AME Seminar: Cody Mitts
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 - 4:00 p.m.
Cody Mitts
Ph.D. Student
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
University of Arizona
"Computational Study of the Failure Mechanism in Ceramic Matrix Composites and Investigation of the Microstructural Size Effect Using Peridynamics"
AME Lecture Hall, Room S212 | Zoom link
Abstract: Modern day engineering approaches heavily rely on computational modeling tools to aid in design, analysis, and optimization processes. This seminar presents two research topics related to computational solid mechanics. The first study uses peridynamics (PD) to predict the crack propagation in ceramic matrix composites (CMC). This investigation employs the weak form of the PD equations of motion. The weak form was developed to apply natural and essential boundary conditions. It was subsequently applied to axisymmetric problems to simulate the damage propagation of a CMC. The results indicate that the critical stress ratio and fracture energy ratio between the coating and matrix have a strong influence on crack deflection in a CMC. Also, it was observed that the smaller these ratios are the earlier the crack deflection in the coating occurs.
The second study combines the PD theory with strain gradient elasticity theory to investigate and simulate microstructural size effect. The PD differential operator is employed to replace the local derivatives present in the governing equation in integral form. This approach incorporates the salient features of both theories to capture size effect and damage initiation and propagation. The one- and two-dimensional formulations are presented. To showcase the ability to capture size effect, a one-dimensional quasi-static response of a single walled carbon nanotube subjected to an axial load is presented and discussed. The results indicate a stiffening effect along the length of the nanotube.
Bio: Cody Mitts is a PhD student at the University of Arizona researching computational solid mechanics focusing on peridynamics. His graduate research is on the development of peridynamic formulations to capture size effect using strain gradient elasticity. He interned for two summers at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory through the High-Performance Computing Modernization Program studying crack propagation and deflection in ceramic matrix composites. In 2021, he became a graduate technical intern at Sandia National Laboratory, working on shaft seal component modeling as well as simulating damage in wellbore casings. During his internships, he created geometry and models for peridynamic and finite element analysis.