Chedly Bradai

Surface damage of poly(methylmethacrylate) under fretting loading

The initial fretting damage in a glass/PMMA contact was investigated by means of experiments and numerical (F.E.M.) simulations. Both micro-crack nucleation at the contact edges and particle detachment were identified on the PMMAs surface. Micro-crack initiation was related to the combination of high tensile stresses and positive hydrostatic pressures which are known to enhance crazing. During the early stages of the fretting tests, the distribution of the detached particles within the contact was correlated to the spatial distribution of the cumulative interfacial energy dissipated by friction. As the number of cycles was increased, it was observed that detached particles moved toward the middle of the contact. On the basis of FEM simulations, this particle displacement within the contact was attributed to the existence of differential micro-displacements during the fretting cycle.

Interfacial behaviour from pull-out tests of steel and aluminium fibres in unsaturated polyester matrix

This study aims at implementing an interfacial model to capture the role of interfaces in polyester-based composites reinforced by metallic fibres. A pull-out test of single aluminium and steel fibres embedded in unsaturated polyester matrix is performed. Finite element computation is performed to simulate the typical response of the pull-out test based on an interfacial model. The implemented model relies on a nonlinear relationship assumed between the interfacial shear and interfacial separation. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to reveal the effect of each parameter of the interfacial model. The identification of these parameters with respect to the experimental conditions is also attempted. The predictions show a perfect matching with the experimental trends if a two-term expression is accounted for as an interfacial response. The model outcome reveals superior interfacial performance of the aluminium/unsaturated polyester composite.

Shape Memory Effect Improvement and Study of the Corrosion Resistance of the Fe-8Mn-6Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co Alloy

Fe-8Mn-6Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co shape memory alloys are characterized by a good corrosion resistance and a modest shape memory effect. Experimental tests of the corrosion resistance of Fe-8Mn-6Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co have been studied and compared with the Fe-32Mn-6Si alloy using weight loss, free corrosion and polarization resistance tests. The shape memory effect measurement of the Fe-8Mn-6Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co and Fe-32Mn-6Si alloys has been also tested after 5% of deformation. The results of corrosion experimental tests show that the Fe-8Mn-6Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co SMA is not very active in the Na2SO4 solution at pH4 at room temperature. In addition, its corrosion resistance is better than the Fe-32Mn-6Si and almost similar to the 316L stainless steel. To improve the shape memory effect of the Fe-8Mn-6Si-13Cr-6Ni-12Co, a thermomechanical treatment has been applied by 8% prestrain in tensile and followed by heat treatment at 1320K for 1 hour. The results show an improvement in the shape memory effect after 5% of deformation in tensile test.

Optimisation of a hot-dip galvanising process: minimising zinc consumption with silver additions

The addition of silver to the bath of molten zinc in the hot-dip galvanisation process, affects the morphology and the microstructure of the resulted coatings on the surface of the given steel. The effectiveness of the obtained coatings was controlled by physical and chemical parameters of technical procedure: 1 bath temperature 2 immersion time 3 withdrawal speed 4 addition of silver. Our results showed that there is a serious opportunity to optimise the galvanising process at a minimum thickness playing on the physical parameters and silver addition. It was found that galvanisation of reactive steel with molten zinc and silver produces coatings having four phases (Gamma, Delta, zeta and eta) and characterised by: bright and smooth surface with numerous visible, and small sized spangles.