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Polymer foam that provides good support with high energy return (low energy loss) is desirable for sport footwear to improve running performance. Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) foam is commonly used in the midsole of running shoes. However, EVA foam exhibits low mechanical properties. Conventional mineral fillers are usually employed to improve EVA’s mechanical performance, but the energy return is sacrificed. Here, we produced nanocomposite foams from EVA and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) using a chemical foaming process. Two kinds of CNT derived from the upcycling of commodity plastics were prepared through a catalytic chemical vapor deposition process and used as reinforcing and nucleating agents. Our results show that EVA foam incorporated with oxygenated CNT (O-CNT) demonstrated a more pronounced improvement of physical, mechanical, and dynamic impact response properties than acid-purified CNT (A-CNT). When CNT with weight percentage as low as 0.5 wt% was added to the nanocomposites, the physical properties, abrasion resistance, compressive strength, dynamic stiffness, and rebound performance of the EVA foams were improved significantly. Unlike the conventional EVA formulation filled with talc mineral fillers, the incorporation of CNT does not compromise the energy return of the EVA foam. From the long-cycle dynamic fatigue test, the CNT/EVA foam displays greater properties retention as compared to the talc/EVA foam. This work demonstrates a good balanced of mechanical-energy return properties of EVA nanocomposite foam with very low CNT content, which presents promising opportunities for lightweight–high rebound midsoles for running shoes.

In this work, we have developed a novel bond-associated non-ordinary state-based peridynamic (BA-NOSB PD) model for the numerical modeling and prediction of the impact response and fracture damage of quasi-brittle materials. First, the improved Johnson-Holmquist (JH2) constitutive relationship is implemented in the framework of BA-NOSB PD theory to describe the nonlinear material response, which also helps to eliminate the zero-energy mode. Afterwards, the volumetric strain in the equation of state is redefined by the introduction of the bond-associated deformation gradient, which can effectively improve the stability and accuracy of the material model. Then, a new general bond-breaking criterion is proposed in the BA-NOSB PD model, which is capable of covering various failure modes of quasi-brittle materials, including the tensile-shear failure that is not commonly considered in the literature. Subsequently, a practical bond-breaking strategy and its computational implementation are presented and discussed by means of energy convergence. Finally, the proposed model is verified by two benchmark numerical examples and demonstrated by the numerical simulation of edge-on impact and normal impact experiments on ceramics. The comparison between our results and references shows good capability and stability for impact problems of quasi-brittle materials. Numerical oscillations and unphysical deformation modes are effectively eliminated, showing strong robustness and bright prospects for relevant applications.

Composite structures are particularly vulnerable to impact, which drastically reduces their residual strength, in particular, at high temperatures. The glass-transition temperature (Tg) of a polymer is a critical factor that can modify the mechanical properties of the material, affecting its density, hardness and rigidity. In this work, the influence of thermal ageing on the low-velocity impact resistance and tolerance of composites is investigated by means of compression after impact (CAI) tests. Carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates with a Tg of 195 °C were manufactured and subjected to thermal ageing treatments at 190 and 210 °C for 10 and 20 days. Drop-weight impact tests were carried out to determine the impact response of the different composite laminates. Compression after impact tests were performed in a non-standard CAI device in order to obtain the compression residual strength. Ultrasonic C-scanning of impacted samples were examined to assess the failure mechanisms of the different configurations as a function of temperature. It was observed that damage tolerance decreases as temperature increases. Nevertheless, a post-curing process was found at temperatures below the Tg that enhances the adhesion between matrix and fibres and improves the impact resistance. Finally, the results obtained demonstrate that temperature can cause significant changes to the impact behaviour of composites and must be taken to account when designing for structural applications.

This research conducts a numerical analysis of the post-impact response of rectangular hollow steel tubular columns with two different filling conditions: partially filled (PF) and fully filled (FF) with concrete. A finite element model was developed in ABAQUS/Explicit and validated against experimental results, successfully replicating the displacement-time history, peak response, and failure mechanism. Based on the validated model, a comprehensive parametric study comprising 64 models was conducted to assess the effects of cross-sectional geometry, the height of the concrete infill, and the impact location on the residual axial capacity. All models are developed with the same slenderness ratio to enable the disassociation of the effects of geometric parameters from those of infill parameters. From the results, wall thickness is the most critical variable across all models. The full-height infill was found to improve residual capacity significantly compared with the partially filled condition. In addition, the impact location was significant, with quarter-span impacts yielding higher residual strengths than mid-span impacts. These findings present valuable insight in support of the use of performance-based design and retrofitting of composite columns subjected to accidental impact.

Impact-echo/impact response testing is widely used to detect cracks, voids, and delamination, but transient signals and crowded spectra can complicate diagnosis. This study presents a nonlinear, harmonic-based framework that characterizes delamination using higher-order harmonics in the impact-free response, instead of the amplitude-dependent resonance–frequency shift. The delaminated region is formulated as a locally vibrating nonlinear plate/oscillator with polynomial material and geometric nonlinearities, predicting harmonic components whose levels depend on impact intensity and nonlinearity parameters. The approach is validated on a concrete slab containing an artificial delamination, excited by repeatable impacts, and measured with an accelerometer. Frequency-domain analysis shows that intact regions exhibit a distinct spectral pattern, whereas the delaminated region produces a clear fundamental component and, with modestly increased impacts, a strong second harmonic that serves as a defect signature; time series metrics corroborate nonlinearity. The results demonstrate a nondestructive technique that can localize and characterize delamination without driving the specimen into damaging strain. Looking ahead, the same harmonic signature principle can be extended to vibroacoustic/impact monitoring of lithium-ion batteries to flag mechanically induced internal defects (e.g., separator/electrode delamination) that can precipitate internal short circuits and elevate thermal runaway risk, improving quality control and in-service safety.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the high-velocity impact response and failure modes of three-layer sandwich panels consisting of aluminum alloy sheets and plywood. The energy absorption mechanism and interaction between the plywood core and aluminum alloy panels were investigated by a high-velocity impact test. Different types of bullets were used in the impact test, and impact velocity parameters were obtained using a high-velocity camera to assess damage patterns. A full-scale finite element model was established to simulate the response mode of plywood sandwich under high-velocity impact. After the finite element model was verified by the experimental results, the energy absorption of the sandwich structure was further discussed. The results showed that the sandwich structure provided better protection than the double-layer structure. The analysis and predictions were in good agreement with the experimental results and numerical calculations. The experimental and numerical studies proposed in this paper are expected to provide new references and ideas for the design of multilayer structures with better impact resistance and lightweight characteristics.

To accurately identify the potential contact loss of the China railway track system (CRTS) III prefabricated slab track, a finite element model with contact loss of self-compacting concrete (SCC) under transient impact was established. Then the vertical accelerations near impact points on the track slab surface were extracted to obtain damage-sensitive indices in the time and frequency domains. The indices were initially normalized to obtain independent items of evidence before the Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidence theory was used to fuse these into one. Finally, a two-stage identification was performed to identify the damaged SCC area, comprising a rough identification (Stage I) and a precise identification (Stage II). The research results show that the damage indices extracted based on the transient impact response change abruptly at the damage location, and that can be used for damage identification. However, the use of a single index to determine the damage of the impact point may be misjudged. In Stage I, five damage indices of acceleration were fused to magnify the difference between the damaged point and undamaged point, thereby improving the accuracy of finding damage. In Stage II, in the area where more impact points were added, a fusion of three indices of acceleration response, that is, the absolute mean of the time domain, the maximum amplitude of the frequency domain, and the power density ratio, further narrowed down the area where damage exists. As a result, when the contact loss of SCC is greater than 50% along the thickness direction, the identification accuracy can be as high as 70% to 80%. The two-stage identification method proposed in this study can greatly improve the efficiency of interlayer damage detection of slab tracks and is expected to provide effective technical support for damage identification of track structures in the future.

Because the certification of aircraft structures requires significant costs and time-consuming experimental tests, all the studies carried out are strong contributions to the applicability of repairs based on adhesively bonded fibre composite patches. In this context, the main goal of this study aims to analyse the effect of the impact position on the multi-impact response of repaired composites. The results will be compared with those obtained in composites containing holes. Therefore, experimental tests will be carried out using an energy of 8 J and centrally supported samples. It was noted that the patch region proved to be very sensitive to impact due to its thickness. Full perforation occurred after two to three impacts, and to obtain higher strength it would be necessary to increase the thickness of the patch. However, depending on the location of the repair, this could bring aerodynamic problems. For the distance of 15 mm from the centre, an overlap region, the repaired laminate shows 494.7% higher impact strength than a laminate with a hole. In this case, the effect of the stress concentration is determinant in the impact fatigue life. Finally, for the 35 mm distances that are close to the border, no significant changes in impact fatigue life were observed for both the repaired laminates and those containing the hole. This leads to the conclusion that the border effect is much more significant than the presence of the hole for this distance.

Al-Mg-Si series aluminum alloy is a heat-treatment-strengthened alloy. Research on the impact resistance of Al-Mg-Si series aluminum alloy is of great significance to expand its application in engineering. Taking 6082-T6 aluminum alloy as the concrete research object, using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device, the dynamic mechanical response of the material under different temperatures and average strain rates was studied, and the service performance of the material under extreme conditions was determined. The absolute temperature rise was introduced to optimize the existing constitutive model. The results show that when the environment temperature is 298.15~473.15 K under high-speed impact, the internal thermal softening effect of the material is dominant in the competition with the work hardening, resulting in a decrease in the flow stress of the material. Through the analysis of the real stress–strain curve, it was found that the elastic modulus of the material was negatively correlated with the strain rate, negatively correlated with the temperature, and showed an obvious temperature-softening effect. Yield strength was negatively correlated with temperature and positively correlated with strain rate, which showed an obvious strain rate hardening effect. Based on SEM microscopic analysis, it was found that under given conditions, adiabatic shear bands appeared in some samples, and their internal structures demonstrated obvious change. It was judged that when high-speed impact occurs, cracks are induced at the shear bands, and the cracks will continue to develop along the adiabatic shear bands, resulting in many oblique cracks which will gradually become larger and eventually lead to material failure. Finally, based on the model, the strain rate and temperature softening terms were improved, and a rise in adiabatic temperature rise was introduced. The improved model can better describe the strain rate effect of the material and accurately describe its flow stress. It provides a theoretical basis for the engineering application of materials.

This study examines people’s response actions in the first 30 min after shaking stopped following earthquakes in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan. Data collected from 257 respondents in Christchurch, 332 respondents in Hitachi, and 204 respondents in Wellington revealed notable similarities in some response actions immediately after the shaking stopped. In all four events, people were most likely to contact family members and seek additional information about the situation. However, there were notable differences among events in the frequency of resuming previous activities. Actions taken in the first 30 min were weakly related to: demographic variables, earthquake experience, contextual variables, and actions taken during the shaking, but were significantly related to perceived shaking intensity, risk perception and affective responses to the shaking, and damage/infrastructure disruption. These results have important implications for future research and practice because they identify promising avenues for emergency managers to communicate seismic risks and appropriate responses to risk area populations.