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  • SONG Haoran, ZHU Pingping, ZHONG Zheng
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    Polymers and their composites, with excellent mechanical properties and high designability, are widely used in traditional engineering and emerging fields. However, exposure to complex multi-field coupled environments (e.g., hygrothermal conditions, chemical corrosion, electromagnetic radiation, and cyclic loads) can induce nonlinear behaviors in materials, such as performance degradation and anisotropic damage evolution. This paper first sorts out several classical polymer constitutive models and analyzes their advantages and limitations. Secondly, it focuses on the research progress of composite damage constitutive models under multi-field coupling, elaborating on the model construction approach, definition of damage internal variables, micro-macro mechanisms of damage evolution, and quantitative characterization methods for coupling effects, with emphasis on the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of continuum damage mechanics in describing multi-field coupling and cross-scale damage behavior. Finally, it prospects the key future research directions of composite damage mechanics, providing references for theoretical breakthroughs and engineering applications in related fields.
  • XIA Xiaodong, WANG Mengkai, ZHONG Zheng
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    Low-dimensional nanocomposites have attracted significant attention in the area of solid-state battery and aerospace engineering, due to their superior mechanical properties while maintaining lightweight. The mechanical behaviors of low-dimensional nanocomposites are characterized by the multi-field coupling and multi-scale features while operating under complex environments in practical applications. In this research, the multi-field coupled mechanics of low-dimensional nanocomposites are systematically reviewed from the experimental, theoretical, and numerical aspects. The recent progress can be divided into three parts: grain size dependent elastoplasticity, temperature-dependent viscoelasticity, and temperature-dependent viscoplasticity. Microscopic characteristics, such as temperature effects, dislocation, interface effect and microstructural evolution, are connected with the macroscopic multi-field coupled behaviors via the multi-scale models. Finally, the existing issues and prospectives in the research of multi-field coupled mechanics of low-dimensional nanocomposites are summarized.
  • HE Haodong, CHEN Zhongcun, LIU Xiaohan, LI Yang, YANG Qingcheng
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    Zirconium alloys are extensively utilized in nuclear reactor fuel cladding and other critical applications due to their superior mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, under nuclear irradiation, the formation of voids within the material markedly deteriorates its mechanical performance and service reliability. In this study, a rate-dependent crystal plasticity constitutive model suitable for hexagonal close-packed (HCP) zirconium alloys is developed and implemented based on the Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Method (CPFEM). The model is realized numerically through a UMAT subroutine integrated into the Abaqus platform. A single-crystal Representative Volume Element (RVE) model containing spherical voids is employed to systematically investigate the macroscopic mechanical response and microscopic void evolution under various loading conditions, including uniaxial and biaxial tension and compression. The results demonstrate that porosity plays a dominant role in governing the strength and damage evolution of zirconium alloys. Specifically, under uniaxial tension, void growth induces a pronounced softening effect, whereas under uniaxial compression, void shrinkage results in geometric hardening, leading to a continuous increase in flow stress with deformation. Moreover, the initial crystallographic orientation exerts a critical influence on the macroscopic anisotropic behavior: as the loading direction rotates from the 〈a1〉 axis to the 〈c〉 axis, the material exhibits higher yield strength and elastic stiffness due to the limited activation of slip family along the c-axis. Further analysis indicates that the multiaxial stress state profoundly alters the void evolution behavior—biaxial tension accelerates softening failure, while biaxial compression enhances hardening. This work elucidates the coupled effects of void evolution, crystallographic orientation, and loading path on the mechanical response of zirconium alloys, providing theoretical guidance for structural integrity assessment and performance optimization under complex stress states.
  • ZHANG Jiacheng, SONG Zigen
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    Tensegrity robots, characterized by their lightweight structure, deformability, and superior structural adaptability, exhibit broad application potential in fields such as planetary exploration and disaster rescue. Existing research on the actuation and control strategies for tensegrity robots has primarily followed the principle of minimizing the number of active cables. That is, in the design of the robot's actuation control, if contracting a single cable can induce motion, that cable is preferentially actuated while others remain inactive. This approach often requires a large contraction length of the single cable, which in turn leads to a longer response time in actuation control. As a result, the robot suffers from low locomotion efficiency, limiting its practical engineering applications. In this study, we take a three-rod tensegrity robot as the research subject. Based on the force density method, a systematic model of the tensegrity geometry and static equilibrium properties is established, and the relationship between force application and structural deformation is analyzed. Furthermore, by employing a rolling criterion based on center-of-gravity shift, a traversal search algorithm is designed, and a control strategy based on multi-cable coordinated actuation is proposed. This strategy reduces the required contraction length of any single cable, thereby decreasing the magnitude of structural deformation during motion and significantly shortening the response time of the actuation system. Finally, an experimental platform for the three-rod tensegrity robot, controlled by an ESP32-based system, is developed. Prototype experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. The results demonstrate that, compared to the minimal-cable actuation strategy, the coordinated multi-cable actuation mode can notably reduce deformation amplitude and shorten response time.
  • XIE Jinxiao, ZHONG Jinqiang
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    In rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection systems, self-organized vortices serve as the fundamental structures of flow, and their interactions dominate the transport properties of the system. Combining experimental observations with statistical physics theory, this study reveals a dynamic transition of the vortex system from a disordered random state to a hyper-fluctuating state as the reduced Rayleigh number Ra/Rac decreases. Analysis of density fluctuations demonstrates that significant giant number fluctuations emerge under strong rotational constraints, characterized by a power-law exponent exceeding that of a random Poisson distribution. Results from the static structure factor S(k) indicate that while the vortex system lacks global long-range periodicity, it exhibits high local ordering that closely resembles a hexagonal lattice pattern. Further analysis based on spatial correlation functions and cluster statistics reveals that hydro-dynamic interactions and steric effects among vortices induce local anisotropy, facilitating the formation of large-scale vortex clusters with self-similar characteristics (L ~ N0.65). The long-range correlations inherent in these cluster structures are identified as the physical origin of the hyper-fluctuating phenomenon. This research elucidates the complex statistical properties of vortex systems, providing a novel physical perspective for understanding the collective behavior and structural phase transitions of self-organized structures in turbulent convection.
  • HE Yunlu, WANG Ling, CHEN Xi, DAI Ying, HE Pengfei, QIU Haipeng
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    In the precursor impregnation pyrolysis (PIP) process for fabricating ceramic matrix composites, the impregnation efficiency is significantly affected by the viscosity of the precursor solution, which depends on the impregnation temperature, solute mass fraction, and shear rate. In this study, a five-parameter apparent viscosity model based on the Arrhenius form is developed to describe the dependence of viscosity on temperature, solute concentration, and shear rate. The model parameters are calibrated and validated using polycarbosilane (PCS) precursor solutions mixed with ceramic powders and different solvent types. The sensitivity of viscosity to temperature, shear rate, and PCS mass fraction is analyzed. Based on the established model, a capillary infiltration relation is derived to describe the penetration depth of the precursor as a function of solute mass fraction, temperature, and impregnation time. The results demonstrate that the proposed model quantitatively captures the influence of key factors on precursor viscosity and provides a theoretical basis for optimizing solution formulation and impregnation process parameters in the PIP method.
  • MAO Danchen, LI Chenggang, CHU Zhaojie, WANG Yaowen, LIU Jianjun, DENG Xiangyun, WU Baijian
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    To reveal the dynamic response characteristics and damage mechanisms of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) cable protection pipes under standardized drop-weight impact, this study conducted a series of drop-weight impact tests to systematically measure the dynamic strain and damage patterns of pipe specimens from different performance batches under varying impact energies. Subsequently, a three-dimensional explicit dynamic finite element model of the drop-weight impact was established, and its accuracy was validated using the experimental data. With the aid of this model, the dynamic response behavior of the pipe during impact was analyzed in depth. The variation trends and magnitudes of key physical quantities, including impact force, strain, strain rate, contact stress, and energy dissipation, were systematically examined. By correlating these results with the damage characteristics of pipes from different performance batches, the dominant factors governing impact-induced damage were identified. Ultimately, the study elucidates the dynamic response patterns and damage mechanisms of CPVC protection pipes under impact loading. The extracted key physical indicators provide theoretical foundations and evaluation criteria for the development of portable on-site inspection equipment.
  • FENG Panju, ZHOU Xiaomin, LI Songgang, SUN Zheng
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    Regarding the bearing behavior of threadless self-anchoring bolts, a coupled soil-bolt interfacial contact model was developed within the framework of the B-spline material point method (BSMPM) by integrating Coulomb friction, exponential, and hyperbolic constitutive laws. Vertical and horizontal pull-out simulations of the bolts were performed, and the results were systematically compared with available experimental data and theoretical solutions. The study demonstrates that: (1) BSMPM is capable of accurately simulating soil-bolt interaction. The simulated vertical pull-out responses obtained with all three contact models show good agreement with existing test results, and the computed horizontal bearing capacities exhibit acceptable deviations from theoretical predictions—with relative errors of 12.03%, 13.04%, and 13.19% for the exponential, frictional, and hyperbolic contact models, respectively. (2) Under horizontal loading, bolt deformation is primarily controlled by the relative stiffness between the bolt and the surrounding soil. When the slenderness ratio reaches 30, the deformation mechanism shifts from rigid to flexible response. (3) As the bolt diameter increases, the horizontal deformation coefficient decreases following a power-exponential trend, whereas the horizontal bearing capacity grows according to a negative-exponential pattern. Increasing the bolt diameter from 100 mm to 400 mm enhances the horizontal bearing capacity by 83% (from 10.3 kN to 18.87 kN). These results confirm the applicability of BSMPM in modeling soil-bolt coupling and provide a reliable analytical approach for investigating soil-structure interaction problems.
  • MA Li, PAN Yongdong, YIN Xuewen, JIN Yabin
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    The vibro-acoustic characteristics of submerged shells are crucial for understanding vibration propagation and sound radiation mechanisms. Research on vibration and acoustic radiation characteristics of submerged shell structures, based on conventional frequency-domain analysis methods, has gained significant attention due to its ability to accurately identify quantify modal contributions and line-spectrum noise. However, the relationship between their radiation characteristics and elastic waves has not been clearly disclosed. In the present paper, a typical submerged shell structure is employed as the demonstration model. Finite element method and spatial Fourier transform method are integrated for the vibro-acoustic systems so as to identify the elastic waves within shell structures and their corresponding radiation bright spots. Using typical structural examples with different foundation forms, the numerical results reveals that the characteristics of radiation bright spots in the wavenumber domain are significantly affected by the structural symmetrical schemes. Furthermore, the correspondence between the frequency domain and the wavenumber domain is developed, which is based on spatial wavenumber spectra and key parameters such as the shell's normal vibrational velocity, far-field radiated waves, and radiated sound power. The numerical results demonstrate that increasing foundation symmetry helps reduce the acoustic radiation level of combined shell structures, providing new theoretical support for subsequent structural optimization design.
  • ZHANG Ning, XU Zhijun, LIU Yawei, CHEN Xiaodong, NIE Guojun
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    Based on the classical laminated plate theory, this study investigates the buckling problem of Variable Angle Tow (VAT) composite laminates with multiple cutouts by employing the finite cell method and isogeometric analysis. The buckling behavior of such laminates with various cutout shapes, sizes, and numbers is analyzed. Comparisons with existing literature or finite element results are conducted to verify the convergence and accuracy of the proposed method in addressing the buckling of VAT composite laminates with multiple cutouts. Furthermore, a parametric buckling analysis is carried out for VAT composite laminates with single or multiple cutouts under different boundary conditions and fiber paths. The results indicate that reasonable fiber angles can significantly minimize the loss of buckling performance induced by cutouts.
  • LI Guji, TANG Junjie, QIU Ling, XU Wei
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    Delamination, as a typical form of invisible damage in composite laminates, can significantly affect structural performance and safety. However, detecting small initial delaminations using conventional linear dynamic imaging methods is highly challenging due to their minimal impact on structural stiffness. Conversely, delaminations exhibit "breathing"-like opening-closing behaviours during vibration, leading to contact and separation of interfaces. This phenomenon introduces nonlinear characteristics in interlaminar normal and shear stresses. In this study, these stresses distributed across the breathing delamination interfaces are defined as nonlinear interfacial stresses (NISs), which exist within delamination regions only and can be decomposed into a series of components at the frequencies corresponding to the higher harmonics. A novel method for imaging delaminations is proposed in this study. Amplitudes of the NIS are reconstructed using nonlinear steady-state wavefields corresponding to the higher harmonics, and delamination indices suitable for nonlinear dynamic imaging of small initial delaminations are established by taking advantage of this localized nature. Experimental results reveal that the proposed delamination imaging method is not only effective for large-area thermal delaminations but can also accurately characterize small delaminations caused by inherent defects or low-speed impacts.
  • ZHOU Biaohe, ZHAO Cheng, XING Jinquan, CHEN Huiguan, ZHAO Chunfeng, XU Haining
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    Damage evolution at the mineral scale determines the macroscopic mechanical behavior of rock materials. Voronoi polygons were employed to characterize rock minerals, while an interface model was used to describe the weakening effects of mineral boundaries. A mineral-scale damage simulation method was developed within the framework of the elastoplastic phase-field method, and its validity was verified through simulations of triaxial compression tests on granite. Based on the multiscale energy transfer theorem, a mineral-scale energy statistical analysis method was proposed. A macroscopic damage variable for the rock was defined by integrating the strain energy density of mineral particles, and the damage mechanism of the rock was explored from the perspective of energy evolution in mineral particles. The results indicate that strain and stress concentrations cause the data distribution of strain energy density in mineral particles to exhibit right-skewness, which can be well described by a lognormal distribution. The mean parameter of the lognormal distribution of mineral strain energy density can be determined by the macroscopic homogenized strain energy density and the variance parameter, with the variance parameter increasing approximately linearly with the macroscopic damage variable.
  • LI Tingting, ZHOU Hongmin, XU Hao, WANG Jing, WANG Ling, DAI Ying, HE Pengfei, QIU Haipeng
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    To address the mechanical response and structural design challenges of composite turbine blades under complex service environments, this paper takes a high-temperature alloy turbine rotor blade as the reference prototype and conducts an integrated design of SiCf/SiC composite turbine blades from the perspectives of manufacturing process, structural configuration, and performance. First, a three-dimensional finite element model of the blade-disk assembly is established, and a coupled analysis considering centrifugal, thermal, and aerodynamic loads is performed to systematically evaluate the stress distribution and deformation characteristics of the overall blade. Subsequently, the load distribution characteristics of the blade root under realistic operating conditions are extracted and equivalently applied to a local blade root analysis model. In conjunction with the forming characteristics and fiber continuity requirements of SiCf/SiC composites, multiple blade root layup design schemes are proposed. Local mesoscale finite element models of the blade root region are developed, and a comparative analysis of radial stress and interlaminar shear stress distributions among different layup configurations is carried out. The results identify the staggered insert ply as the optimal scheme, demonstrating that it can effectively enhance the structural strength margin of the blade while significantly reduce  the interlaminar shear stress level in the blade root region.
  • HE Xu, LI Minghang, LI Bin, CHEN Wufan
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    Fatigue failure is one of the most common and highly hazardous forms of failure in engineering structures. Traditional fatigue prediction methods often rely on phenomenological selection of damage variables, lacking exploration of physical mechanisms, which necessitates further research. This study begins with an analysis of the energy evolution characteristics of materials and formulates a thermodynamically self-consistent constitutive equation to calculate the real-time mechanical dissipation rate of materials under external loads. Leveraging its non-negative nature, the dissipation is used to characterize damage accumulation. Through a constitutive model that does not include internal damage variables, the evolution of stress and strain is described while simultaneously quantifying damage and predicting fatigue life. Using TA19 titanium alloy as the target material, systematic finite element simulations and experimental comparisons were conducted on four different borehole plate (BHP) specimens with varying aperture sizes under asymmetric triangular wave loading at 535 MPa with a stress ratio of 10∶1. The results demonstrate that the proposed method not only accurately captures stress concentration and plastic evolution at the notch root but also predicts fatigue life in close agreement with experimental data, with errors confined within the engineering-acceptable two-fold scatter band. Furthermore, the simulation results reveal that mechanical dissipation exhibits a monotonically increasing trend during the fatigue process, further validating its rationality and stability as a damage metric. This provides a novel approach and methodology for quantitative analysis of fatigue damage and life prediction.
  • WANG Guanyu, XIE Shugang, WU Zengrong, TU Jiahuang, LIU Xianghui
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    In practical applications, plate-type floating structures are challenged by complex marine environments such as wind, waves, and currents, and their motion stability needs further improvement. To address this, this paper proposes an improved plate-type floating structure with vertical baffles, calculates its interaction with waves, and focuses on studying the motion response of the structure under different baffle configurations, geometric parameters of the floating body, and wave periods. A comparison is also made between plate-type floating structures with fixed and articulated vertical baffles. The study shows that increasing the height of the baffles can effectively reduce heave and pitch motions in short floating structures. When the vertical baffles are located at the rear of the buoyancy tank, the heave and surge motions are most stable, while the pitch motion reaches its maximum. Additionally, vortex dissipation can mitigate the influence of waves on the heave and surge motions of short floating structures. It is hoped that the research findings will provide a reference for engineering design and practical applications.
  • MENG Shuai
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    The equivalent bending stiffness model for an open crack has attracted great attentions, since it has accounted for the effect of stress concentration and the influence of the crack on the stiffness along the beam. Researchers commonly adopted  the equivalent stiffness equations from a paper authored by the model creator. It has been found that there are mistakes in the equivalent stiffness equations (referred as Model 1). Meanwhile, it is noted that Model 1 has been simplified by use of an approximate equation. However the detailed derivation and applicable range have not been given in the literature. At first, the equivalent stiffness equations are rederived in a rigorous way by use of energy method based on the fracture mechanics theory for a rectangular-sectional beam with an open crack subjected to a pure bending moment, and this model is designated as Model 2. Then by using an approximate equation to simplify the modified crack model (namely Model 2), Model 3 is obtained. Next, the approximate equation used to simplify the crack model is verified. Finally, these three models are employed to calculate the stress and strain of a rectangular cross-section beam with open cracks of different severities  occurring at different locations. An analysis is conducted on the approximate expression's prerequisite (i.e., the crack is not near the ends) and applicability. The three crack models are compared by evaluating the predictions of the equivalent stiffness distribution along the beam.
  • ZHENG Hao, XU Yuce, ZHOU Xiaoli, WEI Peijun
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    This paper investigates the free vibration of open cylindrical shells on fractional-order viscoelastic foundations. A fractional-order viscoelastic standard linear solid foundation model is introduced, and the free vibration equations of the open cylindrical shell on this foundation are established. Based on the one-dimensional Euler-Bernoulli beam and circular arch curved beam models, an approximate solution for the vibration modes of the open cylindrical shell is constructed. The vibration attenuation induced by the viscoelastic foundation is simulated using the complex frequency hypothesis. The proposed method is compared with literature through numerical examples, validating its feasibility. Additionally, the influences of the fractional-order coefficient and viscosity coefficient of the fractional-order viscoelastic foundation on the natural frequency and vibration attenuation of the cylindrical shell are discussed.
  • GU Xizhao, FENG Wei
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    The rheological properties of prestressed duct grouting material directly influence grout compactness and structural durability, with ambient temperature and fly ash content being key factors governing its flow behavior. Addressing the limitation of existing studies, which often focus on single variables and lack multi-field coupled constitutive models, this paper develops a rheological constitutive model for grouting material under the combined effects of fly ash content, temperature, and shear rate. The model is based on the Ostwald-de Waele power-law model, incorporates a three-parameter modified Arrhenius equation to characterize the temperature dependence of apparent viscosity, and integrates a mixture rule from composite mechanics to account for fly ash incorporation. Validation against experimental data from the literature demonstrates that the proposed model effectively predicts shear stress responses under various conditions. At a constant shear rate, increasing the temperature from 5 ℃ to 50 ℃ reduces shear stress by approximately 27.5%. Raising the fly ash content to 20% further decreases shear stress by over 34%, significantly enhancing slurry fluidity. Under the synergistic effect of elevated temperature and high fly ash dosage, the maximum shear stress reduction reaches 61.5%. This research provides theoretical support for the design and construction control of high-performance grouting materials under the complex environmental conditions of port areas.