A lightweight carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) c-channel beam was previously designed using analytical theory and finite element analysis and subsequently manufactured through a pultrusion process. Physical testing revealed the prototype did not meet the bending and torsional stiffness of the beam model. An investigation revealed that the manufactured prototype...
Among the many safety hazards facing chainsaw operators, the phenomenon known as kickback is the most dangerous. Kickback occurs when the chain at the tip of the chainsaw is caused to stop abruptly, and transfers the energy of the cutting chain to motion of the saw. The saw will rotate...
The use of adhesives in demanding engineering applications is a very common
occurrence in the modern world. These adhesives are taking the role of many traditional
fasteners, especially in the area of fiber reinforced composites. As the use of these
adhesives become more common place, better understanding of their mechanics...
Whale blubber is the insular tissue layer located between the dermis and the superficial fascia layer which sheathes the whale's musculature. It is made up of a lipid matrix ramified with strong, structural collagen and elastic fiber bundles, but little is known of its mechanical properties. Knowing these properties adds...
Excessive environmental vibrations can have deleterious effects in a variety of animals. Despite the potentially detrimental effects vibrations may have on animal health and experimental results, they remain poorly understood in the animal laboratory setting. This study investigates the consequences of excessive train vibrations on the breeding success of laboratory...
Manuscript I: The removal of residual casting material from gating has traditionally been performed by abrasive grinding techniques. However, high amounts of belt wear can occur when working with high strength alloys, especially those typically seen in the aerospace industry. An alternative machining process called electrochemical machining (ECM) uses electrolysis...
Every Spring and Summer, thousands of climbers attempt to summit Mt. Rainier. Many of them stop at Camp Muir, a base camp at 10,000 feet, where they can use restrooms, camp overnight, or refill water bottles before continuing their climb. Camp Muir currently uses a gas system to melt snow...
Cutting operations using blades appear in several different industries such as food processing, surgical operations, gardening equipment, and so forth. As our society continues to increase our technological prowess, there is an ongoing need to better understand the underlying causes of simple tasks such as cutting so that cutting operations...
Some successful products are still developed and produced without the benefit of modern design techniques. One such product is a vibratory conveyor that has been developed largely through prototype iteration. The manufacturer has collaborated with Oregon State University to introduce model-based design into the development process. This research details a...
This study computationally and experimentally examines the mechanisms of crack penetration, deflection and the transition between penetration and deflection. The finite element analysis based computational modeling work used strength-and-energy based cohesive-zone approach to study the effect of dimensionless parameters (e.g., interfacial incident angle, fracture-length scale, and normalized toughness) on penetration/deflection...