Engine dynamic simulation is used by developing strategies which enable the use of available finite element codes. benchmarking the elements developed are benchmarked by incorporation into a general purpose code (ADINA); the numerical characteristics of finite element type rotor-bearing-stator simulations are evaluated through the use of various types of explicit/implicit numerical integration operators. Improving the overall numerical efficiency of the procedure is improved.

  16. Structural Analysis and Testing of an Erectable Truss for Precision Segmented Reflector Application

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Collins, Timothy J.; Fichter, W. B.; Adams, Richard R.; Javeed, Mehzad

    1995-01-01

    This paper describes analysis and test results obtained at Langley Research Center (LaRC) on a doubly curved testbed support truss for precision reflector applications. Descriptions of test procedures and experimental results that expand upon previous investigations are presented. A brief description of the truss is given, and finite-element-analysis models are described. Static-load and vibration test procedures are discussed, and experimental results are shown to be repeatable and in generally good agreement with linear finite-element predictions. Truss structural performance (as determined by static deflection and vibration testing) is shown to be predictable and very close to linear. Vibration test results presented herein confirm that an anomalous mode observed during initial testing was due to the flexibility of the truss support system. Photogrammetric surveys with two 131-in. reference scales show that the root-mean-square (rms) truss-surface accuracy is about 0.0025 in. Photogrammetric measurements also indicate that the truss coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is in good agreement with that predicted by analysis. A detailed description of the photogrammetric procedures is included as an appendix.

  17. Preliminary structural sizing of a Mach 3.0 high-speed civil transport model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blackburn, Charles L.

    1992-01-01

    An analysis has been performed pertaining to the structural resizing of a candidate Mach 3.0 High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) conceptual design using a computer program called EZDESIT. EZDESIT is a computer program which integrates the PATRAN finite element modeling program to the COMET finite element analysis program for the purpose of calculating element sizes or cross sectional dimensions. The purpose of the present report is to document the procedure used in accomplishing the preliminary structural sizing and to present the corresponding results.

  18. The MHOST finite element program: 3-D inelastic analysis methods for hot section components. Volume 3: Systems' manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nakazawa, Shohei

    1989-01-01

    The internal structure is discussed of the MHOST finite element program designed for 3-D inelastic analysis of gas turbine hot section components. The computer code is the first implementation of the mixed iterative solution strategy for improved efficiency and accuracy over the conventional finite element method. The control structure of the program is covered along with the data storage scheme and the memory allocation procedure and the file handling facilities including the read and/or write sequences.

  19. Finite element analysis of steady and transiently moving/rolling nonlinear viscoelastic structure. I - Theory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Padovan, Joe

    1987-01-01

    In a three-part series of papers, a generalized finite element analysis scheme is developed to handle the steady and transient response of moving/rolling nonlinear viscoelastic structure. This paper considers the development of the moving/rolling element strategy, including the effects of large deformation kinematics and viscoelasticity modeled by fractional integrodifferential operators. To improve the solution strategy, a special hierarchical constraint procedure is developed for the case of steady rolling/translating, as well as a transient scheme involving the use of a Grunwaldian representation of the fractional operator.

  20. Finite element analysis of wrinkling membranes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miller, R. K.; Hedgepeth, J. M.; Weingarten, V. I.; Das, P.; Kahyai, S.

    1984-01-01

    The development of a nonlinear numerical algorithm for the analysis of stresses and displacements in partly wrinkled flat membranes, and its implementation on the SAP VII finite-element code are described. A comparison of numerical results with exact solutions of two benchmark problems reveals excellent agreement, with good convergence of the required iterative procedure. An exact solution of a problem involving axisymmetric deformations of a partly wrinkled shallow curved membrane is also reported.

  1. Quantitative ion beam analysis of M-C-O systems: application to an oxidized uranium carbide sample

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, G.; Raveu, G.; Garcia, P.; Carlot, G.; Khodja, H.; Vickridge, I.; Barthe, M. F.; Sauvage, T.

    2014-04-01

    A large variety of materials contain both carbon and oxygen atoms, in particular oxidized carbides, carbon alloys (as ZrC, UC, steels, etc.), and oxycarbide compounds (SiCO glasses, TiCO, etc.). Here a new ion beam analysis methodology is described which enables quantification of elemental composition and oxygen concentration profile over a few microns. It is based on two procedures. The first, relative to the experimental configuration relies on a specific detection setup which is original in that it enables the separation of the carbon and oxygen NRA signals. The second concerns the data analysis procedure i.e. the method for deriving the elemental composition from the particle energy spectrum. It is a generic algorithm and is here successfully applied to characterize an oxidized uranium carbide sample, developed as a potential fuel for generation IV nuclear reactors. Furthermore, a micro-beam was used to simultaneously determine the local elemental composition and oxygen concentration profiles over the first microns below the sample surface. This method is adapted to the determination of the composition of M?C?O? compounds with a sensitivity on elemental atomic concentrations around 1000 ppm.

  2. Implementation of structural response sensitivity calculations in a large-scale finite-element analysis system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giles, G. L.; Rogers, J. L., Jr.

    1982-01-01

    The methodology used to implement structural sensitivity calculations into a major, general-purpose finite-element analysis system (SPAR) is described. This implementation includes a generalized method for specifying element cross-sectional dimensions as design variables that can be used in analytically calculating derivatives of output quantities from static stress, vibration, and buckling analyses for both membrane and bending elements. Limited sample results for static displacements and stresses are presented to indicate the advantages of analytically calculating response derivatives compared to finite difference methods. Continuing developments to implement these procedures into an enhanced version of SPAR are also discussed.

  3. Hybrid-finite-element analysis of some nonlinear and 3-dimensional problems of engineering fracture mechanics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Atluri, S. N.; Nakagaki, M.; Kathiresan, K.

    1980-01-01

    In this paper, efficient numerical methods for the analysis of crack-closure effects on fatigue-crack-growth-rates, in plane stress situations, and for the solution of stress-intensity factors for arbitrary shaped surface flaws in pressure vessels, are presented. For the former problem, an elastic-plastic finite element procedure valid for the case of finite deformation gradients is developed and crack growth is simulated by the translation of near-crack-tip elements with embedded plastic singularities. For the latter problem, an embedded-elastic-singularity hybrid finite element method, which leads to a direct evaluation of K-factors, is employed.

  4. Nonlinear earthquake analysis of reinforced concrete frames with fiber and Bernoulli-Euler beam-column element.

    PubMed

    Karaton, Muhammet

    2014-01-01

    A beam-column element based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory is researched for nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) structural element. Stiffness matrix of this element is obtained by using rigidity method. A solution technique that included nonlinear dynamic substructure procedure is developed for dynamic analyses of RC frames. A predicted-corrected form of the Bossak-α method is applied for dynamic integration scheme. A comparison of experimental data of a RC column element with numerical results, obtained from proposed solution technique, is studied for verification the numerical solutions. Furthermore, nonlinear cyclic analysis results of a portal reinforced concrete frame are achieved for comparing the proposed solution technique with Fibre element, based on flexibility method. However, seismic damage analyses of an 8-story RC frame structure with soft-story are investigated for cases of lumped/distributed mass and load. Damage region, propagation, and intensities according to both approaches are researched.

  5. Control of large flexible structures - An experiment on the NASA Mini-Mast facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hsieh, Chen; Kim, Jae H.; Liu, Ketao; Zhu, Guoming; Skelton, Robert E.

    1991-01-01

    The output variance constraint controller design procedure is integrated with model reduction by modal cost analysis. A procedure is given for tuning MIMO controller designs to find the maximal rms performance of the actual system. Controller designs based on a finite-element model of the system are compared with controller designs based on an identified model (obtained using the Q-Markov Cover algorithm). The identified model and the finite-element model led to similar closed-loop performance, when tested in the Mini-Mast facility at NASA Langley.

  6. A contribution to the design specification of single-cell multi-resonant converters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Franck, F.; Schroeder, D.

    The state plane technique is used to develop a design-specification procedure that enables the designer to directly calculate the stresses on all elements of the different topologies for quasi-resonant converters. If parasitic elements are considered, multiresonant topologies are obtained. These topologies can be calculated for the design specification if the procedure for quasi-resonant topologies is adapted to this situation. A novel theoretical approach for describing the internal behavior of multiresonant converters and for visualizing the switching conditions and the points of maximum component stresses is proposed. The multiresonant switching technique combines two advantages: the lossless snubbing of both the transistor and the diode is achieved by only three reactive elements, and a controllable no-load operation is possible. This analysis procedure is well suited for calculating dc-dc converter with an output power up to several hundred watts.

  7. A New Material Mapping Procedure for Quantitative Computed Tomography-Based, Continuum Finite Element Analyses of the Vertebra

    PubMed Central

    Unnikrishnan, Ginu U.; Morgan, Elise F.

    2011-01-01

    Inaccuracies in the estimation of material properties and errors in the assignment of these properties into finite element models limit the reliability, accuracy, and precision of quantitative computed tomography (QCT)-based finite element analyses of the vertebra. In this work, a new mesh-independent, material mapping procedure was developed to improve the quality of predictions of vertebral mechanical behavior from QCT-based finite element models. In this procedure, an intermediate step, called the material block model, was introduced to determine the distribution of material properties based on bone mineral density, and these properties were then mapped onto the finite element mesh. A sensitivity study was first conducted on a calibration phantom to understand the influence of the size of the material blocks on the computed bone mineral density. It was observed that varying the material block size produced only marginal changes in the predictions of mineral density. Finite element (FE) analyses were then conducted on a square column-shaped region of the vertebra and also on the entire vertebra in order to study the effect of material block size on the FE-derived outcomes. The predicted values of stiffness for the column and the vertebra decreased with decreasing block size. When these results were compared to those of a mesh convergence analysis, it was found that the influence of element size on vertebral stiffness was less than that of the material block size. This mapping procedure allows the material properties in a finite element study to be determined based on the block size required for an accurate representation of the material field, while the size of the finite elements can be selected independently and based on the required numerical accuracy of the finite element solution. The mesh-independent, material mapping procedure developed in this study could be particularly helpful in improving the accuracy of finite element analyses of vertebroplasty and spine metastases, as these analyses typically require mesh refinement at the interfaces between distinct materials. Moreover, the mapping procedure is not specific to the vertebra and could thus be applied to many other anatomic sites. PMID:21823740

  8. Analysis of Flexible Bars and Frames with Large Displacements of Nodes By Finite Element Method in the Form of Classical Mixed Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ignatyev, A. V.; Ignatyev, V. A.; Onischenko, E. V.

    2017-11-01

    This article is the continuation of the work made bt the authors on the development of the algorithms that implement the finite element method in the form of a classical mixed method for the analysis of geometrically nonlinear bar systems [1-3]. The paper describes an improved algorithm of the formation of the nonlinear governing equations system for flexible plane frames and bars with large displacements of nodes based on the finite element method in a mixed classical form and the use of the procedure of step-by-step loading. An example of the analysis is given.

  9. Elements of the corruption crime (element analysis of authority abuse and self-enrich and corporations in Indonesia)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mandasari Saragih, Yasmirah; Medaline, Onny

    2018-03-01

    In effect the authority abuse very closely relates to the presence of invalidity (disability juridical) of a decision or government action/state officials. Sadjijono, by citing the opinion of M. Hadjon Phlipus suggests that defective judicial decision or government action/state officials generally involves three main elements, namely the element of authority, the element of the procedure and elements of substance, thus flawed judicial action state officials can be classified into three kinds, namely: disability authority, defective procedure and substance defects. The three of them are the essence of the onset authority abuse. Their acts that profitable and or self-enrich or another person or entity covering for the authority abuse or opportunity. These criteria have been expanded because there is a term for position and so on, including bribery, both among non-civil and public servants. Reciprocally with the given gifts and the promise of the new legislation, the criteria have been expanded.

  10. A Finite Element Procedure for Calculating Fluid-Structure Interaction Using MSC/NASTRAN

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chargin, Mladen; Gartmeier, Otto

    1990-01-01

    This report is intended to serve two purposes. The first is to present a survey of the theoretical background of the dynamic interaction between a non-viscid, compressible fluid and an elastic structure is presented. Section one presents a short survey of the application of the finite element method (FEM) to the area of fluid-structure-interaction (FSI). Section two describes the mathematical foundation of the structure and fluid with special emphasis on the fluid. The main steps in establishing the finite element (FE) equations for the fluid structure coupling are discussed in section three. The second purpose is to demonstrate the application of MSC/NASTRAN to the solution of FSI problems. Some specific topics, such as fluid structure analogy, acoustic absorption, and acoustic contribution analysis are described in section four. Section five deals with the organization of the acoustic procedure flowchart. Section six includes the most important information that a user needs for applying the acoustic procedure to practical FSI problems. Beginning with some rules concerning the FE modeling of the coupled system, the NASTRAN USER DECKs for the different steps are described. The goal of section seven is to demonstrate the use of the acoustic procedure with some examples. This demonstration includes an analytic verification of selected FE results. The analytical description considers only some aspects of FSI and is not intended to be mathematically complete. Finally, section 8 presents an application of the acoustic procedure to vehicle interior acoustic analysis with selected results.

  11. A Unified Development of Basis Reduction Methods for Rotor Blade Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ruzicka, Gene C.; Hodges, Dewey H.; Rutkowski, Michael (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The axial foreshortening effect plays a key role in rotor blade dynamics, but approximating it accurately in reduced basis models has long posed a difficult problem for analysts. Recently, though, several methods have been shown to be effective in obtaining accurate,reduced basis models for rotor blades. These methods are the axial elongation method,the mixed finite element method, and the nonlinear normal mode method. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate the close relationships among these methods, which are seemingly disparate at first glance. First, the difficulties inherent in obtaining reduced basis models of rotor blades are illustrated by examining the modal reduction accuracy of several blade analysis formulations. It is shown that classical, displacement-based finite elements are ill-suited for rotor blade analysis because they can't accurately represent the axial strain in modal space, and that this problem may be solved by employing the axial force as a variable in the analysis. It is shown that the mixed finite element method is a convenient means for accomplishing this, and the derivation of a mixed finite element for rotor blade analysis is outlined. A shortcoming of the mixed finite element method is that is that it increases the number of variables in the analysis. It is demonstrated that this problem may be rectified by solving for the axial displacements in terms of the axial forces and the bending displacements. Effectively, this procedure constitutes a generalization of the widely used axial elongation method to blades of arbitrary topology. The procedure is developed first for a single element, and then extended to an arbitrary assemblage of elements of arbitrary type. Finally, it is shown that the generalized axial elongation method is essentially an approximate solution for an invariant manifold that can be used as the basis for a nonlinear normal mode.

  12. Improvement of finite element meshes - Heat transfer in an infinite cylinder

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kittur, Madan G.; Huston, Ronald L.; Oswald, Fred B.

    1989-01-01

    An extension of a structural finite element mesh improvement technique to heat conduction analysis is presented. The mesh improvement concept was originally presented by Prager in studying tapered, axially loaded bars. It was further shown that an improved mesh can be obtained by minimizing the trace of the stiffnes matrix. These procedures are extended and applied to the analysis of heat conduction in an infinitely long hollow circular cylinder.

  13. Interface Technology for Geometrically Nonlinear Analysis of Multiple Connected Subdomains

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ransom, Jonathan B.

    1997-01-01

    Interface technology for geometrically nonlinear analysis is presented and demonstrated. This technology is based on an interface element which makes use of a hybrid variational formulation to provide for compatibility between independently modeled connected subdomains. The interface element developed herein extends previous work to include geometric nonlinearity and to use standard linear and nonlinear solution procedures. Several benchmark nonlinear applications of the interface technology are presented and aspects of the implementation are discussed.

  14. Improvement in finite element meshes: Heat transfer in an infinite cylinder

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kittur, Madan G.; Huston, Ronald L.; Oswald, Fred B.

    1988-01-01

    An extension of a structural finite element mesh improvement technique to heat conduction analysis is presented. The mesh improvement concept was originally presented by Prager in studying tapered, axially loaded bars. It was further shown that an improved mesh can be obtained by minimizing the trace of the stiffness matrix. These procedures are extended and applied to the analysis of heat conduction in an infinitely long hollow circular cylinder.

  15. Improvement of analytical capabilities of neutron activation analysis laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parrado, G.; Cañón, Y.; Peña, M.; Sierra, O.; Porras, A.; Alonso, D.; Herrera, D. C.; Orozco, J.

    2016-07-01

    The Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey has developed a technique for multi-elemental analysis of soil and plant matrices, based on Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) using the comparator method. In order to evaluate the analytical capabilities of the technique, the laboratory has been participating in inter-comparison tests organized by Wepal (Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories). In this work, the experimental procedure and results for the multi-elemental analysis of four soil and four plant samples during participation in the first round on 2015 of Wepal proficiency test are presented. Only elements with radioactive isotopes with medium and long half-lives have been evaluated, 15 elements for soils (As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Th, U and Zn) and 7 elements for plants (Br, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na and Zn). The performance assessment by Wepal based on Z-score distributions showed that most results obtained |Z-scores| ≤ 3.

  16. Equilibrium paths analysis of materials with rheological properties by using the chaos theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bednarek, Paweł; Rządkowski, Jan

    2018-01-01

    The numerical equilibrium path analysis of the material with random rheological properties by using standard procedures and specialist computer programs was not successful. The proper solution for the analysed heuristic model of the material was obtained on the base of chaos theory elements and neural networks. The paper deals with mathematical reasons of used computer programs and also are elaborated the properties of the attractor used in analysis. There are presented results of conducted numerical analysis both in a numerical and in graphical form for the used procedures.

  17. Comparative measurements of mineral elements in milk powders with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Lei, W Q; El Haddad, J; Motto-Ros, V; Gilon-Delepine, N; Stankova, A; Ma, Q L; Bai, X S; Zheng, L J; Zeng, H P; Yu, J

    2011-07-01

    Mineral elements contained in commercially available milk powders, including seven infant formulae and one adult milk, were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The purpose of this work was, through a direct comparison of the analytical results, to provide an assessment of the performance of LIBS, and especially of the procedure of calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS), to deal with organic compounds such as milk powders. In our experiments, the matrix effect was clearly observed affecting the analytical results each time laser ablation was employed for sampling. Such effect was in addition directly observed by determining the physical parameters of the plasmas induced on the different samples. The CF-LIBS procedure was implemented to deduce the concentrations of Mg and K with Ca as the internal reference element. Quantitative analytical results with CF-LIBS were validated with ICP-AES measurements and nominal concentrations specified for commercial milks. The obtained good results with the CF-LIBS procedure demonstrate its capacity to take into account the difference in physical parameters of the plasma in the calculation of the concentrations of mineral elements, which allows a significant reduction of the matrix effect related to laser ablation. We finally discuss the way to optimize the implementation of the CF-LIBS procedure for the analysis of mineral elements in organic materials.

  18. A COMPARISON OF TRANSIENT INFINITE ELEMENTS AND TRANSIENT KIRCHHOFF INTEGRAL METHODS FOR FAR FIELD ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS

    DOE PAGES

    WALSH, TIMOTHY F.; JONES, ANDREA; BHARDWAJ, MANOJ; ...

    2013-04-01

    Finite element analysis of transient acoustic phenomena on unbounded exterior domains is very common in engineering analysis. In these problems there is a common need to compute the acoustic pressure at points outside of the acoustic mesh, since meshing to points of interest is impractical in many scenarios. In aeroacoustic calculations, for example, the acoustic pressure may be required at tens or hundreds of meters from the structure. In these cases, a method is needed for post-processing the acoustic results to compute the response at far-field points. In this paper, we compare two methods for computing far-field acoustic pressures, onemore » derived directly from the infinite element solution, and the other from the transient version of the Kirchhoff integral. Here, we show that the infinite element approach alleviates the large storage requirements that are typical of Kirchhoff integral and related procedures, and also does not suffer from loss of accuracy that is an inherent part of computing numerical derivatives in the Kirchhoff integral. In order to further speed up and streamline the process of computing the acoustic response at points outside of the mesh, we also address the nonlinear iterative procedure needed for locating parametric coordinates within the host infinite element of far-field points, the parallelization of the overall process, linear solver requirements, and system stability considerations.« less

  19. Application of the boundary element method to the micromechanical analysis of composite materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldberg, R. K.; Hopkins, D. A.

    1995-01-01

    A new boundary element formulation for the micromechanical analysis of composite materials is presented in this study. A unique feature of the formulation is the use of circular shape functions to convert the two-dimensional integrations of the composite fibers to one-dimensional integrations. To demonstrate the applicability of the formulations, several example problems including elastic and thermal analysis of laminated composites and elastic analyses of woven composites are presented and the boundary element results compared to experimental observations and/or results obtained through alternate analytical procedures. While several issues remain to be addressed in order to make the methodology more robust, the formulations presented here show the potential in providing an alternative to traditional finite element methods, particularly for complex composite architectures.

  20. Analysis of eight argonne premium coal samples by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Evans, J.R.; Sellers, G.A.; Johnson, R.G.; Vivit, D.V.; Kent, J.

    1990-01-01

    X-ray fluorescence spectrometric methods were used in the analysis of eight Argonne Premium Coal Samples. Trace elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, La, and Ce) in coal ash were determined by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry; major elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, and Fe) in coal ash and trace elements (Cl and P) in whole coal were determined by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The results of this study will be used in a geochemical database compiled for these materials from various analytical techniques. The experimental XRF methods and procedures used to determine these major and trace elements are described.

  1. Analysis of damaging process and crack propagation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semenski, D.; Wolf, H.; Božić, Ž.

    2010-06-01

    Supervising and health monitoring of structures can assess the actual state of existing structures after initial loading or in the state of operation. Structural life management requires the integration of design and analysis, materials behavior and structural testing, as given for several examples. Procedure of survey of structural elements and criteria for their selection must be strongly defined as it is for the offshore gas platforms. Numerical analysis of dynamic loading is shown for the Aeolian vibrations of overhead transmission line conductors. Since the damper’s efficiency strongly depends on its position, the procedure of determining the optimum position of the damper is described. The optical method of caustics is established in isotropic materials for determination of the stress intensity factors (SIFs) of the cracks in deformed structures and is advantageously improved for the application to fiberreinforced composites. A procedure for simulation of crack propagation for multiple cracks was introduced and SIFs have been calculated by using finite element method. Crack growth of a single crack or a periodical array of cracks initiated at the stiffeners in a stiffened panel has been investigated.

  2. Strain-Based Damage Determination Using Finite Element Analysis for Structural Health Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hochhalter, Jacob D.; Krishnamurthy, Thiagaraja; Aguilo, Miguel A.

    2016-01-01

    A damage determination method is presented that relies on in-service strain sensor measurements. The method employs a gradient-based optimization procedure combined with the finite element method for solution to the forward problem. It is demonstrated that strains, measured at a limited number of sensors, can be used to accurately determine the location, size, and orientation of damage. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the general procedure. This work is motivated by the need to provide structural health management systems with a real-time damage characterization. The damage cases investigated herein are characteristic of point-source damage, which can attain critical size during flight. The procedure described can be used to provide prognosis tools with the current damage configuration.

  3. Multielemental analysis in vegetable edible oils by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after solubilisation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide.

    PubMed

    Savio, Marianela; Ortiz, María S; Almeida, César A; Olsina, Roberto A; Martinez, Luis D; Gil, Raúl A

    2014-09-15

    Trace metals have negative effects on the oxidative stability of edible oils and they are important because of possibility for oils characterisation. A single-step procedure for trace elemental analysis of edible oils is presented. To this aim, a solubilisation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) was assayed prior to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection. Small amounts of TMAH were used, resulting in high elemental concentrations. This method was applied to edible oils commercially available in Argentine. Elements present in small amounts (Cu, Ge, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Sr, Ti, and V) were determined in olive, corn, almond and sunflower oils. The limits of detection were between 0.004 μg g(-1) for Mn and Sr, and 0.32 μg g(-1) for Sb. Principal components analysis was used to correlate the content of trace metals with the type of oils. The two first principal components retained 91.6% of the variability of the system. This is a relatively simple and safe procedure, and could be an attractive alternative for quality control, traceability and routine analysis of edible oils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Parallel-vector computation for linear structural analysis and non-linear unconstrained optimization problems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, D. T.; Al-Nasra, M.; Zhang, Y.; Baddourah, M. A.; Agarwal, T. K.; Storaasli, O. O.; Carmona, E. A.

    1991-01-01

    Several parallel-vector computational improvements to the unconstrained optimization procedure are described which speed up the structural analysis-synthesis process. A fast parallel-vector Choleski-based equation solver, pvsolve, is incorporated into the well-known SAP-4 general-purpose finite-element code. The new code, denoted PV-SAP, is tested for static structural analysis. Initial results on a four processor CRAY 2 show that using pvsolve reduces the equation solution time by a factor of 14-16 over the original SAP-4 code. In addition, parallel-vector procedures for the Golden Block Search technique and the BFGS method are developed and tested for nonlinear unconstrained optimization. A parallel version of an iterative solver and the pvsolve direct solver are incorporated into the BFGS method. Preliminary results on nonlinear unconstrained optimization test problems, using pvsolve in the analysis, show excellent parallel-vector performance indicating that these parallel-vector algorithms can be used in a new generation of finite-element based structural design/analysis-synthesis codes.

  5. Finite element stress, vibration, and buckling analysis of laminated beams with the use of refined elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borovkov, Alexei I.; Avdeev, Ilya V.; Artemyev, A.

    1999-05-01

    In present work, the stress, vibration and buckling finite element analysis of laminated beams is performed. Review of the equivalent single-layer (ESL) laminate theories is done. Finite element algorithms and procedures integrated into the original FEA program system and based on the classical laminated plate theory (CLPT), first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), third-order theory of Reddy (TSDT-R) and third- order theory of Kant (TSDT-K) with the use of the Lanczos method for solving of the eigenproblem are developed. Several numerical tests and examples of bending, free vibration and buckling of multilayered and sandwich beams with various material, geometry properties and boundary conditions are solved. New effective higher-order hierarchical element for the accurate calculation of transverse shear stress is proposed. The comparative analysis of results obtained by the considered models and solutions of 2D problems of the heterogeneous anisotropic elasticity is fulfilled.

  6. The role of chemometrics in single and sequential extraction assays: a review. Part II. Cluster analysis, multiple linear regression, mixture resolution, experimental design and other techniques.

    PubMed

    Giacomino, Agnese; Abollino, Ornella; Malandrino, Mery; Mentasti, Edoardo

    2011-03-04

    Single and sequential extraction procedures are used for studying element mobility and availability in solid matrices, like soils, sediments, sludge, and airborne particulate matter. In the first part of this review we reported an overview on these procedures and described the applications of chemometric uni- and bivariate techniques and of multivariate pattern recognition techniques based on variable reduction to the experimental results obtained. The second part of the review deals with the use of chemometrics not only for the visualization and interpretation of data, but also for the investigation of the effects of experimental conditions on the response, the optimization of their values and the calculation of element fractionation. We will describe the principles of the multivariate chemometric techniques considered, the aims for which they were applied and the key findings obtained. The following topics will be critically addressed: pattern recognition by cluster analysis (CA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and other less common techniques; modelling by multiple linear regression (MLR); investigation of spatial distribution of variables by geostatistics; calculation of fractionation patterns by a mixture resolution method (Chemometric Identification of Substrates and Element Distributions, CISED); optimization and characterization of extraction procedures by experimental design; other multivariate techniques less commonly applied. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Analysis of trace metals in water by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry using sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate for preconcentration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, C.L.; Motooka, J.M.; Willson, W.R.

    1984-01-01

    Since concentrations of trace elements in most natural waters seldom exceed the ??g/L level, analysis of trace elements in natural waters by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP) requires a preconcentration procedure. The elements Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, W, and Zn were separated and concentrated from 500 mL of water by coprecipitating them with sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate (NaDBDTC) using nickel or silver as a carrier. The precipitated trace elements were collected on a membrane filter, redissolved from the filter with hot nitric and hydrochloric acids, and analyzed using ICP. Recoveries for all the trace elements except tungsten exceeded 80%. Coprecipitation of trace elements with NaDBDTC eliminated the use of difficult-to-inject organic solvents, and NaDBDTC coprecipitated a wider array of trace elements than ammoniumpyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC), another commonly used coprecipitate.

  8. Measuring the nonlinear elastic properties of tissue-like phantoms.

    PubMed

    Erkamp, Ramon Q; Skovoroda, Andrei R; Emelianov, Stanislav Y; O'Donnell, Matthew

    2004-04-01

    A direct mechanical system simultaneously measuring external force and deformation of samples over a wide dynamic range is used to obtain force-displacement curves of tissue-like phantoms under plain strain deformation. These measurements, covering a wide deformation range, then are used to characterize the nonlinear elastic properties of the phantom materials. The model assumes incompressible media, in which several strain energy potentials are considered. Finite-element analysis is used to evaluate the performance of this material characterization procedure. The procedures developed allow calibration of nonlinear elastic phantoms for elasticity imaging experiments and finite-element simulations.

  9. Procedures for analysis of debris relative to Space Shuttle systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kim, Hae Soo; Cummings, Virginia J.

    1993-01-01

    Debris samples collected from various Space Shuttle systems have been submitted to the Microchemical Analysis Branch. This investigation was initiated to develop optimal techniques for the analysis of debris. Optical microscopy provides information about the morphology and size of crystallites, particle sizes, amorphous phases, glass phases, and poorly crystallized materials. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry is utilized for information on surface morphology and qualitative elemental content of debris. Analytical electron microscopy with wavelength dispersive spectrometry provides information on the quantitative elemental content of debris.

  10. Finite element analysis and computer graphics visualization of flow around pitching and plunging airfoils

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bratanow, T.; Ecer, A.

    1973-01-01

    A general computational method for analyzing unsteady flow around pitching and plunging airfoils was developed. The finite element method was applied in developing an efficient numerical procedure for the solution of equations describing the flow around airfoils. The numerical results were employed in conjunction with computer graphics techniques to produce visualization of the flow. The investigation involved mathematical model studies of flow in two phases: (1) analysis of a potential flow formulation and (2) analysis of an incompressible, unsteady, viscous flow from Navier-Stokes equations.

  11. Reanalysis, compatibility and correlation in analysis of modified antenna structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Levy, R.

    1989-01-01

    A simple computational procedure is synthesized to process changes in the microwave-antenna pathlength-error measure when there are changes in the antenna structure model. The procedure employs structural modification reanalysis methods combined with new extensions of correlation analysis to provide the revised rms pathlength error. Mainframe finite-element-method processing of the structure model is required only for the initial unmodified structure, and elementary postprocessor computations develop and deal with the effects of the changes. Several illustrative computational examples are included. The procedure adapts readily to processing spectra of changes for parameter studies or sensitivity analyses.

  12. Probabilistic finite elements for transient analysis in nonlinear continua

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, W. K.; Belytschko, T.; Mani, A.

    1985-01-01

    The probabilistic finite element method (PFEM), which is a combination of finite element methods and second-moment analysis, is formulated for linear and nonlinear continua with inhomogeneous random fields. Analogous to the discretization of the displacement field in finite element methods, the random field is also discretized. The formulation is simplified by transforming the correlated variables to a set of uncorrelated variables through an eigenvalue orthogonalization. Furthermore, it is shown that a reduced set of the uncorrelated variables is sufficient for the second-moment analysis. Based on the linear formulation of the PFEM, the method is then extended to transient analysis in nonlinear continua. The accuracy and efficiency of the method is demonstrated by application to a one-dimensional, elastic/plastic wave propagation problem. The moments calculated compare favorably with those obtained by Monte Carlo simulation. Also, the procedure is amenable to implementation in deterministic FEM based computer programs.

  13. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Parrado, G., E-mail: gparrado@sgc.gov.co; Cañón, Y.; Peña, M., E-mail: mlpena@sgc.gov.co

    The Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey has developed a technique for multi-elemental analysis of soil and plant matrices, based on Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) using the comparator method. In order to evaluate the analytical capabilities of the technique, the laboratory has been participating in inter-comparison tests organized by Wepal (Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories). In this work, the experimental procedure and results for the multi-elemental analysis of four soil and four plant samples during participation in the first round on 2015 of Wepal proficiency test are presented. Only elements with radioactive isotopes withmore » medium and long half-lives have been evaluated, 15 elements for soils (As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Th, U and Zn) and 7 elements for plants (Br, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na and Zn). The performance assessment by Wepal based on Z-score distributions showed that most results obtained |Z-scores| ≤ 3.« less

  14. Content of trace elements and chromium speciation in Neem powder and tea infusions.

    PubMed

    Novotnik, Breda; Zuliani, Tea; Ščančar, Janez; Milačič, Radmila

    2015-01-01

    Total concentrations of selected trace elements in Neem powder and in Neem tea were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The data revealed that despite high total concentrations of the potentially toxic elements Al and Ni in Neem powder, their amounts dissolved in Neem tea were low. Total concentrations of the other toxic elements Pb, As and Cd were also very low and do not represent a health hazard. In contrast, total concentrations of the essential elements Fe, Cu, Zn, Se Mo and Cr in Neem powder were high and also considerable in Neem tea. Consuming one cup of Neem tea (2g per 200 mL of water) covers the recommended daily intakes for Cr and Se and represents an important source of Mo and Cu. Speciation analysis of Cr by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to ICP-MS with the use of enriched Cr isotopic tracers to follow species interconversions during the analytical procedure demonstrated that toxic Cr(VI) was not present either in Neem powder or in Neem tea. Its concentrations were below the limits of detection of the HPLC-ICP-MS procedure applied. The speciation analysis data confirmed that even Cr(VI) was added, it was rapidly reduced by the presence of antioxidants in Neem leaves. By the use of enriched Cr isotopic spike solutions it was also demonstrated that for obtaining reliable analytical data it is essential to apply the extraction procedures which prevent Cr species interconversions, or to correct for species transformation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Substructure procedure for including tile flexibility in stress analysis of shuttle thermal protection system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giles, G. L.

    1980-01-01

    A substructure procedure to include the flexibility of the tile in the stress analysis of the shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) is described. In this procedure, the TPS is divided into substructures of (1) the tile which is modeled by linear finite elements and (2) the SIP which is modeled as a nonlinear continuum. This procedure was applied for loading cases of uniform pressure, uniform moment, and an aerodynamic shock on various tile thicknesses. The ratios of through-the-thickness stresses in the SIP which were calculated using a flexible tile compared to using a rigid tile were found to be less than 1.05 for the cases considered.

  16. Nonlinear Earthquake Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Frames with Fiber and Bernoulli-Euler Beam-Column Element

    PubMed Central

    Karaton, Muhammet

    2014-01-01

    A beam-column element based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory is researched for nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) structural element. Stiffness matrix of this element is obtained by using rigidity method. A solution technique that included nonlinear dynamic substructure procedure is developed for dynamic analyses of RC frames. A predicted-corrected form of the Bossak-α method is applied for dynamic integration scheme. A comparison of experimental data of a RC column element with numerical results, obtained from proposed solution technique, is studied for verification the numerical solutions. Furthermore, nonlinear cyclic analysis results of a portal reinforced concrete frame are achieved for comparing the proposed solution technique with Fibre element, based on flexibility method. However, seismic damage analyses of an 8-story RC frame structure with soft-story are investigated for cases of lumped/distributed mass and load. Damage region, propagation, and intensities according to both approaches are researched. PMID:24578667

  17. A Procedure for Modeling Structural Component/Attachment Failure Using Transient Finite Element Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lovejoy, Andrew E.; Jegley, Dawn C. (Technical Monitor)

    2007-01-01

    Structures often comprise smaller substructures that are connected to each other or attached to the ground by a set of finite connections. Under static loading one or more of these connections may exceed allowable limits and be deemed to fail. Of particular interest is the structural response when a connection is severed (failed) while the structure is under static load. A transient failure analysis procedure was developed by which it is possible to examine the dynamic effects that result from introducing a discrete failure while a structure is under static load. The failure is introduced by replacing a connection load history by a time-dependent load set that removes the connection load at the time of failure. The subsequent transient response is examined to determine the importance of the dynamic effects by comparing the structural response with the appropriate allowables. Additionally, this procedure utilizes a standard finite element transient analysis that is readily available in most commercial software, permitting the study of dynamic failures without the need to purchase software specifically for this purpose. The procedure is developed and explained, demonstrated on a simple cantilever box example, and finally demonstrated on a real-world example, the American Airlines Flight 587 (AA587) vertical tail plane (VTP).

  18. Design and Strength check of Large Blow Molding Machine Rack

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fei-fei, GU; Zhi-song, ZHU; Xiao-zhao, YAN; Yi-min, ZHU

    Design procedure of large blow moulding machine rack is discussed in the article. A strength checking method is presented. Finite element analysis is conducted in the design procedure by ANSYS software. The actual situation of the rack load bearing is fully considered. The necessary means to simplify the model are done. The dimensional linear element Beam 188 is analyzed. MESH200 is used to mesh. Therefore, it simplifies the analysis process and improves computational efficiency. The maximum deformation of rack is 8.037 mm: it is occurred in the position of accumulator head. The result states: it meets the national standard curvature which is not greater than 0.3% of the total channel length; it also meets strength requirement that the maximum stress was 54.112 MPa.

  19. Documentation for a Structural Optimization Procedure Developed Using the Engineering Analysis Language (EAL)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martin, Carl J., Jr.

    1996-01-01

    This report describes a structural optimization procedure developed for use with the Engineering Analysis Language (EAL) finite element analysis system. The procedure is written primarily in the EAL command language. Three external processors which are written in FORTRAN generate equivalent stiffnesses and evaluate stress and local buckling constraints for the sections. Several built-up structural sections were coded into the design procedures. These structural sections were selected for use in aircraft design, but are suitable for other applications. Sensitivity calculations use the semi-analytic method, and an extensive effort has been made to increase the execution speed and reduce the storage requirements. There is also an approximate sensitivity update method included which can significantly reduce computational time. The optimization is performed by an implementation of the MINOS V5.4 linear programming routine in a sequential liner programming procedure.

  20. Evaluation of Transverse Thermal Stresses in Composite Plates Based on First-Order Shear Deformation Theory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rolfes, R.; Noor, A. K.; Sparr, H.

    1998-01-01

    A postprocessing procedure is presented for the evaluation of the transverse thermal stresses in laminated plates. The analytical formulation is based on the first-order shear deformation theory and the plate is discretized by using a single-field displacement finite element model. The procedure is based on neglecting the derivatives of the in-plane forces and the twisting moments, as well as the mixed derivatives of the bending moments, with respect to the in-plane coordinates. The calculated transverse shear stiffnesses reflect the actual stacking sequence of the composite plate. The distributions of the transverse stresses through-the-thickness are evaluated by using only the transverse shear forces and the thermal effects resulting from the finite element analysis. The procedure is implemented into a postprocessing routine which can be easily incorporated into existing commercial finite element codes. Numerical results are presented for four- and ten-layer cross-ply laminates subjected to mechanical and thermal loads.

  1. Multiple methods integration for structural mechanics analysis and design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Housner, J. M.; Aminpour, M. A.

    1991-01-01

    A new research area of multiple methods integration is proposed for joining diverse methods of structural mechanics analysis which interact with one another. Three categories of multiple methods are defined: those in which a physical interface are well defined; those in which a physical interface is not well-defined, but selected; and those in which the interface is a mathematical transformation. Two fundamental integration procedures are presented that can be extended to integrate various methods (e.g., finite elements, Rayleigh Ritz, Galerkin, and integral methods) with one another. Since the finite element method will likely be the major method to be integrated, its enhanced robustness under element distortion is also examined and a new robust shell element is demonstrated.

  2. Design and Stress Analysis of Low-Noise Adjusted Bearing Contact Spiral Bevel Gears

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Litvin, Faydor L.; Fuentes, Alfonso; Mullins, Baxter R.; Woods, Ron

    2002-01-01

    An integrated computerized approach for design and stress analysis of low-noise spiral bevel gear drives with adjusted bearing contact has been developed. The computation procedure is an iterative process, requiring four separate steps that provide: (a) a parabolic function of transmission errors that is able to reduce the effect of errors of alignment, and (b) reduction of the shift of bearing contact caused by misalignment. Application of finite element analysis permits the contact and bending stresses to be determined and investigate the formation of the bearing contact. The design of finite element models and boundary conditions is automated and does not require an intermediate CAD computer program. A commercially available finite element analysis computer program with contact capability was used to conduct the stress analysis. The theory developed is illustrated with numerical examples.

  3. Calculation of skin-stiffener interface stresses in stiffened composite panels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cohen, David; Hyer, Michael W.

    1987-01-01

    A method for computing the skin-stiffener interface stresses in stiffened composite panels is developed. Both geometrically linear and nonlinear analyses are considered. Particular attention is given to the flange termination region where stresses are expected to exhibit unbounded characteristics. The method is based on a finite-element analysis and an elasticity solution. The finite-element analysis is standard, while the elasticity solution is based on an eigenvalue expansion of the stress functions. The eigenvalue expansion is assumed to be valid in the local flange termination region and is coupled with the finite-element analysis using collocation of stresses on the local region boundaries. Accuracy and convergence of the local elasticity solution are assessed using a geometrically linear analysis. Using this analysis procedure, the influence of geometric nonlinearities and stiffener parameters on the skin-stiffener interface stresses is evaluated.

  4. Meta-Analysis of Mathematic Basic-Fact Fluency Interventions: A Component Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Codding, Robin S.; Burns, Matthew K.; Lukito, Gracia

    2011-01-01

    Mathematics fluency is a critical component of mathematics learning yet few attempts have been made to synthesize this research base. Seventeen single-case design studies with 55 participants were reviewed using meta-analytic procedures. A component analysis of practice elements was conducted and treatment intensity and feasibility were examined.…

  5. A Finite Element Procedure for Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-06-18

    71 14. X-stress at midsurface of the top layer with refinement in x- direction; Angle-ply specimen, using edge elements...72 15. X-stress at midsurface of top layer with thickness refinement; Angle- ply specimen ............................................ 73 16...XY-stress at midsurface of top layer with refinement in y-direction; Angle-ply specimen ........................................ 74 17. XY-stress at

  6. A Finite Element Procedure for Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-06-18

    71 14. X-stress at midsurface of the top layer with refinement in x- direction; Angle-ply specimen, using edge elements...72 15. X-stress at midsurface of top layer with thickness refinement; Angle- ply specimen ............................................. 73 16. XY...stress at midsurface of top layer with refinement in y-direction; Angle-ply specimen ........................................ 74 17. XY-stress at

  7. Correcting for surface topography in X-ray fluorescence imaging

    PubMed Central

    Geil, E. C.; Thorne, R. E.

    2014-01-01

    Samples with non-planar surfaces present challenges for X-ray fluorescence imaging analysis. Here, approximations are derived to describe the modulation of fluorescence signals by surface angles and topography, and suggestions are made for reducing this effect. A correction procedure is developed that is effective for trace element analysis of samples having a uniform matrix, and requires only a fluorescence map from a single detector. This procedure is applied to fluorescence maps from an incised gypsum tablet. PMID:25343805

  8. An efficient solution procedure for the thermoelastic analysis of truss space structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Givoli, D.; Rand, O.

    1992-01-01

    A solution procedure is proposed for the thermal and thermoelastic analysis of truss space structures in periodic motion. In this method, the spatial domain is first descretized using a consistent finite element formulation. Then the resulting semi-discrete equations in time are solved analytically by using Fourier decomposition. Geometrical symmetry is taken advantage of completely. An algorithm is presented for the calculation of heat flux distribution. The method is demonstrated via a numerical example of a cylindrically shaped space structure.

  9. Mixed models and reduction method for dynamic analysis of anisotropic shells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noor, A. K.; Peters, J. M.

    1985-01-01

    A time-domain computational procedure is presented for predicting the dynamic response of laminated anisotropic shells. The two key elements of the procedure are: (1) use of mixed finite element models having independent interpolation (shape) functions for stress resultants and generalized displacements for the spatial discretization of the shell, with the stress resultants allowed to be discontinuous at interelement boundaries; and (2) use of a dynamic reduction method, with the global approximation vectors consisting of the static solution and an orthogonal set of Lanczos vectors. The dynamic reduction is accomplished by means of successive application of the finite element method and the classical Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The finite element method is first used to generate the global approximation vectors. Then the Rayleigh-Ritz technique is used to generate a reduced system of ordinary differential equations in the amplitudes of these modes. The temporal integration of the reduced differential equations is performed by using an explicit half-station central difference scheme (Leap-frog method). The effectiveness of the proposed procedure is demonstrated by means of a numerical example and its advantages over reduction methods used with the displacement formulation are discussed.

  10. Evaluation of an improved finite-element thermal stress calculation technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Camarda, C. J.

    1982-01-01

    A procedure for generating accurate thermal stresses with coarse finite element grids (Ojalvo's method) is described. The procedure is based on the observation that for linear thermoelastic problems, the thermal stresses may be envisioned as being composed of two contributions; the first due to the strains in the structure which depend on the integral of the temperature distribution over the finite element and the second due to the local variation of the temperature in the element. The first contribution can be accurately predicted with a coarse finite-element mesh. The resulting strain distribution can then be combined via the constitutive relations with detailed temperatures from a separate thermal analysis. The result is accurate thermal stresses from coarse finite element structural models even where the temperature distributions have sharp variations. The range of applicability of the method for various classes of thermostructural problems such as in-plane or bending type problems and the effect of the nature of the temperature distribution and edge constraints are addressed. Ojalvo's method is used in conjunction with the SPAR finite element program. Results are obtained for rods, membranes, a box beam and a stiffened panel.

  11. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mohanty, Subhasish; Majumdar, Saurindranath

    Irradiation creep plays a major role in the structural integrity of the graphite components in high temperature gas cooled reactors. Finite element procedures combined with a suitable irradiation creep model can be used to simulate the time-integrated structural integrity of complex shapes, such as the reactor core graphite reflector and fuel bricks. In the present work a comparative study was undertaken to understand the effect of linear and nonlinear irradiation creep on results of finite element based stress analysis. Numerical results were generated through finite element simulations of a typical graphite reflector.

  12. Implementation of structural response sensitivity calculations in a large-scale finite-element analysis system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giles, G. L.; Rogers, J. L., Jr.

    1982-01-01

    The implementation includes a generalized method for specifying element cross-sectional dimensions as design variables that can be used in analytically calculating derivatives of output quantities from static stress, vibration, and buckling analyses for both membrane and bending elements. Limited sample results for static displacements and stresses are presented to indicate the advantages of analytically calclating response derivatives compared to finite difference methods. Continuing developments to implement these procedures into an enhanced version of the system are also discussed.

  13. Reference values of elements in human hair: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Mikulewicz, Marcin; Chojnacka, Katarzyna; Gedrange, Thomas; Górecki, Henryk

    2013-11-01

    The lack of systematic review on reference values of elements in human hair with the consideration of methodological approach. The absence of worldwide accepted and implemented universal reference ranges causes that hair mineral analysis has not become yet a reliable and useful method of assessment of nutritional status and exposure of individuals. Systematic review of reference values of elements in human hair. PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus. Humans, hair mineral analysis, elements or minerals, reference values, original studies. The number of studies screened and assessed for eligibility was 52. Eventually, included in the review were 5 papers. The studies report reference ranges for the content of elements in hair: macroelements, microelements, toxic elements and other elements. Reference ranges were elaborated for different populations in the years 2000-2012. The analytical methodology differed, in particular sample preparation, digestion and analysis (ICP-AES, ICP-MS). Consequently, the levels of hair minerals reported as reference values varied. It is necessary to elaborate the standard procedures and furtherly validate hair mineral analysis and deliver detailed methodology. Only then it would be possible to provide meaningful reference ranges and take advantage of the potential that lies in Hair Mineral Analysis as a medical diagnostic technique. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Advances in contact algorithms and their application to tires

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noor, Ahmed K.; Tanner, John A.

    1988-01-01

    Currently used techniques for tire contact analysis are reviewed. Discussion focuses on the different techniques used in modeling frictional forces and the treatment of contact conditions. A status report is presented on a new computational strategy for the modeling and analysis of tires, including the solution of the contact problem. The key elements of the proposed strategy are: (1) use of semianalytic mixed finite elements in which the shell variables are represented by Fourier series in the circumferential direction and piecewise polynomials in the meridional direction; (2) use of perturbed Lagrangian formulation for the determination of the contact area and pressure; and (3) application of multilevel iterative procedures and reduction techniques to generate the response of the tire. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of a proposed procedure for generating the tire response associated with different Fourier harmonics.

  15. Determination of elemental content off rocks by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lichte, F.E.

    1995-01-01

    A new method of analysis for rocks and soils is presented using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. It is based on a lithium borate fusion and the free-running mode of a Nd/YAG laser. An Ar/N2 sample gas improves sensitivity 7 ?? for most elements. Sixty-three elements are characterized for the fusion, and 49 elements can be quantified. Internal standards and isotopic spikes ensure accurate results. Limits of detection are 0.01 ??g/g for many trace elements. Accuracy approaches 5% for all elements. A new quality assurance procedure is presented that uses fundamental parameters to test relative response factors for the calibration.

  16. Assessing the extent, stability, purity and properties of silanised detonation nanodiamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duffy, Emer; Mitev, Dimitar P.; Thickett, Stuart C.; Townsend, Ashley T.; Paull, Brett; Nesterenko, Pavel N.

    2015-12-01

    The functionalisation of nanodiamond is a key step in furthering its application in areas such as surface coatings, drug delivery, bio imaging and other biomedical avenues. Accordingly, analytical methods for the detailed characterisation of functionalised nano-material are of great importance. This work presents an alternative approach for the elemental analysis of zero-dimensional nanocarbons, specifically detonation nanodiamond (DND) following purification and functionalisation procedures. There is a particular emphasis on the presence of silicon, both for the purified DND and after its functionalisation with silanes. Five different silylation procedures for purified DND were explored and assessed quantitatively using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for analysis of dilute suspensions. A maximum Si loading of 29,300 μg g-1 on the DND was achieved through a combination of silylating reagents. The presence of 28 other elements in the DND materials was also quantified by ICP-MS. The characterisation of Si-bond formation was supported by FTIR and XPS evaluation of relevant functional groups. The thermal stability of the silylated DND was examined by thermogravimetric analysis. Improved particle size distribution and dispersion stability resulted from the silylation procedure, as confirmed by dynamic light scattering and capillary zone electrophoresis.

  17. [Standard sample preparation method for quick determination of trace elements in plastic].

    PubMed

    Yao, Wen-Qing; Zong, Rui-Long; Zhu, Yong-Fa

    2011-08-01

    Reference sample was prepared by masterbatch method, containing heavy metals with known concentration of electronic information products (plastic), the repeatability and precision were determined, and reference sample preparation procedures were established. X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) analysis method was used to determine the repeatability and uncertainty in the analysis of the sample of heavy metals and bromine element. The working curve and the metrical methods for the reference sample were carried out. The results showed that the use of the method in the 200-2000 mg x kg(-1) concentration range for Hg, Pb, Cr and Br elements, and in the 20-200 mg x kg(-1) range for Cd elements, exhibited a very good linear relationship, and the repeatability of analysis methods for six times is good. In testing the circuit board ICB288G and ICB288 from the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Company, results agreed with the recommended values.

  18. Moral deliberation and nursing ethics cases: elements of a methodological proposal.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Dulcinéia Ghizoni; Ramos, Flávia Regina Souza

    2012-11-01

    A qualitative study with an exploratory, descriptive and documentary design that was conducted with the objective of identifying the elements to constitute a method for the analysis of accusations of and proceedings for professional ethics infringements. The method is based on underlying elements identified inductively during analysis of professional ethics hearings judged by and filed in the archives of the Regional Nursing Board of Santa Catarina, Brazil, between 1999 and 2007. The strategies developed were based on the results of an analysis of the findings of fact (occurrences/infractions, causes and outcomes) contained in the records of 128 professional ethics hearings and on the structural elements (statements, rules and practices) identified in five example professional ethics cases. The strategies suggested for evaluating accusations of ethics infringements and the procedures involved in deliberating on ethics hearings constitute a generic proposal that will require adaptation to the context of specific professional ethics accusations.

  19. Structural performance analysis and redesign

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whetstone, W. D.

    1978-01-01

    Program performs stress buckling and vibrational analysis of large, linear, finite-element systems in excess of 50,000 degrees of freedom. Cost, execution time, and storage requirements are kept reasonable through use of sparse matrix solution techniques, and other computational and data management procedures designed for problems of very large size.

  20. RANDOMIZATION PROCEDURES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIMENTS.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    COLLIER, RAYMOND O.

    CERTAIN SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF HYPOTHESIS TESTS USED FOR ANALYSIS OF RESULTS IN RANDOMIZED EXPERIMENTS WERE STUDIED--(1) THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEORETICAL FACTOR, THAT OF PROVIDING INFORMATION ON STATISTICAL TESTS FOR CERTAIN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS AND (2) THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPLIED ELEMENT, THAT OF SUPPLYING THE EXPERIMENTER WITH MACHINERY FOR…

  1. Finite Element Grid Optimization.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-09-01

    of the refinement criteria previously discussed, since at least one investigator has observed that for a particular method of gril refinement, the...percentage of the average element variations for the initial analysis. Because this procedure is particularly attractive for gril refinement in problems of...number of degrees-of-freedom. Then the solution results for a uniform gril of the identical number of degrees-of-freedom provides a reference for

  2. Multielemental analysis of 18 essential and toxic elements in amniotic fluid samples by ICP-MS: Full procedure validation and estimation of measurement uncertainty.

    PubMed

    Markiewicz, B; Sajnóg, A; Lorenc, W; Hanć, A; Komorowicz, I; Suliburska, J; Kocyłowski, R; Barałkiewicz, D

    2017-11-01

    Amniotic fluid is the substantial factor in the development of an embryo and fetus due to the fact that water and solutes contained in it penetrate the fetal membranes in an hydrostatic and osmotic way as well as being swallowed by the fetus. Elemental composition of amniotic fluid influences the growth and health of the fetus, therefore, an analysis of amniotic fluid is important because the results would indicate abnormal levels of minerals or toxic elements. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) is often used for determination of trace and ultra-trace level elements in a wide range of matrices including biological samples because of its unique analytical capabilities. In the case of trace and ultra-trace level analysis detailed characteristics of analytical procedure as well as properties of the analytical result are particularly important. The purpose of this study was to develop a new analytical procedure for multielemental analysis of 18 elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sr, U, V and Zn) in amniotic fluid samples using ICP-MS. Dynamic reaction cell (DRC) with two reaction gases, ammonia and oxygen, was involved in the experiment to eliminate spectral interferences. Detailed validation was conducted using 3 certified reference mterials (CRMs) and real amniotic fluid samples collected from patients. Repeatability for all analyzed analytes was found to range from 0.70% to 8.0% and for intermediate precision results varied from 1.3% to 15%. Trueness expressed as recovery ranged from 80% to 125%. Traceability was assured through the analyses of CRMs. Uncertainty of the results was also evaluated using single-laboratory validation approach. The obtained expanded uncertainty (U) results for CRMs, expressed as a percentage of the concentration of an analyte, were found to be between 8.3% for V and 45% for Cd. Standard uncertainty of the precision was found to have a greater influence on the combined standard uncertainty than on trueness factor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Characterization and determination of 28 elements in fly ashes collected in a thermal power plant in Argentina using different instrumental techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marrero, Julieta; Polla, Griselda; Jiménez Rebagliati, Raúl; Plá, Rita; Gómez, Darío; Smichowski, Patricia

    2007-02-01

    Different techniques were selected for comprehensive characterization of seven samples of fly ashes collected from the electrostatic precipitator of the San Nicolás thermal power plant (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Particle size was measured using laser based particle size analyzer. X-ray diffraction powder (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the mineral phase present in the matrix consisting basically of aluminosilicates and large amounts of amorphous material. The predominant crystalline phases were mullite and quartz. Major and minors elements (Al, Ca, Cl, Fe, K, Mg, Na, S, Si and Ti) were detected by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V and Zn) content was quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Different acid mixtures and digestion procedures were compared for subsequent ICP OES measurements of the dissolved samples. The digestion procedures used were: i) a mixture of FH + HNO 3 + HClO 4 (open system digestion); ii) a mixture of FH + HNO 3 (MW-assisted digestion); iii) a mixture of HF and aqua regia (MW-assisted digestion). Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was employed for the determination of As, Ba, Co, Cr, Ce, Cs, Eu, Fe, Gd, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U and Yb. The validation of the procedure was performed by the analysis of two certified materials namely, i) NIST 1633b, coal fly ash and ii) GBW07105, rock. Mean elements content spanned from 41870 μg g - 1 for Fe to 1.14 μg g - 1 for Lu. The study showed that Fe (41870 μg g - 1 ) ≫ V (1137 μg g - 1 ) > Ni (269 μg g - 1 ) > Mn (169 μg g - 1 ) are the main components. An enrichment, with respect to crustal average, in many elements was observed especially for As, V and Sb that deserve particular interest from the environmental and human health point of view.

  4. Preparation And Analysis Of Specimens Of Ablative Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Solomon, William C.

    1994-01-01

    Procedure for chemical analysis of specimens of silicone-based ablative thermal-insulation materials SLA-561 and MA25 involves acid digestion of specimens to prepare them for analysis by inductively-coupled-plasma/atomic-emission spectroscopy (ICP/AES). In comparison with atomic-absorption spectroscopy (AAS), ICP/AES is faster and more accurate than AAS. Results of analyses stored in data base, used to trace variations in concentrations of chemical elements in materials during long-term storage, and used in timely manner in investigations of failures. Acid-digestion portion of procedure applied to other thermal-insulation materials containing room-temperature-vulcanizing silicones and enables instrumental analysis of these materials.

  5. Active magnetic bearing control loop modeling for a finite element rotordynamics code

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Genta, Giancarlo; Delprete, Cristiana; Carabelli, Stefano

    1994-01-01

    A mathematical model of an active electromagnetic bearing which includes the actuator, the sensor and the control system is developed and implemented in a specialized finite element code for rotordynamic analysis. The element formulation and its incorporation in the model of the machine are described in detail. A solution procedure, based on a modal approach in which the number of retained modes is controlled by the user, is then shown together with other procedures for computing the steady-state response to both static and unbalance forces. An example of application shows the numerical results obtained on a model of an electric motor suspended on a five active-axis magnetic suspension. The comparison of some of these results with the experimental characteristics of the actual system shows the ability of the present model to predict its performance.

  6. Construction of a three-dimensional finite element model of maxillary first molar and it's supporting structures

    PubMed Central

    Begum, M. Sameena; Dinesh, M. R.; Tan, Kenneth F. H.; Jairaj, Vani; Md Khalid, K.; Singh, Varun Pratap

    2015-01-01

    The finite element method (FEM) is a powerful computational tool for solving stress-strain problems; its ability to handle material inhomogeneity and complex shapes makes the FEM, the most suitable method for the analysis of internal stress levels in the tooth, periodontium, and alveolar bone. This article intends to explain the steps involved in the generation of a three-dimensional finite element model of tooth, periodontal ligament (PDL) and alveolar bone, as the procedure of modeling is most important because the result is based on the nature of the modeling systems. Finite element analysis offers a means of determining strain-stress levels in the tooth, ligament, and bone structures for a broad range of orthodontic loading scenarios without producing tissue damage. PMID:26538895

  7. Comparisons of node-based and element-based approaches of assigning bone material properties onto subject-specific finite element models.

    PubMed

    Chen, G; Wu, F Y; Liu, Z C; Yang, K; Cui, F

    2015-08-01

    Subject-specific finite element (FE) models can be generated from computed tomography (CT) datasets of a bone. A key step is assigning material properties automatically onto finite element models, which remains a great challenge. This paper proposes a node-based assignment approach and also compares it with the element-based approach in the literature. Both approaches were implemented using ABAQUS. The assignment procedure is divided into two steps: generating the data file of the image intensity of a bone in a MATLAB program and reading the data file into ABAQUS via user subroutines. The node-based approach assigns the material properties to each node of the finite element mesh, while the element-based approach assigns the material properties directly to each integration point of an element. Both approaches are independent from the type of elements. A number of FE meshes are tested and both give accurate solutions; comparatively the node-based approach involves less programming effort. The node-based approach is also independent from the type of analyses; it has been tested on the nonlinear analysis of a Sawbone femur. The node-based approach substantially improves the level of automation of the assignment procedure of bone material properties. It is the simplest and most powerful approach that is applicable to many types of analyses and elements. Copyright © 2015 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Comparison between PGAA and ID-AMS analysis for determining chlorine content in whole rock basalt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    di Nicola, L.; Schnabel, C.; Wilcken, K. M.; Gméling, K.

    2009-04-01

    Accurate determination of chlorine concentrations in terrestrial rocks is of importance for the interpretation of terrestrial in-situ cosmogenic 36Cl. Neutron capture by 35Cl, together with production from Ca and K, is one of the three major production pathways of 36Cl in rocks. Here, we present an inter-comparison of chlorine determinations by two procedures. The first approach is an independent Cl determination by prompt gamma (neutron) activation analysis (PGAA). The second method is isotope dilution based on isotopically-enriched stable chlorine carrier added during chemical sample preparation for accelerator mass spectrometry (ID-AMS). Twenty six (26) whole rock samples have been processed for PGAA and ID-AMS analyses. Elemental analysis by PGAA provides concentrations of major, minor and trace elements including the target elements for 36Cl production (K, Ca, Ti, and Fe), as well as of neutron absorbers and neutron moderators (H, B, Cl, Sm and Gd). The Cl concentrations determined during this study constitute the first inter-comparison for concentrations below 100 μCl/g. Our results show no significant difference in Cl concentrations between methods, and comparable uncertainties. This agreement guarantees that during the procedure we employ for whole rock sample no significant loss of stable chlorine from either the spike or the sample occurs before isotopic equilibration, prior to AgCl precipitation. Furthermore, we show that the elemental analysis by PGAA offers anadvance for the interpretation of 36Cl measurements. It allows simultaneous measurement of major and most trace element concentrations with a precision necessary for calculating the relative contributions to 36Cl production rates of the different mechanisms. Finally, the Cl concentration can be used to optimize the amount of isotopically-enriched spike for AMS-ID sample preparation for 36Cl.

  9. Single cell elemental analysis using nuclear microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, M. Q.; Thong, P. S. P.; Kara, U.; Watt, F.

    1999-04-01

    The use of Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) to provide quantitative elemental analysis of single cells is an area which has high potential, particularly when the trace elements such as Ca, Fe, Zn and Cu can be monitored. We describe the methodology of sample preparation for two cell types, the procedures of cell imaging using STIM, and the quantitative elemental analysis of single cells using RBS and PIXE. Recent work on single cells at the Nuclear Microscopy Research Centre,National University of Singapore has centred around two research areas: (a) Apoptosis (programmed cell death), which has been recently implicated in a wide range of pathological conditions such as cancer, Parkinson's disease etc, and (b) Malaria (infection of red blood cells by the malaria parasite). Firstly we present results on the elemental analysis of human Chang liver cells (ATTCC CCL 13) where vanadium ions were used to trigger apoptosis, and demonstrate that nuclear microscopy has the capability of monitoring vanadium loading within individual cells. Secondly we present the results of elemental changes taking place in individual mouse red blood cells which have been infected with the malaria parasite and treated with the anti-malaria drug Qinghaosu (QHS).

  10. Principles of Sterilization of Mars Descent Vehicle Elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trofimov, Vladislav; Deshevaya, Elena; Khamidullina, N.; Kalashnikov, Viktor

    Due to COSPAR severe requirements to permissible microbiological contamination of elements of down-to-Mars S/C as well as complexity of their chemical composition and structure the exposure of such S/C elements to antimicrobial treatment (sterilization) at their integration requires application of a wide set of methods: chemical, ultraviolet, radiation. The report describes the analysis of all the aspects of applicable methods of treatment for cleaning of elements’ surfaces and inner contents from microbiota. The analysis showed that the most important, predictable and controllable method is radiation processing (of the elements which don’t change their properties after effective treatment). The experience of ionizing radiation application for sterilization of products for medicine, etc. shows that, depending on initial microbial contamination of lander elements, the required absorbed dose can be within the range 12 ÷ 35 kGr. The analysis of the effect of irregularity of radiation absorption in complex structure elements to the choice of radiation methodology was made and the algorithm of the choice of effective conditions of radiation treatment and control of sterilization efficiency was suggested. The important phase of establishing of the effective condition of each structure element treatment is experimental verification of real microbiological contamination in terms of S/C integration, contamination maximum decrease using another cleaning procedures (mechanical, chemical, ultraviolet) and determination of radiation resistance of spore microorganisms typical for the shops of space technology manufacturing and assembling. Proceeding from three parameters (irregularity of radiation absorption in a concrete element, its initial microbial contamination and resistance of microorganisms to the effect of radiation) the condition of the packed object sterilization is chosen, the condition that prevents secondary contamination, ensures given reliability of the treatment without final experimental microbiological verification only by simple control of the absorbed dose at critical points. All the process phases (from the choice of treatment conditions to provision of the procedure safety) are strictly regulated by Russian legislation in accordance with international standards.

  11. Analysis of the effect of mobile phone base station antenna loading on localized SAR and its consequences for measurements.

    PubMed

    Hansson, Björn; Thors, Björn; Törnevik, Christer

    2011-12-01

    In this work, the effect of antenna element loading on the localized specific absorption rate (SAR) has been analyzed for base station antennas. The analysis was conducted in order to determine whether localized SAR measurements of large multi-element base station antennas can be conducted using standardized procedures and commercially available equipment. More specifically, it was investigated if the antenna shifting measurement procedure, specified in the European base station exposure assessment standard EN 50383, will produce accurate localized SAR results for base station antennas larger than the specified measurement phantom. The obtained results show that SAR accuracy is affected by the presence of lossy material within distances of one wavelength from the tested antennas as a consequence of coupling and redistribution of transmitted power among the antenna elements. It was also found that the existing standardized phantom is not optimal for SAR measurements of large base station antennas. A new methodology is instead proposed based on a larger, box-shaped, whole-body phantom. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Analysis of Greek small coinage from the classic period

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Šmit, Ž.; Šemrov, A.

    2018-02-01

    A series of 25 Greek coins from the 6th to 4th centuries BC was studied by PIXE for their trace element composition, with an aim to discover the origin of their silver ore. The procedure revealed a counterfeited coin, and then concentrated on distinguishing the coins minted from the ore of Laurion on the Attica peninsula and the coins minted from other sources. Linear discriminant analysis based on the impurities and alloying elements of copper, gold, lead and bismuth revealed that discrimination is indeed possible according to a single canonical variable.

  13. The NASA/industry Design Analysis Methods for Vibrations (DAMVIBS) program: McDonnell-Douglas Helicopter Company achievements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Toossi, Mostafa; Weisenburger, Richard; Hashemi-Kia, Mostafa

    1993-01-01

    This paper presents a summary of some of the work performed by McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company under NASA Langley-sponsored rotorcraft structural dynamics program known as DAMVIBS (Design Analysis Methods for VIBrationS). A set of guidelines which is applicable to dynamic modeling, analysis, testing, and correlation of both helicopter airframes and a large variety of structural finite element models is presented. Utilization of these guidelines and the key features of their applications to vibration modeling of helicopter airframes are discussed. Correlation studies with the test data, together with the development and applications of a set of efficient finite element model checkout procedures, are demonstrated on a large helicopter airframe finite element model. Finally, the lessons learned and the benefits resulting from this program are summarized.

  14. Finite element analysis of TAVI: Impact of native aortic root computational modeling strategies on simulation outcomes.

    PubMed

    Finotello, Alice; Morganti, Simone; Auricchio, Ferdinando

    2017-09-01

    In the last few years, several studies, each with different aim and modeling detail, have been proposed to investigate transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with finite elements. The present work focuses on the patient-specific finite element modeling of the aortic valve complex. In particular, we aim at investigating how different modeling strategies in terms of material models/properties and discretization procedures can impact analysis results. Four different choices both for the mesh size (from  20 k elements to  200 k elements) and for the material model (from rigid to hyperelastic anisotropic) are considered. Different approaches for modeling calcifications are also taken into account. Post-operative CT data of the real implant are used as reference solution with the aim of outlining a trade-off between computational model complexity and reliability of the results. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The association between content of the elements S, Cl, K, Fe, Cu, Zn and Br in normal and cirrhotic liver tissue from Danes and Greenlandic Inuit examined by dual hierarchical clustering analysis.

    PubMed

    Laursen, Jens; Milman, Nils; Pind, Niels; Pedersen, Henrik; Mulvad, Gert

    2014-01-01

    Meta-analysis of previous studies evaluating associations between content of elements sulphur (S), chlorine (Cl), potassium (K), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and bromine (Br) in normal and cirrhotic autopsy liver tissue samples. Normal liver samples from 45 Greenlandic Inuit, median age 60 years and from 71 Danes, median age 61 years. Cirrhotic liver samples from 27 Danes, median age 71 years. Element content was measured using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Dual hierarchical clustering analysis, creating a dual dendrogram, one clustering element contents according to calculated similarities, one clustering elements according to correlation coefficients between the element contents, both using Euclidian distance and Ward Procedure. One dendrogram separated subjects in 7 clusters showing no differences in ethnicity, gender or age. The analysis discriminated between elements in normal and cirrhotic livers. The other dendrogram clustered elements in four clusters: sulphur and chlorine; copper and bromine; potassium and zinc; iron. There were significant correlations between the elements in normal liver samples: S was associated with Cl, K, Br and Zn; Cl with S and Br; K with S, Br and Zn; Cu with Br. Zn with S and K. Br with S, Cl, K and Cu. Fe did not show significant associations with any other element. In contrast to simple statistical methods, which analyses content of elements separately one by one, dual hierarchical clustering analysis incorporates all elements at the same time and can be used to examine the linkage and interplay between multiple elements in tissue samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Equivalent model construction for a non-linear dynamic system based on an element-wise stiffness evaluation procedure and reduced analysis of the equivalent system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Euiyoung; Cho, Maenghyo

    2017-11-01

    In most non-linear analyses, the construction of a system matrix uses a large amount of computation time, comparable to the computation time required by the solving process. If the process for computing non-linear internal force matrices is substituted with an effective equivalent model that enables the bypass of numerical integrations and assembly processes used in matrix construction, efficiency can be greatly enhanced. A stiffness evaluation procedure (STEP) establishes non-linear internal force models using polynomial formulations of displacements. To efficiently identify an equivalent model, the method has evolved such that it is based on a reduced-order system. The reduction process, however, makes the equivalent model difficult to parameterize, which significantly affects the efficiency of the optimization process. In this paper, therefore, a new STEP, E-STEP, is proposed. Based on the element-wise nature of the finite element model, the stiffness evaluation is carried out element-by-element in the full domain. Since the unit of computation for the stiffness evaluation is restricted by element size, and since the computation is independent, the equivalent model can be constructed efficiently in parallel, even in the full domain. Due to the element-wise nature of the construction procedure, the equivalent E-STEP model is easily characterized by design parameters. Various reduced-order modeling techniques can be applied to the equivalent system in a manner similar to how they are applied in the original system. The reduced-order model based on E-STEP is successfully demonstrated for the dynamic analyses of non-linear structural finite element systems under varying design parameters.

  17. Simple Procedure to Compute the Inductance of a Toroidal Ferrite Core from the Linear to the Saturation Regions

    PubMed Central

    Salas, Rosa Ana; Pleite, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    We propose a specific procedure to compute the inductance of a toroidal ferrite core as a function of the excitation current. The study includes the linear, intermediate and saturation regions. The procedure combines the use of Finite Element Analysis in 2D and experimental measurements. Through the two dimensional (2D) procedure we are able to achieve convergence, a reduction of computational cost and equivalent results to those computed by three dimensional (3D) simulations. The validation is carried out by comparing 2D, 3D and experimental results. PMID:28809283

  18. Procedures for shape optimization of gas turbine disks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cheu, Tsu-Chien

    1989-01-01

    Two procedures, the feasible direction method and sequential linear programming, for shape optimization of gas turbine disks are presented. The objective of these procedures is to obtain optimal designs of turbine disks with geometric and stress constraints. The coordinates of the selected points on the disk contours are used as the design variables. Structural weight, stress and their derivatives with respect to the design variables are calculated by an efficient finite element method for design senitivity analysis. Numerical examples of the optimal designs of a disk subjected to thermo-mechanical loadings are presented to illustrate and compare the effectiveness of these two procedures.

  19. Asphalt pavement aging and temperature dependent properties using functionally graded viscoelastic model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dave, Eshan V.

    Asphalt concrete pavements are inherently graded viscoelastic structures. Oxidative aging of asphalt binder and temperature cycling due to climatic conditions being the major cause of non-homogeneity. Current pavement analysis and simulation procedures dwell on the use of layered approach to account for these non-homogeneities. The conventional finite-element modeling (FEM) technique discretizes the problem domain into smaller elements, each with a unique constitutive property. However the assignment of unique material property description to an element in the FEM approach makes it an unattractive choice for simulation of problems with material non-homogeneities. Specialized elements such as "graded elements" allow for non-homogenous material property definitions within an element. This dissertation describes the development of graded viscoelastic finite element analysis method and its application for analysis of asphalt concrete pavements. Results show that the present research improves efficiency and accuracy of simulations for asphalt pavement systems. Some of the practical implications of this work include the new technique's capability for accurate analysis and design of asphalt pavements and overlay systems and for the determination of pavement performance with varying climatic conditions and amount of in-service age. Other application areas include simulation of functionally graded fiber-reinforced concrete, geotechnical materials, metal and metal composites at high temperatures, polymers, and several other naturally existing and engineered materials.

  20. Thermal-Acoustic Analysis of a Metallic Integrated Thermal Protection System Structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Behnke, Marlana N.; Sharma, Anurag; Przekop, Adam; Rizzi, Stephen A.

    2010-01-01

    A study is undertaken to investigate the response of a representative integrated thermal protection system structure under combined thermal, aerodynamic pressure, and acoustic loadings. A two-step procedure is offered and consists of a heat transfer analysis followed by a nonlinear dynamic analysis under a combined loading environment. Both analyses are carried out in physical degrees-of-freedom using implicit and explicit solution techniques available in the Abaqus commercial finite-element code. The initial study is conducted on a reduced-size structure to keep the computational effort contained while validating the procedure and exploring the effects of individual loadings. An analysis of a full size integrated thermal protection system structure, which is of ultimate interest, is subsequently presented. The procedure is demonstrated to be a viable approach for analysis of spacecraft and hypersonic vehicle structures under a typical mission cycle with combined loadings characterized by largely different time-scales.

  1. Thermo-viscoelastic analysis of composite materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Kuen Y.; Hwang, I. H.

    1989-01-01

    The thermo-viscoelastic boundary value problem for anisotropic materials is formulated and a numerical procedure is developed for the efficient analysis of stress and deformation histories in composites. The procedure is based on the finite element method and therefore it is applicable to composite laminates containing geometric discontinuities and complicated boundary conditions. Using the present formulation, the time-dependent stress and strain distributions in both notched and unnotched graphite/epoxy composites have been obtained. The effect of temperature and ply orientation on the creep and relaxation response is also studied.

  2. Elemental composition of edible nuts: fast optimization and validation procedure of an ICP-OES method.

    PubMed

    Tošić, Snežana B; Mitić, Snežana S; Velimirović, Dragan S; Stojanović, Gordana S; Pavlović, Aleksandra N; Pecev-Marinković, Emilija T

    2015-08-30

    An inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry method for the speedy simultaneous detection of 19 elements in edible nuts (walnuts: Juglans nigra; almonds: Prunus dulcis; hazelnuts: Corylus avellana; Brazil nuts: Bertholletia excelsa; cashews: Anacardium occidentalle; pistachios: Pistacia vera; and peanuts: Arachis hypogaea) available on the Serbian markets, was optimized and validated through the selection of instrumental parameters and analytical lines free from spectral interference and with the lowest matrix effects. The analysed macro-elements were present in the following descending order: Na > Mg > Ca > K. Of all the trace elements, the tested samples showed the highest content of Fe. The micro-element Se was detected in all the samples of nuts. The toxic elements As, Cd and Pb were either not detected or the contents were below the limit of detection. One-way analysis of variance, Student's t-test, Tukey's HSD post hoc test and hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis were applied in the statistical analysis of the results. Based on the detected content of analysed elements it can be concluded that nuts may be a good additional source of minerals as micronutrients. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  3. Application of an enhanced discrete element method to oil and gas drilling processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ubach, Pere Andreu; Arrufat, Ferran; Ring, Lev; Gandikota, Raju; Zárate, Francisco; Oñate, Eugenio

    2016-03-01

    The authors present results on the use of the discrete element method (DEM) for the simulation of drilling processes typical in the oil and gas exploration industry. The numerical method uses advanced DEM techniques using a local definition of the DEM parameters and combined FEM-DEM procedures. This paper presents a step-by-step procedure to build a DEM model for analysis of the soil region coupled to a FEM model for discretizing the drilling tool that reproduces the drilling mechanics of a particular drill bit. A parametric study has been performed to determine the model parameters in order to maintain accurate solutions with reduced computational cost.

  4. Elastic-Plastic Finite Element Analysis of Fatigue Crack Growth in Mode 1 and Mode 2 Conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nakagaki, M.; Atluri, S. N.

    1978-01-01

    Presented is an alternate cost-efficient and accurate elastic-plastic finite element procedure to analyze fatigue crack closure and its effects under general spectrum loading. Both Modes 1 and 2 type cycling loadings are considered. Also presented are the results of an investigation, using the newly developed procedure, of various factors that cause crack growth acceleration or retardation and delay effects under high-to-low, low-to-high, single overload, and constant amplitude type cyclic loading in a Mode 1 situation. Further, the results of an investigation of a centercracked panel under external pure shear (Mode 2) cyclic loading, of constant amplitude, are reported.

  5. A Procedure for 3-D Contact Stress Analysis of Spiral Bevel Gears

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kumar, A.; Bibel, G.

    1994-01-01

    Contact stress distribution of spiral bevel gears using nonlinear finite element static analysis is presented. Procedures have been developed to solve the nonlinear equations that identify the gear and pinion surface coordinates based on the kinematics of the cutting process and orientate the pinion and the gear in space to mesh with each other. Contact is simulated by connecting GAP elements along the intersection of a line from each pinion point (parallel to the normal at the contact point) with the gear surface. A three dimensional model with four gear teeth and three pinion teeth is used to determine the contact stresses at two different contact positions in a spiral bevel gearset. A summary of the elliptical contact stress distribution is given. This information will be helpful to helicopter and aircraft transmission designers who need to minimize weight of the transmission and maximize reliability.

  6. Analytical and experimental investigation of a 1/8-scale dynamic model of the shuttle orbiter. Volume 2: Technical report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mason, P. W.; Harris, H. G.; Zalesak, J.; Bernstein, M.

    1974-01-01

    The methods and procedures used in the analysis and testing of the scale model are reported together with the correlation of the analytical and experimental results. The model, the NASTRAN finite element analysis, and results are discussed. Tests and analytical investigations are also reported.

  7. Design of near-field irregular diffractive optical elements by use of a multiresolution direct binary search method.

    PubMed

    Li, Jia-Han; Webb, Kevin J; Burke, Gerald J; White, Daniel A; Thompson, Charles A

    2006-05-01

    A multiresolution direct binary search iterative procedure is used to design small dielectric irregular diffractive optical elements that have subwavelength features and achieve near-field focusing below the diffraction limit. Designs with a single focus or with two foci, depending on wavelength or polarization, illustrate the possible functionalities available from the large number of degrees of freedom. These examples suggest that the concept of such elements may find applications in near-field lithography, wavelength-division multiplexing, spectral analysis, and polarization beam splitters.

  8. Development of non-linear finite element computer code

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Becker, E. B.; Miller, T.

    1985-01-01

    Recent work has shown that the use of separable symmetric functions of the principal stretches can adequately describe the response of certain propellant materials and, further, that a data reduction scheme gives a convenient way of obtaining the values of the functions from experimental data. Based on representation of the energy, a computational scheme was developed that allows finite element analysis of boundary value problems of arbitrary shape and loading. The computational procedure was implemental in a three-dimensional finite element code, TEXLESP-S, which is documented herein.

  9. Prediction of contact path and load sharing in spiral bevel gears

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bibel, George D.; Tiku, Karuna; Kumar, Ashok

    1994-01-01

    A procedure is presented to perform a contact analysis of spiral bevel gears in order to predict the contact path and the load sharing as the gears roll through mesh. The approach utilizes recent advances in automated contact methods for nonlinear finite element analysis. A sector of the pinion and gear is modeled consisting of three pinion teeth and four gear teeth in mesh. Calculation of the contact force and stresses through the gear meshing cycle are demonstrated. Summary of the results are presented using three dimensional plots and tables. Issues relating to solution convergence and requirements for running large finite element analysis on a supercomputer are discussed.

  10. Study of propellant dynamics in a shuttle type launch vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, C. E.; Feng, G. C.

    1972-01-01

    A method and an associated digital computer program for evaluating the vibrational characteristics of large liquid-filled rigid wall tanks of general shape are presented. A solution procedure was developed in which slosh modes and frequencies are computed for systems mathematically modeled as assemblages of liquid finite elements. To retain sparsity in the assembled system mass and stiffness matrices, a compressible liquid element formulation was incorporated in the program. The approach taken in the liquid finite element formulation is compatible with triangular and quadrilateral structural finite elements so that the analysis of liquid motion can be coupled with flexible tank wall motion at some future time. The liquid element repertoire developed during the course of this study consists of a two-dimensional triangular element and a three-dimensional tetrahedral element.

  11. Stratospheric Sampling and In Situ Atmospheric Chemical Element Analysis During Meteor Showers: A Resource Study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noever, David A.

    2000-01-01

    Resources studies for asteroidal mining evaluation have depended historically on remote sensing analysis for chemical elements. During the November 1998 Leonids meteor shower, a stratospheric balloon and various low-density capture media were used to sample fragments from Comet Tempel-Tuttle debris during a peak Earth crossing. The analysis not only demonstrates how potential sampling strategies may improve the projections for metals or rare elements in astromining, but also benchmarks materials during low temperature (-60 F), high dessication environments as seen during atmospheric exposure. The results indicate high aluminum, magnesium and iron content for various sampled particles recovered, but generalization to the sporadic meteors expected from asteroidal sources will require future improvements in larger sampling volumes before a broad-use strategy for chemical analysis can be described. A repeat of the experimental procedure is planned for the November 1999 Leonids' shower, and various improvements for atmospheric sampling will be discussed.

  12. Development of virtual environments for training skills and reducing errors in laparoscopic surgery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tendick, Frank; Downes, Michael S.; Cavusoglu, Murat C.; Gantert, Walter A.; Way, Lawrence W.

    1998-06-01

    In every surgical procedure there are key steps and skills that, if performed incorrectly, can lead to complications. In conjunction with efforts, based on task and error analysis, in the Videoscopic Training Center at UCSF to identify these key elements in laparoscopic surgical procedures, the authors are developing virtual environments and modeling methods to train the elements. Laparoscopic surgery is particularly demanding of the surgeon's spatial skills, requiring the ability to create 3D mental models and plans while viewing a 2D image. For example, operating a laparoscope with the objective lens angled from the scope axis is a skill that some surgeons have difficulty mastering, even after using the instrument in many procedures. Virtual environments are a promising medium for teaching spatial skills. A kinematically accurate model of an angled laparoscope in an environment of simple targets is being tested in courses for novice and experienced surgeons. Errors in surgery are often due to a misinterpretation of local anatomy compounded with inadequate procedural knowledge. Methods to avoid bile duct injuries in cholecystectomy are being integrated into a deformable environment consisting of the liver, gallbladder, and biliary tree. Novel deformable tissue modeling algorithms based on finite element methods will be used to improve the response of the anatomical models.

  13. Inorganic chemical investigation by X-ray fluorescence analysis - The Viking Mars Lander

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Toulmin, P., III; Rose, H. J., Jr.; Baird, A. K.; Clark, B. C.; Keil, K.

    1973-01-01

    The inorganic chemical investigation experiment added in August 1972 to the Viking Lander scientific package uses an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer in which four sealed, gas-filled proportional counters detect X-rays emitted from samples of the Martian surface materials irradiated by X-rays from radioisotope sources (Fe-55 and Cd-109). The instrument is inside the Lander body, and samples are to be delivered to it by the Viking Lander Surface Sampler. Instrument design is described along with details of the data processing and analysis procedures. The results of the investigation will characterize the surface materials of Mars as to elemental composition with accuracies ranging from a few tens of parts per million (at the trace-element level) to a few per cent (for major elements) depending on the element in question.

  14. Biomedical studies by PIXE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Afarideh, H.; Amirabadi, A.; Hadji-Saeid, S. M.; Mansourian, N.; Kaviani, K.; Zibafar, E.

    1996-04-01

    In the present biomedical research, PIXE a powerful technique for elemental analysis was employed to illustrate the importance of multi-elemental determination of serum trace elements in two cases of great medical interest. Those are evaluation of the desferroxamine drug (DPO), a widely used therapy for patient with β-thalassemia-Major (β-thal-M), and investigation of elemental variations in blood-serum in hyperbilirubinamia new-borns before and after blood transfusion (BT). The purpose of the work is to demonstrate the various aspects of PIXE analysis by some practical examples as well as to draw some general conclusions regarding the cure of those patients with the above mentioned disorders or diseases. To present in details each case, we divide the paper in two parts: part 1 and part 2 to consider the experimental procedure as well as the results individually.

  15. User's manual for rocket combustor interactive design (ROCCID) and analysis computer program. Volume 1: User's manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Muss, J. A.; Nguyen, T. V.; Johnson, C. W.

    1991-01-01

    The user's manual for the rocket combustor interactive design (ROCCID) computer program is presented. The program, written in Fortran 77, provides a standardized methodology using state of the art codes and procedures for the analysis of a liquid rocket engine combustor's steady state combustion performance and combustion stability. The ROCCID is currently capable of analyzing mixed element injector patterns containing impinging like doublet or unlike triplet, showerhead, shear coaxial, and swirl coaxial elements as long as only one element type exists in each injector core, baffle, or barrier zone. Real propellant properties of oxygen, hydrogen, methane, propane, and RP-1 are included in ROCCID. The properties of other propellants can easily be added. The analysis model in ROCCID can account for the influence of acoustic cavities, helmholtz resonators, and radial thrust chamber baffles on combustion stability. ROCCID also contains the logic to interactively create a combustor design which meets input performance and stability goals. A preliminary design results from the application of historical correlations to the input design requirements. The steady state performance and combustion stability of this design is evaluated using the analysis models, and ROCCID guides the user as to the design changes required to satisfy the user's performance and stability goals, including the design of stability aids. Output from ROCCID includes a formatted input file for the standardized JANNAF engine performance prediction procedure.

  16. Optimum structural sizing of conventional cantilever and joined wing configurations using equivalent beam models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hajela, P.; Chen, J. L.

    1986-01-01

    The present paper describes an approach for the optimum sizing of single and joined wing structures that is based on representing the built-up finite element model of the structure by an equivalent beam model. The low order beam model is computationally more efficient in an environment that requires repetitive analysis of several trial designs. The design procedure is implemented in a computer program that requires geometry and loading data typically available from an aerodynamic synthesis program, to create the finite element model of the lifting surface and an equivalent beam model. A fully stressed design procedure is used to obtain rapid estimates of the optimum structural weight for the beam model for a given geometry, and a qualitative description of the material distribution over the wing structure. The synthesis procedure is demonstrated for representative single wing and joined wing structures.

  17. Advanced superposition methods for high speed turbopump vibration analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nielson, C. E.; Campany, A. D.

    1981-01-01

    The small, high pressure Mark 48 liquid hydrogen turbopump was analyzed and dynamically tested to determine the cause of high speed vibration at an operating speed of 92,400 rpm. This approaches the design point operating speed of 95,000 rpm. The initial dynamic analysis in the design stage and subsequent further analysis of the rotor only dynamics failed to predict the vibration characteristics found during testing. An advanced procedure for dynamics analysis was used in this investigation. The procedure involves developing accurate dynamic models of the rotor assembly and casing assembly by finite element analysis. The dynamically instrumented assemblies are independently rap tested to verify the analytical models. The verified models are then combined by modal superposition techniques to develop a completed turbopump model where dynamic characteristics are determined. The results of the dynamic testing and analysis obtained are presented and methods of moving the high speed vibration characteristics to speeds above the operating range are recommended. Recommendations for use of these advanced dynamic analysis procedures during initial design phases are given.

  18. Quantitative determination of low-Z elements in single atmospheric particles on boron substrates by automated scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Choël, Marie; Deboudt, Karine; Osán, János; Flament, Pascal; Van Grieken, René

    2005-09-01

    Atmospheric aerosols consist of a complex heterogeneous mixture of particles. Single-particle analysis techniques are known to provide unique information on the size-resolved chemical composition of aerosols. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with a thin-window energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) detector enables the morphological and elemental analysis of single particles down to 0.1 microm with a detection limit of 1-10 wt %, low-Z elements included. To obtain data statistically representative of the air masses sampled, a computer-controlled procedure can be implemented in order to run hundreds of single-particle analyses (typically 1000-2000) automatically in a relatively short period of time (generally 4-8 h, depending on the setup and on the particle loading). However, automated particle analysis by SEM-EDX raises two practical challenges: the accuracy of the particle recognition and the reliability of the quantitative analysis, especially for micrometer-sized particles with low atomic number contents. Since low-Z analysis is hampered by the use of traditional polycarbonate membranes, an alternate choice of substrate is a prerequisite. In this work, boron is being studied as a promising material for particle microanalysis. As EDX is generally said to probe a volume of approximately 1 microm3, geometry effects arise from the finite size of microparticles. These particle geometry effects must be corrected by means of a robust concentration calculation procedure. Conventional quantitative methods developed for bulk samples generate elemental concentrations considerably in error when applied to microparticles. A new methodology for particle microanalysis, combining the use of boron as the substrate material and a reverse Monte Carlo quantitative program, was tested on standard particles ranging from 0.25 to 10 microm. We demonstrate that the quantitative determination of low-Z elements in microparticles is achievable and that highly accurate results can be obtained using the automatic data processing described here compared to conventional methods.

  19. Development of simulation techniques suitable for the analysis of air traffic control situations and instrumentation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    A terminal area simulation is described which permits analysis and synthesis of current and advanced air traffic management system configurations including ground and airborne instrumentation and new and modified aircraft characteristics. Ground elements in the simulation include navigation aids, surveillance radars, communication links, air-route structuring, ATC procedures, airport geometries and runway handling constraints. Airborne elements include traffic samples with individual aircraft performance and operating characteristics and aircraft navigation equipment. The simulation also contains algorithms for conflict detection, conflict resolution, sequencing and pilot-controller data links. The simulation model is used to determine the sensitivities of terminal area traffic flow, safety and congestion to aircraft performance characteristics, avionics systems, and other ATC elements.

  20. Analysis of some chosen elements of cerebrospinal fluid and serum in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients by total reflection X-ray fluorescence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ostachowicz, B.; Lankosz, M.; Tomik, B.; Adamek, D.; Wobrauschek, P.; Streli, C.; Kregsamer, P.

    2006-11-01

    Trace elements play an important role in the human central nervous system. Significant variations of the concentration of trace elements in body fluids may occur in neurodegenerative diseases. In the present work an investigation of the elemental composition of the serum, and the cerebrospinal fluid in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and a control group was performed. For the analysis of the body fluids Total reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry was used. The samples were taken during routine diagnostic procedures. Na, Mg, Cl, K, Ca, Cu, Zn, and Br were determined in both fluids. In order to validate the results of analysis a serum standard reference material was measured. A t-test was applied to check if the mean concentrations of the elements are different for ALS and the control group. For the serum samples higher values for Br were found in the ALS group, for the cerebrospinal fluid lower values of Na, Mg and Zn as well as higher Ca values were found in the ALS group compared to the control group.

  1. On Dynamics of Spinning Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gupta, K. K.; Ibrahim, A.

    2012-01-01

    This paper provides details of developments pertaining to vibration analysis of gyroscopic systems, that involves a finite element structural discretization followed by the solution of the resulting matrix eigenvalue problem by a progressive, accelerated simultaneous iteration technique. Thus Coriolis, centrifugal and geometrical stiffness matrices are derived for shell and line elements, followed by the eigensolution details as well as solution of representative problems that demonstrates the efficacy of the currently developed numerical procedures and tools.

  2. Time-independent Anisotropic Plastic Behavior by Mechanical Subelement Models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pian, T. H. H.

    1983-01-01

    The paper describes a procedure for modelling the anisotropic elastic-plastic behavior of metals in plane stress state by the mechanical sub-layer model. In this model the stress-strain curves along the longitudinal and transverse directions are represented by short smooth segments which are considered as piecewise linear for simplicity. The model is incorporated in a finite element analysis program which is based on the assumed stress hybrid element and the iscoplasticity-theory.

  3. CFD Methods and Tools for Multi-Element Airfoil Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, Stuart E.; George, Michael W. (Technical Monitor)

    1995-01-01

    This lecture will discuss the computational tools currently available for high-lift multi-element airfoil analysis. It will present an overview of a number of different numerical approaches, their current capabilities, short-comings, and computational costs. The lecture will be limited to viscous methods, including inviscid/boundary layer coupling methods, and incompressible and compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methods. Both structured and unstructured grid generation approaches will be presented. Two different structured grid procedures are outlined, one which uses multi-block patched grids, the other uses overset chimera grids. Turbulence and transition modeling will be discussed.

  4. On the Interconnection of Incompatible Solid Finite Element Meshes Using Multipoint Constraints

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fox, G. L.

    1985-01-01

    Incompatible meshes, i.e., meshes that physically must have a common boundary, but do not necessarily have coincident grid points, can arise in the course of a finite element analysis. For example, two substructures may have been developed at different times for different purposes and it becomes necessary to interconnect the two models. A technique that uses only multipoint constraints, i.e., MPC cards (or MPCS cards in substructuring), is presented. Since the method uses only MPC's, the procedure may apply at any stage in an analysis; no prior planning or special data is necessary.

  5. Optimization for minimum sensitivity to uncertain parameters

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pritchard, Jocelyn I.; Adelman, Howard M.; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

    1994-01-01

    A procedure to design a structure for minimum sensitivity to uncertainties in problem parameters is described. The approach is to minimize directly the sensitivity derivatives of the optimum design with respect to fixed design parameters using a nested optimization procedure. The procedure is demonstrated for the design of a bimetallic beam for minimum weight with insensitivity to uncertainties in structural properties. The beam is modeled with finite elements based on two dimensional beam analysis. A sequential quadratic programming procedure used as the optimizer supplies the Lagrange multipliers that are used to calculate the optimum sensitivity derivatives. The method was perceived to be successful from comparisons of the optimization results with parametric studies.

  6. Determination of brace forces caused by construction loads and wind loads during bridge construction.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-04-01

    The first objective of this study was to develop procedures for determining bracing forces during bridge construction. : Numerical finite element models and analysis techniques were developed for evaluating brace forces induced by construction loads ...

  7. Obtaining manufactured geometries of deep-drawn components through a model updating procedure using geometric shape parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balla, Vamsi Krishna; Coox, Laurens; Deckers, Elke; Plyumers, Bert; Desmet, Wim; Marudachalam, Kannan

    2018-01-01

    The vibration response of a component or system can be predicted using the finite element method after ensuring numerical models represent realistic behaviour of the actual system under study. One of the methods to build high-fidelity finite element models is through a model updating procedure. In this work, a novel model updating method of deep-drawn components is demonstrated. Since the component is manufactured with a high draw ratio, significant deviations in both profile and thickness distributions occurred in the manufacturing process. A conventional model updating, involving Young's modulus, density and damping ratios, does not lead to a satisfactory match between simulated and experimental results. Hence a new model updating process is proposed, where geometry shape variables are incorporated, by carrying out morphing of the finite element model. This morphing process imitates the changes that occurred during the deep drawing process. An optimization procedure that uses the Global Response Surface Method (GRSM) algorithm to maximize diagonal terms of the Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) matrix is presented. This optimization results in a more accurate finite element model. The advantage of the proposed methodology is that the CAD surface of the updated finite element model can be readily obtained after optimization. This CAD model can be used for carrying out analysis, as it represents the manufactured part more accurately. Hence, simulations performed using this updated model with an accurate geometry, will therefore yield more reliable results.

  8. Optimization of reinforced concrete slabs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ferritto, J. M.

    1979-01-01

    Reinforced concrete cells composed of concrete slabs and used to limit the effects of accidental explosions during hazardous explosives operations are analyzed. An automated design procedure which considers the dynamic nonlinear behavior of the reinforced concrete of arbitrary geometrical and structural configuration subjected to dynamic pressure loading is discussed. The optimum design of the slab is examined using an interior penalty function. The optimization procedure is presented and the results are discussed and compared with finite element analysis.

  9. On numerically accurate finite element

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nagtegaal, J. C.; Parks, D. M.; Rice, J. R.

    1974-01-01

    A general criterion for testing a mesh with topologically similar repeat units is given, and the analysis shows that only a few conventional element types and arrangements are, or can be made suitable for computations in the fully plastic range. Further, a new variational principle, which can easily and simply be incorporated into an existing finite element program, is presented. This allows accurate computations to be made even for element designs that would not normally be suitable. Numerical results are given for three plane strain problems, namely pure bending of a beam, a thick-walled tube under pressure, and a deep double edge cracked tensile specimen. The effects of various element designs and of the new variational procedure are illustrated. Elastic-plastic computation at finite strain are discussed.

  10. Changes of the elemental distributions in marine diatoms as a reporter of sample preparation artefacts. A nuclear microscopy application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Godinho, R. M.; Cabrita, M. T.; Alves, L. C.; Pinheiro, T.

    2015-04-01

    Studies of the elemental composition of whole marine diatoms cells have high interest as they constitute a direct measurement of environmental changes, and allow anticipating consequences of anthropogenic alterations to organisms, ecosystems and global marine geochemical cycles. Nuclear microscopy is a powerful tool allowing direct measurement of whole cells giving qualitative imaging of distribution, and quantitative determination of intracellular concentration. Major obstacles to the analysis of marine microalgae are high medium salinity and the recurrent presence of extracellular exudates produced by algae to maintain colonies in natural media and in vitro. The objective of this paper was to optimize the methodology of sample preparation of marine unicellular algae for elemental analysis with nuclear microscopy, allowing further studies on cellular response to metals. Primary cultures of Coscinodiscus wailesii maintained in vitro were used to optimize protocols for elemental analysis with nuclear microscopy techniques. Adequate cell preparation procedures to isolate the cells from media components and exudates were established. The use of chemical agents proved to be inappropriate for elemental determination and for intracellular morphological analysis. The assessment of morphology and elemental partitioning in cell compartments obtained with nuclear microscopy techniques enabled to infer their function in natural environment and imbalances in exposure condition. Exposure to metal affected C. wailesii morphology and internal elemental distribution.

  11. Updated Lagrangian finite element formulations of various biological soft tissue non-linear material models: a comprehensive procedure and review.

    PubMed

    Townsend, Molly T; Sarigul-Klijn, Nesrin

    2016-01-01

    Simplified material models are commonly used in computational simulation of biological soft tissue as an approximation of the complicated material response and to minimize computational resources. However, the simulation of complex loadings, such as long-duration tissue swelling, necessitates complex models that are not easy to formulate. This paper strives to offer the updated Lagrangian formulation comprehensive procedure of various non-linear material models for the application of finite element analysis of biological soft tissues including a definition of the Cauchy stress and the spatial tangential stiffness. The relationships between water content, osmotic pressure, ionic concentration and the pore pressure stress of the tissue are discussed with the merits of these models and their applications.

  12. Neutron radiative capture methods for surface elemental analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Trombka, J.I.; Senftle, F.; Schmadebeck, R.

    1970-01-01

    Both an accelerator and a 252Cf neutron source have been used to induce characteristic gamma radiation from extended soil samples. To demonstrate the method, measurements of the neutron-induced radiative capture and activation gamma rays have been made with both Ge(Li) and NaI(Tl) detectors, Because of the possible application to space flight geochemical analysis, it is believed that NaI(Tl) detectors must be used. Analytical procedures have been developed to obtain both qualitative and semiquantitative results from an interpretation of the measured NaI(Tl) pulse-height spectrum. Experiment results and the analytic procedure are presented. ?? 1970.

  13. Application of Benchmark Examples to Assess the Single and Mixed-Mode Static Delamination Propagation Capabilities in ANSYS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Ronald

    2012-01-01

    The application of benchmark examples for the assessment of quasi-static delamination propagation capabilities is demonstrated for ANSYS. The examples are independent of the analysis software used and allow the assessment of the automated delamination propagation in commercial finite element codes based on the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). The examples selected are based on two-dimensional finite element models of Double Cantilever Beam (DCB), End-Notched Flexure (ENF), Mixed-Mode Bending (MMB) and Single Leg Bending (SLB) specimens. First, the quasi-static benchmark examples were recreated for each specimen using the current implementation of VCCT in ANSYS . Second, the delamination was allowed to propagate under quasi-static loading from its initial location using the automated procedure implemented in the finite element software. Third, the load-displacement relationship from a propagation analysis and the benchmark results were compared, and good agreement could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. The benchmarking procedure proved valuable by highlighting the issues associated with choosing the input parameters of the particular implementation. Overall the results are encouraging, but further assessment for three-dimensional solid models is required.

  14. Lagrangian analysis of multiscale particulate flows with the particle finite element method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oñate, Eugenio; Celigueta, Miguel Angel; Latorre, Salvador; Casas, Guillermo; Rossi, Riccardo; Rojek, Jerzy

    2014-05-01

    We present a Lagrangian numerical technique for the analysis of flows incorporating physical particles of different sizes. The numerical approach is based on the particle finite element method (PFEM) which blends concepts from particle-based techniques and the FEM. The basis of the Lagrangian formulation for particulate flows and the procedure for modelling the motion of small and large particles that are submerged in the fluid are described in detail. The numerical technique for analysis of this type of multiscale particulate flows using a stabilized mixed velocity-pressure formulation and the PFEM is also presented. Examples of application of the PFEM to several particulate flows problems are given.

  15. Accuracy of a class of concurrent algorithms for transient finite element analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ortiz, Michael; Sotelino, Elisa D.; Nour-Omid, Bahram

    1988-01-01

    The accuracy of a new class of concurrent procedures for transient finite element analysis is examined. A phase error analysis is carried out which shows that wave retardation leading to unacceptable loss of accuracy may occur if a Courant condition based on the dimensions of the subdomains is violated. Numerical tests suggest that this Courant condition is conservative for typical structural applications and may lead to a marked increase in accuracy as the number of subdomains is increased. Theoretical speed-up ratios are derived which suggest that the algorithms under consideration can be expected to exhibit a performance superior to that of globally implicit methods when implemented on parallel machines.

  16. Determination of 30 elements in coal and fly ash by thermal and epithermal neutron-activation analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rowe, J.J.; Steinnes, E.

    1977-01-01

    Thirty elements are determined in coal and fly ash by instrumental neutron-activation analysis using both thermal and epithermal irradiation. Gamma-ray spectra were recorded 7 and 20 days after the irradiations. The procedure is applicable to the routine analysis of coals and fly ash. Epithermal irradiation was found preferable for the determination of Ni, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Mo, Sb, Cs, Ba, Sm, Tb, Hf, Ta, W, Th and U, whereas thermal irradiation was best for Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Yb and Lu. Results for SRM 1632 (coal) and SRM 1633 (fly ash) agree with those of other investigators. ?? 1977.

  17. Automatic differentiation for design sensitivity analysis of structural systems using multiple processors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Duc T.; Storaasli, Olaf O.; Qin, Jiangning; Qamar, Ramzi

    1994-01-01

    An automatic differentiation tool (ADIFOR) is incorporated into a finite element based structural analysis program for shape and non-shape design sensitivity analysis of structural systems. The entire analysis and sensitivity procedures are parallelized and vectorized for high performance computation. Small scale examples to verify the accuracy of the proposed program and a medium scale example to demonstrate the parallel vector performance on multiple CRAY C90 processors are included.

  18. Direct determination of potentially toxic elements in rice by SS-GF AAS: development of methods and applications.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Daniel Menezes; Nomura, Cassiana Seimi

    2013-07-03

    The development of methods for direct determinations of Al, Cd, and Pb in rice by SS-GF AAS is presented. Heating program optimization associated with the use of an adequate chemical modifier containing Pd + Mg allowed direct analysis against aqueous calibrations. The obtained LOD values were 114.0, 3.0, and 16.0 μg kg⁻¹ for Al, Cd, and Pb, respectively. Important parameters associated with a solid sampling analysis were investigated, such as minimum and maximum sample mass size and analyte segregation. Seventeen rice samples available in São Paulo City were analyzed, and all of them presented analyte mass fractions less than the maximum allowed by legislation. The influences of rice washing and the cooking procedure were also investigated. The washing procedure diminished the Al and Pb total mass fractions, indicating an exogenous grain contamination. The cooking procedure diminished the Cd total mass fraction. Rice cooking using an aluminum container did not cause a significant increase in the Al mass fraction in the rice, indicating no translocation of this element from container to food. In general, coarse rice presented higher levels of Al when compared to polished or parabolized rice.

  19. The MHOST finite element program: 3-D inelastic analysis methods for hot section components. Volume 1: Theoretical manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nakazawa, Shohei

    1991-01-01

    Formulations and algorithms implemented in the MHOST finite element program are discussed. The code uses a novel concept of the mixed iterative solution technique for the efficient 3-D computations of turbine engine hot section components. The general framework of variational formulation and solution algorithms are discussed which were derived from the mixed three field Hu-Washizu principle. This formulation enables the use of nodal interpolation for coordinates, displacements, strains, and stresses. Algorithmic description of the mixed iterative method includes variations for the quasi static, transient dynamic and buckling analyses. The global-local analysis procedure referred to as the subelement refinement is developed in the framework of the mixed iterative solution, of which the detail is presented. The numerically integrated isoparametric elements implemented in the framework is discussed. Methods to filter certain parts of strain and project the element discontinuous quantities to the nodes are developed for a family of linear elements. Integration algorithms are described for linear and nonlinear equations included in MHOST program.

  20. Fractionation of metals by sequential extraction procedures (BCR and Tessier) in soil exposed to fire of wide temperature range

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fajkovic, Hana; Rončević, Sanda; Nemet, Ivan; Prohić, Esad; Leontić-Vazdar, Dana

    2017-04-01

    Forest fire presents serious problem, especially in Mediterranean Region. Effects of fire are numerous, from climate change and deforestation to loss of soil organic matter and changes in soil properties. One of the effects, not well documented, is possible redistribution and/or remobilisation of pollutants previously deposited in the soil, due to the new physical and chemical soil properties and changes in equilibrium conditions. For understanding and predicting possible redistribution and/or remobilisation of potential pollutants from soil, affected by fire different in temperature, several laboratory investigations were carried out. To evaluate the influence of organic matter on soil under fire, three soil samples were analysed and compared: (a) the one with added coniferous organic matter; (b) deciduous organic matter (b) and (c) soil without additional organic matter. Type of organic matter is closely related to pH of soil, as pH is influencing the mobility of some pollutants, e.g. metals. For that reason pH was also measured through all experimental steps. Each of mentioned soil samples (a, b and c) were heated at 1+3 different temperatures (25°C, 200°C, 500°C and 850°C). After heating, whereby fire effect on soil was simulated, samples were analysed by BCR protocol with the addition of a first step of sequential extraction procedure by Tessier and analysis of residual by aqua regia. Element fractionation of heavy metals by this procedure was used to determine the amounts of selected elements (Al, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn). Selected metal concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. Further on, loss of organic matter was calculated after each heating procedure as well as the mineral composition. The mineral composition was determined using an X-ray diffraction. From obtained results, it can be concluded that temperature has an influence on concentration of elements in specific step of sequential extraction procedures. The first step of Tessier and BCR extraction of samples heated at 250°C and 500°C showed increasing trend of elemental concentrations. Results of these steps are especially important since they indicate mobile fraction of the elements (exchangeable, water- and acid-soluble fraction), which can easily affect the environment. Extraction procedures of samples combusted at 850°C showed that decrease in measured elemental content occurred. Some correlation is also noticed between type of organic matter, pH and concentration of analysed elements.

  1. Finite-element grid improvement by minimization of stiffness matrix trace

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kittur, Madan G.; Huston, Ronald L.; Oswald, Fred B.

    1989-01-01

    A new and simple method of finite-element grid improvement is presented. The objective is to improve the accuracy of the analysis. The procedure is based on a minimization of the trace of the stiffness matrix. For a broad class of problems this minimization is seen to be equivalent to minimizing the potential energy. The method is illustrated with the classical tapered bar problem examined earlier by Prager and Masur. Identical results are obtained.

  2. Finite-element grid improvement by minimization of stiffness matrix trace

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kittur, Madan G.; Huston, Ronald L.; Oswald, Fred B.

    1987-01-01

    A new and simple method of finite-element grid improvement is presented. The objective is to improve the accuracy of the analysis. The procedure is based on a minimization of the trace of the stiffness matrix. For a broad class of problems this minimization is seen to be equivalent to minimizing the potential energy. The method is illustrated with the classical tapered bar problem examined earlier by Prager and Masur. Identical results are obtained.

  3. Artificial neural networks applied to quantitative elemental analysis of organic material using PIXE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Correa, R.; Chesta, M. A.; Morales, J. R.; Dinator, M. I.; Requena, I.; Vila, I.

    2006-08-01

    An artificial neural network (ANN) has been trained with real-sample PIXE (particle X-ray induced emission) spectra of organic substances. Following the training stage ANN was applied to a subset of similar samples thus obtaining the elemental concentrations in muscle, liver and gills of Cyprinus carpio. Concentrations obtained with the ANN method are in full agreement with results from one standard analytical procedure, showing the high potentiality of ANN in PIXE quantitative analyses.

  4. Quality assurance and quality control for thermal/optical analysis of aerosol samples for organic and elemental carbon.

    PubMed

    Chow, Judith C; Watson, John G; Robles, Jerome; Wang, Xiaoliang; Chen, L-W Antony; Trimble, Dana L; Kohl, Steven D; Tropp, Richard J; Fung, Kochy K

    2011-12-01

    Accurate, precise, and valid organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC, respectively) measurements require more effort than the routine analysis of ambient aerosol and source samples. This paper documents the quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures that should be implemented to ensure consistency of OC and EC measurements. Prior to field sampling, the appropriate filter substrate must be selected and tested for sampling effectiveness. Unexposed filters are pre-fired to remove contaminants and acceptance tested. After sampling, filters must be stored in the laboratory in clean, labeled containers under refrigeration (<4 °C) to minimize loss of semi-volatile OC. QA activities include participation in laboratory accreditation programs, external system audits, and interlaboratory comparisons. For thermal/optical carbon analyses, periodic QC tests include calibration of the flame ionization detector with different types of carbon standards, thermogram inspection, replicate analyses, quantification of trace oxygen concentrations (<100 ppmv) in the helium atmosphere, and calibration of the sample temperature sensor. These established QA/QC procedures are applicable to aerosol sampling and analysis for carbon and other chemical components.

  5. Overview of the DAEDALOS project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bisagni, Chiara

    2015-10-01

    The "Dynamics in Aircraft Engineering Design and Analysis for Light Optimized Structures" (DAEDALOS) project aimed to develop methods and procedures to determine dynamic loads by considering the effects of dynamic buckling, material damping and mechanical hysteresis during aircraft service. Advanced analysis and design principles were assessed with the scope of partly removing the uncertainty and the conservatism of today's design and certification procedures. To reach these objectives a DAEDALOS aircraft model representing a mid-size business jet was developed. Analysis and in-depth investigation of the dynamic response were carried out on full finite element models and on hybrid models. Material damping was experimentally evaluated, and different methods for damping evaluation were developed, implemented in finite element codes and experimentally validated. They include a strain energy method, a quasi-linear viscoelastic material model, and a generalized Maxwell viscous material damping. Panels and shells representative of typical components of the DAEDALOS aircraft model were experimentally tested subjected to static as well as dynamic loads. Composite and metallic components of the aircraft model were investigated to evaluate the benefit in terms of weight saving.

  6. Dynamic Analysis of Geared Rotors by Finite Elements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kahraman, A.; Ozguven, H. Nevzat; Houser, D. R.; Zakrajsek, J. J.

    1992-01-01

    A finite element model of a geared rotor system on flexible bearings has been developed. The model includes the rotary inertia of on shaft elements, the axial loading on shafts, flexibility and damping of bearings, material damping of shafts and the stiffness and the damping of gear mesh. The coupling between the torsional and transverse vibrations of gears were considered in the model. A constant mesh stiffness was assumed. The analysis procedure can be used for forced vibration analysis geared rotors by calculating the critical speeds and determining the response of any point on the shafts to mass unbalances, geometric eccentricities of gears, and displacement transmission error excitation at the mesh point. The dynamic mesh forces due to these excitations can also be calculated. The model has been applied to several systems for the demonstration of its accuracy and for studying the effect of bearing compliances on system dynamics.

  7. A Procedure for Structural Weight Estimation of Single Stage to Orbit Launch Vehicles (Interim User's Manual)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martinovic, Zoran N.; Cerro, Jeffrey A.

    2002-01-01

    This is an interim user's manual for current procedures used in the Vehicle Analysis Branch at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, for launch vehicle structural subsystem weight estimation based on finite element modeling and structural analysis. The process is intended to complement traditional methods of conceptual and early preliminary structural design such as the application of empirical weight estimation or application of classical engineering design equations and criteria on one dimensional "line" models. Functions of two commercially available software codes are coupled together. Vehicle modeling and analysis are done using SDRC/I-DEAS, and structural sizing is performed with the Collier Research Corp. HyperSizer program.

  8. Structural reliability analysis of laminated CMC components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duffy, Stephen F.; Palko, Joseph L.; Gyekenyesi, John P.

    1991-01-01

    For laminated ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials to realize their full potential in aerospace applications, design methods and protocols are a necessity. The time independent failure response of these materials is focussed on and a reliability analysis is presented associated with the initiation of matrix cracking. A public domain computer algorithm is highlighted that was coupled with the laminate analysis of a finite element code and which serves as a design aid to analyze structural components made from laminated CMC materials. Issues relevant to the effect of the size of the component are discussed, and a parameter estimation procedure is presented. The estimation procedure allows three parameters to be calculated from a failure population that has an underlying Weibull distribution.

  9. Thermal-hydraulic interfacing code modules for CANDU reactors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, W.S.; Gold, M.; Sills, H.

    1997-07-01

    The approach for CANDU reactor safety analysis in Ontario Hydro Nuclear (OHN) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is presented. Reflecting the unique characteristics of CANDU reactors, the procedure of coupling the thermal-hydraulics, reactor physics and fuel channel/element codes in the safety analysis is described. The experience generated in the Canadian nuclear industry may be useful to other types of reactors in the areas of reactor safety analysis.

  10. Computational strategies for tire monitoring and analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Danielson, Kent T.; Noor, Ahmed K.; Green, James S.

    1995-01-01

    Computational strategies are presented for the modeling and analysis of tires in contact with pavement. A procedure is introduced for simple and accurate determination of tire cross-sectional geometric characteristics from a digitally scanned image. Three new strategies for reducing the computational effort in the finite element solution of tire-pavement contact are also presented. These strategies take advantage of the observation that footprint loads do not usually stimulate a significant tire response away from the pavement contact region. The finite element strategies differ in their level of approximation and required amount of computer resources. The effectiveness of the strategies is demonstrated by numerical examples of frictionless and frictional contact of the space shuttle Orbiter nose-gear tire. Both an in-house research code and a commercial finite element code are used in the numerical studies.

  11. Design sensitivity analysis of rotorcraft airframe structures for vibration reduction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Murthy, T. Sreekanta

    1987-01-01

    Optimization of rotorcraft structures for vibration reduction was studied. The objective of this study is to develop practical computational procedures for structural optimization of airframes subject to steady-state vibration response constraints. One of the key elements of any such computational procedure is design sensitivity analysis. A method for design sensitivity analysis of airframes under vibration response constraints is presented. The mathematical formulation of the method and its implementation as a new solution sequence in MSC/NASTRAN are described. The results of the application of the method to a simple finite element stick model of the AH-1G helicopter airframe are presented and discussed. Selection of design variables that are most likely to bring about changes in the response at specified locations in the airframe is based on consideration of forced response strain energy. Sensitivity coefficients are determined for the selected design variable set. Constraints on the natural frequencies are also included in addition to the constraints on the steady-state response. Sensitivity coefficients for these constraints are determined. Results of the analysis and insights gained in applying the method to the airframe model are discussed. The general nature of future work to be conducted is described.

  12. Vibration and stress analysis of soft-bonded shuttle insulation tiles. Modal analysis with compact widely space stringers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ojalvo, I. U.; Austin, F.; Levy, A.

    1974-01-01

    An efficient iterative procedure is described for the vibration and modal stress analysis of reusable surface insulation (RSI) of multi-tiled space shuttle panels. The method, which is quite general, is rapidly convergent and highly useful for this application. A user-oriented computer program based upon this procedure and titled RESIST (REusable Surface Insulation Stresses) has been prepared for the analysis of compact, widely spaced, stringer-stiffened panels. RESIST, which uses finite element methods, obtains three dimensional tile stresses in the isolator, arrestor (if any) and RSI materials. Two dimensional stresses are obtained in the tile coating and the stringer-stiffened primary structure plate. A special feature of the program is that all the usual detailed finite element grid data is generated internally from a minimum of input data. The program can accommodate tile idealizations with up to 850 nodes (2550 degrees-of-freedom) and primary structure idealizations with a maximum of 10,000 degrees-of-freedom. The primary structure vibration capability is achieved through the development of a new rapid eigenvalue program named ALARM (Automatic LArge Reduction of Matrices to tridiagonal form).

  13. Summary of 1971 water remote sensing investigations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tilton, E. L., III

    1972-01-01

    The Earth Resources Laboratory sea remote sensing program has concentrated on project planning, data acquisition procedures, and data preparation techniques to establish a firm procedural basis for the program. Most of these procedural elements were established and proven during the three missions conducted in 1971. It is anticipated that the program in 1972 will see the analysis completed on the Mississippi Sound series and the first series of Eastern Gulf experiments allowing increased emphasis to be given to more intensive technique development studies, the interrelationship of parameters for the measurement and prediction of water circulation, and the demonstration of the application of these techniques.

  14. Object-oriented philosophy in designing adaptive finite-element package for 3D elliptic deferential equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhengyong, R.; Jingtian, T.; Changsheng, L.; Xiao, X.

    2007-12-01

    Although adaptive finite-element (AFE) analysis is becoming more and more focused in scientific and engineering fields, its efficient implementations are remain to be a discussed problem as its more complex procedures. In this paper, we propose a clear C++ framework implementation to show the powerful properties of Object-oriented philosophy (OOP) in designing such complex adaptive procedure. In terms of the modal functions of OOP language, the whole adaptive system is divided into several separate parts such as the mesh generation or refinement, a-posterior error estimator, adaptive strategy and the final post processing. After proper designs are locally performed on these separate modals, a connected framework of adaptive procedure is formed finally. Based on the general elliptic deferential equation, little efforts should be added in the adaptive framework to do practical simulations. To show the preferable properties of OOP adaptive designing, two numerical examples are tested. The first one is the 3D direct current resistivity problem in which the powerful framework is efficiently shown as only little divisions are added. And then, in the second induced polarization£¨IP£©exploration case, new adaptive procedure is easily added which adequately shows the strong extendibility and re-usage of OOP language. Finally we believe based on the modal framework adaptive implementation by OOP methodology, more advanced adaptive analysis system will be available in future.

  15. Optimization design combined with coupled structural-electrostatic analysis for the electrostatically controlled deployable membrane reflector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Chao; Yang, Guigeng; Zhang, Yiqun

    2015-01-01

    The electrostatically controlled deployable membrane reflector (ECDMR) is a promising scheme to construct large size and high precision space deployable reflector antennas. This paper presents a novel design method for the large size and small F/D ECDMR considering the coupled structure-electrostatic problem. First, the fully coupled structural-electrostatic system is described by a three field formulation, in which the structure and passive electrical field is modeled by finite element method, and the deformation of the electrostatic domain is predicted by a finite element formulation of a fictitious elastic structure. A residual formulation of the structural-electrostatic field finite element model is established and solved by Newton-Raphson method. The coupled structural-electrostatic analysis procedure is summarized. Then, with the aid of this coupled analysis procedure, an integrated optimization method of membrane shape accuracy and stress uniformity is proposed, which is divided into inner and outer iterative loops. The initial state of relatively high shape accuracy and uniform stress distribution is achieved by applying the uniform prestress on the membrane design shape and optimizing the voltages, in which the optimal voltage is computed by a sensitivity analysis. The shape accuracy is further improved by the iterative prestress modification using the reposition balance method. Finally, the results of the uncoupled and coupled methods are compared and the proposed optimization method is applied to design an ECDMR. The results validate the effectiveness of this proposed methods.

  16. User's manual for rocket combustor interactive design (ROCCID) and analysis computer program. Volume 2: Appendixes A-K

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Muss, J. A.; Nguyen, T. V.; Johnson, C. W.

    1991-01-01

    The appendices A-K to the user's manual for the rocket combustor interactive design (ROCCID) computer program are presented. This includes installation instructions, flow charts, subroutine model documentation, and sample output files. The ROCCID program, written in Fortran 77, provides a standardized methodology using state of the art codes and procedures for the analysis of a liquid rocket engine combustor's steady state combustion performance and combustion stability. The ROCCID is currently capable of analyzing mixed element injector patterns containing impinging like doublet or unlike triplet, showerhead, shear coaxial and swirl coaxial elements as long as only one element type exists in each injector core, baffle, or barrier zone. Real propellant properties of oxygen, hydrogen, methane, propane, and RP-1 are included in ROCCID. The properties of other propellants can be easily added. The analysis models in ROCCID can account for the influences of acoustic cavities, helmholtz resonators, and radial thrust chamber baffles on combustion stability. ROCCID also contains the logic to interactively create a combustor design which meets input performance and stability goals. A preliminary design results from the application of historical correlations to the input design requirements. The steady state performance and combustion stability of this design is evaluated using the analysis models, and ROCCID guides the user as to the design changes required to satisfy the user's performance and stability goals, including the design of stability aids. Output from ROCCID includes a formatted input file for the standardized JANNAF engine performance prediction procedure.

  17. Interdisciplinary cognitive task analysis: a strategy to develop a comprehensive endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography protocol for use in fellowship training.

    PubMed

    Canopy, Erin; Evans, Matt; Boehler, Margaret; Roberts, Nicole; Sanfey, Hilary; Mellinger, John

    2015-10-01

    Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a challenging procedure performed by surgeons and gastroenterologists. We employed cognitive task analysis to identify steps and decision points for this procedure. Standardized interviews were conducted with expert gastroenterologists (7) and surgeons (4) from 4 institutions. A procedural step and cognitive decision point protocol was created from audio-taped transcriptions and was refined by 5 additional surgeons. Conceptual elements, sequential actions, and decision points were iterated for 5 tasks: patient preparation, duodenal intubation, selective cannulation, imaging interpretation with related therapeutic intervention, and complication management. A total of 180 steps were identified. Gastroenterologists identified 34 steps not identified by surgeons, and surgeons identified 20 steps not identified by gastroenterologists. The findings suggest that for complex procedures performed by diverse practitioners, more experts may help delineate distinctive emphases differentiated by training background and type of practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Pre and post processing using the IBM 3277 display station graphics attachment (RPQ7H0284)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burroughs, S. H.; Lawlor, M. B.; Miller, I. M.

    1978-01-01

    A graphical interactive procedure operating under TSO and utilizing two CRT display terminals is shown to be an effective means of accomplishing mesh generation, establishing boundary conditions, and reviewing graphic output for finite element analysis activity.

  19. Reaffirming Some Basic Principles in Purchasing and Maintenance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Throop, Harold L., Jr.

    1985-01-01

    Reaffirms necessary elements for the successful operation of college purchasing and maintenance programs (e.g., purchasing calendar, bidding procedures, vendor selection, contracting services, budgeting for maintenance, and workforce analysis). Discusses ways some colleges are saving on operating costs (e.g., solar energy, energy management,…

  20. The DACUM Job Analysis Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dofasco, Inc., Hamilton (Ontario).

    This document explains the DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) process for analyzing task-based jobs to: identify where standard operating procedures are required; identify duplicated low value added tasks; develop performance standards; create job descriptions; and identify the elements that must be included in job-specific training programs. The…

  1. Applying analysis tools in planning for operations : case study #2 -- incorporating Highway Capacity Manual procedures into long-range transportation planning

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefi ts of strengthening links between : planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness : of transportation systems related...

  2. The Construction of an Embankment with Frozen Soil.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-05-01

    Idewlrty by block numlbe) Inls paper presents the construction procedure, data and analysis from an experimental field program to determine the rippability ...finite element computer solution. Also the frozen chunks, produced in the ripping operation, were analyzed to determine the rippability of the frozen

  3. INAA Application for Trace Element Determination in Biological Reference Material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atmodjo, D. P. D.; Kurniawati, S.; Lestiani, D. D.; Adventini, N.

    2017-06-01

    Trace element determination in biological samples is often used in the study of health and toxicology. Determination change to its essentiality and toxicity of trace element require an accurate determination method, which implies that a good Quality Control (QC) procedure should be performed. In this study, QC for trace element determination in biological samples was applied by analyzing the Standard Reference Material (SRM) Bovine muscle 8414 NIST using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Three selected trace element such as Fe, Zn, and Se were determined. Accuracy of the elements showed as %recovery and precision as %coefficient of variance (%CV). The result showed that %recovery of Fe, Zn, and Se were in the range between 99.4-107%, 92.7-103%, and 91.9-112%, respectively, whereas %CV were 2.92, 3.70, and 5.37%, respectively. These results showed that INAA method is precise and accurate for trace element determination in biological matrices.

  4. Using expansive grasses for monitoring heavy metal pollution in the vicinity of roads.

    PubMed

    Vachová, Pavla; Vach, Marek; Najnarová, Eva

    2017-10-01

    We propose a method for monitoring heavy metal deposition in the vicinity of roads using the leaf surfaces of two expansive grass species which are greatly abundant. A principle of the proposed procedure is to minimize the number of operations in collecting and preparing samples for analysis. The monitored elements are extracted from the leaf surfaces using dilute nitric acid directly in the sample-collection bottle. The ensuing steps, then, are only to filter the extraction solution and the elemental analysis itself. The verification results indicate that the selected grasses Calamagrostis epigejos and Arrhenatherum elatius are well suited to the proposed procedure. Selected heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd) in concentrations appropriate for direct determination using methods of elemental analysis can be extracted from the surface of leaves of these species collected in the vicinity of roads with medium traffic loads. Comparing the two species showed that each had a different relationship between the amounts of deposited heavy metals and distance from the road. This disparity can be explained by specific morphological properties of the two species' leaf surfaces. Due to the abundant occurrence of the two species and the method's general simplicity and ready availability, we regard the proposed approach to constitute a broadly usable and repeatable one for producing reproducible results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. THE ANALYSIS OF URANIUM-ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Milner, G.W.C.; Skewies, A.F.

    1953-03-01

    A satisfactory procedure is described for the analysis of uranium-zirconium alloys containing up to 25% zirconium. It is based on the separation of the zirconium from the uranium by dissolving the cupferron complex of the former element into chloroform. After the evaporation of the solvent from the combined organic extracts, the residue is ignited to zirconium oxide. The latter is then re-dissolved and zirconium is separated from other elements co-extracted in the solvent extraction procedure by precipitation with mandelic acid. The zirconium mandelate is finally ignited to oxide at 960 deg C. The uranium is separated from the aqueous solutionmore » remaining from the cupferron extraction by precipitating with tannin at a pH of 8; the precipitate being removed by filtration and then ignited a t 800 deg C. The residue is dissolved in nitric acid and the uranium is finally determined by precipitating as ammonium diuranate and then igniting to U{sub 3}O{sub 8}. (auth)« less

  6. Weighting Composite Endpoints in Clinical Trials: Essential Evidence for the Heart Team

    PubMed Central

    Tong, Betty C.; Huber, Joel C.; Ascheim, Deborah D.; Puskas, John D.; Ferguson, T. Bruce; Blackstone, Eugene H.; Smith, Peter K.

    2013-01-01

    Background Coronary revascularization trials often use a composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The usual practice in analyzing data with a composite endpoint is to assign equal weights to each of the individual MACCE elements. Non-inferiority margins are used to offset effects of presumably less important components, but their magnitudes are subject to bias. This study describes the relative importance of MACCE elements from a patient perspective. Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted. Survey respondents were presented with a scenario that would make them eligible for the SYNTAX 3-Vessel Disease cohort. Respondents chose among pairs of procedures that differed on the 3-year probability of MACCE, potential for increased longevity, and procedure/recovery time. Conjoint analysis derived relative weights for these attributes. Results In all, 224 respondents completed the survey. The attributes did not have equal weight. Risk of death was most important (relative weight 0.23), followed by stroke (.18), potential increased longevity and recovery time (each 0.17), MI (0.14) and risk of repeat revascularization (0.11). Applying these weights to the SYNTAX 3-year endpoints resulted in a persistent, but decreased margin of difference in MACCE favoring CABG compared to PCI. When labeled only as “Procedure A” and “B,” 87% of respondents chose CABG over PCI. When procedures were labeled as “Coronary Stent” and “Coronary Bypass Surgery,” only 73% chose CABG. Procedural preference varied with demographics, gender and familiarity with the procedures. Conclusions MACCE elements do not carry equal weight in a composite endpoint, from a patient perspective. Using a weighted composite endpoint increases the validity of statistical analyses and trial conclusions. Patients are subject to bias by labels when considering coronary revascularization. PMID:22795064

  7. Approaches to the automatic generation and control of finite element meshes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shephard, Mark S.

    1987-01-01

    The algorithmic approaches being taken to the development of finite element mesh generators capable of automatically discretizing general domains without the need for user intervention are discussed. It is demonstrated that because of the modeling demands placed on a automatic mesh generator, all the approaches taken to date produce unstructured meshes. Consideration is also given to both a priori and a posteriori mesh control devices for automatic mesh generators as well as their integration with geometric modeling and adaptive analysis procedures.

  8. Development of Decision-Making Automated System for Optimal Placement of Physical Access Control System’s Elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Danilova, Olga; Semenova, Zinaida

    2018-04-01

    The objective of this study is a detailed analysis of physical protection systems development for information resources. The optimization theory and decision-making mathematical apparatus is used to formulate correctly and create an algorithm of selection procedure for security systems optimal configuration considering the location of the secured object’s access point and zones. The result of this study is a software implementation scheme of decision-making system for optimal placement of the physical access control system’s elements.

  9. Structural Margins Assessment Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ryan, Robert S.

    1988-01-01

    A general approach to the structural design and verification used to determine the structural margins of the space vehicle elements under Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) management is described. The Space Shuttle results and organization will be used as illustrations for techniques discussed. Given also are: (1) the system analyses performed or to be performed by, and (2) element analyses performed by MSFC and its contractors. Analysis approaches and their verification will be addressed. The Shuttle procedures are general in nature and apply to other than Shuttle space vehicles.

  10. Three-dimensional analysis of surface crack-Hertzian stress field interaction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ballarini, R.; Hsu, Y.

    1989-01-01

    The results are presented of a stress intensity factor analysis of semicircular surface cracks in the inner raceway of an engine bearing. The loading consists of a moving spherical Hertzian contact load and an axial stress due to rotation and shrink fit. A 3-D linear elastic Boundary Element Method code was developed to perform the stress analysis. The element library includes linear and quadratic isoparametric surface elements. Singular quarter point elements were employed to capture the square root displacement variation and the inverse square root stress singularity along the crack front. The program also possesses the capability to separate the whole domain into two subregions. This procedure enables one to solve nonsymmetric fracture mechanics problems without having to separate the crack surfaces a priori. A wide range of configuration parameters was investigated. The ratio of crack depth to bearing thickness was varied from one-sixtieth to one-fifth for several different locations of the Hertzian load. The stress intensity factors for several crack inclinations were also investigated. The results demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the Boundary Element Method. Moreover, the results can provide the basis for crack growth calculations and fatigue life prediction.

  11. Guidelines and Parameter Selection for the Simulation of Progressive Delamination

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Song, Kyongchan; Davila, Carlos G.; Rose, Cheryl A.

    2008-01-01

    Turon s methodology for determining optimal analysis parameters for the simulation of progressive delamination is reviewed. Recommended procedures for determining analysis parameters for efficient delamination growth predictions using the Abaqus/Standard cohesive element and relatively coarse meshes are provided for single and mixed-mode loading. The Abaqus cohesive element, COH3D8, and a user-defined cohesive element are used to develop finite element models of the double cantilever beam specimen, the end-notched flexure specimen, and the mixed-mode bending specimen to simulate progressive delamination growth in Mode I, Mode II, and mixed-mode fracture, respectively. The predicted responses are compared with their analytical solutions. The results show that for single-mode fracture, the predicted responses obtained with the Abaqus cohesive element correlate well with the analytical solutions. For mixed-mode fracture, it was found that the response predicted using COH3D8 elements depends on the damage evolution criterion that is used. The energy-based criterion overpredicts the peak loads and load-deflection response. The results predicted using a tabulated form of the BK criterion correlate well with the analytical solution and with the results predicted with the user-written element.

  12. A meta-model analysis of a finite element simulation for defining poroelastic properties of intervertebral discs.

    PubMed

    Nikkhoo, Mohammad; Hsu, Yu-Chun; Haghpanahi, Mohammad; Parnianpour, Mohamad; Wang, Jaw-Lin

    2013-06-01

    Finite element analysis is an effective tool to evaluate the material properties of living tissue. For an interactive optimization procedure, the finite element analysis usually needs many simulations to reach a reasonable solution. The meta-model analysis of finite element simulation can be used to reduce the computation of a structure with complex geometry or a material with composite constitutive equations. The intervertebral disc is a complex, heterogeneous, and hydrated porous structure. A poroelastic finite element model can be used to observe the fluid transferring, pressure deviation, and other properties within the disc. Defining reasonable poroelastic material properties of the anulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus is critical for the quality of the simulation. We developed a material property updating protocol, which is basically a fitting algorithm consisted of finite element simulations and a quadratic response surface regression. This protocol was used to find the material properties, such as the hydraulic permeability, elastic modulus, and Poisson's ratio, of intact and degenerated porcine discs. The results showed that the in vitro disc experimental deformations were well fitted with limited finite element simulations and a quadratic response surface regression. The comparison of material properties of intact and degenerated discs showed that the hydraulic permeability significantly decreased but Poisson's ratio significantly increased for the degenerated discs. This study shows that the developed protocol is efficient and effective in defining material properties of a complex structure such as the intervertebral disc.

  13. Theoretical and software considerations for nonlinear dynamic analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schmidt, R. J.; Dodds, R. H., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    In the finite element method for structural analysis, it is generally necessary to discretize the structural model into a very large number of elements to accurately evaluate displacements, strains, and stresses. As the complexity of the model increases, the number of degrees of freedom can easily exceed the capacity of present-day software system. Improvements of structural analysis software including more efficient use of existing hardware and improved structural modeling techniques are discussed. One modeling technique that is used successfully in static linear and nonlinear analysis is multilevel substructuring. This research extends the use of multilevel substructure modeling to include dynamic analysis and defines the requirements for a general purpose software system capable of efficient nonlinear dynamic analysis. The multilevel substructuring technique is presented, the analytical formulations and computational procedures for dynamic analysis and nonlinear mechanics are reviewed, and an approach to the design and implementation of a general purpose structural software system is presented.

  14. Preparation of radioactive iodinated cholylhistamine for use in the radioimmunoassay of cholic acid

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Weinberg, P.B.; Kinkade, J.M. Jr.; Collins, D.C.

    1977-11-01

    A major handicap in the development of simple and accurate radioimmunoassay procedures for bile acids has been the lack of a radioactive standard of high specific activity. To provide such a compound, we first synthesized cholylhistamine using the carbodiimide reaction. The hypothesized structure was confirmed by elemental analysis, thin-layer chromatography, infrared and mass spectral analysis. The cholylhistamine was then iodinated with /sup 125/I, using the choloramine-T method. The /sup 125/I-cholylhistamine was bound by antisera raised against a cholic acid-bovine serum albumin conjugate. This procedure should prove useful in preparing radioactive conjugates for all of the bile acids.

  15. An unsteady Euler scheme for the analysis of ducted propellers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Srivastava, R.

    1992-01-01

    An efficient unsteady solution procedure has been developed for analyzing inviscid unsteady flow past ducted propeller configurations. This scheme is first order accurate in time and second order accurate in space. The solution procedure has been applied to a ducted propeller consisting of an 8-bladed SR7 propeller with a duct of NACA 0003 airfoil cross section around it, operating in a steady axisymmetric flowfield. The variation of elemental blade loading with radius, compares well with other published numerical results.

  16. Determination of major elements by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in igneous rocks from the same fused sample (110 mg)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amosova, Alena A.; Panteeva, Svetlana V.; Chubarov, Victor M.; Finkelshtein, Alexandr L.

    2016-08-01

    The fusion technique is proposed for simultaneous determination of 35 elements from the same sample. Only 110 mg of rock sample was used to obtain fused glasses for quantitative determination of 10 major elements by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, 16 rare earth elements and some other trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis. Fusion was performed with 1.1 g of lithium metaborate and LiBr solution as the releasing agent in platinum crucible in electric furnace at 1100 °C. The certified reference materials of ultramafic, mafic, intermediate and felsic igneous rocks have been applied to obtain the calibration curves for rock-forming oxides (Na2O, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, K2O, CaO, TiO2, MnO, Fe2O3) and some trace elements (Ba, Sr, Zr) determination by X-ray fluorescence analysis. The repeatability does not exceed the allowable standard deviation for a wide range of concentrations. In the most cases the relative standard deviation was less than 5%. Obtained glasses were utilized for the further determination of rare earth (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) and some other (Ba, Sr, Zr, Rb, Cs, Y, Nb, Hf, Ta, Th and U) trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis with the same certified reference materials employed. The results could mostly be accepted as satisfactory. The proposed procedure essentially reduces the expenses in comparison with separate sample preparation for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence analysis.

  17. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for trace multi-element determination in vegetable oils, margarine and butter after stabilization with propan-1-ol and water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Souza, Roseli M.; Mathias, Bárbara M.; da Silveira, Carmem Lúcia P.; Aucélio, Ricardo Q.

    2005-06-01

    The quantitative evaluation of trace elements in foodstuffs is of considerable interest due to the potential toxicity of many elements, and because the presence of some metallic species might affect the overall quality (flavor and stability) of these products. In the present work, an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric method has been developed for the determination of six elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Mn) in olive oil, soy oil, margarine and butter. Organic samples (oils and fats) were stabilized using propan-1-ol and water, which enabled long-time sample dispersion in the solution. This simple sample preparation procedure, together with an efficient sample introduction strategy (using a Meinhard K3 nebulizer and a twister cyclonic spray chamber), facilitated the overall analytical procedure, allowing quantification using calibration curves prepared with inorganic standards. Internal standardization (Sc) was used for correction of matrix effects and signal fluctuations. Good sensitivities with limits of detection in the ng g -1 range were achieved for all six elements. These sensitivities were appropriate for the intended application. The method was tested through the analysis of laboratory-fortified samples with good recoveries (between 91.3% and 105.5%).

  18. New procedure of quantitative mapping of Ti and Al released from dental implant and Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn as physiological elements in oral mucosa by LA-ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Sajnóg, Adam; Hanć, Anetta; Koczorowski, Ryszard; Barałkiewicz, Danuta

    2017-12-01

    A new procedure for determination of elements derived from titanium implants and physiological elements in soft tissues by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is presented. The analytical procedure was developed which involved preparation of in-house matrix matched solid standards with analyte addition based on certified reference material (CRM) MODAS-4 Cormorant Tissue. Addition of gelatin, serving as a binding agent, essentially improved physical properties of standards. Performance of the analytical method was assayed and validated by calculating parameters like precision, detection limits, trueness and recovery of analyte addition using additional CRM - ERM-BB184 Bovine Muscle. Analyte addition was additionally confirmed by microwave digestion of solid standards and analysis by solution nebulization ICP-MS. The detection limits are in range 1.8μgg -1 to 450μgg -1 for Mn and Ca respectively. The precision values range from 7.3% to 42% for Al and Zn respectively. The estimated recoveries of analyte addition line within scope of 83%-153% for Mn and Cu respectively. Oral mucosa samples taken from patients treated with titanium dental implants were examined using developed analytical method. Standards and tissue samples were cryocut into 30µm thin sections. LA-ICP-MS allowed to obtain two-dimensional maps of distribution of elements in tested samples which revealed high content of Ti and Al derived from implants. Photographs from optical microscope displayed numerous particles with µm size in oral mucosa samples which suggests that they are residues from implantation procedure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Methodology Measuring Rare Earth Elements in High TDS Reservoir Brines Application as Natural Tracers in CCUS Studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, W.; Mcling, T. L.; Smith, R. W.; Neupane, H.

    2013-12-01

    In recent years rare earth elements (REE) have been demonstrated to be useful natural tracers for geochemical processes in aqueous environments. The application of REE's to carbon dioxide utilization and storage (CCUS) could provide researchers with a sensitive, inexpensive tool for tracking the movement of CO2 and displaced formation brines. By definition, geologic reservoirs that have been deemed suitable for carbon capture and storage contain formation brine with total dissolved solids (TDS) greater than 10,000 ppm and often these formation brines exceed 75,000 ppm TDS. This high TDS water makes it very difficult to measure REE, which typically occur at part per trillion concentrations. Critical to the use of REE for CCUS studies is the development of a procedure, which allows for the pre-concentration of REE's across a wide range of water quality. Additionally, due to the large number of samples that will need analysis, any developed procedure must be inexpensive, reproducible, and quick to implement. As part of the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Project the INL's Center for Advance Energy Studies is developing REE pre-concentration procedures based on methods reported in the literature. While there are many REE pre-concentration procedures in the literature, our tests have shown these methods have difficulty at TDS greater than seawater (roughly 35,000 ppm TDS). Therefore, the ability to quantitatively measure REE's in formation brines with very high TDS has required the modification of an already developed procedure. After careful consideration and testing we selected methods modified after those described by Kingston et al., 1978 and Strachan et al., 1989 utilizing chelating media for very high TDS waters and ion-exchange media as detailed by Crock et al., 1984; Robinson et al., 1985; and Stetzenbach et al., 1994 for low TDS (<10,000 ppm TDS) waters. These modified procedures have been successfully tested in our laboratory and have proven effective in greatly reducing interfering monovalent and divalent cation concentrations (e.g. Ba) and enriching the REE up to 100X for analysis. The procedures are straightforward, inexpensive, and require little infrastructure, using only single chromatography columns with inexpensive, reusable, commercially available resins and wash chemicals. The procedures have been tested with synthetic brines and waters (up to 250,000 ppm TDS) and field water samples (up to 5,000 ppm TDS). Testing has produced data with REE capture efficiency exceeding 95%, while reducing interfering elements by more than 93%. Further method development and testing continues in preparation for brine analysis of waters from the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership's Kevin Dome Pilot Study and the University of Wyoming's Carbon Institutes Rock Springs Uplift.

  20. 40 CFR 136.7 - Quality assurance and quality control.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... quality control elements, where applicable, into the laboratory's documented standard operating procedure... quality control elements must be clearly documented in the written standard operating procedure for each... Methods contains QA/QC procedures in the Part 1000 section of the Standard Methods Compendium. The...

  1. 40 CFR 136.7 - Quality assurance and quality control.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... quality control elements, where applicable, into the laboratory's documented standard operating procedure... quality control elements must be clearly documented in the written standard operating procedure for each... Methods contains QA/QC procedures in the Part 1000 section of the Standard Methods Compendium. The...

  2. 40 CFR 136.7 - Quality assurance and quality control.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... quality control elements, where applicable, into the laboratory's documented standard operating procedure... quality control elements must be clearly documented in the written standard operating procedure for each... Methods contains QA/QC procedures in the Part 1000 section of the Standard Methods Compendium. The...

  3. Improving finite element results in modeling heart valve mechanics.

    PubMed

    Earl, Emily; Mohammadi, Hadi

    2018-06-01

    Finite element analysis is a well-established computational tool which can be used for the analysis of soft tissue mechanics. Due to the structural complexity of the leaflet tissue of the heart valve, the currently available finite element models do not adequately represent the leaflet tissue. A method of addressing this issue is to implement computationally expensive finite element models, characterized by precise constitutive models including high-order and high-density mesh techniques. In this study, we introduce a novel numerical technique that enhances the results obtained from coarse mesh finite element models to provide accuracy comparable to that of fine mesh finite element models while maintaining a relatively low computational cost. Introduced in this study is a method by which the computational expense required to solve linear and nonlinear constitutive models, commonly used in heart valve mechanics simulations, is reduced while continuing to account for large and infinitesimal deformations. This continuum model is developed based on the least square algorithm procedure coupled with the finite difference method adhering to the assumption that the components of the strain tensor are available at all nodes of the finite element mesh model. The suggested numerical technique is easy to implement, practically efficient, and requires less computational time compared to currently available commercial finite element packages such as ANSYS and/or ABAQUS.

  4. How Drug Treatment Courts Work: An Analysis of Mediators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gottfredson, Denise C.; Kearley, Brook W.; Najaka, Stacy S.; Rocha, Carlos M.

    2007-01-01

    This study examines program elements related to reductions in drug use and crime among Drug Treatment Courts (DTC) participants as well as theoretical mechanisms--increased social controls and improved perceptions of procedural justice--expected to mediate the effects of DTC on these outcomes. Data are from 157 research participants interviewed…

  5. Trace element profiles in modern horse molar enamel as tracers of seasonality: Evidence from micro-XRF, LA-ICP-MS and stable isotope analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Winter, Niels; Goderis, Steven; van Malderen, Stijn; Vanhaecke, Frank; Claeys, Philippe

    2016-04-01

    A combination of laboratory micro-X-ray Fluorescence (μXRF) and stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis shows that trace element profiles from modern horse molars reveal a seasonal pattern that co-varies with seasonality in the oxygen isotope records of enamel carbonate from the same teeth. A combination of six cheek teeth (premolars and molars) from the same individual yields a seasonal isotope and trace element record of approximately three years recorded during the growth of the molars. This record shows that reproducible measurements of various trace element ratios (e.g., Sr/Ca, Zn/Ca, Fe/Ca, K/Ca and S/Ca) lag the seasonal pattern in oxygen isotope records by 2-3 months. Laser Ablation-ICP-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis on a cross-section of the first molar of the same individual is compared to the bench-top tube-excitation μXRF results to test the robustness of the measurements and to compare both methods. Furthermore, trace element (e.g. Sr, Zn, Mg & Ba) profiles perpendicular to the growth direction of the same tooth, as well as profiles parallel to the growth direction are measured with LA-ICP-MS and μXRF to study the internal distribution of trace element ratios in two dimensions. Results of this extensive complementary line-scanning procedure shows the robustness of state of the art laboratory micro-XRF scanning for the measurement of trace elements in bioapatite. The comparison highlights the advantages and disadvantages of both methods for trace element analysis and illustrates their complementarity. Results of internal variation within the teeth shed light on the origins of trace elements in mammal teeth and their potential use for paleo-environmental reconstruction.

  6. A useful and non-invasive microanalysis method for dental restoration materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hosoki, M.; Satsuma, T.; Nishigawa, K.; Takeuchi, H.; Asaoka, K.

    2012-12-01

    The elemental analysis of intraoral dental restorations provides considerable information for the treatment of dental metal allergy. Elemental analyses require specific instruments and complicated procedures, so this examination is not commonly carried out in private dental clinics. We describe a novel, simple and useful micro-analytical method for dental metal restorations. Micro metal dust was obtained by polishing the surface of restorative metal material with an unused silicone point (SUPER-SNAP). The metal dust on the silicone point was then rubbed onto adhesive tape, and this tape was covered with polyethylene film. The amount of metal dust material was <20 μg. An energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used to carry out the elementary analysis of the metal dust on the polyethylene film. Three types of dental metal alloy materials of known components were examined. The results of elementary analyses were compared with the specifications provided by the manufacturer. The same procedure was carried out for three dental metal restorations of an adult female volunteer in vivo. The results of elemental analyses for five alloy materials exactly matched the product specification. Three metal samples obtained from intraoral restoration were also available for elemental analyses. The distinct advantage of this method is that it enables sample extraction without an invasive effect for the restoration. The metal sample is in a polyethylene film, so it is easy to mail it for inspection at specialist institutes yet it can be also be used in general dental clinics.

  7. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yuan, Chris, E-mail: cyuan@uwm.edu; Wang, Endong; Zhai, Qiang

    Temporal homogeneity of inventory data is one of the major problems in life cycle assessment (LCA). Addressing temporal homogeneity of life cycle inventory data is important in reducing the uncertainties and improving the reliability of LCA results. This paper attempts to present a critical review and discussion on the fundamental issues of temporal homogeneity in conventional LCA and propose a theoretical framework for temporal discounting in LCA. Theoretical perspectives for temporal discounting in life cycle inventory analysis are discussed first based on the key elements of a scientific mechanism for temporal discounting. Then generic procedures for performing temporal discounting inmore » LCA is derived and proposed based on the nature of the LCA method and the identified key elements of a scientific temporal discounting method. A five-step framework is proposed and reported in details based on the technical methods and procedures needed to perform a temporal discounting in life cycle inventory analysis. Challenges and possible solutions are also identified and discussed for the technical procedure and scientific accomplishment of each step within the framework. - Highlights: • A critical review for temporal homogeneity problem of life cycle inventory data • A theoretical framework for performing temporal discounting on inventory data • Methods provided to accomplish each step of the temporal discounting framework.« less

  8. Extension of latin hypercube samples with correlated variables.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hora, Stephen Curtis; Helton, Jon Craig; Sallaberry, Cedric J. PhD.

    2006-11-01

    A procedure for extending the size of a Latin hypercube sample (LHS) with rank correlated variables is described and illustrated. The extension procedure starts with an LHS of size m and associated rank correlation matrix C and constructs a new LHS of size 2m that contains the elements of the original LHS and has a rank correlation matrix that is close to the original rank correlation matrix C. The procedure is intended for use in conjunction with uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of computationally demanding models in which it is important to make efficient use of a necessarily limited number ofmore » model evaluations.« less

  9. 3D Finite Element Analysis of Yixing CFRD Built on Inclined Mountain Slope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Da Wei; Zhang, Liang; Qing Yao, Hui; Wang, Kang Ping

    2018-05-01

    There are few CFRDs built on steep slope with dam height more than 50 m. So does the relative design and construction experience. The 75 m-high Yixing CFRD was built on steep mountain slope and the 45.9m-high gravity retaining wall was used to against dam sliding. Since the excessive deformation of dam body and perimetric joints would lead to failure of seal materials and cause water leakage, 3D nonlinear finite element stress-deformation analysis was carried out. 3D finite element mesh with 63875 elements including retaining wall and surrounding mountain was established by use of advanced grid discreteness technique. Large scales of equations solving method were adopted in the computer procedure and the calculation time was greatly reduced from former 40 hours to now 45 minutes. Therefore the behavior of the dam, retaining wall and the joint was obtained in a short time, and the results would be helpful to the design and construction of Yixing dam.

  10. Air-Gapped Structures as Magnetic Elements for Use in Power Processing Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ohri, A. K.

    1977-01-01

    Methodical approaches to the design of inductors for use in LC filters and dc-to-dc converters using air gapped magnetic structures are presented. Methods for the analysis and design of full wave rectifier LC filter circuits operating with the inductor current in both the continuous conduction and the discontinuous conduction modes are also described. In the continuous conduction mode, linear circuit analysis techniques are employed, while in the case of the discontinuous mode, the method of analysis requires computer solutions of the piecewise linear differential equations which describe the filter in the time domain. Procedures for designing filter inductors using air gapped cores are presented. The first procedure requires digital computation to yield a design which is optimized in the sense of minimum core volume and minimum number of turns. The second procedure does not yield an optimized design as defined above, but the design can be obtained by hand calculations or with a small calculator. The third procedure is based on the use of specially prepared magnetic core data and provides an easy way to quickly reach a workable design.

  11. NETWORK SYNTHESIS OF CASCADED THRESHOLD ELEMENTS.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    A threshold function is a switching function which can be stimulated by a single, simplified, idealized neuron, or threshold element. In this report... threshold functions are examined in the context of abstract set theory and linear algebra for the purpose of obtaining practical synthesis procedures...for networks of threshold elements. A procedure is described by which, for any given switching function, a cascade network of these elements can be

  12. Improvement of a sample preparation procedure for multi-elemental determination in Brazil nuts by ICP-OES.

    PubMed

    Welna, Maja; Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna

    2014-04-01

    Various sample preparation procedures, such as common wet digestions and alternatives based on solubilisation in aqua regia or tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, were compared for the determination of the total Ba, Ca, Cr, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn contents in Brazil nuts using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). For measurement of Se, a hydride generation technique was used. The performance of these procedures was measured in terms of precision, accuracy and limits of detection of the elements. It was found that solubilisation in aqua regia gave the best results, i.e. limits of detection from 0.60 to 41.9 ng ml(-1), precision of 1.0-3.9% and accuracy better than 5%. External calibration with simple standard solutions could be applied for the analysis. The proposed procedure is simple, reduces sample handling, and minimises the time and reagent consumption. Thus, this can be a vital alternative to traditional sample treatment approaches based on the total digestion with concentrated reagents. A phenomenon resulting from levels of Ba, Se and Sr in Brazil nuts was also discussed.

  13. 40 CFR 1066.830 - Supplemental Federal Test Procedures; overview.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... driving and a sequence of vehicle operation that accounts for the impact of the vehicle's air conditioner...) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS VEHICLE-TESTING PROCEDURES Exhaust Emission Test Procedures for Motor Vehicles... results from the aggressive driving test element (§ 1066.831), the air conditioning test element (§ 1066...

  14. [Construction of platform on the three-dimensional finite element model of the dentulous mandibular body of a normal person].

    PubMed

    Gong, Lu-Lu; Zhu, Jing; Ding, Zu-Quan; Li, Guo-Qiang; Wang, Li-Ming; Yan, Bo-Yong

    2008-04-01

    To develop a method to construct a three-dimensional finite element model of the dentulous mandibular body of a normal person. A series of pictures with the interval of 0.1 mm were taken by CT scanning. After extracting the coordinates of key points of some pictures by the procedure, we used a C program to process the useful data, and constructed a platform of the three-dimensional finite element model of the dentulous mandibular body with the Ansys software for finite element analysis. The experimental results showed that the platform of the three-dimensional finite element model of the dentulous mandibular body was more accurate and applicable. The exact three-dimensional shape of model was well constructed, and each part of this model, such as one single tooth, can be deleted, which can be used to emulate various tooth-loss clinical cases. The three-dimensional finite element model is constructed with life-like shapes of dental cusps. Each part of this model can be easily removed. In conclusion, this experiment provides a good platform of biomechanical analysis on various tooth-loss clinical cases.

  15. Modal element method for potential flow in non-uniform ducts: Combining closed form analysis with CFD

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baumeister, Kenneth J.; Baumeister, Joseph F.

    1994-01-01

    An analytical procedure is presented, called the modal element method, that combines numerical grid based algorithms with eigenfunction expansions developed by separation of variables. A modal element method is presented for solving potential flow in a channel with two-dimensional cylindrical like obstacles. The infinite computational region is divided into three subdomains; the bounded finite element domain, which is characterized by the cylindrical obstacle and the surrounding unbounded uniform channel entrance and exit domains. The velocity potential is represented approximately in the grid based domain by a finite element solution and is represented analytically by an eigenfunction expansion in the uniform semi-infinite entrance and exit domains. The calculated flow fields are in excellent agreement with exact analytical solutions. By eliminating the grid surrounding the obstacle, the modal element method reduces the numerical grid size, employs a more precise far field boundary condition, as well as giving theoretical insight to the interaction of the obstacle with the mean flow. Although the analysis focuses on a specific geometry, the formulation is general and can be applied to a variety of problems as seen by a comparison to companion theories in aeroacoustics and electromagnetics.

  16. Sampling and analysis techniques for monitoring serum for trace elements.

    PubMed

    Ericson, S P; McHalsky, M L; Rabinow, B E; Kronholm, K G; Arceo, C S; Weltzer, J A; Ayd, S W

    1986-07-01

    We describe techniques for controlling contamination in the sampling and analysis of human serum for trace metals. The relatively simple procedures do not require clean-room conditions. The atomic absorption and atomic emission methods used have been applied in studying zinc, copper, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and aluminum concentrations. Values obtained for a group of 16 normal subjects agree with the most reliable values reported in the literature, obtained by much more elaborate techniques. All of these metals can be measured in 3 to 4 mL of serum. The methods may prove especially useful in monitoring concentrations of essential trace elements in blood of patients being maintained on total parenteral nutrition.

  17. Earthquake Response of Concrete Gravity Dams Including Hydrodynamic and Foundation Interaction Effects,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-01-01

    standard procedure for Analysis of all types of civil engineering struc- tures. Early in its development, it became apparent that this method had...unique potentialities in the evaluation of stress in dams, and many of its earliest civil engineering applications concerned special problems associated...with such structures [3,4]. The earliest dynamic finite element analyses of civil engineering structures involved the earthquake response analysis of

  18. Evaluation of different strategies for quantitative depth profile analysis of Cu/NiCu layers and multilayers via pulsed glow discharge - Time of flight mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muñiz, Rocío; Lobo, Lara; Németh, Katalin; Péter, László; Pereiro, Rosario

    2017-09-01

    There is still a lack of approaches for quantitative depth-profiling when dealing with glow discharges (GD) coupled to mass spectrometric detection. The purpose of this work is to develop quantification procedures using pulsed GD (PGD) - time of flight mass spectrometry. In particular, research was focused towards the depth profile analysis of Cu/NiCu nanolayers and multilayers electrodeposited on Si wafers. PGDs are characterized by three different regions due to the temporal application of power: prepeak, plateau and afterglow. This last region is the most sensitive and so it is convenient for quantitative analysis of minor components; however, major elements are often saturated, even at 30 W of applied radiofrequency power for these particular samples. For such cases, we have investigated two strategies based on a multimatrix calibration procedure: (i) using the afterglow region for all the sample components except for the major element (Cu) that was analyzed in the plateau, and (ii) using the afterglow region for all the elements measuring the ArCu signal instead of Cu. Seven homogeneous certified reference materials containing Si, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu have been used for quantification. Quantitative depth profiles obtained with these two strategies for samples containing 3 or 6 multilayers (of a few tens of nanometers each layer) were in agreement with the expected values, both in terms of thickness and composition of the layers.

  19. Characterization of edible seaweed harvested on the Galician coast (northwestern Spain) using pattern recognition techniques and major and trace element data.

    PubMed

    Romarís-Hortas, Vanessa; García-Sartal, Cristina; Barciela-Alonso, María Carmen; Moreda-Piñeiro, Antonio; Bermejo-Barrera, Pilar

    2010-02-10

    Major and trace elements in North Atlantic seaweed originating from Galicia (northwestern Spain) were determined by using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) (Ba, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Sr, and Zn), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) (Br and I) and hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) (As). Pattern recognition techniques were then used to classify the edible seaweed according to their type (red, brown, and green seaweed) and also their variety (Wakame, Fucus, Sea Spaghetti, Kombu, Dulse, Nori, and Sea Lettuce). Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used as exploratory techniques, and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) were used as classification procedures. In total, t12 elements were determined in a range of 35 edible seaweed samples (20 brown seaweed, 10 red seaweed, 4 green seaweed, and 1 canned seaweed). Natural groupings of the samples (brown, red, and green types) were observed using PCA and CA (squared Euclidean distance between objects and Ward method as clustering procedure). The application of LDA gave correct assignation percentages of 100% for brown, red, and green types at a significance level of 5%. However, a satisfactory classification (recognition and prediction) using SIMCA was obtained only for red seaweed (100% of cases correctly classified), whereas percentages of 89 and 80% were obtained for brown seaweed for recognition (training set) and prediction (testing set), respectively.

  20. Finite Element Analysis of a Copper Single Crystal Shape Memory Alloy-Based Endodontic Instruments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vincent, Marin; Thiebaud, Frédéric; Bel Haj Khalifa, Saifeddine; Engels-Deutsch, Marc; Ben Zineb, Tarak

    2015-10-01

    The aim of the present paper is the development of endodontic Cu-based single crystal Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) instruments in order to eliminate the antimicrobial and mechanical deficiencies observed with the conventional Nickel-Titane (NiTi) SMA files. A thermomechanical constitutive law, already developed and implemented in a finite element code by our research group, is adopted for the simulation of the single crystal SMA behavior. The corresponding material parameters were identified starting from experimental results for a tensile test at room temperature. A computer-aided design geometry has been achieved and considered for a finite element structural analysis of the endodontic Cu-based single crystal SMA files. They are meshed with tetrahedral continuum elements to improve the computation time and the accuracy of results. The geometric parameters tested in this study are the length of the active blade, the rod length, the pitch, the taper, the tip diameter, and the rod diameter. For each set of adopted parameters, a finite element model is built and tested in a combined bending-torsion loading in accordance with ISO 3630-1 norm. The numerical analysis based on finite element procedure allowed purposing an optimal geometry suitable for Cu-based single crystal SMA endodontic files. The same analysis was carried out for the classical NiTi SMA files and a comparison was made between the two kinds of files. It showed that Cu-based single crystal SMA files are less stiff than the NiTi files. The Cu-based endodontic files could be used to improve the root canal treatments. However, the finite element analysis brought out the need for further investigation based on experiments.

  1. Modal Test/Analysis Correlation of Space Station Structures Using Nonlinear Sensitivity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gupta, Viney K.; Newell, James F.; Berke, Laszlo; Armand, Sasan

    1992-01-01

    The modal correlation problem is formulated as a constrained optimization problem for validation of finite element models (FEM's). For large-scale structural applications, a pragmatic procedure for substructuring, model verification, and system integration is described to achieve effective modal correlation. The space station substructure FEM's are reduced using Lanczos vectors and integrated into a system FEM using Craig-Bampton component modal synthesis. The optimization code is interfaced with MSC/NASTRAN to solve the problem of modal test/analysis correlation; that is, the problem of validating FEM's for launch and on-orbit coupled loads analysis against experimentally observed frequencies and mode shapes. An iterative perturbation algorithm is derived and implemented to update nonlinear sensitivity (derivatives of eigenvalues and eigenvectors) during optimizer iterations, which reduced the number of finite element analyses.

  2. Modal test/analysis correlation of Space Station structures using nonlinear sensitivity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gupta, Viney K.; Newell, James F.; Berke, Laszlo; Armand, Sasan

    1992-01-01

    The modal correlation problem is formulated as a constrained optimization problem for validation of finite element models (FEM's). For large-scale structural applications, a pragmatic procedure for substructuring, model verification, and system integration is described to achieve effective modal correlations. The space station substructure FEM's are reduced using Lanczos vectors and integrated into a system FEM using Craig-Bampton component modal synthesis. The optimization code is interfaced with MSC/NASTRAN to solve the problem of modal test/analysis correlation; that is, the problem of validating FEM's for launch and on-orbit coupled loads analysis against experimentally observed frequencies and mode shapes. An iterative perturbation algorithm is derived and implemented to update nonlinear sensitivity (derivatives of eigenvalues and eigenvectors) during optimizer iterations, which reduced the number of finite element analyses.

  3. Exploiting parallel computing with limited program changes using a network of microcomputers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, J. L., Jr.; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.

    1985-01-01

    Network computing and multiprocessor computers are two discernible trends in parallel processing. The computational behavior of an iterative distributed process in which some subtasks are completed later than others because of an imbalance in computational requirements is of significant interest. The effects of asynchronus processing was studied. A small existing program was converted to perform finite element analysis by distributing substructure analysis over a network of four Apple IIe microcomputers connected to a shared disk, simulating a parallel computer. The substructure analysis uses an iterative, fully stressed, structural resizing procedure. A framework of beams divided into three substructures is used as the finite element model. The effects of asynchronous processing on the convergence of the design variables are determined by not resizing particular substructures on various iterations.

  4. Mesh refinement in finite element analysis by minimization of the stiffness matrix trace

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kittur, Madan G.; Huston, Ronald L.

    1989-01-01

    Most finite element packages provide means to generate meshes automatically. However, the user is usually confronted with the problem of not knowing whether the mesh generated is appropriate for the problem at hand. Since the accuracy of the finite element results is mesh dependent, mesh selection forms a very important step in the analysis. Indeed, in accurate analyses, meshes need to be refined or rezoned until the solution converges to a value so that the error is below a predetermined tolerance. A-posteriori methods use error indicators, developed by using the theory of interpolation and approximation theory, for mesh refinements. Some use other criterions, such as strain energy density variation and stress contours for example, to obtain near optimal meshes. Although these methods are adaptive, they are expensive. Alternatively, a priori methods, until now available, use geometrical parameters, for example, element aspect ratio. Therefore, they are not adaptive by nature. An adaptive a-priori method is developed. The criterion is that the minimization of the trace of the stiffness matrix with respect to the nodal coordinates, leads to a minimization of the potential energy, and as a consequence provide a good starting mesh. In a few examples the method is shown to provide the optimal mesh. The method is also shown to be relatively simple and amenable to development of computer algorithms. When the procedure is used in conjunction with a-posteriori methods of grid refinement, it is shown that fewer refinement iterations and fewer degrees of freedom are required for convergence as opposed to when the procedure is not used. The mesh obtained is shown to have uniform distribution of stiffness among the nodes and elements which, as a consequence, leads to uniform error distribution. Thus the mesh obtained meets the optimality criterion of uniform error distribution.

  5. An equivalent domain integral method in the two-dimensional analysis of mixed mode crack problems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raju, I. S.; Shivakumar, K. N.

    1990-01-01

    An equivalent domain integral (EDI) method for calculating J-integrals for two-dimensional cracked elastic bodies is presented. The details of the method and its implementation are presented for isoparametric elements. The EDI method gave accurate values of the J-integrals for two mode I and two mixed mode problems. Numerical studies showed that domains consisting of one layer of elements are sufficient to obtain accurate J-integral values. Two procedures for separating the individual modes from the domain integrals are presented.

  6. Numerical Simulations for Distribution Characteristics of Internal Forces on Segments of Tunnel Linings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Shouju; Shangguan, Zichang; Cao, Lijuan

    A procedure based on FEM is proposed to simulate interaction between concrete segments of tunnel linings and soils. The beam element named as Beam 3 in ANSYS software was used to simulate segments. The ground loss induced from shield tunneling and segment installing processes is simulated in finite element analysis. The distributions of bending moment, axial force and shear force on segments were computed by FEM. The commutated internal forces on segments will be used to design reinforced bars on shield linings. Numerically simulated ground settlements agree with observed values.

  7. Systematic text condensation: a strategy for qualitative analysis.

    PubMed

    Malterud, Kirsti

    2012-12-01

    To present background, principles, and procedures for a strategy for qualitative analysis called systematic text condensation and discuss this approach compared with related strategies. Giorgi's psychological phenomenological analysis is the point of departure and inspiration for systematic text condensation. The basic elements of Giorgi's method and the elaboration of these in systematic text condensation are presented, followed by a detailed description of procedures for analysis according to systematic text condensation. Finally, similarities and differences compared with other frequently applied methods for qualitative analysis are identified, as the foundation of a discussion of strengths and limitations of systematic text condensation. Systematic text condensation is a descriptive and explorative method for thematic cross-case analysis of different types of qualitative data, such as interview studies, observational studies, and analysis of written texts. The method represents a pragmatic approach, although inspired by phenomenological ideas, and various theoretical frameworks can be applied. The procedure consists of the following steps: 1) total impression - from chaos to themes; 2) identifying and sorting meaning units - from themes to codes; 3) condensation - from code to meaning; 4) synthesizing - from condensation to descriptions and concepts. Similarities and differences comparing systematic text condensation with other frequently applied qualitative methods regarding thematic analysis, theoretical methodological framework, analysis procedures, and taxonomy are discussed. Systematic text condensation is a strategy for analysis developed from traditions shared by most of the methods for analysis of qualitative data. The method offers the novice researcher a process of intersubjectivity, reflexivity, and feasibility, while maintaining a responsible level of methodological rigour.

  8. Finite element analysis of steady and transiently moving/rolling nonlinear viscoelastic structure. Part 1: Theory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Padovan, Joe

    1986-01-01

    In a three part series of papers, a generalized finite element analysis scheme is developed to handle the steady and transient response of moving/rolling nonlinear viscoelastic structure. This paper considers the development of the moving/rolling element strategy, including the effects of large deformation kinematics and viscoelasticity modelled by fractional integro-differential operators. To improve the solution strategy, a special hierarchical constraint procedure is developed for the case of steady rolling/translating as well as a transient scheme involving the use of a Grunwaldian representation of the fractional operator. In the second and third parts of the paper, 3-D extensions are developed along with transient contact strategies enabling the handling of impacts with obstructions. Overall, the various developments are benchmarked via comprehensive 2- and 3-D simulations. These are correlated with experimental data to define modelling capabilities.

  9. Plasticity - Theory and finite element applications.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Armen, H., Jr.; Levine, H. S.

    1972-01-01

    A unified presentation is given of the development and distinctions associated with various incremental solution procedures used to solve the equations governing the nonlinear behavior of structures, and this is discussed within the framework of the finite-element method. Although the primary emphasis here is on material nonlinearities, consideration is also given to geometric nonlinearities acting separately or in combination with nonlinear material behavior. The methods discussed here are applicable to a broad spectrum of structures, ranging from simple beams to general three-dimensional bodies. The finite-element analysis methods for material nonlinearity are general in the sense that any of the available plasticity theories can be incorporated to treat strain hardening or ideally plastic behavior.

  10. The NASTRAN user's manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    All information directly associated with problem solving using the NASTRAN program is presented. This structural analysis program uses the finite element approach to structural modeling wherein the distributed finite properties of a structure are represented by a finite element of structural elements which are interconnected at a finite number of grid points, to which loads are applied and for which displacements are calculated. Procedures are described for defining and loading a structural model. Functional references for every card used for structural modeling, the NASTRAN data deck and control cards, problem solution sequences (rigid formats), using the plotting capability, writing a direct matrix abstraction program, and diagnostic messages are explained. A dictionary of mnemonics, acronyms, phrases, and other commonly used NASTRAN terms is included.

  11. Glass sealing

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brow, R.K.; Kovacic, L.; Chambers, R.S.

    1996-04-01

    Hernetic glass sealing technologies developed for weapons component applications can be utilized for the design and manufacture of fuel cells. Design and processing of of a seal are optimized through an integrated approach based on glass composition research, finite element analysis, and sealing process definition. Glass sealing procedures are selected to accommodate the limits imposed by glass composition and predicted calculations.

  12. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--COMPENDIUM OF METHODS FOR ANALYSIS OF METALS, PESTICIDES, AND VOCS IN WATER (EPA-COMPENDIUM)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This compendium includes descriptions of methods for analyzing metals, pesticides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water. The individual methods covered are these: (1) Method 200.8: determination of trace elements in waters and wastes by inductively coupled plasma-mass s...

  13. Structured Analysis/Design - LSA Task 101, Early Logistic Support Analysis Strategy, Subtask 101.2.1, Develop Early LSA Strategy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-07-01

    replacing "logic diagrams" or "flow charts") to aid in coordinating the functions to be performed by a computer program and its associated Inputs...ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) 10. SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT ITASK IWORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. 11. TITLE...the analysis. Both the logical model and detailed procedures are used to develop the application software programs which will be provided to Government

  14. Structured Analysis of the Logistic Support Analysis (LSA) Task, ’Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Assessment Maintenance Planning E-1 Element’ (APJ 966-204)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-10-01

    Structured Analysis involves building a logical (non-physical) model of a system, using graphic techniques which enable users, analysts, and designers to... Design uses tools, especially graphic ones, to render systems readily understandable. 8 Ř. Structured Design offers a set of strategies for...in the overall systems design process, and an overview of the assessment procedures, as well as a guide to the overall assessment. 20. DISTRIBUTION

  15. Multidisciplinary tailoring of hot composite structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Singhal, Surendra N.; Chamis, Christos C.

    1993-01-01

    A computational simulation procedure is described for multidisciplinary analysis and tailoring of layered multi-material hot composite engine structural components subjected to simultaneous multiple discipline-specific thermal, structural, vibration, and acoustic loads. The effect of aggressive environments is also simulated. The simulation is based on a three-dimensional finite element analysis technique in conjunction with structural mechanics codes, thermal/acoustic analysis methods, and tailoring procedures. The integrated multidisciplinary simulation procedure is general-purpose including the coupled effects of nonlinearities in structure geometry, material, loading, and environmental complexities. The composite material behavior is assessed at all composite scales, i.e., laminate/ply/constituents (fiber/matrix), via a nonlinear material characterization hygro-thermo-mechanical model. Sample tailoring cases exhibiting nonlinear material/loading/environmental behavior of aircraft engine fan blades, are presented. The various multidisciplinary loads lead to different tailored designs, even those competing with each other, as in the case of minimum material cost versus minimum structure weight and in the case of minimum vibration frequency versus minimum acoustic noise.

  16. Procedure for detection and measurement of interfaces in remotely acquired data using a digital computer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Faller, K. H.

    1976-01-01

    A technique for the detection and measurement of surface feature interfaces in remotely acquired data was developed and evaluated. A computer implementation of this technique was effected to automatically process classified data derived from various sources such as the LANDSAT multispectral scanner and other scanning sensors. The basic elements of the operational theory of the technique are described, followed by the details of the procedure. An example of an application of the technique to the analysis of tidal shoreline length is given with a breakdown of manpower requirements.

  17. Methods for analysis of selected metals in water by atomic absorption

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fishman, Marvin J.; Downs, Sanford C.

    1966-01-01

    This manual describes atomic-absorption-spectroscopy methods for determining calcium, copper, lithium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, strontium and zinc in atmospheric precipitation, fresh waters, and brines. The procedures are intended to be used by water quality laboratories of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. Detailed procedures, calculations, and methods for the preparation of reagents are given for each element along with data on accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. Other topics discussed briefly are the principle of atomic absorption, instrumentation used, and special analytical techniques.

  18. Hierarchic Extensions in the Static and Dynamic Analysis of Elastic Beams. Ph.D. Thesis, 1990 Final Report, May 1990

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watson, Robert A.

    1991-01-01

    Approximate solutions of static and dynamic beam problems by the p-version of the finite element method are investigated. Within a hierarchy of engineering beam idealizations, rigorous formulations of the strain and kinetic energies for straight and circular beam elements are presented. These formulations include rotating coordinate system effects and geometric nonlinearities to allow for the evaluation of vertical axis wind turbines, the motivating problem for this research. Hierarchic finite element spaces, based on extensions of the polynomial orders used to approximate the displacement variables, are constructed. The developed models are implemented into a general purpose computer program for evaluation. Quality control procedures are examined for a diverse set of sample problems. These procedures include estimating discretization errors in energy norm and natural frequencies, performing static and dynamic equilibrium checks, observing convergence for qualities of interest, and comparison with more exacting theories and experimental data. It is demonstrated that p-extensions produce exponential rates of convergence in the approximation of strain energy and natural frequencies for the class of problems investigated.

  19. Some aspects of SR beamline alignment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaponov, Yu. A.; Cerenius, Y.; Nygaard, J.; Ursby, T.; Larsson, K.

    2011-09-01

    Based on the Synchrotron Radiation (SR) beamline optical element-by-element alignment with analysis of the alignment results an optimized beamline alignment algorithm has been designed and developed. The alignment procedures have been designed and developed for the MAX-lab I911-4 fixed energy beamline. It has been shown that the intermediate information received during the monochromator alignment stage can be used for the correction of both monochromator and mirror without the next stages of alignment of mirror, slits, sample holder, etc. Such an optimization of the beamline alignment procedures decreases the time necessary for the alignment and becomes useful and helpful in the case of any instability of the beamline optical elements, storage ring electron orbit or the wiggler insertion device, which could result in the instability of angular and positional parameters of the SR beam. A general purpose software package for manual, semi-automatic and automatic SR beamline alignment has been designed and developed using the developed algorithm. The TANGO control system is used as the middle-ware between the stand-alone beamline control applications BLTools, BPMonitor and the beamline equipment.

  20. GENSURF: A mesh generator for 3D finite element analysis of surface and corner cracks in finite thickness plates subjected to mode-1 loadings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raju, I. S.

    1992-01-01

    A computer program that generates three-dimensional (3D) finite element models for cracked 3D solids was written. This computer program, gensurf, uses minimal input data to generate 3D finite element models for isotropic solids with elliptic or part-elliptic cracks. These models can be used with a 3D finite element program called surf3d. This report documents this mesh generator. In this manual the capabilities, limitations, and organization of gensurf are described. The procedures used to develop 3D finite element models and the input for and the output of gensurf are explained. Several examples are included to illustrate the use of this program. Several input data files are included with this manual so that the users can edit these files to conform to their crack configuration and use them with gensurf.

  1. Association of glass fragments by their trace elemental content using ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS in the analysis scheme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almirall, Jose R.; Montero, Shirly; Furton, Kenneth G.

    2002-08-01

    The importance of glass as evidence of association between a crime event and a suspect has been recognized for some time. Glass is a fragile material that is often found at the scenes of crimes such as burglaries, hit-and-run accidents and violent crime offenses. The physical and chemical properties of glass can be used to differentiate between possible sources and as evidence of association between two fragments of glass thought to originate from the same source. Refractive index (RI) comparisons have been used for this purpose but due to the improved control over glass manufacturing processes, RI values often cannot differentiate glasses, even if the glass originates from different sources. Elemental analysis methods such as NAA, XRF, ICP-AES, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) have also been used for the comparison of trace elemental compositions and these techniques have been shown to provide an improvement in the discrimination of glass fragments over RI comparisons alone. The multi-element capability and the sensitivity of ICP-MS combined with the simplified sample introduction of laser ablation prior to ion detection provides for an excellent and relatively non-destructive technique for elemental analysis of glass fragments. The methodology for solution analysis (digestion procedure) and solid sample analysis (laser ablation) of glass is reported and the analytical results are compared. An isotope dilution method is also reported as a high precision technique for elemental analysis of glass fragments. The optimum sampling parameters for laser ablation, for semi-quantitative analysis and element ratio comparisons are also presented. Finally, the results of a case involving the breaking of 15 vehicle windows in an airport parking lot and the association of a suspect to the breakings by the glass fragments found on his person are also presented.

  2. Efficient sensitivity analysis and optimization of a helicopter rotor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lim, Joon W.; Chopra, Inderjit

    1989-01-01

    Aeroelastic optimization of a system essentially consists of the determination of the optimum values of design variables which minimize the objective function and satisfy certain aeroelastic and geometric constraints. The process of aeroelastic optimization analysis is illustrated. To carry out aeroelastic optimization effectively, one needs a reliable analysis procedure to determine steady response and stability of a rotor system in forward flight. The rotor dynamic analysis used in the present study developed inhouse at the University of Maryland is based on finite elements in space and time. The analysis consists of two major phases: vehicle trim and rotor steady response (coupled trim analysis), and aeroelastic stability of the blade. For a reduction of helicopter vibration, the optimization process requires the sensitivity derivatives of the objective function and aeroelastic stability constraints. For this, the derivatives of steady response, hub loads and blade stability roots are calculated using a direct analytical approach. An automated optimization procedure is developed by coupling the rotor dynamic analysis, design sensitivity analysis and constrained optimization code CONMIN.

  3. Anatomically Realistic Three-Dimensional Meshes of the Pelvic Floor & Anal Canal for Finite Element Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Noakes, Kimberley F.; Bissett, Ian P.; Pullan, Andrew J.; Cheng, Leo K.

    2014-01-01

    Three anatomically realistic meshes, suitable for finite element analysis, of the pelvic floor and anal canal regions have been developed to provide a framework with which to examine the mechanics, via finite element analysis of normal function within the pelvic floor. Two cadaver-based meshes were produced using the Visible Human Project (male and female) cryosection data sets, and a third mesh was produced based on MR image data from a live subject. The Visible Man (VM) mesh included 10 different pelvic structures while the Visible Woman and MRI meshes contained 14 and 13 structures respectively. Each image set was digitized and then finite element meshes were created using an iterative fitting procedure with smoothing constraints calculated from ‘L’-curves. These weights produced accurate geometric meshes of each pelvic structure with average Root Mean Square (RMS) fitting errors of less than 1.15 mm. The Visible Human cadaveric data provided high resolution images, however, the cadaveric meshes lacked the normal dynamic form of living tissue and suffered from artifacts related to postmortem changes. The lower resolution MRI mesh was able to accurately portray structure of the living subject and paves the way for dynamic, functional modeling. PMID:18317929

  4. Interlaboratory evaluation of trace element determination in workplace air filter samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry†‡

    PubMed Central

    Shulman, Stanley A.; Brisson, Michael J.; Howe, Alan M.

    2015-01-01

    Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is becoming more widely used for trace elemental analysis in the occupational hygiene field, and consequently new ICP-MS international standard procedures have been promulgated by ASTM International and ISO. However, there is a dearth of interlaboratory performance data for this analytical methodology. In an effort to fill this data void, an interlaboratory evaluation of ICP-MS for determining trace elements in workplace air samples was conducted, towards fulfillment of method validation requirements for international voluntary consensus standard test methods. The study was performed in accordance with applicable statistical procedures for investigating interlaboratory precision. The evaluation was carried out using certified 37-mm diameter mixed-cellulose ester (MCE) filters that were fortified with 21 elements of concern in occupational hygiene. Elements were spiked at levels ranging from 0.025 to 10 μg filter−1, with three different filter loadings denoted “Low”, “Medium” and “High”. Participating laboratories were recruited from a pool of over fifty invitees; ultimately twenty laboratories from Europe, North America and Asia submitted results. Triplicates of each certified filter with elemental contents at three different levels, plus media blanks spiked with reagent, were conveyed to each volunteer laboratory. Each participant was also provided a copy of the test method which each participant was asked to follow; spiking levels were unknown to the participants. The laboratories were requested to prepare the filters by one of three sample preparation procedures, i.e., hotplate digestion, microwave digestion or hot block extraction, which were described in the test method. Participants were then asked to analyze aliquots of the prepared samples by ICP-MS, and to report their data in units of μg filter−1. Most interlaboratory precision estimates were acceptable for medium- and high-level spikes (RSD <25%), but generally yielded greater uncertainties than were anticipated at the outset of the study. PMID:22038017

  5. Adjacent level effects of bi level disc replacement, bi level fusion and disc replacement plus fusion in cervical spine--a finite element based study.

    PubMed

    Faizan, Ahmad; Goel, Vijay K; Biyani, Ashok; Garfin, Steven R; Bono, Christopher M

    2012-03-01

    Studies delineating the adjacent level effect of single level disc replacement systems have been reported in literature. The aim of this study was to compare the adjacent level biomechanics of bi-level disc replacement, bi-level fusion and a construct having adjoining level disc replacement and fusion system. In total, biomechanics of four models- intact, bi level disc replacement, bi level fusion and fusion plus disc replacement at adjoining levels- was studied to gain insight into the effects of various instrumentation systems on cranial and caudal adjacent levels using finite element analysis (73.6N+varying moment). The bi-level fusion models are more than twice as stiff as compared to the intact model during flexion-extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Bi-level disc replacement model required moments lower than intact model (1.5Nm). Fusion plus disc replacement model required moment 10-25% more than intact model, except in extension. Adjacent level motions, facet loads and endplate stresses increased substantially in the bi-level fusion model. On the other hand, adjacent level motions, facet loads and endplate stresses were similar to intact for the bi-level disc replacement model. For the fusion plus disc replacement model, adjacent level motions, facet loads and endplate stresses were closer to intact model rather than the bi-level fusion model, except in extension. Based on our finite element analysis, fusion plus disc replacement procedure has less severe biomechanical effects on adjacent levels when compared to bi-level fusion procedure. Bi-level disc replacement procedure did not have any adverse mechanical effects on adjacent levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Analysis of Tube Free Hydroforming using an Inverse Approach with FLD-based Adjustment of Process Parameters

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nguyen, Ba Nghiep; Johnson, Kenneth I.; Khaleel, Mohammad A.

    2003-04-01

    This paper employs an inverse approach (IA) formulation for the analysis of tubes under free hydroforming conditions. The IA formulation is derived from that of Guo et al. established for flat sheet hydroforming analysis using constant strain triangular membrane elements. At first, an incremental analysis of free hydroforming for a hot-dip galvanized (HG/Z140) DP600 tube is performed using the finite element Marc code. The deformed geometry obtained at the last converged increment is then used as the final configuration in the inverse analysis. This comparative study allows us to assess the predicting capability of the inverse analysis. The results willmore » be compared with the experimental values determined by Asnafi and Skogsgardh. After that, a procedure based on a forming limit diagram (FLD) is proposed to adjust the process parameters such as the axial feed and internal pressure. Finally, the adjustment process is illustrated through a re-analysis of the same tube using the inverse approach« less

  7. Analysis of truss, beam, frame, and membrane components. [composite structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Knoell, A. C.; Robinson, E. Y.

    1975-01-01

    Truss components are considered, taking into account composite truss structures, truss analysis, column members, and truss joints. Beam components are discussed, giving attention to composite beams, laminated beams, and sandwich beams. Composite frame components and composite membrane components are examined. A description is given of examples of flat membrane components and examples of curved membrane elements. It is pointed out that composite structural design and analysis is a highly interactive, iterative procedure which does not lend itself readily to characterization by design or analysis function only.-

  8. Analysis of large space structures assembly: Man/machine assembly analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    Procedures for analyzing large space structures assembly via three primary modes: manual, remote and automated are outlined. Data bases on each of the assembly modes and a general data base on the shuttle capabilities to support structures assembly are presented. Task element times and structure assembly component costs are given to provide a basis for determining the comparative economics of assembly alternatives. The lessons learned from simulations of space structures assembly are detailed.

  9. Energy Navigation: Simulation Evaluation and Benefit Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, David H.; Oseguera-Lohr, Rosa M.; Lewis, Elliot T.

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents results from two simulation studies investigating the use of advanced flight-deck-based energy navigation (ENAV) and conventional transport-category vertical navigation (VNAV) for conducting a descent through a busy terminal area, using Continuous Descent Arrival (CDA) procedures. This research was part of the Low Noise Flight Procedures (LNFP) element within the Quiet Aircraft Technology (QAT) Project, and the subsequent Airspace Super Density Operations (ASDO) research focus area of the Airspace Project. A piloted simulation study addressed development of flight guidance, and supporting pilot and Air Traffic Control (ATC) procedures for high density terminal operations. The procedures and charts were designed to be easy to understand, and to make it easy for the crew to make changes via the Flight Management Computer Control-Display Unit (FMC-CDU) to accommodate changes from ATC.

  10. NASTRAN/FLEXSTAB procedure for static aeroelastic analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schuster, L. S.

    1984-01-01

    Presented is a procedure for using the FLEXSTAB External Structural Influence Coefficients (ESIC) computer program to produce the structural data necessary for the FLEXSTAB Stability Derivatives and Static Stability (SD&SS) program. The SD&SS program computes trim state, stability derivatives, and pressure and deflection data for a flexible airplane having a plane of symmetry. The procedure used a NASTRAN finite-element structural model as the source of structural data in the form of flexibility matrices. Selection of a set of degrees of freedom, definition of structural nodes and panels, reordering and reformatting of the flexibility matrix, and redistribution of existing point mass data are among the topics discussed. Also discussed are boundary conditions and the NASTRAN substructuring technique.

  11. A simplified method for elastic-plastic-creep structural analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaufman, A.

    1984-01-01

    A simplified inelastic analysis computer program (ANSYPM) was developed for predicting the stress-strain history at the critical location of a thermomechanically cycled structure from an elastic solution. The program uses an iterative and incremental procedure to estimate the plastic strains from the material stress-strain properties and a plasticity hardening model. Creep effects are calculated on the basis of stress relaxation at constant strain, creep at constant stress or a combination of stress relaxation and creep accumulation. The simplified method was exercised on a number of problems involving uniaxial and multiaxial loading, isothermal and nonisothermal conditions, dwell times at various points in the cycles, different materials and kinematic hardening. Good agreement was found between these analytical results and nonlinear finite element solutions for these problems. The simplified analysis program used less than 1 percent of the CPU time required for a nonlinear finite element analysis.

  12. A simplified method for elastic-plastic-creep structural analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaufman, A.

    1985-01-01

    A simplified inelastic analysis computer program (ANSYPM) was developed for predicting the stress-strain history at the critical location of a thermomechanically cycled structure from an elastic solution. The program uses an iterative and incremental procedure to estimate the plastic strains from the material stress-strain properties and a plasticity hardening model. Creep effects are calculated on the basis of stress relaxation at constant strain, creep at constant stress or a combination of stress relaxation and creep accumulation. The simplified method was exercised on a number of problems involving uniaxial and multiaxial loading, isothermal and nonisothermal conditions, dwell times at various points in the cycles, different materials and kinematic hardening. Good agreement was found between these analytical results and nonlinear finite element solutions for these problems. The simplified analysis program used less than 1 percent of the CPU time required for a nonlinear finite element analysis.

  13. The analysis of tensegrity structures for the design of a morphing wing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moored, Keith W., III; Bart-Smith, Hilary

    2005-05-01

    Tensegrity structures have become of engineering interest in recent years, but very few have found practical use. This lack of integration is attributed to the lack of a well formulated design procedure. In this paper, a preliminary procedure is presented for developing morphing tensegrity structures that include actuating elements. To do this, the virtual work method has been modified to allow for individual actuation of struts and cables. A generalized connectivity matrix for a cantilever beam constructed from either a single 4-strut cell or multiple 4-strut cells has been developed. Global deflections resulting from actuation of specific elements have been calculated. Furthermore, the force density method is expanded to include a necessary upper bound condition such that a physically feasible structure can be designed. Finally, the importance of relative force density values on the overall shape of a structure comprising of multiple unit cells is discussed.

  14. A modified Finite Element-Transfer Matrix for control design of space structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tan, T.-M.; Yousuff, A.; Bahar, L. Y.; Konstandinidis, M.

    1990-01-01

    The Finite Element-Transfer Matrix (FETM) method was developed for reducing the computational efforts involved in structural analysis. While being widely used by structural analysts, this method does, however, have certain limitations, particularly when used for the control design of large flexible structures. In this paper, a new formulation based on the FETM method is presented. The new method effectively overcomes the limitations in the original FETM method, and also allows an easy construction of reduced models that are tailored for the control design. Other advantages of this new method include the ability to extract open loop frequencies and mode shapes with less computation, and simplification of the design procedures for output feedback, constrained compensation, and decentralized control. The development of this new method and the procedures for generating reduced models using this method are described in detail and the role of the reduced models in control design is discussed through an illustrative example.

  15. Fiber pushout test: A three-dimensional finite element computational simulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mital, Subodh K.; Chamis, Christos C.

    1990-01-01

    A fiber pushthrough process was computationally simulated using three-dimensional finite element method. The interface material is replaced by an anisotropic material with greatly reduced shear modulus in order to simulate the fiber pushthrough process using a linear analysis. Such a procedure is easily implemented and is computationally very effective. It can be used to predict fiber pushthrough load for a composite system at any temperature. The average interface shear strength obtained from pushthrough load can easily be separated into its two components: one that comes from frictional stresses and the other that comes from chemical adhesion between fiber and the matrix and mechanical interlocking that develops due to shrinkage of the composite because of phase change during the processing. Step-by-step procedures are described to perform the computational simulation, to establish bounds on interfacial bond strength and to interpret interfacial bond quality.

  16. Efficacy of hair analysis for monitoring exposure to uranium: a mini-review.

    PubMed

    Joksić, Agnes Šömen; Katz, Sidney A

    2014-01-01

    In spite of the ease with which samples may be collected and the stability of the samples after collection, the use of hair mineral analysis for monitoring environmental exposures and evaluating heavy metal poisonings has remained controversial since its initial applications for these purposes in the early 1950s. Among the major arguments against using hair mineral analysis in general were the absence of biokinetic models and/or metabolic data that adequately described the incorporation of trace elements into the hair, the absence of correlations between the concentrations of trace elements in the hair and their concentrations in other tissues, the inability to distinguish between trace elements that were deposited in the hair endogenously and those that were deposited on the hair exogenously, the absence of reliable reference ranges for interpreting the results of hair mineral analysis and a lack of standard procedures for the collecting, preparing and analyzing the hair samples. The developments of the past two decades addressing these objections are reviewed here, and arguments supporting the use of hair analysis for monitoring environmental and/or occupational exposures to uranium are made on the basis of the information presented in this review.

  17. A Method for Calculating Strain Energy Release Rates in Preliminary Design of Composite Skin/Stringer Debonding Under Multi-Axial Loading

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Ronald; Minguet, Pierre J.; OBrien, T. Kevin

    1999-01-01

    Three simple procedures were developed to determine strain energy release rates, G, in composite skin/stringer specimens for various combinations of unaxial and biaxial (in-plane/out-of-plane) loading conditions. These procedures may be used for parametric design studies in such a way that only a few finite element computations will be necessary for a study of many load combinations. The results were compared with mixed mode strain energy release rates calculated directly from nonlinear two-dimensional plane-strain finite element analyses using the virtual crack closure technique. The first procedure involved solving three unknown parameters needed to determine the energy release rates. Good agreement was obtained when the external loads were used in the expression derived. This superposition technique was only applicable if the structure exhibits a linear load/deflection behavior. Consequently, a second technique was derived which was applicable in the case of nonlinear load/deformation behavior. The technique involved calculating six unknown parameters from a set of six simultaneous linear equations with data from six nonlinear analyses to determine the energy release rates. This procedure was not time efficient, and hence, less appealing. A third procedure was developed to calculate mixed mode energy release rates as a function of delamination lengths. This procedure required only one nonlinear finite element analysis of the specimen with a single delamination length to obtain a reference solution for the energy release rates and the scale factors. The delamination was extended in three separate linear models of the local area in the vicinity of the delamination subjected to unit loads to obtain the distribution of G with delamination lengths. This set of sub-problems was Although additional modeling effort is required to create the sub- models, this local technique is efficient for parametric studies.

  18. Data evaluation of trace elements determined in Nigerian coal using cluster procedures.

    PubMed

    Ewa, I O B

    2004-05-01

    Large data-sets of elements determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) require meaningful interpretation in order to determine the pattern of their existence in host matrices. This could be achieved using cluster procedures. Element abundances (Al, As, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, O, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V, Yb, Zn and Zr) of prepared and run-of-mine coals from eight principal mines (Onyeama, Ogbete, Enugu, Gombe, Asaba-Ugwashi, Okaba, Afikpo and Lafia ) in Nigeria were determined by INAA. Quality control of the measurements was assured by the re-determination of a standard reference material, NIST 1632a. These data-sets were then tested for multi-variate statistics using METHOD = SINGLE in the cluster procedure. The computer-assisted package SAS was used to generate the dendrograms while the algorithm used was stored Euclidean distances. The results showed a recognition pattern, useful for the interpretation of coalification histories and the prediction of fuel ranking for Nigerian coals. High segregation of coal fly ash was observed, while metallurgical coal grouped together with high-ranking coals of Okaba, Enugu and Obi (Lafia). Further work revealed some of these coals as having high gross calorific value (7908 kcal kg(-1) for Enugu coal; 7200 kcal kg(-1) for Okaba) and low sulphur thereby making them efficient fuel materials.

  19. Analysis of self-recording in self-management interventions for stereotypy.

    PubMed

    Fritz, Jennifer N; Iwata, Brian A; Rolider, Natalie U; Camp, Erin M; Neidert, Pamela L

    2012-01-01

    Most treatments for stereotypy involve arrangements of antecedent or consequent events that are imposed entirely by a therapist. By contrast, results of some studies suggest that self-recording, a common component of self-management interventions, might be an effective and efficient way to reduce stereotypy. Because the procedure typically has included instructions to refrain from stereotypy, self-recording of the absence of stereotypy, and differential reinforcement of accurate recording, it is unclear which element or combination of elements produces reductions in stereotypy. We conducted a component analysis of a self-management intervention and observed that decreases in stereotypy might be attributable to instructional control or to differential reinforcement, but that self-recording per se had little effect on stereotypy.

  20. EDXRF as an alternative method for multielement analysis of tropical soils and sediments.

    PubMed

    Fernández, Zahily Herrero; Dos Santos Júnior, José Araújo; Dos Santos Amaral, Romilton; Alvarez, Juan Reinaldo Estevez; da Silva, Edvane Borges; De França, Elvis Joacir; Menezes, Rômulo Simões Cezar; de Farias, Emerson Emiliano Gualberto; do Nascimento Santos, Josineide Marques

    2017-08-10

    The quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments is still under discussion, with efforts being made on the part of governmental agencies to establish reference values. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) is a potential analytical technique for quantifying diverse chemical elements in geological material without chemical treatment, primarily when it is performed at an appropriate metrological level. In this work, analytical curves were obtained by means of the analysis of geological reference materials (RMs), which allowed for the researchers to draw a comparison among the sources of analytical uncertainty. After having determined the quality assurance of the analytical procedure, the EDXRF method was applied to determine chemical elements in soils from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The regression coefficients of the analytical curves used to determine Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti, and Zn were higher than 0.99. The quality of the analytical procedure was demonstrated at a 95% confidence level, in which the estimated analytical uncertainties agreed with those from the RM's certificates of analysis. The analysis of diverse geological samples from Pernambuco indicated higher concentrations of Ni and Zn in sugarcane, with maximum values of 41 mg kg - 1 and 118 mg kg - 1 , respectively, and agricultural areas (41 mg kg - 1 and 127 mg kg - 1 , respectively). The trace element Sr was mainly enriched in urban soils with values of 400 mg kg - 1 . According to the results, the EDXRF method was successfully implemented, providing some chemical tracers for the quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments.

  1. Identifying inaccuracy of MS Project using system analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fachrurrazi; Husin, Saiful; Malahayati, Nurul; Irzaidi

    2018-05-01

    The problem encountered in project owner’s financial accounting report is the difference in total project costs of MS Project to the Indonesian Standard (Standard Indonesia Standard / Cost Estimating Standard Book of Indonesia). It is one of the MS Project problems concerning to its cost accuracy, so cost data cannot be used in an integrated way for all project components. This study focuses on finding the causes of inaccuracy of the MS Projects. The aim of this study, which is operationally, are: (i) identifying cost analysis procedures for both current methods (SNI) and MS Project; (ii) identifying cost bias in each element of the cost analysis procedure; and (iii) analysing the cost differences (cost bias) in each element to identify what the cause of inaccuracies in MS Project toward SNI is. The method in this study is comparing for both the system analysis of MS Project and SNI. The results are: (i) MS Project system in Work of Resources element has limitation for two decimal digits only, have led to its inaccuracy. Where the Work of Resources (referred to as effort) in MS Project represents multiplication between the Quantities of Activities and Requirements of resources in SNI; (ii) MS Project and SNI have differences in the costing methods (the cost estimation methods), in which the SNI uses the Quantity-Based Costing (QBC), meanwhile MS Project uses the Time-Based Costing (TBC). Based on this research, we recommend to the contractors who use SNI should make an adjustment for Work of Resources in MS Project (with correction index) so that it can be used in an integrated way to the project owner’s financial accounting system. Further research will conduct for improvement the MS Project as an integrated tool toward all part of the project participant.

  2. Discontinuous dual-primal mixed finite elements for elliptic problems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bottasso, Carlo L.; Micheletti, Stefano; Sacco, Riccardo

    2000-01-01

    We propose a novel discontinuous mixed finite element formulation for the solution of second-order elliptic problems. Fully discontinuous piecewise polynomial finite element spaces are used for the trial and test functions. The discontinuous nature of the test functions at the element interfaces allows to introduce new boundary unknowns that, on the one hand enforce the weak continuity of the trial functions, and on the other avoid the need to define a priori algorithmic fluxes as in standard discontinuous Galerkin methods. Static condensation is performed at the element level, leading to a solution procedure based on the sole interface unknowns. The resulting family of discontinuous dual-primal mixed finite element methods is presented in the one and two-dimensional cases. In the one-dimensional case, we show the equivalence of the method with implicit Runge-Kutta schemes of the collocation type exhibiting optimal behavior. Numerical experiments in one and two dimensions demonstrate the order accuracy of the new method, confirming the results of the analysis.

  3. Geometrical and topological issues in octree based automatic meshing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saxena, Mukul; Perucchio, Renato

    1987-01-01

    Finite element meshes derived automatically from solid models through recursive spatial subdivision schemes (octrees) can be made to inherit the hierarchical structure and the spatial addressability intrinsic to the underlying grid. These two properties, together with the geometric regularity that can also be built into the mesh, make octree based meshes ideally suited for efficient analysis and self-adaptive remeshing and reanalysis. The element decomposition of the octal cells that intersect the boundary of the domain is discussed. The problem, central to octree based meshing, is solved by combining template mapping and element extraction into a procedure that utilizes both constructive solid geometry and boundary representation techniques. Boundary cells that are not intersected by the edge of the domain boundary are easily mapped to predefined element topology. Cells containing edges (and vertices) are first transformed into a planar polyhedron and then triangulated via element extractor. The modeling environments required for the derivation of planar polyhedra and for element extraction are analyzed.

  4. Octree based automatic meshing from CSG models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perucchio, Renato

    1987-01-01

    Finite element meshes derived automatically from solid models through recursive spatial subdivision schemes (octrees) can be made to inherit the hierarchical structure and the spatial addressability intrinsic to the underlying grid. These two properties, together with the geometric regularity that can also be built into the mesh, make octree based meshes ideally suited for efficient analysis and self-adaptive remeshing and reanalysis. The element decomposition of the octal cells that intersect the boundary of the domain is emphasized. The problem, central to octree based meshing, is solved by combining template mapping and element extraction into a procedure that utilizes both constructive solid geometry and boundary respresentation techniques. Boundary cells that are not intersected by the edge of the domain boundary are easily mapped to predefined element topology. Cells containing edges (and vertices) are first transformed into a planar polyhedron and then triangulated via element extractors. The modeling environments required for the derivation of planar polyhedra and for element extraction are analyzed.

  5. Development of alternative data analysis techniques for improving the accuracy and specificity of natural resource inventories made with digital remote sensing data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lillesand, T. M.; Meisner, D. E. (Principal Investigator)

    1980-01-01

    An investigation was conducted into ways to improve the involvement of state and local user personnel in the digital image analysis process by isolating those elements of the analysis process which require extensive involvement by field personnel and providing means for performing those activities apart from a computer facility. In this way, the analysis procedure can be converted from a centralized activity focused on a computer facility to a distributed activity in which users can interact with the data at the field office level or in the field itself. A general image processing software was developed on the University of Minnesota computer system (Control Data Cyber models 172 and 74). The use of color hardcopy image data as a primary medium in supervised training procedures was investigated and digital display equipment and a coordinate digitizer were procured.

  6. Analytical simulation of weld effects in creep range

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dhalla, A. K.

    1985-01-01

    The inelastic analysis procedure used to investigate the effect of welding on the creep rupture strength of a typical Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) nozzle is discussed. The current study is part of an overall experimental and analytical investigation to verify the inelastic analysis procedure now being used to design LMFBR structural components operating at elevated temperatures. Two important weld effects included in the numerical analysis are: (1) the residual stress introduced in the fabrication process; and (2) the time-independent and the time-dependent material property variations. Finite element inelastic analysis was performed on a CRAY-1S computer using the ABAQUS program with the constitutive equations developed for the design of LMFBR structural components. The predicted peak weld residual stresses relax by as much as 40% during elevated temperature operation, and their effect on creep-rupture cracking of the nozzle is considered of secondary importance.

  7. Multidisciplinary aeroelastic analysis of a generic hypersonic vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gupta, K. K.; Petersen, K. L.

    1993-01-01

    This paper presents details of a flutter and stability analysis of aerospace structures such as hypersonic vehicles. Both structural and aerodynamic domains are discretized by the common finite element technique. A vibration analysis is first performed by the STARS code employing a block Lanczos solution scheme. This is followed by the generation of a linear aerodynamic grid for subsequent linear flutter analysis within subsonic and supersonic regimes of the flight envelope; the doublet lattice and constant pressure techniques are employed to generate the unsteady aerodynamic forces. Flutter analysis is then performed for several representative flight points. The nonlinear flutter solution is effected by first implementing a CFD solution of the entire vehicle. Thus, a 3-D unstructured grid for the entire flow domain is generated by a moving front technique. A finite element Euler solution is then implemented employing a quasi-implicit as well as an explicit solution scheme. A novel multidisciplinary analysis is next effected that employs modal and aerodynamic data to yield aerodynamic damping characteristics. Such analyses are performed for a number of flight points to yield a large set of pertinent data that define flight flutter characteristics of the vehicle. This paper outlines the finite-element-based integrated analysis procedures in detail, which is followed by the results of numerical analyses of flight flutter simulation.

  8. Characterizing suspended sediments from the Piracicaba River Basin by means of k0-INAA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    França, E. J.; Fernandes, E. A. N.; Cavalca, I. P. O.; Fonseca, F. Y.; Camilli, L.; Rodrigues, V. S.; Bardini Junior, C.; Ferreira, J. R.; Bacchi, M. A.

    2010-10-01

    The inorganic chemical characterization of suspended sediments is of utmost relevance for the knowledge of the dynamics and movement of chemical elements in the aquatic and wet ecosystems. Despite the complexity of the effective design for studying this ecological compartment, this work has tested a procedure for analyzing suspended sediments by instrumental neutron activation analysis, k0 method ( k0-INAA). The chemical elements As, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, Hg, K, La, Mo, Na, Ni, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Yb and Zn were quantified in the suspended sediment compartment by means of k0-INAA. When compared with World Average for rivers, high mass fractions of Fe (222,900 mg/kg), Ba (4990 mg/kg), Zn (1350 mg/kg), Cr (646 mg/kg), Co (74.5 mg/kg), Br (113 mg/kg) and Mo (31.9 mg/kg) were quantified in suspended sediments from the Piracicaba River, the Piracicamirim Stream and the Marins Stream. Results of the principal component analysis for standardized chemical element mass fractions indicated an intricate correlation among chemical elements evaluated, as a response of the contribution of natural and anthropogenic sources of chemical elements for ecosystems.

  9. Orbital operations study. Volume 2: Interfacing activities analysis. Part 2: Structural and mechanical group

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mattson, H. L.; Gianformaggio, A.; Anderson, N. R.

    1972-01-01

    The activities of the structural and mechanical activity group of the orbital operations study project are discussed. Element interfaces, alternate approaches, design concepts, operational procedures, functional requirements, design influences, and approach selection are presented. The following areas are considered: (1) mating, (2) orbital assembly, (3) separation, EOS payload deployment, and EOS payload retraction.

  10. Environmental Survey Plans, Fort Sheridan, Sampling and Analysis Plan, Fort Sheridan, Illinois

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-07-01

    technique. The flameless AA procedure is based on the absorption of radiation at 253.7 nm by Hg vapor. The Hg is reduced to the elemental state and aerated...desiccator, cupric oxide is added, and the sample is combusted in an induction furnace. The organic carbon content is determined through a calculation in

  11. Algorithmic decision rules for estimating growth, removals, and mortality within a national-scale forest inventory (USA)

    Treesearch

    William H. McWilliams; Carol L. Alerich; William A. Bechtold; Mark Hansen; Christopher M. Oswalt; Mike Thompson; Jeff Turner

    2012-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program maintains the National Information Management System (NIMS) that provides the computational framework for the annual forest inventory of the United States. Questions regarding the impact of key elements of programming logic, processing criteria, and estimation procedures...

  12. Integration of rocket turbine design and analysis through computer graphics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hsu, Wayne; Boynton, Jim

    1988-01-01

    An interactive approach with engineering computer graphics is used to integrate the design and analysis processes of a rocket engine turbine into a progressive and iterative design procedure. The processes are interconnected through pre- and postprocessors. The graphics are used to generate the blade profiles, their stacking, finite element generation, and analysis presentation through color graphics. Steps of the design process discussed include pitch-line design, axisymmetric hub-to-tip meridional design, and quasi-three-dimensional analysis. The viscous two- and three-dimensional analysis codes are executed after acceptable designs are achieved and estimates of initial losses are confirmed.

  13. Isotropic matrix elements of the collision integral for the Boltzmann equation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ender, I. A.; Bakaleinikov, L. A.; Flegontova, E. Yu.; Gerasimenko, A. B.

    2017-09-01

    We have proposed an algorithm for constructing matrix elements of the collision integral for the nonlinear Boltzmann equation isotropic in velocities. These matrix elements have been used to start the recurrent procedure for calculating matrix elements of the velocity-nonisotropic collision integral described in our previous publication. In addition, isotropic matrix elements are of independent interest for calculating isotropic relaxation in a number of physical kinetics problems. It has been shown that the coefficients of expansion of isotropic matrix elements in Ω integrals are connected by the recurrent relations that make it possible to construct the procedure of their sequential determination.

  14. The measurement of trace elements in interplanetary dust and cometary particles by ultra-high sensitivity INAA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zolensky, M. E.; Lindstrom, David J.; Lindstrom, Richard M.; Lindstrom, M. M.

    1989-01-01

    Today the major elemental composition of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) is routinely determined in many laboratories. These and mineralogical studies have revealed the presence of at least two major types of IDPs, chondritic and refractory. Preliminary results of a successful attempt to determine abundances of a large suite of trace elements from both chondritic and refractory IDPs are reported. The analytical procedure can be used in the grain-by-grain analysis of returned cometary samples. Chondritic and refractory IDPs are characterized by standard scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) techniques. With this system, detection limits for many elements are well below picogram levels, and some approach femtogram levels. This technique is non-destructive, although some sample handling is required, so particles can be analyzed by other techniques after instrument neutron activation analysis (INAA) is completed. Data is presently being reduced from the analyses of 7 IDPs. These are U2015E10, U2015F1, W7029-A2, W7029-A3, W7013A8, LACl (all chondritic) and 705 (refractory). So far, 17 different major and trace elements were detected and measured in these particles, including rare earths and some very volatile elements (Br and Zn).

  15. Microstructure based procedure for process parameter control in rolling of aluminum thin foils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johannes, Kronsteiner; Kabliman, Evgeniya; Klimek, Philipp-Christoph

    2018-05-01

    In present work, a microstructure based procedure is used for a numerical prediction of strength properties for Al-Mg-Sc thin foils during a hot rolling process. For this purpose, the following techniques were developed and implemented. At first, a toolkit for a numerical analysis of experimental stress-strain curves obtained during a hot compression testing by a deformation dilatometer was developed. The implemented techniques allow for the correction of a temperature increase in samples due to adiabatic heating and for the determination of a yield strength needed for the separation of the elastic and plastic deformation regimes during numerical simulation of multi-pass hot rolling. At the next step, an asymmetric Hot Rolling Simulator (adjustable table inlet/outlet height as well as separate roll infeed) was developed in order to match the exact processing conditions of a semi-industrial rolling procedure. At each element of a finite element mesh the total strength is calculated by in-house Flow Stress Model based on evolution of mean dislocation density. The strength values obtained by numerical modelling were found in a reasonable agreement with results of tensile tests for thin Al-Mg-Sc foils. Thus, the proposed simulation procedure might allow to optimize the processing parameters with respect to the microstructure development.

  16. Error modelling of quantum Hall array resistance standards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marzano, Martina; Oe, Takehiko; Ortolano, Massimo; Callegaro, Luca; Kaneko, Nobu-Hisa

    2018-04-01

    Quantum Hall array resistance standards (QHARSs) are integrated circuits composed of interconnected quantum Hall effect elements that allow the realization of virtually arbitrary resistance values. In recent years, techniques were presented to efficiently design QHARS networks. An open problem is that of the evaluation of the accuracy of a QHARS, which is affected by contact and wire resistances. In this work, we present a general and systematic procedure for the error modelling of QHARSs, which is based on modern circuit analysis techniques and Monte Carlo evaluation of the uncertainty. As a practical example, this method of analysis is applied to the characterization of a 1 MΩ QHARS developed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan. Software tools are provided to apply the procedure to other arrays.

  17. Frequency domain modeling and dynamic characteristics evaluation of existing wind turbine systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chiang, Chih-Hung; Yu, Chih-Peng

    2016-04-01

    It is quite well accepted that frequency domain procedures are suitable for the design and dynamic analysis of wind turbine structures, especially for floating offshore wind turbines, since random wind loads and wave induced motions are most likely simulated in the frequency domain. This paper presents specific applications of an effective frequency domain scheme to the linear analysis of wind turbine structures in which a 1-D spectral element was developed based on the axially-loaded member. The solution schemes are summarized for the spectral analyses of the tower, the blades, and the combined system with selected frequency-dependent coupling effect from foundation-structure interactions. Numerical examples demonstrate that the modal frequencies obtained using spectral-element models are in good agreement with those found in the literature. A 5-element mono-pile model results in less than 0.3% deviation from an existing 160-element model. It is preliminarily concluded that the proposed scheme is relatively efficient in performing quick verification for test data obtained from the on-site vibration measurement using the microwave interferometer.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jo, J.C.; Shin, W.K.; Choi, C.Y.

    Transient heat transfer problems with phase changes (Stefan problems) occur in many engineering situations, including potential core melting and solidification during pressurized-water-reactor severe accidents, ablation of thermal shields, melting and solidification of alloys, and many others. This article addresses the numerical analysis of nonlinear transient heat transfer with melting or solidification. An effective and simple procedure is presented for the simulation of the motion of the boundary and the transient temperature field during the phase change process. To accomplish this purpose, an iterative implicit solution algorithm has been developed by employing the dual-reciprocity boundary-element method. The dual-reciprocity boundary-element approach providedmore » in this article is much simpler than the usual boundary-element method in applying a reciprocity principle and an available technique for dealing with the domain integral of the boundary element formulation simultaneously. In this article, attention is focused on two-dimensional melting (ablation)/solidification problems for simplicity. The accuracy and effectiveness of the present analysis method have been illustrated through comparisons of the calculation results of some examples of one-phase ablation/solidification problems with their known semianalytical or numerical solutions where available.« less

  19. An Analytical Singularity-Free Solution to the J2 Perturbation Problem

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bond, V. R.

    1979-01-01

    The development of a singularity-free solution of the J2 problem in satellite theory is presented. The procedure resembles that of Lyndane who rederives Brouwer's satellite theory using Poincare elements. A comparable procedure is used in this report in which the satellite theory of Scheifele, who used elements similar to the Delaunay elements but in the extended phase space, is rederived using Poincare elements also in the extended phase space. Only the short-period effects due to J2 are included.

  20. The finite element method in low speed aerodynamics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baker, A. J.; Manhardt, P. D.

    1975-01-01

    The finite element procedure is shown to be of significant impact in design of the 'computational wind tunnel' for low speed aerodynamics. The uniformity of the mathematical differential equation description, for viscous and/or inviscid, multi-dimensional subsonic flows about practical aerodynamic system configurations, is utilized to establish the general form of the finite element algorithm. Numerical results for inviscid flow analysis, as well as viscous boundary layer, parabolic, and full Navier Stokes flow descriptions verify the capabilities and overall versatility of the fundamental algorithm for aerodynamics. The proven mathematical basis, coupled with the distinct user-orientation features of the computer program embodiment, indicate near-term evolution of a highly useful analytical design tool to support computational configuration studies in low speed aerodynamics.

  1. Dynamic response of a monorail steel bridge under a moving train

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, C. H.; Kawatani, M.; Kim, C. W.; Nishimura, N.; Kobayashi, Y.

    2006-06-01

    This study proposes a dynamic response analysis procedure for traffic-induced vibration of a monorail bridge and train. Each car in the monorail train is idealized as a dynamic system of 15-degrees-of-freedom. The governing equations of motion for a three-dimensional monorail bridge-train interaction system are derived using Lagrange's formulation for monorail trains, and a finite-element method for modal analysis of monorail bridges. Analytical results on dynamic response of the monorail train and bridge are compared with field-test data in order to verify the validity of the proposed analysis procedure, and a positive correlation is found. An interesting feature of the monorail bridge response is that sway motion is caused by torsional behavior resulting from eccentricity between the shear center of the bridge section and the train load.

  2. Toward the greening of nuclear energy: A content analysis of nuclear energy frames from 1991 to 2008

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Sonya R.

    Framing theory has emerged as one of the predominant theories employed in mass communications research in the 21st century. Frames are identified as interpretive packages for content where some issue attributes are highlighted over other attributes. While framing effects studies appear plentiful, longitudinal studies assessing trends in dominant framing packages and story elements for an issue appear to be less understood. Through content analysis, this study examines dominant frame packages, story elements, headline tone, story tone, stereotypes, and source attribution for nuclear energy from 1991-2008 in the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. Unlike many content analysis studies, this study compares intercoder reliability among three indices---percentage agreement, proportional reduction of loss and Scott's Pi. The newspapers represented in this study possess a commonality in the types of dominant frames packages employed. Significant dominant frame packages among the four newspapers include human/health, proliferation, procedural, and marketplace. While the procedural frame package was more likely to appear prior to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the proliferation frame packaged was more likely to appear after the Kyoto Protol. Over time, the sustainable frame package demonstrated increased significance. This study is part of the growing literature regarding the function of frames over time.

  3. Finite-element analysis and modal testing of a rotating wind turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carne, T. G.; Lobitz, D. W.; Nord, A. R.; Watson, R. A.

    1982-10-01

    A finite element procedure, which includes geometric stiffening, and centrifugal and Coriolis terms resulting from the use of a rotating coordinate system, was developed to compute the mode shapes and frequencies of rotating structures. Special applications of this capability was made to Darrieus, vertical axis wind turbines. In a parallel development effort, a technique for the modal testing of a rotating vertical axis wind turbine is established to measure modal parameters directly. Results from the predictive and experimental techniques for the modal frequencies and mode shapes are compared over a wide range of rotational speeds.

  4. Finite element analysis and modal testing of a rotating wind turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carne, T. G.; Lobitz, D. W.; Nord, A. R.; Watson, R. A.

    A finite element procedure, which includes geometric stiffening, and centrifugal and Coriolis terms resulting from the use of a rotating coordinate system, has been developed to compute the mode shapes and frequencies of rotating structures. Special application of this capability has been made to Darrieus, vertical axis wind turbines. In a parallel development effort, a technique for the modal testing of a rotating vertical axis wind turbine has been established to measure modal parameters directly. Results from the predictive and experimental techniques for the modal frequencies and mode shapes are compared over a wide range of rotational speeds.

  5. In-memory integration of existing software components for parallel adaptive unstructured mesh workflows

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, Cameron W.; Granzow, Brian; Diamond, Gerrett

    Unstructured mesh methods, like finite elements and finite volumes, support the effective analysis of complex physical behaviors modeled by partial differential equations over general threedimensional domains. The most reliable and efficient methods apply adaptive procedures with a-posteriori error estimators that indicate where and how the mesh is to be modified. Although adaptive meshes can have two to three orders of magnitude fewer elements than a more uniform mesh for the same level of accuracy, there are many complex simulations where the meshes required are so large that they can only be solved on massively parallel systems.

  6. In-memory integration of existing software components for parallel adaptive unstructured mesh workflows

    DOE PAGES

    Smith, Cameron W.; Granzow, Brian; Diamond, Gerrett; ...

    2017-01-01

    Unstructured mesh methods, like finite elements and finite volumes, support the effective analysis of complex physical behaviors modeled by partial differential equations over general threedimensional domains. The most reliable and efficient methods apply adaptive procedures with a-posteriori error estimators that indicate where and how the mesh is to be modified. Although adaptive meshes can have two to three orders of magnitude fewer elements than a more uniform mesh for the same level of accuracy, there are many complex simulations where the meshes required are so large that they can only be solved on massively parallel systems.

  7. Modeling the hydro-mechanical responses of strip and circular punch loadings on water-saturated collapsible geomaterials

    DOE PAGES

    Sun, WaiChing; Chen, Qiushi; Ostien, Jakob T.

    2013-11-22

    A stabilized enhanced strain finite element procedure for poromechanics is fully integrated with an elasto-plastic cap model to simulate the hydro-mechanical interactions of fluid-infiltrating porous rocks with associative and non-associative plastic flow. We present a quantitative analysis on how macroscopic plastic volumetric response caused by pore collapse and grain rearrangement affects the seepage of pore fluid, and vice versa. Results of finite element simulations imply that the dissipation of excess pore pressure may significantly affect the stress path and thus alter the volumetric plastic responses.

  8. Decomposition techniques

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chao, T.T.; Sanzolone, R.F.

    1992-01-01

    Sample decomposition is a fundamental and integral step in the procedure of geochemical analysis. It is often the limiting factor to sample throughput, especially with the recent application of the fast and modern multi-element measurement instrumentation. The complexity of geological materials makes it necessary to choose the sample decomposition technique that is compatible with the specific objective of the analysis. When selecting a decomposition technique, consideration should be given to the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the sample, elements to be determined, precision and accuracy requirements, sample throughput, technical capability of personnel, and time constraints. This paper addresses these concerns and discusses the attributes and limitations of many techniques of sample decomposition along with examples of their application to geochemical analysis. The chemical properties of reagents as to their function as decomposition agents are also reviewed. The section on acid dissolution techniques addresses the various inorganic acids that are used individually or in combination in both open and closed systems. Fluxes used in sample fusion are discussed. The promising microwave-oven technology and the emerging field of automation are also examined. A section on applications highlights the use of decomposition techniques for the determination of Au, platinum group elements (PGEs), Hg, U, hydride-forming elements, rare earth elements (REEs), and multi-elements in geological materials. Partial dissolution techniques used for geochemical exploration which have been treated in detail elsewhere are not discussed here; nor are fire-assaying for noble metals and decomposition techniques for X-ray fluorescence or nuclear methods be discussed. ?? 1992.

  9. k0-INAA for determining chemical elements in bird feathers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    França, Elvis J.; Fernandes, Elisabete A. N.; Fonseca, Felipe Y.; Antunes, Alexsander Z.; Bardini Junior, Claudiney; Bacchi, Márcio A.; Rodrigues, Vanessa S.; Cavalca, Isabel P. O.

    2010-10-01

    The k0-method instrumental neutron activation analysis ( k0-INAA) was employed for determining chemical elements in bird feathers. A collection was obtained taking into account several bird species from wet ecosystems in diverse regions of Brazil. For comparison reason, feathers were actively sampled in a riparian forest from the Marins Stream, Piracicaba, São Paulo State, using mist nets specific for capturing birds. Biological certified reference materials were used for assessing the quality of analytical procedure. Quantification of chemical elements was performed using the k0-INAA Quantu Software. Sixteen chemical elements, including macro and micronutrients, and trace elements, have been quantified in feathers, in which analytical uncertainties varied from 2% to 40% depending on the chemical element mass fraction. Results indicated high mass fractions of Br (max=7.9 mg kg -1), Co (max=0.47 mg kg -1), Cr (max=68 mg kg -1), Hg (max=2.79 mg kg -1), Sb (max=0.20 mg kg -1), Se (max=1.3 mg kg -1) and Zn (max=192 mg kg -1) in bird feathers, probably associated with the degree of pollution of the areas evaluated. In order to corroborate the use of k0-INAA results in biomonitoring studies using avian community, different factor analysis methods were used to check chemical element source apportionment and locality clustering based on feather chemical composition.

  10. The end of the LINE?: lack of recent L1 activity in a group of South American rodents.

    PubMed Central

    Casavant, N C; Scott, L; Cantrell, M A; Wiggins, L E; Baker, R J; Wichman, H A

    2000-01-01

    L1s (LINE-1: Long Interspersed Nuclear Element 1) are present in all mammals examined to date. They occur in both placental mammals and marsupials and thus are thought to have been present in the genome prior to the mammalian radiation. This unusual conservation of a transposable element family for over 100 million years has led to speculation that these elements provide an advantage to the genomes they inhabit. We have recently identified a group of South American rodents, including rice rats (Oryzomys), in which L1s appear to be quiescent or extinct. Several observations support this conclusion. First, genomic Southern blot analysis fails to reveal genus-specific bands in Oryzomys. Second, we were unable to find recently inserted elements. Procedures to enrich for young elements did not yield any with an intact open reading frame for reverse transcriptase; all elements isolated had numerous insertions, deletions, and stop codons. Phylogenetic analysis failed to yield species-specific clusters among the L1 elements isolated, and all Oryzomys sequences had numerous private mutations. Finally, in situ hybridization of L1 to Oryzomys chromosomes failed to reveal the characteristic L1 distribution in Oryzomys with either a homologous or heterologous probe. Thus, Oryzomys is a viable candidate for L1 extinction from a mammalian host. PMID:10747071

  11. A Priori Method of Using Photon Activation Analysis to Determine Unknown Trace Element Concentrations in NIST Standards

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Green, Jaromy; Sun Zaijing; Wells, Doug

    2009-03-10

    Photon activation analysis detected elements in two NIST standards that did not have reported concentration values. A method is currently being developed to infer these concentrations by using scaling parameters and the appropriate known quantities within the NIST standard itself. Scaling parameters include: threshold, peak and endpoint energies; photo-nuclear cross sections for specific isotopes; Bremstrahlung spectrum; target thickness; and photon flux. Photo-nuclear cross sections and energies from the unknown elements must also be known. With these quantities, the same integral was performed for both the known and unknown elements resulting in an inference of the concentration of the un-reported elementmore » based on the reported value. Since Rb and Mn were elements that were reported in the standards, and because they had well-identified peaks, they were used as the standards of inference to determine concentrations of the unreported elements of As, I, Nb, Y, and Zr. This method was tested by choosing other known elements within the standards and inferring a value based on the stated procedure. The reported value of Mn in the first NIST standard was 403{+-}15 ppm and the reported value of Ca in the second NIST standard was 87000 ppm (no reported uncertainty). The inferred concentrations were 370{+-}23 ppm and 80200{+-}8700 ppm respectively.« less

  12. Multielemental composition of suet oil based on quantification by ultrawave/ICP-MS coupled with chemometric analysis.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Jun; Feng, Liang; Li, Jie; Sun, E; Ding, Shu-Min; Jia, Xiao-Bin

    2014-04-10

    Suet oil (SO) has been used commonly for food and medicine preparation. The determination of its elemental composition has became an important challenge for human safety and health owing to its possible contents of heavy metals or other elements. In this study, ultrawave single reaction chamber microwave digestion (Ultrawave) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis was performed to determine 14 elements (Pb, As, Hg, Cd, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ti, Ni, V, Sr, Na, Ka and Ca) in SO samples. Furthermore, the multielemental content of 18 SO samples, which represented three different sources in China: Qinghai, Anhui and Jiangsu, were evaluated and compared. The optimal ultrawave digestion conditions, namely, the optimal time (35 min), temperature (210 °C) and pressure (90 bar), were screened by Box-Behnken design (BBD). Eighteen samples were successfully classified into three groups by principal component analysis (PCA) according to the contents of 14 elements. The results showed that all SO samples were rich in elements, but with significant differences corresponding to different origins. The outliers and majority of SO could be discriminated by PCA according to the multielemental content profile. The results highlighted that the element distribution was associated with the origins of SO samples. The proposed ultrawave digestion system was quite efficient and convenient, which could be mainly attributed to its high pressure and special high-throughput for the sample digestion procedure. Our established method could be useful for the quality control and standardization of elements in SO samples and products.

  13. Process metallurgy simulation for metal drawing process optimization by using two-scale finite element method

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nakamachi, Eiji; Yoshida, Takashi; Yamaguchi, Toshihiko

    2014-10-06

    We developed two-scale FE analysis procedure based on the crystallographic homogenization method by considering the hierarchical structure of poly-crystal aluminium alloy metal. It can be characterized as the combination of two-scale structure, such as the microscopic polycrystal structure and the macroscopic elastic plastic continuum. Micro polycrystal structure can be modeled as a three dimensional representative volume element (RVE). RVE is featured as by 3×3×3 eight-nodes solid finite elements, which has 216 crystal orientations. This FE analysis code can predict the deformation, strain and stress evolutions in the wire drawing processes in the macro- scales, and further the crystal texture andmore » hardening evolutions in the micro-scale. In this study, we analyzed the texture evolution in the wire drawing processes by our two-scale FE analysis code under conditions of various drawing angles of dice. We evaluates the texture evolution in the surface and center regions of the wire cross section, and to clarify the effects of processing conditions on the texture evolution.« less

  14. Large-deflection statics analysis of active cardiac catheters through co-rotational modelling.

    PubMed

    Peng Qi; Chen Qiu; Mehndiratta, Aadarsh; I-Ming Chen; Haoyong Yu

    2016-08-01

    This paper presents a co-rotational concept for large-deflection formulation of cardiac catheters. Using this approach, the catheter is first discretized with a number of equal length beam elements and nodes, and the rigid body motions of an individual beam element are separated from its deformations. Therefore, it is adequate for modelling arbitrarily large deflections of a catheter with linear elastic analysis at the local element level. A novel design of active cardiac catheter of 9 Fr in diameter at the beginning of the paper is proposed, which is based on the contra-rotating double helix patterns and is improved from the previous prototypes. The modelling section is followed by MATLAB simulations of various deflections when the catheter is exerted different types of loads. This proves the feasibility of the presented modelling approach. To the best knowledge of the authors, it is the first to utilize this methodology for large-deflection static analysis of the catheter, which will enable more accurate control of robot-assisted cardiac catheterization procedures. Future work would include further experimental validations.

  15. Process metallurgy simulation for metal drawing process optimization by using two-scale finite element method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakamachi, Eiji; Yoshida, Takashi; Kuramae, Hiroyuki; Morimoto, Hideo; Yamaguchi, Toshihiko; Morita, Yusuke

    2014-10-01

    We developed two-scale FE analysis procedure based on the crystallographic homogenization method by considering the hierarchical structure of poly-crystal aluminium alloy metal. It can be characterized as the combination of two-scale structure, such as the microscopic polycrystal structure and the macroscopic elastic plastic continuum. Micro polycrystal structure can be modeled as a three dimensional representative volume element (RVE). RVE is featured as by 3×3×3 eight-nodes solid finite elements, which has 216 crystal orientations. This FE analysis code can predict the deformation, strain and stress evolutions in the wire drawing processes in the macro- scales, and further the crystal texture and hardening evolutions in the micro-scale. In this study, we analyzed the texture evolution in the wire drawing processes by our two-scale FE analysis code under conditions of various drawing angles of dice. We evaluates the texture evolution in the surface and center regions of the wire cross section, and to clarify the effects of processing conditions on the texture evolution.

  16. Risk assessment of trace metals in an extreme environment sediment: shallow, hypersaline, alkaline, and industrial Lake Acıgöl, Denizli, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Budakoglu, Murat; Karaman, Muhittin; Kumral, Mustafa; Zeytuncu, Bihter; Doner, Zeynep; Yildirim, Demet Kiran; Taşdelen, Suat; Bülbül, Ali; Gumus, Lokman

    2018-02-23

    The major and trace element component of 48 recent sediment samples in three distinct intervals (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm) from Lake Acıgöl is described to present the current contamination levels and grift structure of detrital and evaporate mineral patterns of these sediments in this extreme saline environment. The spatial and vertical concentrations of major oxides were not uniform in the each subsurface interval. However, similar spatial distribution patterns were observed for some major element couples, due mainly to the detrital and evaporate origin of these elements. A sequential extraction procedure including five distinct steps was also performed to determine the different bonds of trace elements in the < 60-μ particulate size of recent sediments. Eleven trace elements (Ni, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Co, Cr, Al and Mn) in nine surface and subsurface sediment samples were analyzed with chemical partitioning procedures to determine the trace element percentage loads in these different sequential extraction phases. The obtained accuracy values via comparison of the bulk trace metal loads with the total loads of five extraction steps were satisfying for the Ni, Fe, Cd, Zn, and Co. While, bulk analysis results of the Cu, Ni, and V elements have good correlation with total organic matter, organic fraction of sequential extraction characterized by Cu, As, Cd, and Pb. Shallow Lake Acıgöl sediment is characteristic with two different redox layer a) oxic upper level sediments, where trace metals are mobilized, b) reduced subsurface level, where the trace metals are precipitated.

  17. Approximate analysis of containment/deflection ring responses to engine rotor fragment impact.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wu, R. W.-H.; Witmer, E. A.

    1973-01-01

    The transient responses of containment and/or deflection rings to impact from an engine rotor-blade fragment are analyzed. Energy and momentum considerations are employed in an approximate analysis to predict the collision-induced velocities which are imparted to the fragment and to the affected ring segment. This collision analysis is combined with the spatial finite-element representation of the ring and a temporal finite-difference solution procedure to predict the resulting large transient elastic-plastic deformations of containment/deflection rings. Some comparisons with experimental data are given.

  18. dc analysis and design of zero-voltage-switched multi-resonant converters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tabisz, Wojciech A.; Lee, Fred C.

    Recently introduced multiresonant converters (MRCs) provide zero-voltage switching (ZVS) of both active and passive switches and offer a substantial reduction of transistor voltage stress and an increase of load range, compared to their quasi-resonant converter counterparts. Using the resonant switch concept, a simple, generalized analysis of ZVS MRCs is presented. The conversion ratio and voltage stress characteristics are derived for basic ZVS MRCs, including buck, boost, and buck/boost converters. Based on the analysis, a design procedure that optimizes the selection of resonant elements for maximum conversion efficiency is proposed.

  19. Structural dynamic analysis of the Space Shuttle Main Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scott, L. P.; Jamison, G. T.; Mccutcheon, W. A.; Price, J. M.

    1981-01-01

    This structural dynamic analysis supports development of the SSME by evaluating components subjected to critical dynamic loads, identifying significant parameters, and evaluating solution methods. Engine operating parameters at both rated and full power levels are considered. Detailed structural dynamic analyses of operationally critical and life limited components support the assessment of engine design modifications and environmental changes. Engine system test results are utilized to verify analytic model simulations. The SSME main chamber injector assembly is an assembly of 600 injector elements which are called LOX posts. The overall LOX post analysis procedure is shown.

  20. Implementation on a nonlinear concrete cracking algorithm in NASTRAN

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Herting, D. N.; Herendeen, D. L.; Hoesly, R. L.; Chang, H.

    1976-01-01

    A computer code for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was developed using NASTRAN as a basis. Nonlinear iteration procedures were developed for obtaining solutions with a wide variety of loading sequences. A direct access file system was used to save results at each load step to restart within the solution module for further analysis. A multi-nested looping capability was implemented to control the iterations and change the loads. The basis for the analysis is a set of mutli-layer plate elements which allow local definition of materials and cracking properties.

  1. Trace elements in lake sediments measured by the PIXE technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gatti, Luciana V.; Mozeto, Antônio A.; Artaxo, Paulo

    1999-04-01

    Lakes are ecosystems where there is a great potential of metal accumulation in sediments due to their depositional characteristics. Total concentration of trace elements was measured on a 50 cm long sediment core from the Infernão Lake, that is an oxbow lake of the Moji-Guaçu River basin, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Dating of the core shows up to 180 yrs old sediment layers. The use of the PIXE technique for elemental analysis avoids the traditional acid digestion procedure common in other techniques. The multielemental characteristic of PIXE allows a simultaneous determination of about 20 elements in the sediment samples, such as, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, and Pb. Average values for the elemental composition were found to be similar to the bulk crustal composition. The lake flooding pattern strongly influences the time series of the elemental profiles. Factor analysis of the elemental variability shows five factors. Two of the factors represent the mineralogical matrix, and others represent the organic component, a factor with lead, and another loaded with chromium. The mineralogical component consists of elements such as, Fe, Al, V, Ti, Mn, Ni, K, Zr, Sr, Cu and Zn. The variability of Si is explained by two distinct factors, because it is influenced by two different sources, aluminum-silicates and quartz, and the effect of inundation are different for each other. The organic matter is strongly associated with calcium, and also bounded with S, Zn, Cu and P. Lead and chromium appears as separated factors, although it is not clear the evidences for their anthropogenic origin. The techniques developed for sample preparation and PIXE analysis was proven as advantageous and provided very good reproducibility and accuracy.

  2. A study for high accuracy measurement of residual stress by deep hole drilling technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kitano, Houichi; Okano, Shigetaka; Mochizuki, Masahito

    2012-08-01

    The deep hole drilling technique (DHD) received much attention in recent years as a method for measuring through-thickness residual stresses. However, some accuracy problems occur when residual stress evaluation is performed by the DHD technique. One of the reasons is that the traditional DHD evaluation formula applies to the plane stress condition. The second is that the effects of the plastic deformation produced in the drilling process and the deformation produced in the trepanning process are ignored. In this study, a modified evaluation formula, which is applied to the plane strain condition, is proposed. In addition, a new procedure is proposed which can consider the effects of the deformation produced in the DHD process by investigating the effects in detail by finite element (FE) analysis. Then, the evaluation results obtained by the new procedure are compared with that obtained by traditional DHD procedure by FE analysis. As a result, the new procedure evaluates the residual stress fields better than the traditional DHD procedure when the measuring object is thick enough that the stress condition can be assumed as the plane strain condition as in the model used in this study.

  3. Comparison of a portable micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for the ancient ceramics analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Papadopoulou, D. N.; Zachariadis, G. A.; Anthemidis, A. N.; Tsirliganis, N. C.; Stratis, J. A.

    2004-12-01

    Two multielement instrumental methods of analysis, micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were applied for the analysis of 7th and 5th century B.C. ancient ceramic sherds in order to evaluate the above two methods and to assess the potential to use the current compact and portable micro-XRF instrument for the in situ analysis of ancient ceramics. The distinguishing factor of interest is that micro-XRF spectrometry offers the possibility of a nondestructive analysis, an aspect of primary importance in the compositional analysis of cultural objects. Micro-XRF measurements were performed firstly directly on the ceramic sherds with no special pretreatment apart from surface cleaning (micro-XRF on sherds) and secondly on pressed pellet disks which were prepared for each ceramic sherd (micro-XRF on pellet). For the ICP-AES determination of elements, test solutions were prepared by the application of a microwave-assisted decomposition procedure in closed high-pressure PFA vessels. Also, the standard reference material SARM 69 was used for the efficiency calibration of the micro-XRF instrument and was analysed by both methods. In order to verify the calibration, the standard reference materials NCS DC 73332 and SRM620 as well as the reference materials AWI-1 and PRI-1 were analysed by micro-XRF. Elemental concentrations determined by the three analytical procedures (ICP-AES, micro-XRF on sherds and micro-XRF on pellets) were statistically treated by correlation analysis and Student's t-test (at the 95% confidence level).

  4. SilMush: A procedure for modeling of the geochemical evolution of silicic magmas and granitic rocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hertogen, Jan; Mareels, Joyce

    2016-07-01

    A boundary layer crystallization modeling program is presented that specifically addresses the chemical fractionation in silicic magma systems and the solidification of plutonic bodies. The model is a Langmuir (1989) type approach and does not invoke crystal settling in high-viscosity silicic melts. The primary aim is to model a granitic rock as a congealed crystal-liquid mush, and to integrate major element and trace element modeling. The procedure allows for some exploratory investigation of the exsolution of H2O-fluids and of the fluid/melt partitioning of trace elements. The procedure is implemented as a collection of subroutines for the MS Excel spreadsheet environment and is coded in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language. To increase the flexibility of the modeling, the procedure is based on discrete numeric process simulation rather than on solution of continuous differential equations. The program is applied to a study of the geochemical variation within and among three granitic units (Senones, Natzwiller, Kagenfels) from the Variscan Northern Vosges Massif, France. The three units cover the compositional range from monzogranite, over syenogranite to alkali-feldspar granite. An extensive set of new major element and trace element data is presented. Special attention is paid to the essential role of accessory minerals in the fractionation of the Rare Earth Elements. The crystallization model is able to reproduce the essential major and trace element variation trends in the data sets of the three separate granitic plutons. The Kagenfels alkali-feldspar leucogranite couples very limited variation in major element composition to a considerable and complex variation of trace elements. The modeling results can serve as a guide for the reconstruction of the emplacement sequence of petrographically distinct units. Although the modeling procedure essentially deals with geochemical fractionation within a single pluton, the modeling results bring up a number of questions about the petrogenetic relationships among parental magmas of nearly coeval granitic units emplaced in close proximity.

  5. Analysis of helium-ion scattering with a desktop computer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Butler, J. W.

    1986-04-01

    This paper describes a program written in an enhanced BASIC language for a desktop computer, for simulating the energy spectra of high-energy helium ions scattered into two concurrent detectors (backward and glancing). The program is designed for 512-channel spectra from samples containing up to 8 elements and 55 user-defined layers. The program is intended to meet the needs of analyses in materials sciences, such as metallurgy, where more than a few elements may be present, where several elements may be near each other in the periodic table, and where relatively deep structure may be important. These conditions preclude the use of completely automatic procedures for obtaining the sample composition directly from the scattered ion spectrum. Therefore, efficient methods are needed for entering and editing large amounts of composition data, with many iterations and with much feedback of information from the computer to the user. The internal video screen is used exclusively for verbal and numeric communications between user and computer. The composition matrix is edited on screen with a two-dimension forms-fill-in text editor and with many automatic procedures, such as doubling the number of layers with appropriate interpolations and extrapolations. The control center of the program is a bank of 10 keys that initiate on-event branching of program flow. The experimental and calculated spectra, including those of individual elements if desired, are displayed on an external color monitor, with an optional inset plot of the depth concentration profiles of the elements in the sample.

  6. Cognitive-graphic method for constructing of hierarchical forms of basic functions of biquadratic finite element

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Astionenko, I. O.; Litvinenko, O. I.; Osipova, N. V.; Tuluchenko, G. Ya.; Khomchenko, A. N.

    2016-10-01

    Recently the interpolation bases of the hierarchical type have been used for the problem solving of the approximation of multiple arguments functions (such as in the finite-element method). In this work the cognitive graphical method of constructing of the hierarchical form bases on the serendipity finite elements is suggested, which allowed to get the alternative bases on a biquadratic finite element from the serendipity family without internal knots' inclusion. The cognitive-graphic method allowed to improve the known interpolation procedure of Taylor and to get the modified elements with irregular arrangement of knots. The proposed procedures are universal and are spread in the area of finite-elements.

  7. Structural tailoring of advanced turboprops

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brown, K. W.; Hopkins, Dale A.

    1988-01-01

    The Structural Tailoring of Advanced Turboprops (STAT) computer program was developed to perform numerical optimization on highly swept propfan blades. The optimization procedure seeks to minimize an objective function defined as either: (1) direct operating cost of full scale blade or, (2) aeroelastic differences between a blade and its scaled model, by tuning internal and external geometry variables that must satisfy realistic blade design constraints. The STAT analysis system includes an aerodynamic efficiency evaluation, a finite element stress and vibration analysis, an acoustic analysis, a flutter analysis, and a once-per-revolution forced response life prediction capability. STAT includes all relevant propfan design constraints.

  8. 7 CFR 1455.11 - Application procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... PROGRAM § 1455.11 Application procedure. (a) Request for applications (RFA). CCC will issue periodic RFAs... following elements; additional required elements may be specified in the applicable RFA: (1) Title page; (2) Table of contents; (3) Executive summary, which includes; (i) Activities. Provide a summary of the...

  9. 7 CFR 1455.11 - Application procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... PROGRAM § 1455.11 Application procedure. (a) Request for applications (RFA). CCC will issue periodic RFAs... following elements; additional required elements may be specified in the applicable RFA: (1) Title page; (2) Table of contents; (3) Executive summary, which includes; (i) Activities. Provide a summary of the...

  10. 7 CFR 1455.11 - Application procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... PROGRAM § 1455.11 Application procedure. (a) Request for applications (RFA). CCC will issue periodic RFAs... following elements; additional required elements may be specified in the applicable RFA: (1) Title page; (2) Table of contents; (3) Executive summary, which includes; (i) Activities. Provide a summary of the...

  11. 7 CFR 1455.11 - Application procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... PROGRAM § 1455.11 Application procedure. (a) Request for applications (RFA). CCC will issue periodic RFAs... following elements; additional required elements may be specified in the applicable RFA: (1) Title page; (2) Table of contents; (3) Executive summary, which includes; (i) Activities. Provide a summary of the...

  12. Step 1: Human System Integration (HSI) FY05 Pilot-Technology Interface Requirements for Contingency Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    This document involves definition of technology interface requirements for Contingency Management. This was performed through a review of Contingency Management-related, HSI requirements documents, standards, and recommended practices. Technology concepts in use by the Contingency Management Work Package were considered. Beginning with HSI high-level functional requirements for Contingency Management, and Contingency Management technology elements, HSI requirements for the interface to the pilot were identified. Results of the analysis describe (1) the information required by the pilot to have knowledge of system failures and associated contingency procedures, and (2) the control capability needed by the pilot to obtain system status and procedure information. Fundamentally, these requirements provide the candidate Contingency Management technology concepts with the necessary human-related elements to make them compatible with human capabilities and limitations. The results of the analysis describe how Contingency Management operations and functions should interface with the pilot to provide the necessary Contingency Management functionality to the UA-pilot system. Requirements and guidelines for Contingency Management are partitioned into four categories: (1) Health and Status and (2) Contingency Management. Each requirement is stated and is supported with a rationale and associated reference(s).

  13. Multivariate statistical analysis of stream-sediment geochemistry in the Grazer Paläozoikum, Austria

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weber, L.; Davis, J.C.

    1990-01-01

    The Austrian reconnaissance study of stream-sediment composition — more than 30000 clay-fraction samples collected over an area of 40000 km2 — is summarized in an atlas of regional maps that show the distributions of 35 elements. These maps, rich in information, reveal complicated patterns of element abundance that are difficult to compare on more than a small number of maps at one time. In such a study, multivariate procedures such as simultaneous R-Q mode components analysis may be helpful. They can compress a large number of variables into a much smaller number of independent linear combinations. These composite variables may be mapped and relationships sought between them and geological properties. As an example, R-Q mode components analysis is applied here to the Grazer Paläozoikum, a tectonic unit northeast of the city of Graz, which is composed of diverse lithologies and contains many mineral deposits.

  14. Two-dimensional finite-element analyses of simulated rotor-fragment impacts against rings and beams compared with experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stagliano, T. R.; Witmer, E. A.; Rodal, J. J. A.

    1979-01-01

    Finite element modeling alternatives as well as the utility and limitations of the two dimensional structural response computer code CIVM-JET 4B for predicting the transient, large deflection, elastic plastic, structural responses of two dimensional beam and/or ring structures which are subjected to rigid fragment impact were investigated. The applicability of the CIVM-JET 4B analysis and code for the prediction of steel containment ring response to impact by complex deformable fragments from a trihub burst of a T58 turbine rotor was studied. Dimensional analysis considerations were used in a parametric examination of data from engine rotor burst containment experiments and data from sphere beam impact experiments. The use of the CIVM-JET 4B computer code for making parametric structural response studies on both fragment-containment structure and fragment-deflector structure was illustrated. Modifications to the analysis/computation procedure were developed to alleviate restrictions.

  15. A numerical formulation and algorithm for limit and shakedown analysis of large-scale elastoplastic structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Heng; Liu, Yinghua; Chen, Haofeng

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, a novel direct method called the stress compensation method (SCM) is proposed for limit and shakedown analysis of large-scale elastoplastic structures. Without needing to solve the specific mathematical programming problem, the SCM is a two-level iterative procedure based on a sequence of linear elastic finite element solutions where the global stiffness matrix is decomposed only once. In the inner loop, the static admissible residual stress field for shakedown analysis is constructed. In the outer loop, a series of decreasing load multipliers are updated to approach to the shakedown limit multiplier by using an efficient and robust iteration control technique, where the static shakedown theorem is adopted. Three numerical examples up to about 140,000 finite element nodes confirm the applicability and efficiency of this method for two-dimensional and three-dimensional elastoplastic structures, with detailed discussions on the convergence and the accuracy of the proposed algorithm.

  16. Structural Analysis of Composite Flywheels: an Integrated NDE and FEM Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Baaklini, George; Trudell, Jeffrey

    2001-01-01

    A structural assessment by integrating finite-element methods (FEM) and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of two flywheel rotor assemblies is presented. Composite rotor A is pancake-like with a solid hub design, and composite rotor B is cylindrical with a hollow hub design. Detailed analyses under combined centrifugal and interference-fit loading are performed. Two- and three-dimensional stress analyses and two-dimensional fracture mechanics analyses are conducted. A comparison of the structural analysis results obtained with those extracted via NDE findings is reported. Contact effects due to press-fit conditions are evaluated. Stress results generated from the finite-element analyses were corroborated with the analytical solution. Cracks due to rotational loading up to 48,000 rpm for rotor A and 34,000 rpm for rotor B were successfully imaged with NDE and predicted with FEM and fracture mechanics analyses. A procedure that extends current structural analysis to a life prediction tool is also defined.

  17. Closure and ratio correlation analysis of lunar chemical and grain size data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Butler, J. C.

    1976-01-01

    Major element and major element plus trace element analyses were selected from the lunar data base for Apollo 11, 12 and 15 basalt and regolith samples. Summary statistics for each of the six data sets were compiled, and the effects of closure on the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient were investigated using the Chayes and Kruskal approximation procedure. In general, there are two types of closure effects evident in these data sets: negative correlations of intermediate size which are solely the result of closure, and correlations of small absolute value which depart significantly from their expected closure correlations which are of intermediate size. It is shown that a positive closure correlation will arise only when the product of the coefficients of variation is very small (less than 0.01 for most data sets) and, in general, trace elements in the lunar data sets exhibit relatively large coefficients of variation.

  18. Application of epithermal neutron activation in multielement analysis of silicate rocks employing both coaxial Ge(Li) and low energy photon detector systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Baedecker, P.A.; Rowe, J.J.; Steinnes, E.

    1977-01-01

    The instrumental activation analysis of silicate rocks using epithermal neutrons has been studied using both high resolution coaxial Ge(Li) detectors and low energy photon detectors, and applied to the determination of 23 elements in eight new U.S.G.S. standard rocks. The analytical use X-ray peaks associated with electron capture or internal conversion processes has been evaluated. Of 28 elements which can be considered to be determinable by instrumental means, the epithermal activation approach is capable of giving improved sensitivity and precision in 16 cases, over the normal INAA procedure. In eleven cases the use of the low energy photon detector is thought to show advantages over convertional coaxial Ge(Li) spectroscopy. ?? 1977 Akade??miai Kiado??.

  19. Axisymmetric solid elements by a rational hybrid stress method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tian, Z.; Pian, T. H. H.

    1985-01-01

    Four-node axisymmetric solid elements are derived by a new version of hybrid method for which the assumed stresses are expressed in complete polynomials in natural coordinates. The stress equilibrium conditions are introduced through the use of additional displacements as Lagrange multipliers. A rational procedure is to choose the displacement terms such that the resulting strains are also of complete polynomials of the same order. Example problems all indicate that elements obtained by this procedure lead to better results in displacements and stresses than that by other finite elements.

  20. Iterative fitting method for the evaluation and quantification of PAES spectra

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zimnik, Samantha; Hackenberg, Mathias; Hugenschmidt, Christoph

    2017-01-01

    The elemental composition of surfaces is of great importance for the understanding of many surface processes such as catalysis. For a reliable analysis and a comparison of results, the quantification of the measured data is indispensable. Positron annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES) is a spectroscopic technique that measures the elemental composition with outstanding surface sensitivity, but up to now, no standardized evaluation procedure for PAES spectra is available. In this paper we present a new approach for the evaluation of PAES spectra of compounds, using the spectra obtained for the pure elements as reference. The measured spectrum is then fitted by a linear combination of the reference spectra by varying their intensities. The comparison of the results of the fitting routine with a calculation of the full parameter range shows an excellent agreement. We present the results of the new analysis method to evaluate the PAES spectra of sub-monolayers of Ni on a Pd substrate.

  1. Flexible Automation System for Determination of Elemental Composition of Incrustations in Clogged Biliary Endoprostheses Using ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Fleischer, Heidi; Ramani, Kinjal; Blitti, Koffi; Roddelkopf, Thomas; Warkentin, Mareike; Behrend, Detlef; Thurow, Kerstin

    2018-02-01

    Automation systems are well established in industries and life science laboratories, especially in bioscreening and high-throughput applications. An increasing demand of automation solutions can be seen in the field of analytical measurement in chemical synthesis, quality control, and medical and pharmaceutical fields, as well as research and development. In this study, an automation solution was developed and optimized for the investigation of new biliary endoprostheses (stents), which should reduce clogging after implantation in the human body. The material inside the stents (incrustations) has to be controlled regularly and under identical conditions. The elemental composition is one criterion to be monitored in stent development. The manual procedure was transferred to an automated process including sample preparation, elemental analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and data evaluation. Due to safety issues, microwave-assisted acid digestion was executed outside of the automation system. The performance of the automated process was determined and validated. The measurement results and the processing times were compared for both the manual and the automated procedure. Finally, real samples of stent incrustations and pig bile were analyzed using the automation system.

  2. Mobile Element Studies in Rocks (RAT) from Columbia Hills/West Spur at Gusev

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rao, M. N.; Nyquist, L. E.; Sutton, S. R.; Garrison, D. H.

    2007-01-01

    Using elemental abundances determined by SPIRIT APX spectrometer on rocks and soils at Gusev Plains and Columbia Hills/ West Spur regions, the Athena Team discussed the aqueous geochemical implications at these sites on Mars. They suggested that these rocks were exposed to variable degrees of aqueous alteration (low to high) at Gusev crater. Earlier, we developed analytical procedures for studying aqueous geochemical behavior of fluids on rocks at Meridiani. In the present study, we apply these methods to rocks at Columbia Hills/West Spur in order to understand the significance of the Gusev rock results in reference to aqueous geochemical processes on Mars . The data analysis procedure is based on treating SO3 ("a") and Cl ("b") as two variables and tracking the relationship between "a" and "b" when the fluids undergo evaporation. This process of evaporation leads to concentration changes in these two elements finally producing salt assemblages on Martian rocks. In some cases on plotting "a"/ "b" versus "b" in salt assemblages, they yield a hyperbolic distribution. The relationship is transformed into a straight line when "a"/"b" is again plotted against 1/"b" in the system. Earlier, we used this procedure in the case of Merdiani rock abrasion tool (RAT) rocks and in this study, we discuss the application of this procedure to Gusev rocks. This study shows that the Gusev Plains rocks were exposed to low SO3/Cl solutions (sulfate-poor) for short period of time (weak interaction), whereas solutions with high SO3/Cl ratios (sulfate-rich) seem to have pervasively interacted with Columbia Hills/ West Spur rocks (strong interaction) at Gusev crater. Our conclusions seem to be consistent with the Mossbauer results given for these rocks

  3. A revisitation of TRIX for trophic status assessment in the light of the European Water Framework Directive: application to Italian coastal waters.

    PubMed

    Pettine, Maurizio; Casentini, Barbara; Fazi, Stefano; Giovanardi, Franco; Pagnotta, Romano

    2007-09-01

    The trophic status classification of coastal waters at the European scale requires the availability of harmonised indicators and procedures. The composite trophic status index (TRIX) provides useful metrics for the assessment of the trophic status of coastal waters. It was originally developed for Italian coastal waters and then applied in many European seas (Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Baltic, Black and Northern seas). The TRIX index does not fulfil the classification procedure suggested by the WFD for two reasons: (a) it is based on an absolute trophic scale without any normalization to type-specific reference conditions; (b) it makes an ex ante aggregation of biological (Chl-a) and physico-chemical (oxygen, nutrients) quality elements, instead of an ex post integration of separate evaluations of biological and subsequent chemical quality elements. A revisitation of the TRIX index in the light of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) and new TRIX derived tools are presented in this paper. A number of Italian coastal sites were grouped into different types based on a thorough analysis of their hydro-morphological conditions, and type-specific reference sites were selected. Unscaled TRIX values (UNTRIX) for reference and impacted sites have been calculated and two alternative UNTRIX-based classification procedures are discussed. The proposed procedures, to be validated on a broader scale, provide users with simple tools that give an integrated view of nutrient enrichment and its effects on algal biomass (Chl-a) and on oxygen levels. This trophic evaluation along with phytoplankton indicator species and algal blooms contribute to the comprehensive assessment of phytoplankton, one of the biological quality elements in coastal waters.

  4. Progressive fracture of fiber composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Irvin, T. B.; Ginty, C. A.

    1983-01-01

    Refined models and procedures are described for determining progressive composite fracture in graphite/epoxy angleplied laminates. Lewis Research Center capabilities are utilized including the Real Time Ultrasonic C Scan (RUSCAN) experimental facility and the Composite Durability Structural Analysis (CODSTRAN) computer code. The CODSTRAN computer code is used to predict the fracture progression based on composite mechanics, finite element stress analysis, and fracture criteria modules. The RUSCAN facility, CODSTRAN computer code, and scanning electron microscope are used to determine durability and identify failure mechanisms in graphite/epoxy composites.

  5. Flexural torsional buckling of uniformly compressed beam-like structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferretti, M.

    2018-02-01

    A Timoshenko beam model embedded in a 3D space is introduced for buckling analysis of multi-store buildings, made by rigid floors connected by elastic columns. The beam model is developed via a direct approach, and the constitutive law, accounting for prestress forces, is deduced via a suitable homogenization procedure. The bifurcation analysis for the case of uniformly compressed buildings is then addressed, and numerical results concerning the Timoshenko model are compared with 3D finite element analyses. Finally, some conclusions and perspectives are drawn.

  6. QA/QC Guidance for Sampling and Analysis of Sediments, Water, and Tissues for Dredged Material Evaluations: Chemical Evaluations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-04-01

    J. Biochem. Physiol. 37:911-917. Bloom, N.S., E.A. Crecelius, and S . Berman . 1983. Determination of mercury in seawater at sub-nanogram per liter...procedure for determination of trace metal in seawater by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization. Anal. Chern. Acta 98:47-55...Nakashima, S ., R.E. Sturgeon, S.N. Willie, and S.S. Berman . 1988. Acid digestion of marine sample for trace element analysis using microwave heating

  7. Structural Analysis Computer Programs for Rigid Multicomponent Pavement Structures with Discontinuities--WESLIQID and WESLAYER. Report 1. Program Development and Numerical Presentations.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-05-01

    represented as a Winkler foundation. The program can treat any number of slabs connected by steel bars or other load trans- fer devices at the joints...dimensional finite element method. The inherent flexibility of such an approach permits the analysis of a rigid pavement with steel bars and stabilized...layers and provides an efficient tool for analyzing stress conditions at the joint. Unfor- tunately, such a procedure would require a tremendously

  8. Simulation of dynamics of beam structures with bolted joints using adjusted Iwan beam elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Y.; Hartwigsen, C. J.; McFarland, D. M.; Vakakis, A. F.; Bergman, L. A.

    2004-05-01

    Mechanical joints often affect structural response, causing localized non-linear stiffness and damping changes. As many structures are assemblies, incorporating the effects of joints is necessary to produce predictive finite element models. In this paper, we present an adjusted Iwan beam element (AIBE) for dynamic response analysis of beam structures containing joints. The adjusted Iwan model consists of a combination of springs and frictional sliders that exhibits non-linear behavior due to the stick-slip characteristic of the latter. The beam element developed is two-dimensional and consists of two adjusted Iwan models and maintains the usual complement of degrees of freedom: transverse displacement and rotation at each of the two nodes. The resulting element includes six parameters, which must be determined. To circumvent the difficulty arising from the non-linear nature of the inverse problem, a multi-layer feed-forward neural network (MLFF) is employed to extract joint parameters from measured structural acceleration responses. A parameter identification procedure is implemented on a beam structure with a bolted joint. In this procedure, acceleration responses at one location on the beam structure due to one known impulsive forcing function are simulated for sets of combinations of varying joint parameters. A MLFF is developed and trained using the patterns of envelope data corresponding to these acceleration histories. The joint parameters are identified through the trained MLFF applied to the measured acceleration response. Then, using the identified joint parameters, acceleration responses of the jointed beam due to a different impulsive forcing function are predicted. The validity of the identified joint parameters is assessed by comparing simulated acceleration responses with experimental measurements. The capability of the AIBE to capture the effects of bolted joints on the dynamic responses of beam structures, and the efficacy of the MLFF parameter identification procedure, are demonstrated.

  9. Determining baseline element composition of lichens. II. Hypogymnia enteromorpha and Usnea spp. at Redwood National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gough, L.P.; Jackson, L.L.; Sacklin, J.A.

    1988-01-01

    Hypogymnia enteromorpha and Usnea spp. were collected in the Little Bald Hills ultramafic region of Redwood National Park, California, to establish element-concentration norms. Baselines are presented for Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, Ni, P, Sr, V, and Zn for both lichen species; for Li, Mg, and K for H. enteromorpha; and for Al, Ce, Cr, Co, Fe, Na, and Ti for Usnea. Element concentrations of future collections of this same material can be used to monitor possible air quality changes anticipated from mining activities planned nearby. The variability in the element concentrations was partitioned between geographical distance increments and sample preparation and analysis procedures. In general, most of this variability was found in samples less than a few hundreds of meters apart rather than those at about 1 km apart. Therefore, except for Ba and Co, no large geographical element-concentration trends were observed. Samples of both species contained elevated levels of Ni and Mg, which probably reflect the ultramafic terrain over which they occur.

  10. Using FAIRE (Formaldehyde-Assisted Isolation of Regulatory Elements) to isolate active regulatory DNA

    PubMed Central

    Simon, Jeremy M.; Giresi, Paul G.; Davis, Ian J.; Lieb, Jason D.

    2013-01-01

    Eviction or destabilization of nucleosomes from chromatin is a hallmark of functional regulatory elements of the eukaryotic genome. Historically identified by nuclease hypersensitivity, these regulatory elements are typically bound by transcription factors or other regulatory proteins. FAIRE (Formaldehyde-Assisted Isolation of Regulatory Elements) is an alternative approach to identify these genomic regions and has proven successful in a multitude of eukaryotic cell and tissue types. Cells or dissociated tissues are crosslinked briefly with formaldehyde, lysed, and sonicated. Sheared chromatin is subjected to phenol-chloroform extraction and the isolated DNA, typically encompassing 1–3% of the human genome, is purified. We provide guidelines for quantitative analysis by PCR, microarrays, or next-generation sequencing. Regulatory elements enriched by FAIRE display high concordance with those identified by nuclease hypersensitivity or ChIP, and the entire procedure can be completed in three days. FAIRE exhibits low technical variability, which allows its use in large-scale studies of chromatin from normal or diseased tissues. PMID:22262007

  11. Finite element procedures for time-dependent convection-diffusion-reaction systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tezduyar, T. E.; Park, Y. J.; Deans, H. A.

    1988-01-01

    New finite element procedures based on the streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin formulations are developed for time-dependent convection-diffusion-reaction equations. These procedures minimize spurious oscillations for convection-dominated and reaction-dominated problems. The results obtained for representative numerical examples are accurate with minimal oscillations. As a special application problem, the single-well chemical tracer test (a procedure for measuring oil remaining in a depleted field) is simulated numerically. The results show the importance of temperature effects on the interpreted value of residual oil saturation from such tests.

  12. Conjugated Gammadion Chiral Metamaterial with Uniaxial Optical Activity and Negative Refractive Index

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-10

    in Fig. 4, we discuss a procedure of transmutation from the simple -particle chiral element to the conjugated gammadion chiral metamaterial. The...the transmutation from the simple -particle chiral element to the conjugated gammadion chiral metamaterial. The procedure shows how the magnetic or

  13. Development of a realistic stress analysis for fatigue analysis of notched composite laminates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Humphreys, E. A.; Rosen, B. W.

    1979-01-01

    A finite element stress analysis which consists of a membrane and interlaminar shear spring analysis was developed. This approach was utilized in order to model physically realistic failure mechanisms while maintaining a high degree of computational economy. The accuracy of the stress analysis predictions is verified through comparisons with other solutions to the composite laminate edge effect problem. The stress analysis model was incorporated into an existing fatigue analysis methodology and the entire procedure computerized. A fatigue analysis is performed upon a square laminated composite plate with a circular central hole. A complete description and users guide for the computer code FLAC (Fatigue of Laminated Composites) is included as an appendix.

  14. Quantitative X-ray Map Analyser (Q-XRMA): A new GIS-based statistical approach to Mineral Image Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ortolano, Gaetano; Visalli, Roberto; Godard, Gaston; Cirrincione, Rosolino

    2018-06-01

    We present a new ArcGIS®-based tool developed in the Python programming language for calibrating EDS/WDS X-ray element maps, with the aim of acquiring quantitative information of petrological interest. The calibration procedure is based on a multiple linear regression technique that takes into account interdependence among elements and is constrained by the stoichiometry of minerals. The procedure requires an appropriate number of spot analyses for use as internal standards and provides several test indexes for a rapid check of calibration accuracy. The code is based on an earlier image-processing tool designed primarily for classifying minerals in X-ray element maps; the original Python code has now been enhanced to yield calibrated maps of mineral end-members or the chemical parameters of each classified mineral. The semi-automated procedure can be used to extract a dataset that is automatically stored within queryable tables. As a case study, the software was applied to an amphibolite-facies garnet-bearing micaschist. The calibrated images obtained for both anhydrous (i.e., garnet and plagioclase) and hydrous (i.e., biotite) phases show a good fit with corresponding electron microprobe analyses. This new GIS-based tool package can thus find useful application in petrology and materials science research. Moreover, the huge quantity of data extracted opens new opportunities for the development of a thin-section microchemical database that, using a GIS platform, can be linked with other major global geoscience databases.

  15. Single-step solubilization of milk samples with N,N-dimethylformamide for inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis and classification based on their elemental composition.

    PubMed

    Azcarate, Silvana M; Savio, Marianela; Smichowski, Patricia; Martinez, Luis D; Camiña, José M; Gil, Raúl A

    2015-10-01

    A single-step procedure for trace elements analysis of milk samples is presented. Solubilization with small amounts of dymethylformamide (DMF) was assayed prior to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) detection with a high efficiency sample introduction system. All main instrumental conditions were optimized in order to readily introduce the samples without matrix elimination. In order to assess and mitigate matrix effects in the determination of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Eu, Ga, Gd, Ge, Mn, Mo, Nb, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Rb, Sm, S, Sr, Ta, Tb, V, Zn, and Zr, matrix matching calibration with (103)Rh as internal standard (IS) was performed. The obtained limits of detection were between 0.68 (Tb) and 30 (Zn) μg L(-1). For accuracy verification, certified Skim milk powder reference material (BCR 063R) was employed. The developed method was applied to trace elements analysis of commercially available milks. Principal components analysis was used to correlate the content of trace metals with the kind of milk, obtaining a classification according to adults, baby or baby fortified milks. The outcomes highlight a simple and fast approach that could be trustworthy for routine analysis, quality control and traceability of milks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Analysis of eccentric annular incompressible seals. II - Effects of eccentricity on rotordynamic coefficients

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nelson, C. C.; Nguyen, D. T.

    1987-01-01

    A new analysis procedure has been presented which solves for the flow variables of an annular pressure seal in which the rotor has a large static displacement (eccentricity) from the centered position. The present paper incorporates the solutions to investigate the effect of eccentricity on the rotordynamic coefficients. The analysis begins with a set of governing equations based on a turbulent bulk-flow model and Moody's friction factor equation. Perturbations of the flow variables yields a set of zeroth- and first-order equations. After integration of the zeroth-order equations, the resulting zeroth-order flow variables are used as input in the solution of the first-order equations. Further integration of the first order pressures yields the eccentric rotordynamic coefficients. The results from this procedure compare well with available experimental and theoretical data, with accuracy just as good or slightly better than the predictions based on a finite-element model.

  17. Initial Data Analysis Results for ATD-2 ISAS HITL Simulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, Hanbong

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the operational procedures and information requirements for the core functional capabilities of the ATD-2 project, such as tactical surface metering tool, APREQ-CFR procedure, and data element exchanges between ramp and tower, human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulations were performed in March, 2017. This presentation shows the initial data analysis results from the HITL simulations. With respect to the different runway configurations and metering values in tactical surface scheduler, various airport performance metrics were analyzed and compared. These metrics include gate holding time, taxi-out in time, runway throughput, queue size and wait time in queue, and TMI flight compliance. In addition to the metering value, other factors affecting the airport performance in the HITL simulation, including run duration, runway changes, and TMI constraints, are also discussed.

  18. Dispersed particle extraction--a new procedure for trace element enrichment from natural aqueous samples with subsequent ICP-OES analysis.

    PubMed

    Bauer, Gerald; Neouze, Marie-Alexandra; Limbeck, Andreas

    2013-01-15

    A novel sample pre-treatment method for multi trace element enrichment from environmental waters prior to optical emission spectrometry analysis with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES) is proposed, based on dispersed particle extraction (DPE). This method is based on the use of silica nanoparticles functionalized with strong cation exchange ligands. After separation from the investigated sample solution, the nanoparticles used for the extraction are directly introduced in the ICP for measurement of the adsorbed target analytes. A prerequisite for the successful application of the developed slurry approach is the use of sorbent particles with a mean size of 500 nm instead of commercially available μm sized beads. The proposed method offers the known advantages of common bead-injection (BI) techniques, and further circumvents the elution step required in conventional solid phase extraction procedures. With the use of 14.4 mL sample and addition of ammonium acetate buffer and particle slurry limits of detection (LODs) from 0.03 μg L(-1) for Be to 0.48 μg L(-1) for Fe, with relative standard deviations ranging from 1.7% for Fe and 5.5% for Cr and an average enrichment factor of 10.4 could be achieved. By implementing this method the possibility to access sorbent materials with irreversible bonding mechanisms for sample pre-treatment is established, thus improvements in the selectivity of sample pre-treatment procedures can be achieved. The presented procedure was tested for accuracy with NIST standard reference material 1643e (fresh water) and was applied to drinking water samples from the vicinity of Vienna. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Analysing of critical force effects of aircraft seat belt using truss elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klemenc, Marek; Markopoulos, Alexandros; Maršálek, Pavel

    2017-07-01

    This paper deals with the mathematical modelling of an aircraft seat belt crash test. The main goal is determination of a time course of the reactions in a lap belt anchoring points and their maximum values. This work was created on the basis of practical requirements from industry. Results are going to be reflected in developing a new type of aircraft seats. We mainly focus on the mathematical modelling of dynamic problems using the finite element method (FEM). Derived procedures are implemented in the Python programming language and are verified by several examples. A final calculation algorithm is applied on the analysis of the safety belt. We consider that a seat belt bending stiffness is very small compared to a tensile stiffness, therefore we used a 2D plane truss element.

  20. An Efficient Analysis Methodology for Fluted-Core Composite Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oremont, Leonard; Schultz, Marc R.

    2012-01-01

    The primary loading condition in launch-vehicle barrel sections is axial compression, and it is therefore important to understand the compression behavior of any structures, structural concepts, and materials considered in launch-vehicle designs. This understanding will necessarily come from a combination of test and analysis. However, certain potentially beneficial structures and structural concepts do not lend themselves to commonly used simplified analysis methods, and therefore innovative analysis methodologies must be developed if these structures and structural concepts are to be considered. This paper discusses such an analysis technique for the fluted-core sandwich composite structural concept. The presented technique is based on commercially available finite-element codes, and uses shell elements to capture behavior that would normally require solid elements to capture the detailed mechanical response of the structure. The shell thicknesses and offsets using this analysis technique are parameterized, and the parameters are adjusted through a heuristic procedure until this model matches the mechanical behavior of a more detailed shell-and-solid model. Additionally, the detailed shell-and-solid model can be strategically placed in a larger, global shell-only model to capture important local behavior. Comparisons between shell-only models, experiments, and more detailed shell-and-solid models show excellent agreement. The discussed analysis methodology, though only discussed in the context of fluted-core composites, is widely applicable to other concepts.

  1. Implementation of DSC model and application for analysis of field pile tests under cyclic loading

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shao, Changming; Desai, Chandra S.

    2000-05-01

    The disturbed state concept (DSC) model, and a new and simplified procedure for unloading and reloading behavior are implemented in a nonlinear finite element procedure for dynamic analysis for coupled response of saturated porous materials. The DSC model is used to characterize the cyclic behavior of saturated clays and clay-steel interfaces. In the DSC, the relative intact (RI) behavior is characterized by using the hierarchical single surface (HISS) plasticity model; and the fully adjusted (FA) behavior is modeled by using the critical state concept. The DSC model is validated with respect to laboratory triaxial tests for clay and shear tests for clay-steel interfaces. The computer procedure is used to predict field behavior of an instrumented pile subjected to cyclic loading. The predictions provide very good correlation with the field data. They also yield improved results compared to those from a HISS model with anisotropic hardening, partly because the DSC model allows for degradation or softening and interface response.

  2. Modeling Geometry and Progressive Failure of Material Interfaces in Plain Weave Composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hsu, Su-Yuen; Cheng, Ron-Bin

    2010-01-01

    A procedure combining a geometrically nonlinear, explicit-dynamics contact analysis, computer aided design techniques, and elasticity-based mesh adjustment is proposed to efficiently generate realistic finite element models for meso-mechanical analysis of progressive failure in textile composites. In the procedure, the geometry of fiber tows is obtained by imposing a fictitious expansion on the tows. Meshes resulting from the procedure are conformal with the computed tow-tow and tow-matrix interfaces but are incongruent at the interfaces. The mesh interfaces are treated as cohesive contact surfaces not only to resolve the incongruence but also to simulate progressive failure. The method is employed to simulate debonding at the material interfaces in a ceramic-matrix plain weave composite with matrix porosity and in a polymeric matrix plain weave composite without matrix porosity, both subject to uniaxial cyclic loading. The numerical results indicate progression of the interfacial damage during every loading and reverse loading event in a constant strain amplitude cyclic process. However, the composites show different patterns of damage advancement.

  3. Development of orthotropic birefringent materials for photoelastic stress analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daniel, I. M.; Niiro, T.; Koller, G. M.

    1981-01-01

    Materials were selected and fabrication procedures developed for orthotropic birefringent materials. An epoxy resin (Maraset 658/558 system) was selected as the matrix material. Fibers obtained from style 3733 glass cloth and type 1062 glass roving were used as reinforcement. Two different fabrication procedures were used. In the first one, layers of unidirectional fibers removed from the glass cloth were stacked, impregnated with resin, bagged and cured in the autoclave at an elevated temperature. In the second procedure, the glass roving was drywound over metal frames, impregnated with resin and cured at room temperature under pressure and vacuum in an autoclave. Unidirectional, angle-ply and quasi-isotropic laminates of two thicknesses and with embedded flaws were fabricated. The matrix and the unidirectional glass/epoxy material were fully characterized. The density, fiber volume ratio, mechanical, and optical properties were determined. The fiber volume ratio was over 0.50. Birefringent properties were in good agreement with predictions based on a stress proportioning concept and also, with one exception, with properties predicted by a finite element analysis.

  4. Assessment of the performance of rigid pavement back-calculation through finite element modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shoukry, Samir N.; William, Gergis W.; Martinelli, David R.

    1999-02-01

    This study focuses on examining the behavior of rigid pavement layers during the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) test. Factors affecting the design of a concrete slab, such as whether the joints are doweled or undoweled and the spacing between the transverse joints, were considered in this study. Explicit finite element analysis was employed to investigate pavement layers' responses to the action of the impulse of the FWD test. Models of various dimensions were developed to satisfy the factors under consideration. The accuracy of the finite element models developed in this investigation was verified by comparing the finite element- generated deflection basin with that experimentally measured during an actual test. The results showed that the measured deflection basin can be reproduced through finite element modeling of the pavement structure. The resulting deflection basins from the use FE modeling was processed in order to backcalculate pavement layer moduli. This approach provides a method for the evaluation of the performance of existing backcalculation programs which are based on static elastic layer analysis. Based upon the previous studies conducted for the selection of software, three different backcalculation programs were chosen for the evaluation: MODULUS5.0, EVERCALC4.0, and MODCOMP3. The results indicate that ignoring the dynamic nature of the load may lead to crude results, especially during backcalculation procedures.

  5. Optimal parameters to avoid thermal necrosis during bone drilling: A finite element analysis.

    PubMed

    Mediouni, Mohamed; Schlatterer, Daniel R; Khoury, Amal; Von Bergen, Tobias; Shetty, Sunil H; Arora, Manit; Dhond, Amit; Vaughan, Neil; Volosnikov, Alexander

    2017-11-01

    The drilling bone may potentially cause excessive frictional heat, which can lead to local bone necrosis. This heat generation and local necrosis has been suggested to contribute to the resorption of bone around the placed screws, ending in loss of screw purchase in the bone and inadvertent loosening and/or the bone-implant construct. In vivo studies on this subject have inherent obstacles not the least of which is controlling the variables and real time bone temperature data acquisition. Theoretical models can be generated using computer software and the inclusion of known constants for the mechanical properties of metal and bone. These known Data points for the variables (drill bit and bone) enables finite element analysis of various bone drilling scenarios. An elastic-plastic three-dimensional (3D) acetabular bone mode was developed and finite element model analysis (FEA) was applied to various simulated drilling procedures. The FEA results clearly indicate that the depth of drilling and the drill speed both have a significant effect on the temperature during drilling procedures. The reduction of the feeding speed leads to a reduction in bone temperature. Our data suggests that reducing the feeding speed regardless of RPMs and pressure applied could be a simple useful and effective way to reduce drilling temperatures. This study is the first step in helping any surgeon who drills bone and places screws to better understand the ideal pressure to apply and drill speed to employ and advance rate to avoid osteonecrosis. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2386-2391, 2017. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Analysis of Flexible Anchored Hollow WPC Quay Walls of the New Berth in Tur, Egypt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elsayed, Ayman

    2017-10-01

    A seawall, also known as a bulkhead or retaining wall, is a structure built to reduce the effects of strong waves and to defend costal land from erosion. Traditionally, seawalls are made of steel, timber or concrete construction. Composite materials, however, have been recently introduced for their ease of installation/maintenance in dry processing, low cost, and environmentally friendly materials. A wood plastic composite (WPC) seawall system has been developed and patented for its unique hollow structure that can give greater stiffness and stability under various external stresses. This paper describes the development of design method used in the analysis of the WPC walls. The main challenge during the physical excavation works is to limit the deformations involved in order to minimize damage on adjacent structures. The deformations depend largely on the excavation and strutting procedures, but also on the properties of the structural elements like the soil, the sheet pile and strutting members. The detailed design procedure involves numerical analyses, national regulations and common practice considerations. The contribution of finite element method in this field was used herein to determine the lateral movements, the bending moments of the wall, the passive earth pressure of the soil and the tensile force exerted by the anchor rods. The overall objectives of this research can be divided into two categories, First calibration of the finite element model for the new Tur quay walls (the case study) and reviewing the results of the steel cross section that chosen and the suggested one. Second, analysis and comparing the results of WPC cross-sections with the designed Steel sheet pile wall (SPW).

  7. Numerical simulation of aerothermal loads in hypersonic engine inlets due to shock impingement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramakrishnan, R.

    1992-01-01

    The effect of shock impingement on an axial corner simulating the inlet of a hypersonic vehicle engine is modeled using a finite-difference procedure. A three-dimensional dynamic grid adaptation procedure is utilized to move the grids to regions with strong flow gradients. The adaptation procedure uses a grid relocation stencil that is valid at both the interior and boundary points of the finite-difference grid. A linear combination of spatial derivatives of specific flow variables, calculated with finite-element interpolation functions, are used as adaptation measures. This computational procedure is used to study laminar and turbulent Mach 6 flows in the axial corner. The description of flow physics and qualitative measures of heat transfer distributions on cowl and strut surfaces obtained from the analysis are compared with experimental observations. Conclusions are drawn regarding the capability of the numerical scheme for enhanced modeling of high-speed compressible flows.

  8. Unproven diagnostic procedures in IgE-mediated allergic diseases.

    PubMed

    Niggemann, B; Grüber, C

    2004-08-01

    A considerable body of literature on therapeutic aspects of complementary and alternative medicine has been published in recent years, but little is known on diagnostic procedures. This short review lists complementary and alternative diagnostic procedures for the diagnosis of allergic diseases and presents an assessment of their usefulness for the daily practice. The review of the literature revealed that neither the determination of specific immunoglobulin G-antibodies in serum, the hair-analysis, the cytotoxic test, kinesiology, iridology, or electrodermal testing represent useful tests for the daily practice. To date, no complementary or alternative diagnostic procedure can be recommended as a meaningful element in the diagnostic work-up of allergic diseases. This is especially true for food allergy: properly performed oral food challenges still represent the gold standard for implementing specific diets in food allergic individuals. Ineffective diagnostic approaches may be costly for the consumer and delay appropriate therapy.

  9. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence as a convenient tool for determination of trace elements in microscale gasoline and diesel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Airui; Jin, Axiang; Wang, Hai; Wang, Xiaokang; Zha, Pengfei; Wang, Meiling; Song, Xiaoping; Gao, Sitian

    2018-03-01

    Quantitative determination of trace elements like S, Fe, Cu, Mn and Pb in gasoline and S in diesel is of great importance due to the growing concerns over air pollution, human health and engine failure caused by utilization of gasoline and diesel with these harmful elements. A method of total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) was developed to measure these harmful trace elements in gasoline and diesel. A variety of factors to affect measurement results, including TXRF parameters, microwave-assisted digestion conditions and internal standard element and its addition, were examined to optimize these experimental procedures. The hydrophobic treatment of the surface of quartz reflectors to support the analyte with neutral silicone solutions could prepare thin films of gasoline and diesel digestion solutions for subsequent TXRF analysis. The proposed method shows good potential and reliability to determine the content of harmful trace elements in gasoline and diesel with high sensitivity and accuracy without drawing different standard calibration curves, and can be easily employed to screen gasoline and diesel in routine quality control and assurance.

  10. Accuracy of three-dimensional seismic ground response analysis in time domain using nonlinear numerical simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Fayun; Chen, Haibing; Huang, Maosong

    2017-07-01

    To provide appropriate uses of nonlinear ground response analysis for engineering practice, a three-dimensional soil column with a distributed mass system and a time domain numerical analysis were implemented on the OpenSees simulation platform. The standard mesh of a three-dimensional soil column was suggested to be satisfied with the specified maximum frequency. The layered soil column was divided into multiple sub-soils with a different viscous damping matrix according to the shear velocities as the soil properties were significantly different. It was necessary to use a combination of other one-dimensional or three-dimensional nonlinear seismic ground analysis programs to confirm the applicability of nonlinear seismic ground motion response analysis procedures in soft soil or for strong earthquakes. The accuracy of the three-dimensional soil column finite element method was verified by dynamic centrifuge model testing under different peak accelerations of the earthquake. As a result, nonlinear seismic ground motion response analysis procedures were improved in this study. The accuracy and efficiency of the three-dimensional seismic ground response analysis can be adapted to the requirements of engineering practice.

  11. Multielemental speciation analysis by advanced hyphenated technique - HPLC/ICP-MS: A review.

    PubMed

    Marcinkowska, Monika; Barałkiewicz, Danuta

    2016-12-01

    Speciation analysis has become an invaluable tool in human health risk assessment, environmental monitoring or food quality control. Another step is to develop reliable multielemental speciation methodologies, to reduce costs, waste and time needed for the analysis. Separation and detection of species of several elements in a single analytical run can be accomplished by high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-MS). Our review assembles articles concerning multielemental speciation determination of: As, Se, Cr, Sb, I, Br, Pb, Hg, V, Mo, Te, Tl, Cd and W in environmental, biological, food and clinical samples analyzed with HPLC/ICP-MS. It addresses the procedures in terms of following issues: sample collection and pretreatment, selection of optimal conditions for elements species separation by HPLC and determination using ICP-MS as well as metrological approach. The presented work is the first review article concerning multielemental speciation analysis by advanced hyphenated technique HPLC/ICP-MS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Finite element design procedure for correcting the coining die profiles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexandrino, Paulo; Leitão, Paulo J.; Alves, Luis M.; Martins, Paulo A. F.

    2018-05-01

    This paper presents a new finite element based design procedure for correcting the coining die profiles in order to optimize the distribution of pressure and the alignment of the resultant vertical force at the end of the die stroke. The procedure avoids time consuming and costly try-outs, does not interfere with the creative process of the sculptors and extends the service life of the coining dies by significantly decreasing the applied pressure and bending moments. The numerical simulations were carried out in a computer program based on the finite element flow formulation that is currently being developed by the authors in collaboration with the Portuguese Mint. A new experimental procedure based on the stack compression test is also proposed for determining the stress-strain curve of the materials directly from the coin blanks.

  13. Dynamic tests of composite panels of an aircraft wing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Splichal, Jan; Pistek, Antonin; Hlinka, Jiri

    2015-10-01

    The paper describes the analysis of aerospace composite structures under dynamic loading. Today, it is common to use design procedures based on assumption of static loading only, and dynamic loading is rarely assumed and applied in design and certification of aerospace structures. The paper describes the application of dynamic loading for the design of aircraft structures, and the validation of the procedure on a selected structure. The goal is to verify the possibility of reducing the weight through improved design/modelling processes using dynamic loading instead of static loading. The research activity focuses on the modelling and testing of a composite panel representing a local segment of an aircraft wing section, investigating in particular the buckling behavior under dynamic loading. Finite Elements simulation tools are discussed, as well as the advantages of using a digital optical measurement system for the evaluation of the tests. The comparison of the finite element simulations with the results of the tests is presented.

  14. A Posteriori Finite Element Bounds for Sensitivity Derivatives of Partial-Differential-Equation Outputs. Revised

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lewis, Robert Michael; Patera, Anthony T.; Peraire, Jaume

    1998-01-01

    We present a Neumann-subproblem a posteriori finite element procedure for the efficient and accurate calculation of rigorous, 'constant-free' upper and lower bounds for sensitivity derivatives of functionals of the solutions of partial differential equations. The design motivation for sensitivity derivative error control is discussed; the a posteriori finite element procedure is described; the asymptotic bounding properties and computational complexity of the method are summarized; and illustrative numerical results are presented.

  15. Cell-Sediment Separation and Elemental Stoichiometries in Extreme Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neveu, M.; Poret-peterson, A. T.; Lee, Z. M.; Anbar, A. D.; Elser, J. J.

    2012-12-01

    Better understanding of the coupling of major biogeochemical cycles requires knowledge of the cellular elemental composition of key microbes. This is difficult in benthic sediments and mats, because of the contributions of non-living components. We are particularly interested in microbial extremophiles, and therefore sought to determine and interpret bulk and cellular elemental ratios in complex field-collected sediment samples from diverse hot spring ecosystems of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). These samples covered a broad range of temperature, pH, and chemical composition. We also sought to extend stoichiometric analysis to a broader suite of elements, including metals (Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, etc.) of biological importance (Sterner and Elser, 2002). To overcome the challenge of rigorously isolating communities from their complex mineral matrices (Havig et al., 2011), we adapted a cell-sediment separation procedure from Amalfitano and Fazi (2008). The method involves chemical (use of a detergent and a chelating agent) and physical methods (stirring, gentle sonication, and gradient centrifugation) to break the microbe-mineral bonds. C and N elemental and isotopic abundances were determined by elemental analysis - isotope ratio - mass spectrometry (EA-IR-MS), while P, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Mo contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We sought to assess the existence of an "Extended Redfield Ratio" (ERR) for these microbes; that is, to establish the multi-element stoichiometric envelope within which extremophilic microbes must operate. Elemental and isotopic mass balance analyses of cultured E. coli before and after separation showed that our procedure preserved cellular C, N, P, Fe, and trace metal contents: neither loss of these elements (e.g., by cell lysis) nor contamination by reagents were observed. On the other hand, cation-forming elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca), were not conserved. Cell counting by epifluorescence microscopy indicated a cell recovery yield between 6 and 40% in field-collected samples (95% for cultured E. coli). Aluminum, assumed to be non-biological in origin, was used to estimate the extent of mineral contamination of isolated cell communities. These results show that our method is successful at separating microbial cells from sediment collected in extreme environments and preserving them for analysis of a broad suite of elements. Photosynthetic sites yielded much more cell material than hotter, chemosynthetic sites (Cox et al., 2011). We are currently measuring cellular elemental abundances and ratios in samples from relatively low-temperature (25 to 65°C), photosynthetic areas, spanning a wide range of pH (2 to 9.5) and composition. These measurements will be compared to existing datasets on the bulk sediment stoichiometry of these ecosystems, and to previous observations of cellular elemental composition. References: Redfield, A.C. (1934) In Daniel, R.J. [Ed.], James Johnstone Memorial Volume, pp. 176-192, Univ. Press Liverpool. Sterner, R.W., Elser, J.J. (2002) Ecological Stoichiometry Princeton Univ. Press, 441p. Havig, J.R., et al. (2011) JGR 116, G01005. Amalfitano, S., Fazi, S. (2008) J. of Microbiol. Methods 75, 237-243. Cox, A., et al. (2011) Chem. Geol. 280, 344-351.

  16. Risk Control Through the Use of Procedures - A Method for Evaluating the Change in Risk

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Praino, Gregory; Sharit, Joseph

    2010-01-01

    Organizations use procedures to influence or control the behavior of their workers, but often have no basis for determining whether an additional rule, or procedural control will be beneficial. This paper outlines a proposed method for determining if the addition or removal of procedural controls will impact the occurrences of critical consequences. The proposed method focuses on two aspects: how valuable the procedural control is, based on the inevitability of the consequence and the opportunity to intervene; and how likely the control is to fail, based on five procedural design elements that address how well the rule or control has been Defined, Assigned, Trained, Organized and Monitored-referred to as the DATOM elements

  17. Estimating the cost of major ongoing cost plus hardware development programs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bush, J. C.

    1990-01-01

    Approaches are developed for forecasting the cost of major hardware development programs while these programs are in the design and development C/D phase. Three approaches are developed: a schedule assessment technique for bottom-line summary cost estimation, a detailed cost estimation approach, and an intermediate cost element analysis procedure. The schedule assessment technique was developed using historical cost/schedule performance data.

  18. A recurrence matrix method for the analysis of longitudinal and torsional vibrations in non-uniform multibranch beams with variable boundary conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davis, R. B.; Stephens, M. V.

    1974-01-01

    An approximate method for calculating the longitudinal and torsional natural frequencies and associated modal data of a beamlike, variable cross section multibranch structure is presented. The procedure described is the numerical integration of the first order differential equations that characterize the beam element in longitudinal motion and that satisfy the appropriate boundary conditions.

  19. Development of Benchmark Examples for Quasi-Static Delamination Propagation and Fatigue Growth Predictions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Ronald

    2012-01-01

    The development of benchmark examples for quasi-static delamination propagation and cyclic delamination onset and growth prediction is presented and demonstrated for Abaqus/Standard. The example is based on a finite element model of a Double-Cantilever Beam specimen. The example is independent of the analysis software used and allows the assessment of the automated delamination propagation, onset and growth prediction capabilities in commercial finite element codes based on the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). First, a quasi-static benchmark example was created for the specimen. Second, based on the static results, benchmark examples for cyclic delamination growth were created. Third, the load-displacement relationship from a propagation analysis and the benchmark results were compared, and good agreement could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. Fourth, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to grow under cyclic loading. The number of cycles to delamination onset and the number of cycles during delamination growth for each growth increment were obtained from the automated analysis and compared to the benchmark examples. Again, good agreement between the results obtained from the growth analysis and the benchmark results could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. The benchmarking procedure proved valuable by highlighting the issues associated with choosing the input parameters of the particular implementation. Selecting the appropriate input parameters, however, was not straightforward and often required an iterative procedure. Overall the results are encouraging, but further assessment for mixed-mode delamination is required.

  20. Development of Benchmark Examples for Static Delamination Propagation and Fatigue Growth Predictions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kruger, Ronald

    2011-01-01

    The development of benchmark examples for static delamination propagation and cyclic delamination onset and growth prediction is presented and demonstrated for a commercial code. The example is based on a finite element model of an End-Notched Flexure (ENF) specimen. The example is independent of the analysis software used and allows the assessment of the automated delamination propagation, onset and growth prediction capabilities in commercial finite element codes based on the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). First, static benchmark examples were created for the specimen. Second, based on the static results, benchmark examples for cyclic delamination growth were created. Third, the load-displacement relationship from a propagation analysis and the benchmark results were compared, and good agreement could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. Fourth, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to grow under cyclic loading. The number of cycles to delamination onset and the number of cycles during stable delamination growth for each growth increment were obtained from the automated analysis and compared to the benchmark examples. Again, good agreement between the results obtained from the growth analysis and the benchmark results could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. The benchmarking procedure proved valuable by highlighting the issues associated with the input parameters of the particular implementation. Selecting the appropriate input parameters, however, was not straightforward and often required an iterative procedure. Overall, the results are encouraging but further assessment for mixed-mode delamination is required.

  1. Development and Application of Benchmark Examples for Mode II Static Delamination Propagation and Fatigue Growth Predictions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Ronald

    2011-01-01

    The development of benchmark examples for static delamination propagation and cyclic delamination onset and growth prediction is presented and demonstrated for a commercial code. The example is based on a finite element model of an End-Notched Flexure (ENF) specimen. The example is independent of the analysis software used and allows the assessment of the automated delamination propagation, onset and growth prediction capabilities in commercial finite element codes based on the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). First, static benchmark examples were created for the specimen. Second, based on the static results, benchmark examples for cyclic delamination growth were created. Third, the load-displacement relationship from a propagation analysis and the benchmark results were compared, and good agreement could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. Fourth, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to grow under cyclic loading. The number of cycles to delamination onset and the number of cycles during delamination growth for each growth increment were obtained from the automated analysis and compared to the benchmark examples. Again, good agreement between the results obtained from the growth analysis and the benchmark results could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. The benchmarking procedure proved valuable by highlighting the issues associated with choosing the input parameters of the particular implementation. Selecting the appropriate input parameters, however, was not straightforward and often required an iterative procedure. Overall the results are encouraging, but further assessment for mixed-mode delamination is required.

  2. Electrostatic potential map modelling with COSY Infinity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maloney, J. A.; Baartman, R.; Planche, T.; Saminathan, S.

    2016-06-01

    COSY Infinity (Makino and Berz, 2005) is a differential-algebra based simulation code which allows accurate calculation of transfer maps to arbitrary order. COSY's existing internal procedures were modified to allow electrostatic elements to be specified using an array of field potential data from the midplane. Additionally, a new procedure was created allowing electrostatic elements and their fringe fields to be specified by an analytic function. This allows greater flexibility in accurately modelling electrostatic elements and their fringe fields. Applied examples of these new procedures are presented including the modelling of a shunted electrostatic multipole designed with OPERA, a spherical electrostatic bender, and the effects of different shaped apertures in an electrostatic beam line.

  3. Organic cattle products: Authenticating production origin by analysis of serum mineral content.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Bermúdez, Ruth; Herrero-Latorre, Carlos; López-Alonso, Marta; Losada, David E; Iglesias, Roberto; Miranda, Marta

    2018-10-30

    An authentication procedure for differentiating between organic and non-organic cattle production on the basis of analysis of serum samples has been developed. For this purpose, the concentrations of fourteen mineral elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, I, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) in 522 serum samples from cows (341 from organic farms and 181 from non-organic farms), determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, were used. The chemical information provided by serum analysis was employed to construct different pattern recognition classification models that predict the origin of each sample: organic or non-organic class. Among all classification procedures considered, the best results were obtained with the decision tree C5.0, Random Forest and AdaBoost neural networks, with hit levels close to 90% for both production types. The proposed method, involving analysis of serum samples, provided rapid, accurate in vivo classification of cattle according to organic and non-organic production type. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brickstad, B.; Bergman, M.

    A computerized procedure has been developed that predicts the growth of an initial circumferential surface crack through a pipe and further on to failure. The crack growth mechanism can either be fatigue or stress corrosion. Consideration is taken to complex crack shapes and for the through-wall cracks, crack opening areas and leak rates are also calculated. The procedure is based on a large number of three-dimensional finite element calculations of cracked pipes. The results from these calculations are stored in a database from which the PC-program, denoted LBBPIPE, reads all necessary information. In this paper, a sensitivity analysis is presentedmore » for cracked pipes subjected to both stress corrosion and vibration fatigue.« less

  5. Geomorphological hazards and environmental impact: Assessment and mapping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panizza, Mario

    In five sections the author develops the methods for the integration of geomorphological concepts into Environmental Impact and Mapping. The first section introduces the concepts of Impact and Risk through the relationships between Geomorphological Environment and Anthropical Element. The second section proposes a methodology for the determination of Geomorphological Hazard and the identification of Geomorphological Risk. The third section synthesizes the procedure for the compilation of a Geomorphological Hazards Map. The fourth section outlines the concepts of Geomorphological Resource Assessment for the analysis of the Environmental Impact. The fifth section considers the contribution of geomorphological studies and mapping in the procedure for Environmental Impact Assessment.

  6. Development of Finite Elements for Two-Dimensional Structural Analysis Using the Integrated Force Method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaljevic, Igor; Patnaik, Surya N.; Hopkins, Dale A.

    1996-01-01

    The Integrated Force Method has been developed in recent years for the analysis of structural mechanics problems. This method treats all independent internal forces as unknown variables that can be calculated by simultaneously imposing equations of equilibrium and compatibility conditions. In this paper a finite element library for analyzing two-dimensional problems by the Integrated Force Method is presented. Triangular- and quadrilateral-shaped elements capable of modeling arbitrary domain configurations are presented. The element equilibrium and flexibility matrices are derived by discretizing the expressions for potential and complementary energies, respectively. The displacement and stress fields within the finite elements are independently approximated. The displacement field is interpolated as it is in the standard displacement method, and the stress field is approximated by using complete polynomials of the correct order. A procedure that uses the definitions of stress components in terms of an Airy stress function is developed to derive the stress interpolation polynomials. Such derived stress fields identically satisfy the equations of equilibrium. Moreover, the resulting element matrices are insensitive to the orientation of local coordinate systems. A method is devised to calculate the number of rigid body modes, and the present elements are shown to be free of spurious zero-energy modes. A number of example problems are solved by using the present library, and the results are compared with corresponding analytical solutions and with results from the standard displacement finite element method. The Integrated Force Method not only gives results that agree well with analytical and displacement method results but also outperforms the displacement method in stress calculations.

  7. Sensitivity calculations for iteratively solved problems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Haftka, R. T.

    1985-01-01

    The calculation of sensitivity derivatives of solutions of iteratively solved systems of algebraic equations is investigated. A modified finite difference procedure is presented which improves the accuracy of the calculated derivatives. The procedure is demonstrated for a simple algebraic example as well as an element-by-element preconditioned conjugate gradient iterative solution technique applied to truss examples.

  8. Certification of biological candidates reference materials by neutron activation analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kabanov, Denis V.; Nesterova, Yulia V.; Merkulov, Viktor G.

    2018-03-01

    The paper gives the results of interlaboratory certification of new biological candidate reference materials by neutron activation analysis recommended by the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (Warsaw, Poland). The correctness and accuracy of the applied method was statistically estimated for the determination of trace elements in candidate reference materials. The procedure of irradiation in the reactor thermal fuel assembly without formation of fast neutrons was carried out. It excluded formation of interfering isotopes leading to false results. The concentration of more than 20 elements (e.g., Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Ce, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sb, Sc, Ta, Th, Tb, Yb, U, Zn) in candidate references of tobacco leaves and bottom sediment compared to certified reference materials were determined. It was shown that the average error of the applied method did not exceed 10%.

  9. Development of Test-Analysis Models (TAM) for correlation of dynamic test and analysis results

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Angelucci, Filippo; Javeed, Mehzad; Mcgowan, Paul

    1992-01-01

    The primary objective of structural analysis of aerospace applications is to obtain a verified finite element model (FEM). The verified FEM can be used for loads analysis, evaluate structural modifications, or design control systems. Verification of the FEM is generally obtained as the result of correlating test and FEM models. A test analysis model (TAM) is very useful in the correlation process. A TAM is essentially a FEM reduced to the size of the test model, which attempts to preserve the dynamic characteristics of the original FEM in the analysis range of interest. Numerous methods for generating TAMs have been developed in the literature. The major emphasis of this paper is a description of the procedures necessary for creation of the TAM and the correlation of the reduced models with the FEM or the test results. Herein, three methods are discussed, namely Guyan, Improved Reduced System (IRS), and Hybrid. Also included are the procedures for performing these analyses using MSC/NASTRAN. Finally, application of the TAM process is demonstrated with an experimental test configuration of a ten bay cantilevered truss structure.

  10. Transcriptional activity of transposable elements in coelacanth.

    PubMed

    Forconi, Mariko; Chalopin, Domitille; Barucca, Marco; Biscotti, Maria Assunta; De Moro, Gianluca; Galiana, Delphine; Gerdol, Marco; Pallavicini, Alberto; Canapa, Adriana; Olmo, Ettore; Volff, Jean-Nicolas

    2014-09-01

    The morphological stasis of coelacanths has long suggested a slow evolutionary rate. General genomic stasis might also imply a decrease of transposable elements activity. To evaluate the potential activity of transposable elements (TEs) in "living fossil" species, transcriptomic data of Latimeria chalumnae and its Indonesian congener Latimeria menadoensis were compared through the RNA-sequencing mapping procedures in three different organs (liver, testis, and muscle). The analysis of coelacanth transcriptomes highlights a significant percentage of transcribed TEs in both species. Major contributors are LINE retrotransposons, especially from the CR1 family. Furthermore, some particular elements such as a LF-SINE and a LINE2 sequences seem to be more expressed than other elements. The amount of TEs expressed in testis suggests possible transposition burst in incoming generations. Moreover, significant amount of TEs in liver and muscle transcriptomes were also observed. Analyses of elements displaying marked organ-specific expression gave us the opportunity to highlight exaptation cases, that is, the recruitment of TEs as new cellular genes, but also to identify a new Latimeria-specific family of Short Interspersed Nuclear Elements called CoeG-SINEs. Overall, transcriptome results do not seem to be in line with a slow-evolving genome with poor TE activity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Acid-Soluble Internal Capsules for Closed-Face Cassette Elemental Sampling and Analysis of Workplace Air

    PubMed Central

    Harper, Martin; Ashley, Kevin

    2013-01-01

    Airborne particles that are collected using closed-face filter cassettes (CFCs), which are used widely in the sampling of workplace aerosols, can deposit in places other than on the filter and thereby may not be included in the ensuing analysis. A technique for ensuring that internal non-filter deposits are included in the analysis is to collect airborne particles within an acid-soluble internal capsule that, following sampling, can be dissolved along with the filter for subsequent elemental analysis. An interlaboratory study (ILS) was carried out to evaluate the use of cellulosic CFC capsule inserts for their suitability in the determination of trace elements in airborne samples. The ILS was performed in accordance with an applicable ASTM International standard practice, ASTM E691, which describes statistical procedures for investigating interlaboratory precision. Performance evaluation materials consisted of prototype cellulose acetate capsules attached to mixed-cellulose ester filters. Batches of capsules were dosed with Pb-containing materials (standard aqueous solutions, and certified reference material soil and paint). Also, aerosol samples containing nine target analyte elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, and Ni) were generated using a multiport sampler; various concentrations and sampling times were employed to yield samples fortified at desired loading levels. Triplicates of spiked capsules at three different loadings were conveyed to each volunteer laboratory; loading levels were unknown to the participants. The laboratories were asked to prepare the samples by acid dissolution and to analyze aliquots of extracted samples by atomic spectrometry in accordance with applicable ASTM International Standards. Participants were asked to report their results in units of μg of each target element per sample. For the elements investigated, interlaboratory precision and recovery estimates from the participating laboratories demonstrated the utility of the cellulosic capsule inserts for the measurement of sampled trace elements. PMID:23548078

  12. An expert system for integrated structural analysis and design optimization for aerospace structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    The results of a research study on the development of an expert system for integrated structural analysis and design optimization is presented. An Object Representation Language (ORL) was developed first in conjunction with a rule-based system. This ORL/AI shell was then used to develop expert systems to provide assistance with a variety of structural analysis and design optimization tasks, in conjunction with procedural modules for finite element structural analysis and design optimization. The main goal of the research study was to provide expertise, judgment, and reasoning capabilities in the aerospace structural design process. This will allow engineers performing structural analysis and design, even without extensive experience in the field, to develop error-free, efficient and reliable structural designs very rapidly and cost-effectively. This would not only improve the productivity of design engineers and analysts, but also significantly reduce time to completion of structural design. An extensive literature survey in the field of structural analysis, design optimization, artificial intelligence, and database management systems and their application to the structural design process was first performed. A feasibility study was then performed, and the architecture and the conceptual design for the integrated 'intelligent' structural analysis and design optimization software was then developed. An Object Representation Language (ORL), in conjunction with a rule-based system, was then developed using C++. Such an approach would improve the expressiveness for knowledge representation (especially for structural analysis and design applications), provide ability to build very large and practical expert systems, and provide an efficient way for storing knowledge. Functional specifications for the expert systems were then developed. The ORL/AI shell was then used to develop a variety of modules of expert systems for a variety of modeling, finite element analysis, and design optimization tasks in the integrated aerospace structural design process. These expert systems were developed to work in conjunction with procedural finite element structural analysis and design optimization modules (developed in-house at SAT, Inc.). The complete software, AutoDesign, so developed, can be used for integrated 'intelligent' structural analysis and design optimization. The software was beta-tested at a variety of companies, used by a range of engineers with different levels of background and expertise. Based on the feedback obtained by such users, conclusions were developed and are provided.

  13. An expert system for integrated structural analysis and design optimization for aerospace structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1992-04-01

    The results of a research study on the development of an expert system for integrated structural analysis and design optimization is presented. An Object Representation Language (ORL) was developed first in conjunction with a rule-based system. This ORL/AI shell was then used to develop expert systems to provide assistance with a variety of structural analysis and design optimization tasks, in conjunction with procedural modules for finite element structural analysis and design optimization. The main goal of the research study was to provide expertise, judgment, and reasoning capabilities in the aerospace structural design process. This will allow engineers performing structural analysis and design, even without extensive experience in the field, to develop error-free, efficient and reliable structural designs very rapidly and cost-effectively. This would not only improve the productivity of design engineers and analysts, but also significantly reduce time to completion of structural design. An extensive literature survey in the field of structural analysis, design optimization, artificial intelligence, and database management systems and their application to the structural design process was first performed. A feasibility study was then performed, and the architecture and the conceptual design for the integrated 'intelligent' structural analysis and design optimization software was then developed. An Object Representation Language (ORL), in conjunction with a rule-based system, was then developed using C++. Such an approach would improve the expressiveness for knowledge representation (especially for structural analysis and design applications), provide ability to build very large and practical expert systems, and provide an efficient way for storing knowledge. Functional specifications for the expert systems were then developed. The ORL/AI shell was then used to develop a variety of modules of expert systems for a variety of modeling, finite element analysis, and design optimization tasks in the integrated aerospace structural design process. These expert systems were developed to work in conjunction with procedural finite element structural analysis and design optimization modules (developed in-house at SAT, Inc.). The complete software, AutoDesign, so developed, can be used for integrated 'intelligent' structural analysis and design optimization. The software was beta-tested at a variety of companies, used by a range of engineers with different levels of background and expertise. Based on the feedback obtained by such users, conclusions were developed and are provided.

  14. Orbital operations study. Appendix B: Operational procedures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Galvin, D. M.; Mattson, H. L.; True, D. M.; Anderson, N. R.; Mehrbach, E.; Gianformaggio, A.; Steinwachs, W. L.; Turkel, S. H.

    1972-01-01

    Operational procedures for each alternate approach for each interfacing activity of the orbital operations study are presented. The applicability of the procedures to interfacing element pairs is identified.

  15. Numerical simulation of damage evolution for ductile materials and mechanical properties study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Amri, A.; Hanafi, I.; Haddou, M. E. Y.; Khamlichi, A.

    2015-12-01

    This paper presents results of a numerical modelling of ductile fracture and failure of elements made of 5182H111 aluminium alloys subjected to dynamic traction. The analysis was performed using Johnson-Cook model based on ABAQUS software. The modelling difficulty related to prediction of ductile fracture mainly arises because there is a tremendous span of length scales from the structural problem to the micro-mechanics problem governing the material separation process. This study has been used the experimental results to calibrate a simple crack propagation criteria for shell elements of which one has often been used in practical analyses. The performance of the proposed model is in general good and it is believed that the presented results and experimental-numerical calibration procedure can be of use in practical finite-element simulations.

  16. The Study of Carious Teeth by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamzaoui, S.; Nouir, R.; Jaidene, N.

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this work is a multi-component analysis of the element composition of the enamel and carious parts of teeth and the quantification of enamel demineralization using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). For each tooth the P/Ca ratios of the emission line intensities in the enamel part and those in the carious regions were compared. Since zinc is a trace element, the same procedure was performed for Zn/Ca ratios in the enamel and carious parts. These comparisons showed that the mineral loss from carious lesions occurs at different rates for the studied elements. Calcium has the highest casualty rate. On the other hand, the zinc level diminishes also in the carious region but at a lower rate. The lines were obtained from plume plasma emission generated on the enamel and carious regions.

  17. Standard reference water samples for rare earth element determinations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Verplanck, P.L.; Antweiler, Ronald C.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Taylor, Howard E.

    2001-01-01

    Standard reference water samples (SRWS) were collected from two mine sites, one near Ophir, CO, USA and the other near Redding, CA, USA. The samples were filtered, preserved, and analyzed for rare earth element (REE) concentrations (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). These two samples were acid mine waters with elevated concentrations of REEs (0.45-161 ??g/1). Seventeen international laboratories participated in a 'round-robin' chemical analysis program, which made it possible to evaluate the data by robust statistical procedures that are insensitive to outliers. The resulting most probable values are reported. Ten to 15 of the participants also reported values for Ba, Y, and Sc. Field parameters, major ion, and other trace element concentrations, not subject to statistical evaluation, are provided.

  18. Rapid microfluidic analysis of a Y-STR multiplex for screening of forensic samples.

    PubMed

    Gibson-Daw, Georgiana; Albani, Patricia; Gassmann, Marcus; McCord, Bruce

    2017-02-01

    In this paper, we demonstrate a rapid analysis procedure for use with a small set of rapidly mutating Y chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci that combines both rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and microfluidic separation elements. The procedure involves a high-speed polymerase and a rapid cycling protocol to permit PCR amplification in 16 min. The resultant amplified sample is next analysed using a short 1.8-cm microfluidic electrophoresis system that permits a four-locus Y-STR genotype to be produced in 80 s. The entire procedure takes less than 25 min from sample collection to result. This paper describes the rapid amplification protocol as well as studies of the reproducibility and sensitivity of the procedure and its optimisation. The amplification process utilises a small high-speed thermocycler, microfluidic device and compact laptop, making it portable and potentially useful for rapid, inexpensive on-site genotyping. The four loci used for the multiplex were selected due to their rapid mutation rates and should proved useful in preliminary screening of samples and suspects. Overall, this technique provides a method for rapid sample screening of suspect and crime scene samples in forensic casework. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

  19. Evaluation of analysis techniques for low frequency interior noise and vibration of commercial aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Landmann, A. E.; Tillema, H. F.; Marshall, S. E.

    1989-01-01

    The application of selected analysis techniques to low frequency cabin noise associated with advanced propeller engine installations is evaluated. Three design analysis techniques were chosen for evaluation including finite element analysis, statistical energy analysis (SEA), and a power flow method using element of SEA (computer program Propeller Aircraft Interior Noise). An overview of the three procedures is provided. Data from tests of a 727 airplane (modified to accept a propeller engine) were used to compare with predictions. Comparisons of predicted and measured levels at the end of the first year's effort showed reasonable agreement leading to the conclusion that each technique had value for propeller engine noise predictions on large commercial transports. However, variations in agreement were large enough to remain cautious and to lead to recommendations for further work with each technique. Assessment of the second year's results leads to the conclusion that the selected techniques can accurately predict trends and can be useful to a designer, but that absolute level predictions remain unreliable due to complexity of the aircraft structure and low modal densities.

  20. Supercomputer implementation of finite element algorithms for high speed compressible flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thornton, E. A.; Ramakrishnan, R.

    1986-01-01

    Prediction of compressible flow phenomena using the finite element method is of recent origin and considerable interest. Two shock capturing finite element formulations for high speed compressible flows are described. A Taylor-Galerkin formulation uses a Taylor series expansion in time coupled with a Galerkin weighted residual statement. The Taylor-Galerkin algorithms use explicit artificial dissipation, and the performance of three dissipation models are compared. A Petrov-Galerkin algorithm has as its basis the concepts of streamline upwinding. Vectorization strategies are developed to implement the finite element formulations on the NASA Langley VPS-32. The vectorization scheme results in finite element programs that use vectors of length of the order of the number of nodes or elements. The use of the vectorization procedure speeds up processing rates by over two orders of magnitude. The Taylor-Galerkin and Petrov-Galerkin algorithms are evaluated for 2D inviscid flows on criteria such as solution accuracy, shock resolution, computational speed and storage requirements. The convergence rates for both algorithms are enhanced by local time-stepping schemes. Extension of the vectorization procedure for predicting 2D viscous and 3D inviscid flows are demonstrated. Conclusions are drawn regarding the applicability of the finite element procedures for realistic problems that require hundreds of thousands of nodes.

  1. Symmetries in laminated composite plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noor, A. K.

    1976-01-01

    The different types of symmetry exhibited by laminated anisotropic fibrous composite plates are identified and contrasted with the symmetries of isotropic and homogeneous orthotropic plates. The effects of variations in the fiber orientation and the stacking sequence of the layers on the symmetries exhibited by composite plates are discussed. Both the linear and geometrically nonlinear responses of the plates are considered. A simple procedure is presented for exploiting the symmetries in the finite element analysis. Examples are given of square, skew and polygonal plates where use of symmetry concepts can significantly reduce the scope and cost of analysis.

  2. Determination of stoichiometry and concentration of trace elements in thin BaxSr1-xTiO3 perovskite layers.

    PubMed

    Becker, J S; Boulyga, S F

    2001-07-01

    This paper describes an analytical procedure for determining the stoichiometry of BaxSr1-xTiO3 perovskite layers using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analytical results of mass spectrometry measurements are compared to those of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). The performance and the limits of solid-state mass spectrometry analytical methods for the surface analysis of thin BaxSr1-xTiO3 perovskite layers sputtered neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS)--are investigated and discussed.

  3. The Linear Parameters and the Decoupling Matrix for Linearly Coupled Motion in 6 Dimensional Phase Space

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Parzen, George

    It will be shown that starting from a coordinate system where the 6 phase space coordinates are linearly coupled, one can go to a new coordinate system, where the motion is uncoupled, by means of a linear transformation. The original coupled coordinates and the new uncoupled coordinates are related by a 6 x 6 matrix, R. R will be called the decoupling matrix. It will be shown that of the 36 elements of the 6 x 6 decoupling matrix R, only 12 elements are independent. This may be contrasted with the results for motion in 4- dimensional phase space, wheremore » R has 4 independent elements. A set of equations is given from which the 12 elements of R can be computed from the one period transfer matrix. This set of equations also allows the linear parameters, the β i,α i, i = 1, 3, for the uncoupled coordinates, to be computed from the one period transfer matrix. An alternative procedure for computing the linear parameters,β i,α i, i = 1, 3, and the 12 independent elements of the decoupling matrix R is also given which depends on computing the eigenvectors of the one period transfer matrix. These results can be used in a tracking program, where the one period transfer matrix can be computed by multiplying the transfer matrices of all the elements in a period, to compute the linear parameters α i and β i, i = 1, 3, and the elements of the decoupling matrix R. The procedure presented here for studying coupled motion in 6-dimensional phase space can also be applied to coupled motion in 4-dimensional phase space, where it may be a useful alternative procedure to the procedure presented by Edwards and Teng. In particular, it gives a simpler programing procedure for computing the beta functions and the emittances for coupled motion in 4-dimensional phase space.« less

  4. The linear parameters and the decoupling matrix for linearly coupled motion in 6 dimensional phase space. Informal report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Parzen, G.

    It will be shown that starting from a coordinate system where the 6 phase space coordinates are linearly coupled, one can go to a new coordinate system, where the motion is uncoupled, by means of a linear transformation. The original coupled coordinates and the new uncoupled coordinates are related by a 6 {times} 6 matrix, R. R will be called the decoupling matrix. It will be shown that of the 36 elements of the 6 {times} 6 decoupling matrix R, only 12 elements are independent. This may be contrasted with the results for motion in 4-dimensional phase space, where Rmore » has 4 independent elements. A set of equations is given from which the 12 elements of R can be computed from the one period transfer matrix. This set of equations also allows the linear parameters, {beta}{sub i}, {alpha}{sub i} = 1, 3, for the uncoupled coordinates, to be computed from the one period transfer matrix. An alternative procedure for computing the linear parameters, the {beta}{sub i}, {alpha}{sub i} i = 1, 3, and the 12 independent elements of the decoupling matrix R is also given which depends on computing the eigenvectors of the one period transfer matrix. These results can be used in a tracking program, where the one period transfer matrix can be computed by multiplying the transfer matrices of all the elements in a period, to compute the linear parameters {alpha}{sub i} and {beta}{sub i}, i = 1, 3, and the elements of the decoupling matrix R. The procedure presented here for studying coupled motion in 6-dimensional phase space can also be applied to coupled motion in 4-dimensional phase space, where it may be a useful alternative procedure to the procedure presented by Edwards and Teng. In particular, it gives a simpler programming procedure for computing the beta functions and the emittances for coupled motion in 4-dimensional phase space.« less

  5. Development of Improved Modeling and Analysis Techniques for Dynamics of Shell Structures

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-07-24

    Engineering Sciences and Center for Space Structures and Control University of Colorado,Campus Box 429 Boulder, Colorado 80309 Accesion :or -.... ... i...system architecture ; third, to implement a decomposi- tion/mapping procedure that matches as far as possible the layout of the processors to the...element computations. In particular. we address issues that are related to the processor memory size. to the SIMD architecture and to the fast

  6. In-Situ Analysis System for Correlated Electron Heterostructures

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-11-20

    semiconductor materials and elemental metals. Specifically, films must be pristine and ideally remain intact during analytical procedure [1]. In addition...involves a rather complex engineering design described below. A laser heater ! (a) ! (b) ! 1 Figure 1. (a) An empty Neocera’s sample holder rack...the center of the analytical chamber. (fiber-coupled, high-power 808 nm diode laser JOLD -100-CPXF-2P, Jenoptik), is free of such limitations because

  7. Indirect latex glove contamination and its inhibitory effect on vinyl polysiloxane polymerization.

    PubMed

    Kimoto, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Kinya; Toyoda, Minoru; Ochiai, Kent T

    2005-05-01

    The inhibitory effect of indirect latex contamination on the polymerization of vinyl polysiloxane (VPS) impression material has been previously reported. However, the transfer of specific elements that cause inhibition has not been confirmed, nor has the removal of such contaminants been reported. This study examined the surfaces of materials commonly used in restorative procedures that were contaminated by indirect latex glove contact and then evaluated for inhibition of polymerization of VPS. The effect of selected cleansing procedures was then studied. Four experimental groups (n = 8) were prepared: (1) clean vinyl gloves (control), (2) clean gingival retraction cords (control), (3) contaminated vinyl gloves, and (4) contaminated gingival retraction cord. Microscopic evaluation of the appearance and the characterization of surface particulate contamination were performed for each. Three cleansing protocols were then evaluated for efficacy in cleaning vinyl glove surfaces contaminated by latex contact (n = 10): (1) brushing with water, (2) brushing with soap/rinsing with water, (3) cleansing with rubbing alcohol. The subsequent degree of VPS polymerization inhibition was evaluated subjectively. A chi-square test was used for data analysis (alpha=.05). Particulate sulfur elements and sulfur-chloride compounds were present on the contaminated substrates. None of the 3 cleansing procedures eliminated polymerization inhibition (P =.33). Residual elemental sulfur remained on all tested surfaces. Particulate sulfur and sulfur-chloride compounds were identified as the particulate contamination that resulted in polymerization inhibition of the tested VPS dental impression material. Removal of these contaminants from the tested vinyl gloves and gingival retraction cord was not possible with the 3 cleansing protocols tested in this study.

  8. Determination of stress intensity factors for interface cracks under mixed-mode loading

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Naik, Rajiv A.; Crews, John H., Jr.

    1992-01-01

    A simple technique was developed using conventional finite element analysis to determine stress intensity factors, K1 and K2, for interface cracks under mixed-mode loading. This technique involves the calculation of crack tip stresses using non-singular finite elements. These stresses are then combined and used in a linear regression procedure to calculate K1 and K2. The technique was demonstrated by calculating three different bimaterial combinations. For the normal loading case, the K's were within 2.6 percent of an exact solution. The normalized K's under shear loading were shown to be related to the normalized K's under normal loading. Based on these relations, a simple equation was derived for calculating K1 and K2 for mixed-mode loading from knowledge of the K's under normal loading. The equation was verified by computing the K's for a mixed-mode case with equal and normal shear loading. The correlation between exact and finite element solutions is within 3.7 percent. This study provides a simple procedure to compute K2/K1 ratio which has been used to characterize the stress state at the crack tip for various combinations of materials and loadings. Tests conducted over a range of K2/K1 ratios could be used to fully characterize interface fracture toughness.

  9. Structural Modeling of a Five-Meter Thin Film Inflatable Antenna/Concentrator With Rigidized Support Struts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smalley, Kurt B.; Tinker, Michael L.

    2001-01-01

    Dynamic characterization of a non-rigidized thin film inflatable antenna/solar concentrator structure with rigidized composite support struts is described in detail. A two-step finite element modeling approach in MSC/NASTRAN is utilized, consisting of: (1) a nonlinear static pressurization procedure used to obtain the updated stiffness matrix, and (2) a modal "restart" eigen solution that uses the modified stiffness matrix. Unique problems encountered in modeling of this large 5-m lightweight inflatable are identified, including considerable difficulty in obtaining convergence in the nonlinear pressurization solution. It was found that the extremely thin polyimide film material (.001 in or I mil) presents tremendous problems in obtaining a converged solution when internal pressure loading is applied. It was concluded that the ratios of film thickness to other geometric dimensions such as torus cross-sectional and ring diameter and lenticular diameter are the critical parameters for convergence of the pressurization procedure. Comparison of finite element predictions for frequency and mode shapes with experimental results indicated reasonable agreement considering the complexity of the structure, the film-to-air interaction, and the nonlinear material properties of the film. It was also concluded that analysis should be done using different finite element to codes to determine if a more robust and stable solution can be obtained.

  10. One-Step Synthesis of B/N Co-doped Graphene as Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Synergistic Effect of Impurities.

    PubMed

    Mazánek, Vlastimil; Matějková, Stanislava; Sedmidubský, David; Pumera, Martin; Sofer, Zdeněk

    2018-01-19

    In the last decade, numerous studies of graphene doping by various metal and nonmetal elements have been done in order to obtain tailored properties, such as non-zero band gap, electrocatalytic activity, or controlled optical properties. From nonmetal elements, boron and nitrogen were the most studied dopants. Recently, it has been shown that in some cases the enhanced electrocatalytic activity of graphene and its derivatives can be attributed to metal impurities rather than to nonmetal elements. In this paper, we investigated the electrocatalytical properties of B/N co-doped graphene with respect to the content of metallic impurities introduced by the synthesis procedures. For this purpose, a permanganate (Hummers) and a chlorate (Hofmann) route were used for the preparation of the starting graphene oxides (GO). The GO used for the synthesis of B/N co-doped graphene had significantly difference compositions of oxygen functionalities as well as metallic impurities introduced by the different synthetic procedures. We performed a detailed structural and chemical analysis of the doped graphene samples to correlate their electrocatalytic activity with the concentration of incorporated boron and nitrogen as well as metallic impurities. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Fatigue assessment for selected connections of structural steel bridge components using the finite elements method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Śledziewski, Krzysztof

    2018-01-01

    Material fatigue it is one of the most frequent causes of steel bridge failures, particularly the bridges already existing. Thus, the procedure of fatigue life assessment is one of the most relevant procedures in a comprehensive assessment of load-carrying capacity and service life of the structure. A reliable assessment of the fatigue life is predominantly decisive for estimation of the remaining service life. Hitherto, calculation methods of welded joints took into account only stresses occurring in cross sections of whole elements and did not take into account stress concentration occurring in the vicinity of the weld, caused by geometrical aspects of the detail. At present, use of the Finite Element Analysis, makes possible looking for more accurate approach to the fatigue design of steel structures. The method of geometrical stresses is just such approach which is based on definition of stresses which take into account geometry of the detail. The study presents fatigue assessment of a representative type of welded joint in welded bridge structures. The testing covered longitudinal attachments. The main analyses were carried out on the basis of FEM and the method of local stresses, so-called "hot-spot" stresses. The obtained values of stresses were compared with the values obtained in accordance with the method of nominal stress.

  12. Comparison of manual versus automated data collection method for an evidence-based nursing practice study.

    PubMed

    Byrne, M D; Jordan, T R; Welle, T

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate and improve the use of automated data collection procedures for nursing research and quality assurance. A descriptive, correlational study analyzed 44 orthopedic surgical patients who were part of an evidence-based practice (EBP) project examining post-operative oxygen therapy at a Midwestern hospital. The automation work attempted to replicate a manually-collected data set from the EBP project. Automation was successful in replicating data collection for study data elements that were available in the clinical data repository. The automation procedures identified 32 "false negative" patients who met the inclusion criteria described in the EBP project but were not selected during the manual data collection. Automating data collection for certain data elements, such as oxygen saturation, proved challenging because of workflow and practice variations and the reliance on disparate sources for data abstraction. Automation also revealed instances of human error including computational and transcription errors as well as incomplete selection of eligible patients. Automated data collection for analysis of nursing-specific phenomenon is potentially superior to manual data collection methods. Creation of automated reports and analysis may require initial up-front investment with collaboration between clinicians, researchers and information technology specialists who can manage the ambiguities and challenges of research and quality assurance work in healthcare.

  13. Parameter identification of material constants in a composite shell structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martinez, David R.; Carne, Thomas G.

    1988-01-01

    One of the basic requirements in engineering analysis is the development of a mathematical model describing the system. Frequently comparisons with test data are used as a measurement of the adequacy of the model. An attempt is typically made to update or improve the model to provide a test verified analysis tool. System identification provides a systematic procedure for accomplishing this task. The terms system identification, parameter estimation, and model correlation all refer to techniques that use test information to update or verify mathematical models. The goal of system identification is to improve the correlation of model predictions with measured test data, and produce accurate, predictive models. For nonmetallic structures the modeling task is often difficult due to uncertainties in the elastic constants. A finite element model of the shell was created, which included uncertain orthotropic elastic constants. A modal survey test was then performed on the shell. The resulting modal data, along with the finite element model of the shell, were used in a Bayes estimation algorithm. This permitted the use of covariance matrices to weight the confidence in the initial parameter values as well as confidence in the measured test data. The estimation procedure also employed the concept of successive linearization to obtain an approximate solution to the original nonlinear estimation problem.

  14. Interventions to improve patient comprehension in informed consent for medical and surgical procedures: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Schenker, Yael; Fernandez, Alicia; Sudore, Rebecca; Schillinger, Dean

    2011-01-01

    Patient understanding in clinical informed consent is often poor. Little is known about the effectiveness of interventions to improve comprehension or the extent to which such interventions address different elements of understanding in informed consent. . To systematically review communication interventions to improve patient comprehension in informed consent for medical and surgical procedures. Data Sources. A systematic literature search of English-language articles in MEDLINE (1949-2008) and EMBASE (1974-2008) was performed. In addition, a published bibliography of empirical research on informed consent and the reference lists of all eligible studies were reviewed. Study Selection. Randomized controlled trials and controlled trials with nonrandom allocation were included if they compared comprehension in informed consent for a medical or surgical procedure. Only studies that used a quantitative, objective measure of understanding were included. All studies addressed informed consent for a needed or recommended procedure in actual patients. Data Extraction. Reviewers independently extracted data using a standardized form. All results were compared, and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Data Synthesis. Forty-four studies were eligible. Intervention categories included written information, audiovisual/multimedia, extended discussions, and test/feedback techniques. The majority of studies assessed patient understanding of procedural risks; other elements included benefits, alternatives, and general knowledge about the procedure. Only 6 of 44 studies assessed all 4 elements of understanding. Interventions were generally effective in improving patient comprehension, especially regarding risks and general knowledge. Limitations. Many studies failed to include adequate description of the study population, and outcome measures varied widely. . A wide range of communication interventions improve comprehension in clinical informed consent. Decisions to enhance informed consent should consider the importance of different elements of understanding, beyond procedural risks, as well as feasibility and acceptability of the intervention to clinicians and patients. Conceptual clarity regarding the key elements of informed consent knowledge will help to focus improvements and standardize evaluations.

  15. Interventions to Improve Patient Comprehension in Informed Consent for Medical and Surgical Procedures: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Schenker, Yael; Fernandez, Alicia; Sudore, Rebecca; Schillinger, Dean

    2017-01-01

    Background Patient understanding in clinical informed consent is often poor. Little is known about the effectiveness of interventions to improve comprehension or the extent to which such interventions address different elements of understanding in informed consent. Purpose To systematically review communication interventions to improve patient comprehension in informed consent for medical and surgical procedures. Data Sources A systematic literature search of English-language articles in MEDLINE (1949–2008) and EMBASE (1974–2008) was performed. In addition, a published bibliography of empirical research on informed consent and the reference lists of all eligible studies were reviewed. Study Selection Randomized controlled trials and controlled trials with non-random allocation were included if they compared comprehension in informed consent for a medical or surgical procedure. Only studies that used a quantitative, objective measure of understanding were included. All studies addressed informed consent for a needed or recommended procedure in actual patients. Data Extraction Reviewers independently extracted data using a standardized form. All results were compared, and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Data Synthesis Forty-four studies were eligible. Intervention categories included written information, audiovisual/multimedia, extended discussions, and test/feedback techniques. The majority of studies assessed patient understanding of procedural risks; other elements included benefits, alternatives, and general knowledge about the procedure. Only 6 of 44 studies assessed all 4 elements of understanding. Interventions were generally effective in improving patient comprehension, especially regarding risks and general knowledge. Limitations Many studies failed to include adequate description of the study population, and outcome measures varied widely. Conclusions A wide range of communication interventions improve comprehension in clinical informed consent. Decisions to enhance informed consent should consider the importance of different elements of understanding, beyond procedural risks, as well as feasibility and acceptability of the intervention to clinicians and patients. Conceptual clarity regarding the key elements of informed consent knowledge will help to focus improvements and standardize evaluations. PMID:20357225

  16. Correlating tephras and cryptotephras using glass compositional analyses and numerical and statistical methods: Review and evaluation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lowe, David J.; Pearce, Nicholas J. G.; Jorgensen, Murray A.; Kuehn, Stephen C.; Tryon, Christian A.; Hayward, Chris L.

    2017-11-01

    We define tephras and cryptotephras and their components (mainly ash-sized particles of glass ± crystals in distal deposits) and summarize the basis of tephrochronology as a chronostratigraphic correlational and dating tool for palaeoenvironmental, geological, and archaeological research. We then document and appraise recent advances in analytical methods used to determine the major, minor, and trace elements of individual glass shards from tephra or cryptotephra deposits to aid their correlation and application. Protocols developed recently for the electron probe microanalysis of major elements in individual glass shards help to improve data quality and standardize reporting procedures. A narrow electron beam (diameter ∼3-5 μm) can now be used to analyze smaller glass shards than previously attainable. Reliable analyses of 'microshards' (defined here as glass shards <32 μm in diameter) using narrow beams are useful for fine-grained samples from distal or ultra-distal geographic locations, and for vesicular or microlite-rich glass shards or small melt inclusions. Caveats apply, however, in the microprobe analysis of very small microshards (≤∼5 μm in diameter), where particle geometry becomes important, and of microlite-rich glass shards where the potential problem of secondary fluorescence across phase boundaries needs to be recognised. Trace element analyses of individual glass shards using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), with crater diameters of 20 μm and 10 μm, are now effectively routine, giving detection limits well below 1 ppm. Smaller ablation craters (<10 μm) can be subject to significant element fractionation during analysis, but the systematic relationship of such fractionation with glass composition suggests that analyses for some elements at these resolutions may be quantifiable. In undertaking analyses, either by microprobe or LA-ICP-MS, reference material data acquired using the same procedure, and preferably from the same analytical session, should be presented alongside new analytical data. In part 2 of the review, we describe, critically assess, and recommend ways in which tephras or cryptotephras can be correlated (in conjunction with other information) using numerical or statistical analyses of compositional data. Statistical methods provide a less subjective means of dealing with analytical data pertaining to tephra components (usually glass or crystals/phenocrysts) than heuristic alternatives. They enable a better understanding of relationships among the data from multiple viewpoints to be developed and help quantify the degree of uncertainty in establishing correlations. In common with other scientific hypothesis testing, it is easier to infer using such analysis that two or more tephras are different rather than the same. Adding stratigraphic, chronological, spatial, or palaeoenvironmental data (i.e. multiple criteria) is usually necessary and allows for more robust correlations to be made. A two-stage approach is useful, the first focussed on differences in the mean composition of samples, or their range, which can be visualised graphically via scatterplot matrices or bivariate plots coupled with the use of statistical tools such as distance measures, similarity coefficients, hierarchical cluster analysis (informed by distance measures or similarity or cophenetic coefficients), and principal components analysis (PCA). Some statistical methods (cluster analysis, discriminant analysis) are referred to as 'machine learning' in the computing literature. The second stage examines sample variance and the degree of compositional similarity so that sample equivalence or otherwise can be established on a statistical basis. This stage may involve discriminant function analysis (DFA), support vector machines (SVMs), canonical variates analysis (CVA), and ANOVA or MANOVA (or its two-sample special case, the Hotelling two-sample T2 test). Randomization tests can be used where distributional assumptions such as multivariate normality underlying parametric tests are doubtful. Compositional data may be transformed and scaled before being subjected to multivariate statistical procedures including calculation of distance matrices, hierarchical cluster analysis, and PCA. Such transformations may make the assumption of multivariate normality more appropriate. A sequential procedure using Mahalanobis distance and the Hotelling two-sample T2 test is illustrated using glass major element data from trachytic to phonolitic Kenyan tephras. All these methods require a broad range of high-quality compositional data which can be used to compare 'unknowns' with reference (training) sets that are sufficiently complete to account for all possible correlatives, including tephras with heterogeneous glasses that contain multiple compositional groups. Currently, incomplete databases are tending to limit correlation efficacy. The development of an open, online global database to facilitate progress towards integrated, high-quality tephrostratigraphic frameworks for different regions is encouraged.

  17. Metrological approach to quantitative analysis of clinical samples by LA-ICP-MS: A critical review of recent studies.

    PubMed

    Sajnóg, Adam; Hanć, Anetta; Barałkiewicz, Danuta

    2018-05-15

    Analysis of clinical specimens by imaging techniques allows to determine the content and distribution of trace elements on the surface of the examined sample. In order to obtain reliable results, the developed procedure should be based not only on the properly prepared sample and performed calibration. It is also necessary to carry out all phases of the procedure in accordance with the principles of chemical metrology whose main pillars are the use of validated analytical methods, establishing the traceability of the measurement results and the estimation of the uncertainty. This review paper discusses aspects related to sampling, preparation and analysis of clinical samples by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) with emphasis on metrological aspects, i.e. selected validation parameters of the analytical method, the traceability of the measurement result and the uncertainty of the result. This work promotes the introduction of metrology principles for chemical measurement with emphasis to the LA-ICP-MS which is the comparative method that requires studious approach to the development of the analytical procedure in order to acquire reliable quantitative results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Soluble trace elements and total mercury in Arctic Alaskan snow

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Snyder-Conn, E.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hoffman, G.L.; Oelkers, A.

    1997-01-01

    Ultraclean field and laboratory procedures were used to examine trace element concentrations in northern Alaskan snow. Sixteen soluble trace elements and total mercury were determined in snow core samples representing the annual snowfall deposited during the 1993-94 season at two sites in the Prudhoe Bay oil field and nine sites in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Arctic NWR). Results indicate there were two distinct point sources for trace elements in the Prudhoe Bay oil field - a source associated with oil and gas production and a source associated with municipal solid-waste incineration. Soluble trace element concentrations measured in snow from the Arctic NWR resembled concentrations of trace elements measured elsewhere in the Arctic using clean sample-collection and processing techniques and were consistent with deposition resulting from widespread arctic atmospheric contamination. With the exception of elements associated with sea salts, there were no orographic or east-west trends observed in the Arctic NWR data, nor were there any detectable influences from the Prudhoe Bay oil field, probably because of the predominant easterly and northeasterly winds on the North Slope of Alaska. However, regression analysis on latitude suggested significant south-to-north increases in selected trace element concentrations, many of which appear unrelated to the sea salt contribution.

  19. Analysis of nutrition-relevant trace elements in human blood and serum by means of total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stosnach, Hagen; Mages, Margarete

    2009-04-01

    In clinical service laboratories, one of the most common analytical tasks with regard to inorganic traces is the determination of the nutrition-relevant elements Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se. Because of the high numbers of samples and the commercial character of these analyses, a time-consuming sample preparation must be avoided. In this presentation, the results of total reflection X-ray fluorescence measurements with a low-power system and different sample preparation procedures are compared with those derived from analysis with common methods like Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The results of these investigations indicate that the optimal total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of the nutrition-relevant elements Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se can be performed by preparing whole blood and serum samples after dilution with ultrapure water and transferring 10 μl of internally standardized sample to an unsiliconized quartz glass sample carrier with subsequent drying in a laboratory oven. Suitable measurement time was found to be 600 s. The enhanced sample preparation by means of microwave or open digestion, in parts combined with cold plasma ashing, led to an improvement of detection limits by a factor of 2 for serum samples while for whole blood samples an improvement was only observed for samples prepared by means of microwave digestion. As the matrix elements P, S, Cl, and for whole blood Fe have a major influence on the detection limits, most probably a further enhancement of analytical quality requires the removal of the organic matrix. However, for the routine analysis of the nutrition-relevant elements, the dilution preparation was found to be sufficient.

  20. Separation techniques for the clean-up of radioactive mixed waste for ICP-AES/ICP-MS analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Swafford, A.M.; Keller, J.M.

    1993-03-17

    Two separation techniques were investigated for the clean-up of typical radioactive mixed waste samples requiring elemental analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) or Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). These measurements frequently involve regulatory or compliance criteria which include the determination of elements on the EPA Target Analyte List (TAL). These samples usually consist of both an aqueous phase and a solid phase which is mostly an inorganic sludge. Frequently, samples taken from the waste tanks contain high levels of uranium and thorium which can cause spectral interferences in ICP-AES or ICP-MS analysis. The removal of these interferences ismore » necessary to determine the presence of the EPA TAL elements in the sample. Two clean-up methods were studied on simulated aqueous waste samples containing the EPA TAL elements. The first method studied was a classical procedure based upon liquid-liquid extraction using tri-n- octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) dissolved in cyclohexane. The second method investigated was based on more recently developed techniques using extraction chromatography; specifically the use of a commercially available Eichrom TRU[center dot]Spec[trademark] column. Literature on these two methods indicates the efficient removal of uranium and thorium from properly prepared samples and provides considerable qualitative information on the extraction behavior of many other elements. However, there is a lack of quantitative data on the extraction behavior of elements on the EPA Target Analyte List. Experimental studies on these two methods consisted of determining whether any of the analytes were extracted by these methods and the recoveries obtained. Both methods produced similar results; the EPA target analytes were only slightly or not extracted. Advantages and disadvantages of each method were evaluated and found to be comparable.« less

  1. An Approach for Assessing Delamination Propagation Capabilities in Commercial Finite Element Codes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Ronald

    2007-01-01

    An approach for assessing the delamination propagation capabilities in commercial finite element codes is presented and demonstrated for one code. For this investigation, the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) specimen and the Single Leg Bending (SLB) specimen were chosen for full three-dimensional finite element simulations. First, benchmark results were created for both specimens. Second, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to propagate. Good agreement between the load-displacement relationship obtained from the propagation analysis results and the benchmark results could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. Selecting the appropriate input parameters, however, was not straightforward and often required an iterative procedure. Qualitatively, the delamination front computed for the DCB specimen did not take the shape of a curved front as expected. However, the analysis of the SLB specimen yielded a curved front as may be expected from the distribution of the energy release rate and the failure index across the width of the specimen. Overall, the results are encouraging but further assessment on a structural level is required.

  2. An Approach to Assess Delamination Propagation Simulation Capabilities in Commercial Finite Element Codes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Ronald

    2008-01-01

    An approach for assessing the delamination propagation simulation capabilities in commercial finite element codes is presented and demonstrated. For this investigation, the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) specimen and the Single Leg Bending (SLB) specimen were chosen for full three-dimensional finite element simulations. First, benchmark results were created for both specimens. Second, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to propagate. The load-displacement relationship and the total strain energy obtained from the propagation analysis results and the benchmark results were compared and good agreements could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. Selecting the appropriate input parameters, however, was not straightforward and often required an iterative procedure. Qualitatively, the delamination front computed for the DCB specimen did not take the shape of a curved front as expected. However, the analysis of the SLB specimen yielded a curved front as was expected from the distribution of the energy release rate and the failure index across the width of the specimen. Overall, the results are encouraging but further assessment on a structural level is required.

  3. Follow on Research for Multi-Utility Technology Test Bed Aircraft at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (FY13 Progress Report)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pak, Chan-Gi

    2013-01-01

    Modern aircraft employ a significant fraction of their weight in composite materials to reduce weight and improve performance. Aircraft aeroservoelastic models are typically characterized by significant levels of model parameter uncertainty due to the composite manufacturing process. Small modeling errors in the finite element model will eventually induce errors in the structural flexibility and mass, thus propagating into unpredictable errors in the unsteady aerodynamics and the control law design. One of the primary objectives of Multi Utility Technology Test-bed (MUTT) aircraft is the flight demonstration of active flutter suppression, and therefore in this study, the identification of the primary and secondary modes for the structural model tuning based on the flutter analysis of MUTT aircraft. The ground vibration test-validated structural dynamic finite element model of the MUTT aircraft is created in this study. The structural dynamic finite element model of MUTT aircraft is improved using the in-house Multi-disciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization tool. In this study, two different weight configurations of MUTT aircraft have been improved simultaneously in a single model tuning procedure.

  4. Integrated computer-aided design using minicomputers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Storaasli, O. O.

    1980-01-01

    Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), a highly interactive software, has been implemented on minicomputers at the NASA Langley Research Center. CAD/CAM software integrates many formerly fragmented programs and procedures into one cohesive system; it also includes finite element modeling and analysis, and has been interfaced via a computer network to a relational data base management system and offline plotting devices on mainframe computers. The CAD/CAM software system requires interactive graphics terminals operating at a minimum of 4800 bits/sec transfer rate to a computer. The system is portable and introduces 'interactive graphics', which permits the creation and modification of models interactively. The CAD/CAM system has already produced designs for a large area space platform, a national transonic facility fan blade, and a laminar flow control wind tunnel model. Besides the design/drafting element analysis capability, CAD/CAM provides options to produce an automatic program tooling code to drive a numerically controlled (N/C) machine. Reductions in time for design, engineering, drawing, finite element modeling, and N/C machining will benefit productivity through reduced costs, fewer errors, and a wider range of configuration.

  5. Aeroelastic Stability of Rotor Blades Using Finite Element Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chopra, I.; Sivaneri, N.

    1982-01-01

    The flutter stability of flap bending, lead-lag bending, and torsion of helicopter rotor blades in hover is investigated using a finite element formulation based on Hamilton's principle. The blade is divided into a number of finite elements. Quasi-steady strip theory is used to evaluate the aerodynamic loads. The nonlinear equations of motion are solved for steady-state blade deflections through an iterative procedure. The equations of motion are linearized assuming blade motion to be a small perturbation about the steady deflected shape. The normal mode method based on the coupled rotating natural modes is used to reduce the number of equations in the flutter analysis. First the formulation is applied to single-load-path blades (articulated and hingeless blades). Numerical results show very good agreement with existing results obtained using the modal approach. The second part of the application concerns multiple-load-path blades, i.e. bearingless blades. Numerical results are presented for several analytical models of the bearingless blade. Results are also obtained using an equivalent beam approach wherein a bearingless blade is modelled as a single beam with equivalent properties. Results show the equivalent beam model.

  6. The group engagement model: procedural justice, social identity, and cooperative behavior.

    PubMed

    Tyler, Tom R; Blader, Steven L

    2003-01-01

    The group engagement model expands the insights of the group-value model of procedural justice and the relational model of authority into an explanation for why procedural justice shapes cooperation in groups, organizations, and societies. It hypothesizes that procedures are important because they shape people's social identity within groups, and social identity in turn influences attitudes, values, and behaviors. The model further hypothesizes that resource judgments exercise their influence indirectly by shaping social identity. This social identity mediation hypothesis explains why people focus on procedural justice, and in particular on procedural elements related to the quality of their interpersonal treatment, because those elements carry the most social identity-relevant information. In this article, we review several key insights of the group engagement model, relate these insights to important trends in psychological research on justice, and discuss implications of the model for the future of procedural justice research.

  7. Quantifying Diffuse Contamination: Method and Application to Pb in Soil.

    PubMed

    Fabian, Karl; Reimann, Clemens; de Caritat, Patrice

    2017-06-20

    A new method for detecting and quantifying diffuse contamination at the continental to regional scale is based on the analysis of cumulative distribution functions (CDFs). It uses cumulative probability (CP) plots for spatially representative data sets, preferably containing >1000 determinations. Simulations demonstrate how different types of contamination influence elemental CDFs of different sample media. It is found that diffuse contamination is characterized by a distinctive shift of the low-concentration end of the distribution of the studied element in its CP plot. Diffuse contamination can be detected and quantified via either (1) comparing the distribution of the contaminating element to that of an element with a geochemically comparable behavior but no contamination source (e.g., Pb vs Rb), or (2) comparing the top soil distribution of an element to the distribution of the same element in subsoil samples from the same area, taking soil forming processes into consideration. Both procedures are demonstrated for geochemical soil data sets from Europe, Australia, and the U.S.A. Several different data sets from Europe deliver comparable results at different scales. Diffuse Pb contamination in surface soil is estimated to be <0.5 mg/kg for Australia, 1-3 mg/kg for Europe, and 1-2 mg/kg, or at least <5 mg/kg, for the U.S.A. The analysis presented here also allows recognition of local contamination sources and can be used to efficiently monitor diffuse contamination at the continental to regional scale.

  8. Quantification of 2D elemental distribution maps of intermediate-thick biological sections by low energy synchrotron μ-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kump, P.; Vogel-Mikuš, K.

    2018-05-01

    Two fundamental-parameter (FP) based models for quantification of 2D elemental distribution maps of intermediate-thick biological samples by synchrotron low energy μ-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (SR-μ-XRF) are presented and applied to the elemental analysis in experiments with monochromatic focused photon beam excitation at two low energy X-ray fluorescence beamlines—TwinMic, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, Italy, and ID21, ESRF, Grenoble, France. The models assume intermediate-thick biological samples composed of measured elements, the sources of the measurable spectral lines, and by the residual matrix, which affects the measured intensities through absorption. In the first model a fixed residual matrix of the sample is assumed, while in the second model the residual matrix is obtained by the iteration refinement of elemental concentrations and an adjusted residual matrix. The absorption of the incident focused beam in the biological sample at each scanned pixel position, determined from the output of a photodiode or a CCD camera, is applied as a control in the iteration procedure of quantification.

  9. A new implementation of the programming system for structural synthesis (PROSSS-2)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, James L., Jr.

    1984-01-01

    This new implementation of the PROgramming System for Structural Synthesis (PROSSS-2) combines a general-purpose finite element computer program for structural analysis, a state-of-the-art optimization program, and several user-supplied, problem-dependent computer programs. The results are flexibility of the optimization procedure, organization, and versatility of the formulation of constraints and design variables. The analysis-optimization process results in a minimized objective function, typically the mass. The analysis and optimization programs are executed repeatedly by looping through the system until the process is stopped by a user-defined termination criterion. However, some of the analysis, such as model definition, need only be one time and the results are saved for future use. The user must write some small, simple FORTRAN programs to interface between the analysis and optimization programs. One of these programs, the front processor, converts the design variables output from the optimizer into the suitable format for input into the analyzer. Another, the end processor, retrieves the behavior variables and, optionally, their gradients from the analysis program and evaluates the objective function and constraints and optionally their gradients. These quantities are output in a format suitable for input into the optimizer. These user-supplied programs are problem-dependent because they depend primarily upon which finite elements are being used in the model. PROSSS-2 differs from the original PROSSS in that the optimizer and front and end processors have been integrated into the finite element computer program. This was done to reduce the complexity and increase portability of the system, and to take advantage of the data handling features found in the finite element program.

  10. CELFE: Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian Finite Element program for high velocity impact. Part 2: Program user's manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, C. H.

    1978-01-01

    The CELFE computer program and user's manual, together with the execution of the CELFE/NASTRAN system, are described. The execution procedure and the transfer of data between the CELFE and NASTRAN programs are controlled through the use of DATA files in the Univac 1100 system. Five data files are used to control the runstream and data transfer, and three files are used to hold the programs. These files are contained on a single tape. Changes in NASTRAN routines required by the present analysis are also discussed in this report. All the program listings, except the last two files (where the absolute and relocatable elements are stored), are included in the appendixes.

  11. Investigation of the effects of external current systems on the MAGSAT data utilizing grid cell modeling techniques

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klumpar, D. M. (Principal Investigator)

    1982-01-01

    The feasibility of modeling magnetic fields due to certain electrical currents flowing in the Earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere was investigated. A method was devised to carry out forward modeling of the magnetic perturbations that arise from space currents. The procedure utilizes a linear current element representation of the distributed electrical currents. The finite thickness elements are combined into loops which are in turn combined into cells having their base in the ionosphere. In addition to the extensive field modeling, additional software was developed for the reduction and analysis of the MAGSAT data in terms of the external current effects. Direct comparisons between the models and the MAGSAT data are possible.

  12. A review of the application of nonattenuating frequency radars for estimating rain attenuation and space-diversity performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldhirsh, J.

    1979-01-01

    Cumulative rain fade statistics are used by space communications engineers to establish transmitter power and receiver sensitivities for systems operating under various geometries, climates, and radio frequencies. Space-diversity performance criteria are also of interest. This work represents a review, in which are examined the many elements involved in the employment of single nonattenuating frequency radars for arriving at the desired information. The elements examined include radar techniques and requirements, phenomenological assumptions, path attenuation formulations and procedures, as well as error budgeting and calibration analysis. Included are the pertinent results of previous investigators who have used radar for rain-attenuation modeling. Suggestions are made for improving present methods.

  13. Analysis of elemental concentration censored distributions in breast malignant and breast benign neoplasm tissues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kubala-Kukuś, A.; Banaś, D.; Braziewicz, J.; Góźdź, S.; Majewska, U.; Pajek, M.

    2007-07-01

    The total reflection X-ray fluorescence method was applied to study the trace element concentrations in human breast malignant and breast benign neoplasm tissues taken from the women who were patients of Holycross Cancer Centre in Kielce (Poland). These investigations were mainly focused on the development of new possibilities of cancer diagnosis and therapy monitoring. This systematic comparative study was based on relatively large (˜ 100) population studied, namely 26 samples of breast malignant and 68 samples of breast benign neoplasm tissues. The concentrations, being in the range from a few ppb to 0.1%, were determined for thirteen elements (from P to Pb). The results were carefully analysed to investigate the concentration distribution of trace elements in the studied samples. The measurements of concentration of trace elements by total reflection X-ray fluorescence were limited, however, by the detection limit of the method. It was observed that for more than 50% of elements determined, the concentrations were not measured in all samples. These incomplete measurements were treated within the statistical concept called left-random censoring and for the estimation of the mean value and median of censored concentration distributions, the Kaplan-Meier estimator was used. For comparison of concentrations in two populations, the log-rank test was applied, which allows to compare the censored total reflection X-ray fluorescence data. Found statistically significant differences are discussed in more details. It is noted that described data analysis procedures should be the standard tool to analyze the censored concentrations of trace elements analysed by X-ray fluorescence methods.

  14. Instrumental neutron activation analysis for studying size-fractionated aerosols

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salma, Imre; Zemplén-Papp, Éva

    1999-10-01

    Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was utilized for studying aerosol samples collected into a coarse and a fine size fraction on Nuclepore polycarbonate membrane filters. As a result of the panoramic INAA, 49 elements were determined in an amount of about 200-400 μg of particulate matter by two irradiations and four γ-spectrometric measurements. The analytical calculations were performed by the absolute ( k0) standardization method. The calibration procedures, application protocol and the data evaluation process are described and discussed. They make it possible now to analyse a considerable number of samples, with assuring the quality of the results. As a means of demonstrating the system's analytical capabilities, the concentration ranges, median or mean atmospheric concentrations and detection limits are presented for an extensive series of aerosol samples collected within the framework of an urban air pollution study in Budapest. For most elements, the precision of the analysis was found to be beyond the uncertainty represented by the sampling techniques and sample variability.

  15. Coupled Thermo-Electro-Magneto-Elastic Response of Smart Stiffened Panels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Yarrington, Phillip W.

    2009-01-01

    This report documents the procedures developed for incorporating smart laminate and panel analysis capabilities within the HyperSizer aerospace structural sizing software package. HyperSizer analyzes stiffened panels composed of arbitrary composite laminates through stiffener homogenization, or "smearing " techniques. The result is an effective constitutive equation for the stiffened panel that is suitable for use in a full vehicle-scale finite element analysis via MSC/NASTRAN. The existing thermo-elastic capabilities of HyperSizer have herein been extended to include coupled thermo-electro-magneto-elastic analysis capabilities. This represents a significant step toward realization of design tools capable of guiding the development of the next generation of smart aerospace structures. Verification results are presented that compare the developed smart HyperSizer capability with an ABAQUS piezoelectric finite element solution for a facesheet-flange combination. These results show good agreement between HyperSizer and ABAQUS, but highlight a limitation of the HyperSizer formulation in that constant electric field components are assumed.

  16. Source Apportionment of Atmospheric Particles by Electron Probe X-Ray Microanalysis and Receptor Models.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Borm, Werner August

    Electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPXMA) in combination with an automation system and an energy-dispersive X-ray detection system was used to analyse thousands of microscopical particles, originating from the ambient atmosphere. The huge amount of data was processed by a newly developed X-ray correction method and a number of data reduction procedures. A standardless ZAF procedure for EPXMA was developed for quick semi-quantitative analysis of particles starting from simple corrections, valid for bulk samples and modified taking into account the particle finit diameter, assuming a spherical shape. Tested on a limited database of bulk and particulate samples, the compromise between calculation speed and accuracy yielded for elements with Z > 14 accuracies on concentrations less than 10% while absolute deviations remained below 4 weight%, thus being only important for low concentrations. Next, the possibilities for the use of supervised and unsupervised multivariate particle classification were investigated for source apportionment of individual particles. In a detailed study of the unsupervised cluster analysis technique several aspects were considered, that have a severe influence on the final cluster analysis results, i.e. data acquisition, X-ray peak identification, data normalization, scaling, variable selection, similarity measure, cluster strategy, cluster significance and error propagation. A supervised approach was developed using an expert system-like approach in which identification rules are builded to describe the particle classes in a unique manner. Applications are presented for particles sampled (1) near a zinc smelter (Vieille-Montagne, Balen, Belgium), analyzed for heavy metals, (2) in an urban aerosol (Antwerp, Belgium), analyzed for over 20 elements and (3) in a rural aerosol originating from a swiss mountain area (Bern). Thus is was possible to pinpoint a number of known and unknown sources and characterize their emissions in terms of particles abundance and particle composition. Alternatively, the bulk analysis of filters (total, fine and coarse mode) using Particle Induced X -Ray Emission (PIXE) and the application of a receptor modeling approach provided for complementary information on a macroscopical level. A computer program was developed incorporating an absolute factor analysis based receptor modeling procedure. Source profiles and contributions are described by elemental concentrations and an atmospheric mass balance is put forward. The latter method was applied in a two year study of the Antwerp urban aerosol and for the swiss aerosol, revealing a number of previously known and unknown sources. Both methods were successfully combined to increase the source resolution.

  17. VERIFICATION OF THE DEFENSE WASTE PROCESSING FACILITY PROCESS DIGESTION METHOD FOR THE SLUDGE BATCH 6 QUALIFICATION SAMPLE

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Click, D.; Jones, M.; Edwards, T.

    2010-06-09

    For each sludge batch that is processed in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) confirms applicability of the digestion method to be used by the DWPF lab for elemental analysis of Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) receipt samples and SRAT product process control samples.1 DWPF SRAT samples are typically dissolved using a room temperature HF-HNO3 acid dissolution (i.e., DWPF Cold Chem (CC) Method, see DWPF Procedure SW4-15.201) and then analyzed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy (ICPAES). In addition to the CC method confirmation, the DWPF lab's mercury (Hg) digestion methodmore » was also evaluated for applicability to SB6 (see DWPF procedure 'Mercury System Operating Manual', Manual: SW4-15.204. Section 6.1, Revision 5, Effective date: 12-04-03). This report contains the results and comparison of data generated from performing the Aqua Regia (AR), Sodium Peroxide/Hydroxide Fusion (PF) and DWPF Cold Chem (CC) method digestion of Sludge Batch 6 (SB6) SRAT Receipt and SB6 SRAT Product samples. For validation of the DWPF lab's Hg method, only SRAT receipt material was used and compared to AR digestion results. The SB6 SRAT Receipt and SB6 SRAT Product samples were prepared in the SRNL Shielded Cells, and the SRAT Receipt material is representative of the sludge that constitutes the SB6 Batch or qualification composition. This is the sludge in Tank 51 that is to be transferred into Tank 40, which will contain the heel of Sludge Batch 5 (SB5), to form the SB6 Blend composition. In addition to the 16 elements currently measured by the DWPF, this report includes Hg and thorium (Th) data (Th comprising {approx}2.5 - 3 Wt% of the total solids in SRAT Receipt and SRAT Product, respectively) and provides specific details of ICP-AES analysis of Th. Thorium was found to interfere with the U 367.007 nm emission line, and an inter-element correction (IEC) had to be applied to U data, which is also discussed. The results for any one particular element should not be used in any way to identify the form or speciation of a particular element without support from XRD analysis or used to estimate ratios of compounds in the sludge.« less

  18. Student Mentoring Programs: Education's Monitoring and Information Sharing Could Be Improved. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-04-581

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaul, Marnie S.

    2004-01-01

    As part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Congress authorized a school-based mentoring grant program. This study examined: the basic elements, policies, and procedures of successful mentoring programs; key characteristics of NCLB-funded mentoring efforts (the extent to which they had the basic elements, policies, and procedures of…

  19. Stark width and shift for electron number density diagnostics of low temperature plasma: Application to silicon Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivković, M.; Konjević, N.

    2017-05-01

    In this work we summarize, analyze and critically evaluate experimental procedures and results of LIBS electron number density plasma characterization using as examples Stark broadened Si I and Si II line profiles. Selected publications are covering the time period from very beginning of silicon LIBS studies until the end of the year 2015. To perform the analysis of experimental LIBS data, the testing of available semiclassical theoretical Stark broadening parameters for Si I and Si II lines was accomplished first. This is followed by the description of experimental setups, results and details of experimental procedure relevant for the line shape analysis of spectral lines used for plasma characterization. Although most of results and conclusions of this analysis are related to the application of silicon lines for LIBS characterization they are of general importance and may be applied to other elements and different low-temperature plasma sources. The analysis of experimental procedures used for LIBS diagnostics from emission profiles of non-hydrogenic spectral lines is carried out in the following order: the influence of laser ablation and crater formation, spatial and temporal plasma observation, line self-absorption and experimental profile deconvolution, the contribution of ion broadening in comparison with electron impacts contributions to the line width in case of neutral atom line and some other aspects of line shape analysis are considered. The application of Stark shift for LIBS diagnostics is demonstrated and discussed. Finally, the recommendations for an improvement of experimental procedures for LIBS electron number density plasma characterization are offered.

  20. Potential and Limitations of the Modal Characterization of a Spacecraft Bus Structure by Means of Active Structure Elements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grillenbeck, Anton M.; Dillinger, Stephan A.; Elliott, Kenny B.

    1998-01-01

    Theoretical and experimental studies have been performed to investigate the potential and limitations of the modal characterization of a typical spacecraft bus structure by means of active structure elements. The aim of these studies has been test and advance tools for performing an accurate on-orbit modal identification which may be characterized by the availability of a generally very limited test instrumentation, autonomous excitation capabilities by active structure elements and a zero-g environment. The NASA LARC CSI Evolutionary Testbed provided an excellent object for the experimental part of this study program. The main subjects of investigation were: (1) the selection of optimum excitation and measurement to unambiguously identify modes of interest; (2) the applicability of different types of excitation means with focus on active structure elements; and (3) the assessment of the modal identification potential of different types of excitation functions and modal analysis tools. Conventional as well as dedicated modal analysis tools were applied to determine modal parameters and mode shapes. The results will be presented and discussed based on orthogonality checks as well as on suitable indicators for the quality of the acquired modes with respect to modal purity. In particular, the suitability for modal analysis of the acquired frequency response functions as obtained by excitation with active structure elements will be demonstrated with the help of reciprocity checks. Finally, the results will be summarized in a procedure to perform an on-orbit modal identification, including an indication of limitation to be observed.

  1. On Multifunctional Collaborative Methods in Engineering Science

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ransom, Jonathan B.

    2001-01-01

    Multifunctional methodologies and analysis procedures are formulated for interfacing diverse subdomain idealizations including multi-fidelity modeling methods and multi-discipline analysis methods. These methods, based on the method of weighted residuals, ensure accurate compatibility of primary and secondary variables across the subdomain interfaces. Methods are developed using diverse mathematical modeling (i.e., finite difference and finite element methods) and multi-fidelity modeling among the subdomains. Several benchmark scalar-field and vector-field problems in engineering science are presented with extensions to multidisciplinary problems. Results for all problems presented are in overall good agreement with the exact analytical solution or the reference numerical solution. Based on the results, the integrated modeling approach using the finite element method for multi-fidelity discretization among the subdomains is identified as most robust. The multiple method approach is advantageous when interfacing diverse disciplines in which each of the method's strengths are utilized.

  2. Nonlinear Pressurization and Modal Analysis Procedure for Dynamic Modeling of Inflatable Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smalley, Kurt B.; Tinker, Michael L.; Saxon, Jeff (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    An introduction and set of guidelines for finite element dynamic modeling of nonrigidized inflatable structures is provided. A two-step approach is presented, involving 1) nonlinear static pressurization of the structure and updating of the stiffness matrix and 2) hear normal modes analysis using the updated stiffness. Advantages of this approach are that it provides physical realism in modeling of pressure stiffening, and it maintains the analytical convenience of a standard bear eigensolution once the stiffness has been modified. Demonstration of the approach is accomplished through the creation and test verification of an inflated cylinder model using a large commercial finite element code. Good frequency and mode shape comparisons are obtained with test data and previous modeling efforts, verifying the accuracy of the technique. Problems encountered in the application of the approach, as well as their solutions, are discussed in detail.

  3. Integrated NDE and FEM characterization of composite rotors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Baaklini, George Y.; Trudell, Jeffrey J.

    2001-08-01

    A structural assessment by integrating finite-element methods (FEM) and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of two flywheel rotor assemblies is presented. Composite rotor A is pancake like with a solid hub design, and composite rotor B is cylindrical with a hollow hub design. Detailed analyses under combined centrifugal and interference-fit loading are performed. Two- and three-dimensional stress analyses and two-dimensional fracture mechanics analyses are conducted. A comparison of the structural analysis results obtained with those extracted via NDE findings is reported. Contact effects due to press-fit conditions are evaluated. Stress results generated from the finite-element analyses were corroborated with the analytical solution. Cracks due to rotational loading up to 48 000 rpm for rotor A and 34 000 rpm for rotor B were successfully imaged with NDE and predicted with FEM and fracture mechanics analyses. A procedure that extends current structural analysis to a life prediction tool is also defined.

  4. An Integrated NDE and FEM Characterization of Composite Rotors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Baaklini, George Y.; Trudell, Jeffrey J.

    2000-01-01

    A structural assessment by integrating finite-element methods (FEM) and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of two flywheel rotor assemblies is presented. Composite rotor A is pancake like with a solid hub design, and composite rotor B is cylindrical with a hollow hub design. Detailed analyses under combined centrifugal and interference-fit loading are performed. Two- and three-dimensional stress analyses and two-dimensional fracture mechanics analyses are conducted. A comparison of the structural analysis results obtained with those extracted via NDE findings is reported. Contact effects due to press-fit conditions are evaluated. Stress results generated from the finite-element analyses were corroborated with the analytical solution. Cracks due to rotational loading up to 49 000 rpm for rotor A and 34 000 rpm for rotor B were successfully imaged with NDE and predicted with FEM and fracture mechanics analyses. A procedure that extends current structural analysis to a life prediction tool is also defined.

  5. Research on the self-absorption corrections for PGNAA of large samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Jian-Bo; Liu, Zhi; Chang, Kang; Li, Rui

    2017-02-01

    When a large sample is analysed with the prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) neutron self-shielding and gamma self-absorption affect the accuracy, the correction method for the detection efficiency of the relative H of each element in a large sample is described. The influences of the thickness and density of the cement samples on the H detection efficiency, as well as the impurities Fe2O3 and SiO2 on the prompt γ ray yield for each element in the cement samples, were studied. The phase functions for Ca, Fe, and Si on H with changes in sample thickness and density were provided to avoid complicated procedures for preparing the corresponding density or thickness scale for measuring samples under each density or thickness value and to present a simplified method for the measurement efficiency scale for prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis.

  6. A study of uniformity of elements deposition on glass fiber filters after collection of airborne particulate matter (PM-10), using a high-volume sampler.

    PubMed

    Marrero, Julieta; Rebagliati, Raúl Jiménez; Gómez, Darío; Smichowski, Patricia

    2005-12-15

    A study was conducted to evaluate the homogeneity of the distribution of metals and metalloids deposited on glass fiber filters collected using a high-volume sampler equipped with a PM-10 sampling head. The airborne particulate matter (APM)-loaded glass fiber filters (with an active surface of about 500cm(2)) were weighed and then each filter was cut in five small discs of 6.5cm of diameter. Each disk was mineralized by acid-assisted microwave (MW) digestion using a mixture of nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acids. Analysis was performed by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) and the elements considered were: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti and V. The validation of the procedure was performed by the analysis of the standard reference material NIST 1648, urban particulate matter. As a way of comparing the possible variability in trace elements distribution in a particular filter, the mean concentration for each element over the five positions (discs) was calculated and each element concentration was normalized to this mean value. Scatter plots of the normalized concentrations were examined for all elements and all sub-samples. We considered that an element was homogeneously distributed if its normalized concentrations in the 45 sub-samples were within +/-15% of the mean value ranging between 0.85 and 1.15. The study demonstrated that the 12 elements tested showed different distribution pattern. Aluminium, Cu and V showed the most homogeneous pattern while Cd and Ni exhibited the largest departures from the mean value in 13 out of the 45 discs analyzed. No preferential deposition was noticed in any sub-sample.

  7. The CMC/3DPNS computer program for prediction of three-dimension, subsonic, turbulent aerodynamic juncture region flow. Volume 2: Users' manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manhardt, P. D.

    1982-01-01

    The CMC fluid mechanics program system was developed to transmit the theoretical solution of finite element numerical solution methodology, applied to nonlinear field problems into a versatile computer code for comprehensive flow field analysis. Data procedures for the CMC 3 dimensional Parabolic Navier-Stokes (PNS) algorithm are presented. General data procedures a juncture corner flow standard test case data deck is described. A listing of the data deck and an explanation of grid generation methodology are presented. Tabulations of all commands and variables available to the user are described. These are in alphabetical order with cross reference numbers which refer to storage addresses.

  8. Laser ablation ICP-MS analysis on nano-powder pellets and applications to granite bulk rock analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Shitou; Karius, Volker; Wörner, Gerhard

    2017-04-01

    Granites are a ubiquitous component of the continental crust and knowing their precise trace element signatures is essential in understanding the origins and evolution of the continental crust. ICP-MS bulk analysis of granite is generally conducted on solution after acid-digestion. However this technique has several deficiencies related to the difficulty of completely dissolving accessary minerals such as zircon and the instability/adsorption of high valence trace elements (Nb, Ta et al.) in acid solutions. The development of a nano-powder pellet technique by using wet milling procedure, and its combination with laser ablation ICP-MS has been proposed to overcome these problems. In this study, we produced nano-powders from a series of granite rock standards by wet milling in agate using a high power planetary ball mill instrument. The procedure was tested and optimized by modifying parameters (ball to powder ratio, water to powder ratio, milling power etc.). Characterization of nano-powders was conducted by various techniques including electron microprobe (EMP), secondary electron imaging, polarizing microscope, and laser particle size analyzer (LPSA) and laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). Particle sizes range from a few nm to 5 μm with a small secondary mode at around 10 to 20 μm that probably represent particle aggregates rather than remaining crystal grains after milling. Pellets of 5 mm in diameter were pressed into molds of cellulose at 1.75 *103 N/cm2. Surface roughness of the pellets was measured by LSCM and gave a Ra of 0.494 μm, which is an order higher than the surface of polished ATGH-G reference glass surface (Ra: 0.048 μm), but sufficient for laser ablation. Sources of contamination either from abrading agate balls or from ultrapure water were evaluated and quantified. The homogeneity of powder pellets down to less than 5 μm size was documented based on EMPA element mapping and statistical analyses of LA-ICP-MS in discrete spot and line scanning analytical mode. We report data from major to trace element (to < 0.1 ppm) of currently available international granite reference materials (JG-2, JG-3, GWB07103, GEB07111, GSP-2 and G-3) to evaluate analytical precision and accuracy of LA-ICP-MS measurements. Our results illustrate the potential of this method for high precision analysis of trace elements and e.g. Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta ratios in granites.

  9. Development and applications of two computational procedures for determining the vibration modes of structural systems. [aircraft structures - aerospaceplanes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kvaternik, R. G.

    1975-01-01

    Two computational procedures for analyzing complex structural systems for their natural modes and frequencies of vibration are presented. Both procedures are based on a substructures methodology and both employ the finite-element stiffness method to model the constituent substructures. The first procedure is a direct method based on solving the eigenvalue problem associated with a finite-element representation of the complete structure. The second procedure is a component-mode synthesis scheme in which the vibration modes of the complete structure are synthesized from modes of substructures into which the structure is divided. The analytical basis of the methods contains a combination of features which enhance the generality of the procedures. The computational procedures exhibit a unique utilitarian character with respect to the versatility, computational convenience, and ease of computer implementation. The computational procedures were implemented in two special-purpose computer programs. The results of the application of these programs to several structural configurations are shown and comparisons are made with experiment.

  10. Analytical procedures for the determination of selected trace elements in peat and plant samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krachler, Michael; Mohl, Carola; Emons, Hendrik; Shotyk, William

    2002-08-01

    A simple, robust and reliable analytical procedure for the determination of 15 elements, namely Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Ag, Cd, Ba, Tl, Th and U in peat and plant materials by inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) was developed. Powdered sample aliquots of approximately 220 mg were dissolved with various acid mixtures in a microwave heated high-pressure autoclave capable to digest 40 samples simultaneously. The selection of appropriate amounts of digestion acids (nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid or tetrafluoroboric acid) was crucial to obtain accurate results. The optimized acid mixture for digestion of plant and peat samples consisted of 3 ml HNO 3 and 0.1 ml HBF 4. An ultrasonic nebulizer with an additional membrane desolvation unit was found beneficial for the determination of Co, Ni, Ag, Tl, Th and U, allowing to aspirate a dry sample aerosol into the ICP-QMS. A pneumatic cross flow nebulizer served as sample introduction device for the other elements. Internal standardization was achieved with 103Rh for all elements, except for Th whose ICP-QMS signals were corrected by 103Rh and 185Re. Quality control was ascertained by analysis of the certified plant reference material GBW 07602 Bush Branches and Leaves. In almost all cases HNO 3 alone could not fully liberate the analytes of interest from the peat or plant matrix, probably because of the silicates present. After adding small amounts (0.05-0.1 ml) of either HF or HBF 4 to the digestion mixture, concentrations quantified by ICP-QMS generally increased significantly, in the case of Rb up to 80%. Further increasing the volumes of HF or HBF 4 in turn, resulted in a loss of recoveries of almost all elements, some of which amounted to approximately 60%. The successful analytical procedures were applied to the determination of two bulk peat materials. In general, good agreement between the found concentrations and results from an inter-laboratory trial or from instrumental neutron activation data were obtained, underpinning the suitability of the developed analytical approach.

  11. Determination of element affinities by density fractionation of bulk coal samples

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Querol, X.; Klika, Z.; Weiss, Z.; Finkelman, R.B.; Alastuey, A.; Juan, R.; Lopez-Soler, A.; Plana, F.; Kolker, A.; Chenery, S.R.N.

    2001-01-01

    A review has been made of the various methods of determining major and trace element affinities for different phases, both mineral and organic in coals, citing their various strengths and weaknesses. These include mathematical deconvolution of chemical analyses, direct microanalysis, sequential extraction procedures and density fractionation. A new methodology combining density fractionation with mathematical deconvolution of chemical analyses of whole coals and their density fractions has been evaluated. These coals formed part of the IEA-Coal Research project on the Modes of Occurrence of Trace Elements in Coal. Results were compared to a previously reported sequential extraction methodology and showed good agreement for most elements. For particular elements (Be, Mo, Cu, Se and REEs) in specific coals where disagreement was found, it was concluded that the occurrence of rare trace element bearing phases may account for the discrepancy, and modifications to the general procedure must be made to account for these.

  12. Preharvest food safety.

    PubMed

    Childers, A B; Walsh, B

    1996-07-23

    Preharvest food safety is essential for the protection of our food supply. The production and transport of livestock and poultry play an integral part in the safety of these food products. The goals of this safety assurance include freedom from pathogenic microorganisms, disease, and parasites, and from potentially harmful residues and physical hazards. Its functions should be based on hazard analysis and critical control points from producer to slaughter plant with emphasis on prevention of identifiable hazards rather than on removal of contaminated products. The production goal is to minimize infection and insure freedom from potentially harmful residues and physical hazards. The marketing goal is control of exposure to pathogens and stress. Both groups should have functional hazard analysis and critical control points management programs which include personnel training and certification of producers. These programs must cover production procedures, chemical usage, feeding, treatment practices, drug usage, assembly and transportation, and animal identification. Plans must use risk assessment principles, and the procedures must be defined. Other elements would include preslaughter certification, environmental protection, control of chemical hazards, live-animal drug-testing procedures, and identification of physical hazards.

  13. Dynamic variational asymptotic procedure for laminated composite shells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Chang-Yong

    Unlike published shell theories, the main two parts of this thesis are devoted to the asymptotic construction of a refined theory for composite laminated shells valid over a wide range of frequencies and wavelengths. The resulting theory is applicable to shells each layer of which is made of materials with monoclinic symmetry. It enables one to analyze shell dynamic responses within both long-wavelength, low- and high-frequency vibration regimes. It also leads to energy functionals that are both positive definiteness and sufficient simplicity for all wavelengths. This whole procedure was first performed analytically. From the insight gained from the procedure, a finite element version of the analysis was then developed; and a corresponding computer program, DVAPAS, was developed. DVAPAS can obtain the generalized 2-D constitutive law and recover accurately the 3-D results for stress and strain in composite shells. Some independent works will be needed to develop the corresponding 2-D surface analysis associated with the present theory and to continue towards full verification and validation of the present process by comparison with available published works.

  14. Potential Pitfalls of Reporting and Bias in Observational Studies With Propensity Score Analysis Assessing a Surgical Procedure: A Methodological Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Lonjon, Guillaume; Porcher, Raphael; Ergina, Patrick; Fouet, Mathilde; Boutron, Isabelle

    2017-05-01

    To describe the evolution of the use and reporting of propensity score (PS) analysis in observational studies assessing a surgical procedure. Assessing surgery in randomized controlled trials raises several challenges. Observational studies with PS analysis are a robust alternative for comparative effectiveness research. In this methodological systematic review, we identified all PubMed reports of observational studies with PS analysis that evaluated a surgical procedure and described the evolution of their use over time. Then, we selected a sample of articles published from August 2013 to July 2014 and systematically appraised the quality of reporting and potential bias of the PS analysis used. We selected 652 reports of observational studies with PS analysis. The publications increased over time, from 1 report in 1987 to 198 in 2013. Among the 129 reports assessed, 20% (n = 24) did not detail the covariates included in the PS and 77% (n = 100) did not report a justification for including these covariates in the PS. The rate of missing data for potential covariates was reported in 9% of articles. When a crossover by conversion was possible, only 14% of reports (n = 12) mentioned this issue. For matched analysis, 10% of articles reported all 4 key elements that allow for reproducibility of a PS-matched analysis (matching ratio, method to choose the nearest neighbors, replacement and method for statistical analysis). Observational studies with PS analysis in surgery are increasing in frequency, but specific methodological issues and weaknesses in reporting exist.

  15. A site specific model and analysis of the neutral somatic mutation rate in whole-genome cancer data.

    PubMed

    Bertl, Johanna; Guo, Qianyun; Juul, Malene; Besenbacher, Søren; Nielsen, Morten Muhlig; Hornshøj, Henrik; Pedersen, Jakob Skou; Hobolth, Asger

    2018-04-19

    Detailed modelling of the neutral mutational process in cancer cells is crucial for identifying driver mutations and understanding the mutational mechanisms that act during cancer development. The neutral mutational process is very complex: whole-genome analyses have revealed that the mutation rate differs between cancer types, between patients and along the genome depending on the genetic and epigenetic context. Therefore, methods that predict the number of different types of mutations in regions or specific genomic elements must consider local genomic explanatory variables. A major drawback of most methods is the need to average the explanatory variables across the entire region or genomic element. This procedure is particularly problematic if the explanatory variable varies dramatically in the element under consideration. To take into account the fine scale of the explanatory variables, we model the probabilities of different types of mutations for each position in the genome by multinomial logistic regression. We analyse 505 cancer genomes from 14 different cancer types and compare the performance in predicting mutation rate for both regional based models and site-specific models. We show that for 1000 randomly selected genomic positions, the site-specific model predicts the mutation rate much better than regional based models. We use a forward selection procedure to identify the most important explanatory variables. The procedure identifies site-specific conservation (phyloP), replication timing, and expression level as the best predictors for the mutation rate. Finally, our model confirms and quantifies certain well-known mutational signatures. We find that our site-specific multinomial regression model outperforms the regional based models. The possibility of including genomic variables on different scales and patient specific variables makes it a versatile framework for studying different mutational mechanisms. Our model can serve as the neutral null model for the mutational process; regions that deviate from the null model are candidates for elements that drive cancer development.

  16. Patient-specific geometrical modeling of orthopedic structures with high efficiency and accuracy for finite element modeling and 3D printing.

    PubMed

    Huang, Huajun; Xiang, Chunling; Zeng, Canjun; Ouyang, Hanbin; Wong, Kelvin Kian Loong; Huang, Wenhua

    2015-12-01

    We improved the geometrical modeling procedure for fast and accurate reconstruction of orthopedic structures. This procedure consists of medical image segmentation, three-dimensional geometrical reconstruction, and assignment of material properties. The patient-specific orthopedic structures reconstructed by this improved procedure can be used in the virtual surgical planning, 3D printing of real orthopedic structures and finite element analysis. A conventional modeling consists of: image segmentation, geometrical reconstruction, mesh generation, and assignment of material properties. The present study modified the conventional method to enhance software operating procedures. Patient's CT images of different bones were acquired and subsequently reconstructed to give models. The reconstruction procedures were three-dimensional image segmentation, modification of the edge length and quantity of meshes, and the assignment of material properties according to the intensity of gravy value. We compared the performance of our procedures to the conventional procedures modeling in terms of software operating time, success rate and mesh quality. Our proposed framework has the following improvements in the geometrical modeling: (1) processing time: (femur: 87.16 ± 5.90 %; pelvis: 80.16 ± 7.67 %; thoracic vertebra: 17.81 ± 4.36 %; P < 0.05); (2) least volume reduction (femur: 0.26 ± 0.06 %; pelvis: 0.70 ± 0.47, thoracic vertebra: 3.70 ± 1.75 %; P < 0.01) and (3) mesh quality in terms of aspect ratio (femur: 8.00 ± 7.38 %; pelvis: 17.70 ± 9.82 %; thoracic vertebra: 13.93 ± 9.79 %; P < 0.05) and maximum angle (femur: 4.90 ± 5.28 %; pelvis: 17.20 ± 19.29 %; thoracic vertebra: 3.86 ± 3.82 %; P < 0.05). Our proposed patient-specific geometrical modeling requires less operating time and workload, but the orthopedic structures were generated at a higher rate of success as compared with the conventional method. It is expected to benefit the surgical planning of orthopedic structures with less operating time and high accuracy of modeling.

  17. 40 CFR 86.158-00 - Supplemental Federal Test Procedures; overview.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Procedures (SFTP). These test procedures consist of two separable test elements: A sequence of vehicle.../pound of dry air (approximately 40 percent relative humidity), and a solar heat load intensity of 850 W...

  18. 40 CFR 86.158-00 - Supplemental Federal Test Procedures; overview.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Procedures (SFTP). These test procedures consist of two separable test elements: A sequence of vehicle.../pound of dry air (approximately 40 percent relative humidity), and a solar heat load intensity of 850 W...

  19. 40 CFR 86.158-00 - Supplemental Federal Test Procedures; overview.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Procedures (SFTP). These test procedures consist of two separable test elements: A sequence of vehicle.../pound of dry air (approximately 40 percent relative humidity), and a solar heat load intensity of 850 W...

  20. 40 CFR 86.158-00 - Supplemental Federal Test Procedures; overview.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Procedures (SFTP). These test procedures consist of two separable test elements: A sequence of vehicle.../pound of dry air (approximately 40 percent relative humidity), and a solar heat load intensity of 850 W...

  1. Detection of Earthquake-Induced Damage in a Framed Structure Using a Finite Element Model Updating Procedure

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Seung-Nam; Park, Taewon; Lee, Sang-Hyun

    2014-01-01

    Damage of a 5-story framed structure was identified from two types of measured data, which are frequency response functions (FRF) and natural frequencies, using a finite element (FE) model updating procedure. In this study, a procedure to determine the appropriate weightings for different groups of observations was proposed. In addition, a modified frame element which included rotational springs was used to construct the FE model for updating to represent concentrated damage at the member ends (a formulation for plastic hinges in framed structures subjected to strong earthquakes). The results of the model updating and subsequent damage detection when the rotational springs (RS model) were used were compared with those obtained using the conventional frame elements (FS model). Comparisons indicated that the RS model gave more accurate results than the FS model. That is, the errors in the natural frequencies of the updated models were smaller, and the identified damage showed clearer distinctions between damaged and undamaged members and was more consistent with observed damage. PMID:24574888

  2. Procedure for minimizing the cost per watt of photovoltaic systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Redfield, D.

    1977-01-01

    A general analytic procedure is developed that provides a quantitative method for optimizing any element or process in the fabrication of a photovoltaic energy conversion system by minimizing its impact on the cost per watt of the complete system. By determining the effective value of any power loss associated with each element of the system, this procedure furnishes the design specifications that optimize the cost-performance tradeoffs for each element. A general equation is derived that optimizes the properties of any part of the system in terms of appropriate cost and performance functions, although the power-handling components are found to have a different character from the cell and array steps. Another principal result is that a fractional performance loss occurring at any cell- or array-fabrication step produces that same fractional increase in the cost per watt of the complete array. It also follows that no element or process step can be optimized correctly by considering only its own cost and performance

  3. Failure analysis of blots for diesel engine intercooler

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Ping; Li, Zongquan; Wu, Jiangfei; Guo, Yibin; Li, Wanyou

    2017-05-01

    In diesel generating sets, it will lead to the abominable working condition if the fault couldn’t be recovered when the bolt of intercooler cracks. This paper aims at the fault of the blots of diesel generator intercooler and completes the analysis of the static strength and fatigue strength. Static intensity is checked considering blot preload and thermal stress. In order to obtain the thermal stress of the blot, thermodynamic of intercooler is calculated according to the measured temperature. Based on the measured vibration response and the finite element model, using dynamic load identification technique, equivalent excitation force of unit was solved. In order to obtain the force of bolt, the excitation force is loaded into the finite element model. By considering the thermal stress and preload as the average stress while the mechanical stress as the wave stress, fatigue strength analysis has been accomplished. Procedure of diagnosis is proposed in this paper. Finally, according to the result of intensity verification the fatigue failure is validation. Thereby, further studies are necessary to verification the result of the intensity analysis and put forward some improvement suggestion.

  4. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in industrial and security applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bol'shakov, Alexander A.; Yoo, Jong H.; Liu Chunyi

    2010-05-01

    Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) offers rapid, localized chemical analysis of solid or liquid materials with high spatial resolution in lateral and depth profiling, without the need for sample preparation. Principal component analysis and partial least squares algorithms were applied to identify a variety of complex organic and inorganic samples. This work illustrates how LIBS analyzers can answer a multitude of real-world needs for rapid analysis, such as determination of lead in paint and children's toys, analysis of electronic and solder materials, quality control of fiberglass panels, discrimination of coffee beans from different vendors, and identification of generic versus brand-name drugs.more » Lateral and depth profiling was performed on children's toys and paint layers. Traditional one-element calibration or multivariate chemometric procedures were applied for elemental quantification, from single laser shot determination of metal traces at {approx}10 {mu}g/g to determination of halogens at 90 {mu}g/g using 50-shot spectral accumulation. The effectiveness of LIBS for security applications was demonstrated in the field by testing the 50-m standoff LIBS rasterizing detector.« less

  5. SSME structural dynamic model development, phase 2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Foley, M. J.; Wilson, V. L.

    1985-01-01

    A set of test correlated mathematical models of the SSME High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump (HPOTP) housing and rotor assembly was produced. New analysis methods within the EISI/EAL and SPAR systems were investigated and runstreams for future use were developed. The LOX pump models have undergone extensive modification since the first phase of this effort was completed. The rotor assembly from the original model was abandoned and a new, more detailed model constructed. A description of the new rotor math model is presented. Also, the pump housing model was continually modified as additional test data have become available. This model is documented along with measured test results. Many of the more advanced features of the EAL/SPAR finite element analysis system were exercised. These included the cyclic symmetry option, the macro-element procedures, and the fluid analysis capability. In addition, a new tool was developed that allows an automated analysis of a disjoint structure in terms of its component modes. A complete description of the implementation of the Craig-Bampton method is given along with two worked examples.

  6. High-Fidelity Buckling Analysis of Composite Cylinders Using the STAGS Finite Element Code

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hilburger, Mark W.

    2014-01-01

    Results from previous shell buckling studies are presented that illustrate some of the unique and powerful capabilities in the STAGS finite element analysis code that have made it an indispensable tool in structures research at NASA over the past few decades. In particular, prototypical results from the development and validation of high-fidelity buckling simulations are presented for several unstiffened thin-walled compression-loaded graphite-epoxy cylindrical shells along with a discussion on the specific methods and user-defined subroutines in STAGS that are used to carry out the high-fidelity simulations. These simulations accurately account for the effects of geometric shell-wall imperfections, shell-wall thickness variations, local shell-wall ply-gaps associated with the fabrication process, shell-end geometric imperfections, nonuniform applied end loads, and elastic boundary conditions. The analysis procedure uses a combination of nonlinear quasi-static and transient dynamic solution algorithms to predict the prebuckling and unstable collapse response characteristics of the cylinders. Finally, the use of high-fidelity models in the development of analysis-based shell-buckling knockdown (design) factors is demonstrated.

  7. In Situ Characterization of Boehmite Particles in Water Using Liquid SEM

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yao, Juan; Arey, Bruce W.; Yang, Li

    In situ imaging and elemental analysis of boehmite (AlOOH) particles in water is realized using the System for Analysis at the Liquid Vacuum Interface (SALVI) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). This paper describes the method and key steps in integrating the vacuum compatible SAVLI to SEM and obtaining secondary electron (SE) images of particles in liquid in high vacuum. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) is used to obtain elemental analysis of particles in liquid. A synthesized AlOOH particle is used as a model in the liquid SEM illustration. Our results demonstrate that particles can be imaged in the SE modemore » with good resolution. The AlOOH EDX spectrum shows significant signal from the Al compared with deionized water and the empty channel control. In situ liquid SEM is a powerful technique to study particles in liquid with many exciting applications. This procedure aims to provide technical details in how to conduct liquid SEM imaging and EDX analysis using SALVI and reduce potential pitfalls using this approach for other researchers.« less

  8. Adding the Human Element to Ship Manoeuvring Simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aarsæther, Karl Gunnar; Moan, Torgeir

    Time-domain simulation of ship manoeuvring has been utilized in risk analysis to assess the effect of changes to the ship-lane, development in traffic volume and the associated risk. The process of ship manoeuvring in a wider socio-technical context consists of the technical systems, operational procedures, the human operators and support functions. Automated manoeuvring simulations without human operators in the simulation loop have often been preferred in simulation studies due to the low time required for simulations. Automatic control has represented the human element with little effort devoted to explain the relationship between the guidance and control algorithms and the human operator which they replace. This paper describes the development and application of a model for the human element for autonomous time-domain manoeuvring simulations. The method is applicable in the time-domain, modular and found to be capable of reproducing observed manoeuvre patterns, but limited to represent the intended behaviour.

  9. Integrated Nondestructive Evaluation and Finite Element Analysis Predicts Crack Location and Shape

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abdul-Azia, Ali; Baaklini, George Y.; Trudell, Jeffrey J.

    2002-01-01

    This study describes the finite-element analyses and the NDE modality undertaken on two flywheel rotors that were spun to burst speed. Computed tomography and dimensional measurements were used to nondestructively evaluate the rotors before and/or after they were spun to the first crack detection. Computed tomography data findings of two- and three-dimensional crack formation were used to conduct finite-element (FEA) and fracture mechanics analyses. A procedure to extend these analyses to estimate the life of these components is also outlined. NDE-FEA results for one of the rotors are presented in the figures. The stress results, which represent the radial stresses in the rim, clearly indicate that the maximum stress region is within the section defined by the computed tomography scan. Furthermore, the NDE data correlate well with the FEA results. In addition, the measurements reported show that the NDE and FEA data are in parallel.

  10. Adaptive Process Control with Fuzzy Logic and Genetic Algorithms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Karr, C. L.

    1993-01-01

    Researchers at the U.S. Bureau of Mines have developed adaptive process control systems in which genetic algorithms (GA's) are used to augment fuzzy logic controllers (FLC's). GA's are search algorithms that rapidly locate near-optimum solutions to a wide spectrum of problems by modeling the search procedures of natural genetics. FLC's are rule based systems that efficiently manipulate a problem environment by modeling the 'rule-of-thumb' strategy used in human decision-making. Together, GA's and FLC's possess the capabilities necessary to produce powerful, efficient, and robust adaptive control systems. To perform efficiently, such control systems require a control element to manipulate the problem environment, an analysis element to recognize changes in the problem environment, and a learning element to adjust to the changes in the problem environment. Details of an overall adaptive control system are discussed. A specific laboratory acid-base pH system is used to demonstrate the ideas presented.

  11. Genetic algorithms in adaptive fuzzy control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Karr, C. Lucas; Harper, Tony R.

    1992-01-01

    Researchers at the U.S. Bureau of Mines have developed adaptive process control systems in which genetic algorithms (GA's) are used to augment fuzzy logic controllers (FLC's). GA's are search algorithms that rapidly locate near-optimum solutions to a wide spectrum of problems by modeling the search procedures of natural genetics. FLC's are rule based systems that efficiently manipulate a problem environment by modeling the 'rule-of-thumb' strategy used in human decision making. Together, GA's and FLC's possess the capabilities necessary to produce powerful, efficient, and robust adaptive control systems. To perform efficiently, such control systems require a control element to manipulate the problem environment, an analysis element to recognize changes in the problem environment, and a learning element to adjust fuzzy membership functions in response to the changes in the problem environment. Details of an overall adaptive control system are discussed. A specific computer-simulated chemical system is used to demonstrate the ideas presented.

  12. Comparison of digestion methods for total elemental analysis of peat and separation of its organic and inorganic components

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Papp, C.S.E.; Harms, T.F.

    1985-01-01

    In order to find the most efficient digestion method for the total elemental recovery in peat, ten samples were subjected to different techniques and analysed for Ca, Mg, Fe, AI, Na, K, Mn, P, Zn, Cu, Li, Cd, Co, Ni, Pb and Si using atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. The most satisfactory procedures were dry ashing followed by hydrofluoric acid treatment and wet digestion using a mixture of hot nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acids. The wet digestion offers the advantage of a single decomposition method for the determination of Ca, Mg, Fe, AI, K, Na, Mn, Cu, Li, Zn and P. An alkaline fusion technique was required for the determination of Si. Hydrogen peroxide was used to separate the peat into its organic and inorganic components, leading to the total recovery of the elements for both fractions.

  13. Contemporary Use of Anomalous Diffraction in Biomolecular Structure Analysis.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qun; Hendrickson, Wayne A

    2017-01-01

    The normal elastic X-ray scattering that depends only on electron density can be modulated by an "anomalous" component due to resonance between X-rays and electronic orbitals. Anomalous scattering thereby precisely identifies atomic species, since orbitals distinguish atomic elements, which enables the multi- and single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD and SAD) methods. SAD now predominates in de novo structure determination of biological macromolecules, and we focus here on the prevailing SAD method. We describe the anomalous phasing theory and the periodic table of phasing elements that are available for SAD experiments, differentiating between those readily accessible for at-resonance experiments and those that can be effective away from an edge. We describe procedures for present-day SAD phasing experiments and we discuss optimization of anomalous signals for challenging applications. We also describe methods for using anomalous signals as molecular markers for tracing and element identification. Emerging developments and perspectives are discussed in brief.

  14. The effects of surface pretreatment and nitrogen tetroxide purification on the corrosion rate of Type 304L stainless steel

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blue, G. D.; Moran, C. M.

    1985-01-01

    Corrosion rates of 304L stainless steel coupons in MON-1 oxidizer have been measured as a function of cleaning procedures employed, surface layer positions, propellant impurity levels, and short-term exposure durations (14 to 90 days). Of special interest was propellant contamination by buildup of soluble iron, which may cause flow decay. Surface treatments employed were combinations of cleaning, pickling, and passivation procedures. Propellants used were MIL-SPEC MON-1 and several types of purified NTO (i.e., low water, low chloride) which may, at a later time, be specified as spacecraft grade. Pretest coupon surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS-ESCA) has revealed important differences, for the different cleaning procedures, in the make-up of the surface layer, both in composition and state of chemical combination of the elements involved. Comparisons will be made of XPS/ESCA data, for different cleaning procedures, for specimens before and after propellant exposure.

  15. Study of flutter related computational procedures for minimum weight structural sizing of advanced aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oconnell, R. F.; Hassig, H. J.; Radovcich, N. A.

    1976-01-01

    Results of a study of the development of flutter modules applicable to automated structural design of advanced aircraft configurations, such as a supersonic transport, are presented. Automated structural design is restricted to automated sizing of the elements of a given structural model. It includes a flutter optimization procedure; i.e., a procedure for arriving at a structure with minimum mass for satisfying flutter constraints. Methods of solving the flutter equation and computing the generalized aerodynamic force coefficients in the repetitive analysis environment of a flutter optimization procedure are studied, and recommended approaches are presented. Five approaches to flutter optimization are explained in detail and compared. An approach to flutter optimization incorporating some of the methods discussed is presented. Problems related to flutter optimization in a realistic design environment are discussed and an integrated approach to the entire flutter task is presented. Recommendations for further investigations are made. Results of numerical evaluations, applying the five methods of flutter optimization to the same design task, are presented.

  16. Mechanical behavior and fracture characteristics of off-axis fiber composites. 2: Theory and comparisons

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chamis, C. C.; Sinclair, J. H.

    1978-01-01

    The mechanical behavior and stresses inducing fracture modes of unidirectional high-modulus graphite-fiber/epoxy composites subjected to off-axis tensile loads were investigated theoretically. The investigation included the use of composite mechanics, combined-stress failure criteria, and finite-element stress analysis. The results are compared with experimental data and led to the formulation of criteria and convenient plotting procedures for identifying, characterizing, and quantifying these fracture modes.

  17. An Analysis of Microbial Contamination in Military Aviation Fuel Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-03-01

    does not contact moisture. Corrosion occurs during the natural tendency of the elemental metals (except noble metals) to revert to a combined form...losing the primary stain). The Gram stain procedure used here consisted of staining a fixed smear with the primary dye crystal violet. An iodine...solution was applied as a mordant . The primary stain was next decolorized with acetone/alcohol and the smear was counterstained with safranin. The

  18. Structure Limits for a 30mm Annular Piston.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-05-01

    block at the rear, ending the cycle. III. STRESS ANALYSIS PROCEDURE tress data was generated using the SAAS -II finite element computer code. Applied...Plastics Avenue Rockford, IL 61125 Pittsfield, MA 01201-3698 1 Veritay Technology, Inc. 1 General Electric Company ATTN: E.B. Fisher Armament Systems... VALUATION Slit:ET/CHANGE 01- ADDRESS -hi s laboratoryN undertakes a continuing effort to improve the quality of the( re-ports it publishe,4. Yfour comments

  19. Procedure for Tooth Contact Analysis of a Face Gear Meshing With a Spur Gear Using Finite Element Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bibel, George; Lewicki, David G. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    A procedure was developed to perform tooth contact analysis between a face gear meshing with a spur pinion using finite element analysis. The face gear surface points from a previous analysis were used to create a connected tooth solid model without gaps or overlaps. The face gear surface points were used to create a five tooth face gear Patran model (with rim) using Patran PCL commands. These commands were saved in a series of session files suitable for Patran input. A four tooth spur gear that meshes with the face gear was designed and constructed with Patran PCL commands. These commands were also saved in a session files suitable for Patran input. The orientation of the spur gear required for meshing with the face gear was determined. The required rotations and translations are described and built into the session file for the spur gear. The Abaqus commands for three-dimensional meshing were determined and verified for a simplified model containing one spur tooth and one face gear tooth. The boundary conditions, loads, and weak spring constraints were determined to make the simplified model work. The load steps and load increments to establish contact and obtain a realistic load was determined for the simplified two tooth model. Contact patterns give some insight into required mesh density. Building the two gears in two different local coordinate systems and rotating the local coordinate systems was verified as an easy way to roll the gearset through mesh. Due to limitation of swap space, disk space and time constraints of the summer period, the larger model was not completed.

  20. Automated Clean Chemistry for Bulk Analysis of Environmental Swipe Samples - FY17 Year End Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ticknor, Brian W.; Metzger, Shalina C.; McBay, Eddy H.

    Sample preparation methods for mass spectrometry are being automated using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment to shorten lengthy and costly manual chemical purification procedures. This development addresses a serious need in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Network of Analytical Laboratories (IAEA NWAL) to increase efficiency in the Bulk Analysis of Environmental Samples for Safeguards program with a method that allows unattended, overnight operation. In collaboration with Elemental Scientific Inc., the prepFAST-MC2 was designed based on COTS equipment. It was modified for uranium/plutonium separations using renewable columns packed with Eichrom TEVA and UTEVA resins, with a chemical separation method based on the Oakmore » Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) NWAL chemical procedure. The newly designed prepFAST-SR has had several upgrades compared with the original prepFAST-MC2. Both systems are currently installed in the Ultra-Trace Forensics Science Center at ORNL.« less

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