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Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Materials Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2021) | Viewed by 37662

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Prof. Dr. Luciano Lamberti

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Dipartimento di Meccanica, Matematica e Management, Politecnico di Bari, Viale Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: bioengineering and cell mechanics; nanosciences and nanotechnology; optical methods; materials science and characterization; structural optimization
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to announce this Special Issue “Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods”, which will appear in Materials next year.

Mechanical characterization of materials is a very hot topic, attracting great interest from the scientific community. The development of new materials and use of “traditional” materials in more demanding applications must be supported by efficient characterization techniques. Optical Methods (OM) are naturally suited for mechanical characterization of materials in view of their capability to accurately measure displacements, strains and stresses in real time and to gather full field information without altering specimen conditions. OM cover a full-range of wavelengths from X-ray to visible lights and infrared. Non-conventional illumination and super-resolution techniques may increase measurement resolutions to the nanoscale.

Multi-scale analysis is the most correct approach to characterization of materials because “macroscopic” mechanical behavior averages behaviors exhibited by material elements at the micro- and nanoscale. A definite strength of OM is the possibility of changing measurement scales by properly modulating wave frequencies and setting parameters of experimental setups. For example, the Moiré techniques can pass from small to large deformations by changing the pitch of the grating. The multi-scale ability is fundamental in complex fields like bioengineering, MEMS, high precision metrology, etc.

This Special Issue will focus on the advances in the multi-scale mechanical (statical and dynamical) characterization of materials with optical methods. The aim is to provide a forum on the state-of-the-art and frontier applications of OM for material characterization. Submissions should be in the form of original research articles or authoritative review papers on the following, non-exhaustive list of topics:

Moiré, speckle and holography methods;
Image correlation methods;
Hybrid methods;
Inverse methods;
Microscopy techniques (including fluorescence and electron microscopy);
Non-conventional illumination and super-resolution;
Mechanics of Materials and Constitutive Models;
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering;
Bioengineering and Biomechanics;
Nanometrology.

Prof. Luciano Lamberti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization (static and dynamic)
Optical Methods
Microscopy and Super-resolution
Hybrid and Inverse methods
Metrology
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Aerospace Engineering
Bioengineering and Biomechanics

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 181 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Advances in Multi-Scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods

by Luciano Lamberti

Materials 2021, 14(23), 7282; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14237282 - 28 Nov 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1379

Abstract

The mechanical characterization of materials embraces many different aspects, such as, for example, (i) to assess materials’ constitutive behavior under static and dynamic conditions; (ii) to analyze material microstructure; (iii) to assess the level of damage developed in the material; (iv) to determine surface/interfacial properties; and (v) to optimize manufacturing processes in terms of process speed and reliability and obtain the highest quality of manufactured products [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

Research

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19 pages, 969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deformation Wave Theory and Application to Optical Interferometry

by Sanichiro Yoshida and Tomohiro Sasaki

Materials 2020, 13(6), 1363; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13061363 - 17 Mar 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2077

Abstract

A method to diagnose the deformation status of solid objects under loading is discussed. The present method is based on a recent field theory of deformation and fracture and optical interferometry known as the Electronic Speckle-Pattern Interferometry (ESPI). Using one of the most fundamental principles of physics referred to as symmetry in physics, this field theory formulates all stages of deformation and fracture on the same theoretical basis. In accordance with the formalism, the theory has defined the criteria for different stages of deformation (linear elastic, plastic and fracturing stages) expressed by certain spatiotemporal features of the differential displacement (the displacement occurring during a small time interval). The ESPI is used to visualize the differential displacement field of a specimen as two-dimensional, full-field interferometric fringe patterns. This paper reports experimental evidence that demonstrates the usefulness of the present method. A tensile load is applied to an aluminum-alloy plate specimen at a constant pulling rate and the resultant in-plane displacement field is visualized with a two-dimensional ESPI setup. The differential displacement field is obtained at each time step and the interferometric fringe patterns are interpreted based on the criterion for each stage of deformation. It has been found that the criteria of linear elastic deformation, plastic deformation and fracturing stage are clearly observed in the corresponding fringe patterns and that the observations are consistent with the loading characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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14 pages, 3714 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Digital Image Correlation on SEM Images of Strain Field after Ion Beam Milling for the Residual Stress Measurement of Thin Films

by Terry Yuan-Fang Chen, Yun-Chia Chou, Zhao-Ying Wang, Wen-Yen Lin and Ming-Tzer Lin

Materials 2020, 13(6), 1291; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13061291 - 12 Mar 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3164

Abstract

The residual stress of thin films during the deposition process can cause the components to have unpredictable deformation and damage, which could affect the service life and reliability of the microsystems. Developing an accurate and reliable method for measuring the residual stress of thin films at the micrometer and nanometer scale is a great challenge. To analyze the residual stress regarding factors such as the mechanical anisotropy and preferred orientation of the materials, information related to the in-depth lattice strain function is required when calculating the depth profiles of the residual strain. For depth-resolved measurements of residual stress, it is strategically advantageous to develop a measurement procedure that is microstructurally independent. Here, by performing an incremental focused ion beam (FIB) ring-core drilling experiment with various depth steps, the digital image correlation (DIC) of the specimen images was obtained. The feasibility of DIC to FIB images was evaluated after the translation test, and an appropriate procedure for reliable results was established. Furthermore, the condition of the film in the function of residual stress was assessed and compared to elucidate the applicability of this technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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25 pages, 11255 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Verification of Continuum Mechanics Predictions with Experimental Mechanics

by Cesar A. Sciammarella, Luciano Lamberti and Federico M. Sciammarella

Materials 2020, 13(1), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13010077 - 22 Dec 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2900

Abstract

The general goal of the study is to connect theoretical predictions of continuum mechanics with actual experimental observations that support these predictions. The representative volume element (RVE) bridges the theoretical concept of continuum with the actual discontinuous structure of matter. This paper presents an experimental verification of the RVE concept. Foundations of continuum kinematics as well as mathematical functions relating displacement vectorial fields to the recording of these fields by a light sensor in the form of gray-level scalar fields are reviewed. The Eulerian derivative field tensors are related to the deformation of the continuum: the Euler–Almansi tensor is extracted, and its properties are discussed. The compatibility between the Euler–Almansi tensor and the Cauchy stress tensor is analyzed. In order to verify the concept of the RVE, a multiscale analysis of an Al–SiC composite material is carried out. Furthermore, it is proven that the Euler–Almansi strain tensor and the Cauchy stress tensor are conjugate in the Hill–Mandel sense by solving an identification problem of the constitutive model of urethane rubber. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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14 pages, 5412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Residual Stress on Thermal Deformation Behavior

by Tomohiro Sasaki, Sanichiro Yoshida, Tadashi Ogawa, Jun Shitaka and Conor McGibboney

Materials 2019, 12(24), 4141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12244141 - 10 Dec 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2419

Abstract

This paper discusses a non-destructive measurement technique of residual stress through optical visualization. The least amount of deformation possible is applied to steel plates by heating the specimens +10 °C from room temperature for initial calibration, and the thermal expansion behavior is visualized with an electronic speckle pattern interferometer sensitive to two dimensional in-plane displacement. Displacement distribution with the thermal deformation and coefficient of thermal expansion are obtained through interferometric fringe analysis. The results suggest the change in the thermal deformation behavior is affected by the external stress initially applied to the steel specimen. Additionally, dissimilar joints of steel and cemented carbide plates are prepared by butt-brazing. The residual stress is estimated based on the stress dependence of thermal expansion coefficient. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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10 pages, 1941 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Surface Topography Parameters on Friction and Wear of Random Rough Surface

by Ruimin Shi, Bukang Wang, Zhiwei Yan, Zongyan Wang and Lei Dong

Materials 2019, 12(17), 2762; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12172762 - 28 Aug 2019

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 3799

Abstract

In order to explore the relationship between the surface topography parameters and friction properties of a rough contact interface under fluid dynamic pressure lubrication conditions, friction experiments were carried out. The three-dimensional surface topography of specimens was measured and characterized with a profile microscopy measuring system and scanning electron microscope. The friction coefficient showed a trend of decreasing first and then increasing with the increase in some surface topography parameters at lower pressure, such as the surface height arithmetic mean Sa, surface height distribution kurtosis Sku, surface volume average volume Vvv, and surface center area average void volume Vvc, which are the ISO 25178 international standard parameters. The effects of surface topographic parameters on friction were analyzed and the wear mechanism of the worn surface was presented. The wear characteristics of the samples were mainly characterized as strain fatigue, grinding, and scraping. The results provide a theoretical basis for the functional characterization of surface topography. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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22 pages, 4970 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Internal Cracks and Non-Metallic Inclusions as Root Causes of Casting Failure in Sugar Mill Roller Shafts

by Muhammad Jamil, Aqib Mashood Khan, Hussien Hegab, Shoaib Sarfraz, Neeraj Sharma, Mozammel Mia, Munish Kumar Gupta, GuLong Zhao, H. Moustabchir and Catalin I. Pruncu

Materials 2019, 12(15), 2474; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12152474 - 3 Aug 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7377

Abstract

The sugar mill roller shaft is one of the critical parts of the sugar industry. It requires careful manufacturing and testing in order to meet the stringent specification when it is used for applications under continuous fatigue and wear environments. For heavy industry, the manufacturing of such heavy parts (>600 mm diameter) is a challenge, owing to ease of occurrence of surface/subsurface cracks and inclusions that lead to the rejection of the final product. Therefore, the identification and continuous reduction of defects are inevitable tasks. If the defect activity is controlled, this offers the possibility to extend the component (sugar mill roller) life cycle and resistance to failure. The current study aims to explore the benefits of using ultrasonic testing (UT) to avoid the rejection of the shaft in heavy industry. This study performed a rigorous evaluation of defects through destructive and nondestructive quality checks in order to detect the causes and effects of rejection. The results gathered in this study depict macro-surface cracks and sub-surface microcracks. The results also found alumina and oxide type non-metallic inclusions, which led to surface/subsurface cracks and ultimately the rejection of the mill roller shaft. A root cause analysis (RCA) approach highlighted the refractory lining, the hot-top of the furnace and the ladle as significant causes of inclusions. The low-quality flux and refractory lining material of the furnace and the hot-top, which were possible causes of rejection, were replaced by standard materials with better quality, applied by their standardized procedure, to prevent this problem in future production. The feedback statistics, evaluated over more than one year, indicated that the rejection rate was reduced for defective production by up to 7.6%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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46 pages, 7472 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Mechanical Identification of Materials and Structures with Optical Methods and Metaheuristic Optimization

by Elisa Ficarella, Luciano Lamberti and Sadik Ozgur Degertekin

Materials 2019, 12(13), 2133; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12132133 - 2 Jul 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3875

Abstract

This study presents a hybrid framework for mechanical identification of materials and structures. The inverse problem is solved by combining experimental measurements performed by optical methods and non-linear optimization using metaheuristic algorithms. In particular, we develop three advanced formulations of Simulated Annealing (SA), Harmony Search (HS) and Big Bang-Big Crunch (BBBC) including enhanced approximate line search and computationally cheap gradient evaluation strategies. The rationale behind the new algorithms—denoted as Hybrid Fast Simulated Annealing (HFSA), Hybrid Fast Harmony Search (HFHS) and Hybrid Fast Big Bang-Big Crunch (HFBBBC)—is to generate high quality trial designs lying on a properly selected set of descent directions. Besides hybridizing SA/HS/BBBC metaheuristic search engines with gradient information and approximate line search, HS and BBBC are also hybridized with an enhanced 1-D probabilistic search derived from SA. The results obtained in three inverse problems regarding composite and transversely isotropic hyperelastic materials/structures with up to 17 unknown properties clearly demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach, which allows to significantly reduce the number of structural analyses with respect to previous SA/HS/BBBC formulations and improves robustness of metaheuristic search engines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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17 pages, 2530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigations of Machining Characteristics in the Upgraded MQL-Assisted Turning of Pure Titanium Alloys Using Evolutionary Algorithms

by Gurraj Singh, Catalin Iulian Pruncu, Munish Kumar Gupta, Mozammel Mia, Aqib Mashood Khan, Muhammad Jamil, Danil Yurievich Pimenov, Binayak Sen and Vishal S. Sharma

Materials 2019, 12(6), 999; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12060999 - 26 Mar 2019

Cited by 129 | Viewed by 5320

Abstract

Environmental protection is the major concern of any form of manufacturing industry today. As focus has shifted towards sustainable cooling strategies, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) has proven its usefulness. The current survey intends to make the MQL strategy more effective while improving its performance. A Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT) was implemented into the MQL process in order to enhance the performance of the manufacturing process. The RHVT is a device that allows for separating the hot and cold air within the compressed air flows that come tangentially into the vortex chamber through the inlet nozzles. Turning tests with a unique combination of cooling technique were performed on titanium (Grade 2), where the effectiveness of the RHVT was evaluated. The surface quality measurements, forces values, and tool wear were carefully investigated. A combination of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and evolutionary techniques (particle swarm optimization (PSO), bacteria foraging optimization (BFO), and teaching learning-based optimization (TLBO)) was brought into use in order to analyze the influence of the process parameters. In the end, an appropriate correlation between PSO, BFO, and TLBO was investigated. It was shown that RHVT improved the results by nearly 15% for all of the responses, while the TLBO technique was found to be the best optimization technique, with an average time of 1.09 s and a success rate of 90%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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15 pages, 4532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbide Precipitation during Tempering and Its Effect on the Wear Loss of a High-Carbon 8 Mass% Cr Tool Steel

by Shaoying Li, Xiaojun Xi, Yiwa Luo, Mingtao Mao, Xiao Shi, Jing Guo and Hanjie Guo

Materials 2018, 11(12), 2491; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11122491 - 7 Dec 2018

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4509

Abstract

In this paper, the precipitation of carbide and wear loss of high-carbon 8 mass% Cr tool steel at two tempering conditions (i.e., 773–803 K and 823–853 K) were studied by INCA Steel, EPMA-1720H, XRD, and ML-10 tester. The results show that the particles of test steels include the carbides (Cr₇C₃ and Cr₂₃C₆) and carbides nucleated on Al₂O₃. When carbides are of the same size, the number of carbides in test steel at a tempering temperature of 773–803 K is greater than that at a tempering temperature of 823–853 K, especially when the size of carbides is less than 5 μm. Compared with the test steel tempered at 823–853 K, the distance between adjacent actual particles reduced by 80.6 μm and the maximum amount of reduction was 9.4% for single wear loss at the tempering temperature of 773–803 K. It can be concluded from thermodynamics results that Al₂O₃ inclusions began to precipitate in liquid, and the precipitation of carbides was at the solid–liquid region. Al₂O₃ can be used as the nucleation interface of carbide, thus promoting the formation of carbides. During the cooling of molten steel, a lower temperature can increase the difference of actual solubility product bigger than equilibrium solubility product, thus promoting the carbide formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Materials with Optical Methods)

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