This paper presents a summary of the tests performed within a VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards) round robin to examine the measurement of mode II interlaminar fracture toughness using four different test methods based on: End Notched Flexure (ENF), Stabilised End Notched Flexure (SENF), End Loaded Split (ELS), and four point End Notched Flexure (4ENF) carbon fibre r...

Lens flexure and residual astigmatism were evaluated with rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses made in low, medium, and high oxygen permeable (Dk) materials to determine if significant differences would be apparent as lens Dk was changed. Fourteen successful RGP contact lens wearers had their customary lens parameters, including lens thickness, held constant in duplicate pairs made in low (...

The flexure parallel mechanism (FPM) possessing selective actuation (SA) feature can be used as a micromanipulation system. The design of FPMs with the SA characteristic consists of type synthesis of parallel mechanisms possessing the required number of degree of freedom (DOF), geometric arrangement of the structure to obtain the SA and conversion of the kinematic mechanism into the flexure mec...

An inorganic-organic hybrid (IOH) of silica particulates and polyethylene (PE) was investigated, where silica was employed as an analogue to lunar soil. The objective was to search for the optimum materials design strategy for “lunar cements” – infrastructural materials based on locally harvestable resources on the Moon. If the silica particulate size was uniform, the flexure strength of the IO...

A theory is provided for piezoresistivity in carbon fiber reinforced cement (with and without embedded steel reinforcing bars) under flexure (three-point bending). The phenomenon, which involves the reversible increase of the tension surface electrical resistance and the reversible decrease of the compression surface electrical resistance upon flexure, allows strain sensing. The theory is based...

Chemical and physical characteristics of third metacarpal bones and liver and rib soft tissue composition from feedlot steers were determined. Steers were selected (32 from each experimental location) to represent the range in slaughter weight and composition for each treatment group in three (total n = 1,088) feedlot experiments. Steers were implanted with 0, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, or 96 mg o...

The independent effect of dynamic flexure on the development of tissue engineered heart valves (TEHV) was investigated. Engineered heart valve tissues were constructed by seeding ovine smooth muscle cells onto rectangular scaffold strips and incubating the resultant constructs in a dynamic flexure bioreactor or under static conditions for three weeks. Tests indicated a trend of higher effective...

This paper presents the development of a new compact three-axis compliant stage employing piezoelectric actuators and a new flexure structure. A proposed stage works out-of-plane (Z, θx, θy) direction. The stage consists of 4 amplification flexures mounted piezoelectric actuators. New structure of flexure reduces height and enhances dynamic performance of stage. To certify excellent performance...

Block-flexure is the most common mode of toppling failure in natural and excavated rock slopes. In such failure, some rock blocks break due to tensile stresses and some overturn under their own weights and then all of them topple together. In this paper, first, a brief review of previous studies on toppling failures is presented. Then, the physical and mechanical properties of experimental mode...