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Notes: Abstract A theoretical model was introduced for the evaluation of the boundary layer developed between the main phases during the preparation of unidirectional fiber composites. It has been shown that this thin layer influences considerably the physical properties of the composite. It was assumed that the physical properties of themesophase unfold from those of the hard-core fibers to those of the softer matrix. Thus, a multicylinder model was assumed improving the classical two-cylinder model introduced by Hashin and Rosen for the representative volume element of the composite. Based on thermodynamic phenomena appearing at the glass transition temperatures of the composite and concerning the positions and the sizes of the heat-capacity jumps there, as well as on the experimental values of the longitudinal elastic modulus of the composite, the extent of the mesophase and the mechanical properties of the composite may be accurately evaluated. This version of the model is based on a previous one concerning a multilayer model, but it is considerably improved in order to take into consideration, in a realistic manner, the physical phenomena developed in fiber reinforced composites.

Notes: Abstract The degree of adhesion developed between matrix and inclusions in composites is among the main factors characterizing their mechanical and physical behavior. The quality of adhesion depends mainly on the boundary layer created between inclusions and matrix because of chemisorption, physisorption and mechanical constraint phenomena developed between the main phases in the RVE of a composite. The extent of this boundary layer, which is called mesophase or interphase, may be a potential means for defining the quality of adhesion. While almost all previous models describing the mechanical and physical properties of composites are based on the concept of mathematical and smooth interfaces constituting the boundaries of the phases, a series of recent models developed by the author and his collaborators consider a more pragmatic situation at the interfaces between phases assuming the existence of boundary layers between phases ensuring a continuous transition of the properties of adjacent phases, which should be accepted as being in conformity with the physical and chemical procedures happening at these boundaries. The unfolding type of models introduced by the author aims to fill the gap by trying to accommodate the properties of neighbouring phases by transition boundary layers with varying properties between the bounds of the limiting phases. Thus, the unfolding models constitute a powerful means, where the notion of mesophase was introduced for defininig the RVE of a composite. The RVE was considered as consisting of the two main phases (the reinforcement and the matrix), coupled together by the intermediate phase, whose variable mechanical properties unfold from those of the reinforcement to those of the matrix. The extent of mesophase was evaluated by the three different and alternate methods, that is: i) by considering the variations in the heat capacity jumps,ΔC p , of the matrix material and the respective composite, appearing at the respective glass-transition temperatures of both substances. Based on thermodynamic measurements with differential scanning calorimetry, the extents of these jumps were accurately measured and these defined the thickness of the mesophase. It was further assumed that the steep variations of the mechanical properties in the mesophase follows negative-power laws, whose exponents were derived by measuring the moduli of the matrix, inclusions and the composite and assuming the validity of an improved law of mixtures. § ii) by evaluating the extent of mesophase along the whole range of temperature by using exclusively the mechanical properties of the storage and loss compliances and moduli of the composite and the matrix, without making recourse to thermal or other types of measurements and without limitations at the glass transition temperatures, and § iii) by defining the extent of the mesophase by the same method, but evaluating the properties of the mesophase or mesophases by methods based on diffusion laws of mutually soluble phases or impregnations. This method is convenient for studying polymer-polymer composites and composites with encapsulated or sized phases. By applying all three variations of the unfolding model it was shown that all three possibilities of defining the extent and the variable properties of mesophases are equivalent and, furthermore, they yield reasonable results. Moreover, experimental evidence with either particulates, or fiber composites indicated clearly that the introduction of the mesophase yields a better and more flexible model for interpreting in a realistic manner the complicated phenomena appearing in all composites used in engineering applications.

Notes: Abstract The size of the mesophase, which constitutes a boundary layer between fillers and matrix in composites, has been efficiently evaluated by the modified two-term unfolding model, which was based on delicate DSC measurements of the heat capacity jumps at the glass transitions of the composite and its constituent phases [1,2]. This model is now used to evaluate the mesophase along the whole viscoelastic spectrum of the composite, by making measurements of the storage and loss compliances or moduli of the composite and matrix and without making recourse to any other type of special measurement at the glass transition temperature of the substances. By applying this model the following important results were derived: i) Lipatov's empirical formula for defining the mesophase atT g was shown to yield reasonable results and ii) the evaluation of the size of mesophase over the entire viscoelastic spectrum was shown to remain almost constant and in conformity with the values defined by the other versions of the model. Extensive application of the experimental results of the literature indicated the mutual proof of the validity of these affine models.

Notes: Abstract A theoretical model, consisting of a series of infinite concentric cylinders surrounding a fiber in a composite material, was introduced in this paper to give a quantitative account of interface phenomena, already experimentally observed. A series of specimens, conveniently designed to represent the theoretical model, were subjected to dynamic modes of loading to measure the amount of adhesion between fibers and matrices by means of an adhesion coefficient developed in the theory. It was found that theoretical results for the adhesion between matrix and filler were compatible with the structural characteristics of the specimens tested.

Notes: The paper considers the fractal nature of cracks by assuming the fractal as the fixed point of a given transformation. This concept enables the study of a sequence of classical-geometry crack problems whose limit gives the solution of the fractal-geometry crack problem. The method is illustrated by a numerical example. It was shown that the fractal nature of the cracks influences the value of the stress intensity factors.

Notes: The scope of the present paper is the study of cracks having a given geometry by taking into account unilateral contact and friction phenomena between the two sides of the crack. The arising problem is highly non-classical because of the inequality relations describing the unilateral contact and friction interface conditions. The indirect BIEM is extended appropriately in order to treat this problem. Numerical examples concerning the calculation of stress intensity factors under the unilateral contact and friction interface conditions illustrate the developed method.

Notes: A new technique for the solution of singular integral equations is proposed, where the unknown function may have a particular singular behaviour, different from the one defined by the dominant part of the singular integral equation. In this case the integral equation may be discretized by two different quadratures defined in such a way that the collocation points of the one correspond to the integration points of the other. In this manner the system is reduced to a n × n system of discrete equations and the method preserves, for the same number of equations, the same polynomial accuracy. The main advantage of the method is that it can proceed without using special collocation points. This new technique was tested in a series of typical examples and yielded results which are in good agreement with already existing solutions.

Notes: A method which combines the finite element technique and the singular-integral equation method is presented. The association of the two methods is obtained with the help of Schwarz's alternating method (SAM). The method was applied with satisfactory results to the solution of a series of problems of a circular arc crack lying inside a finite thin plate for various lengths of the circular arc and for various dimensions of the rectangular cracked sheet.

Notes: A simple two-step corrective technique is presented in this paper for evaluating stress intensity factors in crack problems. In the first step an approximate evaluation of the stress intensity factor was made by considering the cracked plate to be of infinite size. The stresses of the problem were relaxed by the stresses of the infinite body which corresponds to the approximate value of the stress intensity factor. The expected discrepancy in the value of SIF by the infinite plate approximation was corrected in the second step where the existing residual stresses are equilibrated at the cracked plate by using any of the conventional finite element techniques and the corrective value of the stress intensity factor is calculated by using an appropriate collocation formula. The method was applied to three typical plane problems of cracked plates with satisfactory results.