Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Finite Element Analysis Investigation Of Hybrid Thin-Ply Composites For Improved Performance Of Aerospace Structures, Alana M. Zahn

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Commercial and private aircraft have a need for strong yet light materials in order to have the most ideal performance possible. This study looks at the use of thin-ply composite materials to improve the performance of aircraft structures by means of weight savings and/or strength increase when compared to laminates that are composed of exclusively standard-ply materials. In order to perform an investigation based solely on finite element analysis, validation efforts were performed using test data from open hole tension, open hole compression, notched tension, and notched compression specimens. Once the models were validated sufficiently, the same modeling practices were …

Compaction And Residual Stress Modeling In Composite Manufactured With Automated Fiber Placement, Von Clyde Jamora

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Automated fiber placement is a state-of-the-art manufacturing process that allows for complex layup patterns and can quickly place, cut, and restart composite tows. However, with this type of manufacturing process layup defects are inevitable, and manufacturing defects propagate after curing. Process modeling is the considered approach for exploring the defect prediction. Two different but related works were conducted, which are the thermochemical and hyperelastic model and the residual deformation model. For the model before cooling, a hyperelastic model and a thermo-chemical were made to simulate the compaction and heat transfer. Temperature dependent properties that are a function of degree of …

A Scientific Approach To Understanding The Head Trauma Endured By A Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, John William Michael Sorbello

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to gain some insight on the type of head trauma an athlete may encounter during mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. These athletes endure continuous blows to the head throughout their training and fighting career. The knowledge obtained from this research may assist MMA athletes and trainers in assessing the way they train, how they compete and, more importantly, how long they choose to compete in their amateur or professional MMA career.

The analysis is performed by first creating a three-dimensional solid model of the human head based on geometric coordinates originally obtained from a …