We use the lattice element method to investigate stress fields at the subparticle scale in granular solids composed of particles embedded in a cementing matrix. The stress distributions are found to be similar in 2D and 3D samples subjected to vertical loading with free lateral boundaries. We find that the number of strong forces falls off exponentially at high particle volume fractions where a...

The current trend shows an increasing demand for composites due to their high stiffness to weight ratio and the recent progress in manufacturing and cost reduction of composites. To combine high strength and stiffness in a cost-effective way, composites are often joined with steel or aluminum. However, joining of thermoset composite materials is challenging because circular holes are often used...

To investigate the influence of end-plate stiffeners on the initial rotational stiffness of extended end-plate internal joints, an experimental program was carried out to investigate the rotational behavior of the joints. Two finite element methods (FEMs) were proposed using ABAQUS software. The stress distribution, plastic development, and deformation characteristics of extended end-plate join...

We present a new statistical model of unfolded proteins in which the stiffness of polypeptide backbone is taken into account. We construct and solve a mean field equation which has the form of a diffusion equation and derive the distribution function for conformations of unfolded polypeptides. Accounting for the stiffness of the protein backbone results in a more accurate description of general...

Temperature has an influence on damping characteristics of the viscoelastic damping structure. The change of the damping characteristics of the structure under the cycle load is a dynamic and coupled process. The hyperelastic-viscoelastic model was used to describe nonlinear deformation and viscoelasticity simultaneously. The temperature distribution and change of the damping characteristics un...

BACKGROUND Shear wave elastography is a relatively new method of quantitative measurement of tissue elasticity. Assuming that malignant lesions are stiffer than benign ones, elastography may provide supplementary information for their discrimination. However, potential confounding factors impacting tissue stiffness should be investigated first. AIMS The objective of this study was to measure ...

In this paper we present a simple, yet powerful, method for the identification of stiffness matrices of structural and mechanical systems from information about some of their measured natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes of vibration. The method is computationally efficient and is shown to perform remarkably well in the presence of measurement errors in the mode shapes of vibration...

The longitudinal variation of support stiffness is believed to be a key driver for the differential settlement of the ballast. This paper presents an innovative approach to correlate these two variables. In order to overcome the lack of input data, a statistical model is applied and the spatial correlation of the input stiffness data is controlled to generate naturally occurring variations. A l...