Browsing by Subject "Stiffness"

Laboratory tests on microscale are reported in which two amorphous silica cubes were compressed in a liquid environment, namely in solutions with different silica ion concentrations for up to four weeks. Such an arrangement represents an idealized representation of two sand grains. The grain surfaces and asperities were examined in Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) for fractures, silica gel growth, and polymer strength. In 500ppm solution, silica gel structures a few hundred microns long appeared between stressed silica cubes. In 200ppm solution, silica deposits were found around damaged grain surfaces, while at 90ppm (below silica solubility in neutral pH), fibers a few microns in length were found growing in cube cracks. AFM pulling tests found polymers with strength in the order of 100nN and length between 50 and 100 nm. After aging, size of silica gel is in the order of 10-100 µm with intergranular strength in the order of 0.01-1 mN. We concluded that prolonged compression produced damage in grains, raising local Si ion concentration, and accelerating precipitation, polymerization and gelation of silica on grain surfaces enhancing soil strength at the microscale, hence most likely contributing to the aging phenomenon observed at the macroscale. Mica surfaces near stressed silica contacts were also found to enhance silica gel growth.

This study analyzes the effect of geometric changes to the stiffness and frequency of slender structures. Geometric changes were made by altering the width and length of the structure as well as adding structural components. 3D printing was utilized to create the slender structures which were tested experimentally. Stiffness was determined by finding the slope of the linear region of the structure's force vs deflection plot. The frequency of the structure was obtained by putting a time series of the structure's oscillations through a Fast Fourier transform which provides a peak signifying the structures in plane frequency. Additionally, several structures were combined to create a springs in parallel system. Results of analysis show that for a structure with constant material properties that increasing/decreasing the length will lead to an decrease/increase in stiffness and frequency while altering the width of the structure will increase stiffness, but have no effect on frequency. It is also shown that additional structural components added to a simple structure increases its stiffness and frequency. Analysis of the springs in parallel system will give a non-linear force vs deflection plot which is made up of linear regions. The slope of the curve changes when the deflection is equal to the spacing between structures. These results are useful for designing structures to fulfill their requirements in the overall system.

The trabecular meshwork (TM) is comparable to a bioactive filter that plays a major role in regulating outflow of aqueous humor of the eye and setting intraocular pressure (IOP). TM dysfunction may lead to ocular hypertension which is the major risk factor in glaucoma. Although the outflow properties of the TM have been assessed over the last sixty years, very little work has been done assessing its mechanical properties. Therefore, the major goals of these studies were two-fold: (1) to determine the relationship between mechanical properties of TM, specifically the bulk Young's modulus, and outflow function in normal and glaucomatous eyes, and (2) to establish a method and possible animal model for future testing of this relationship.

Outflow function was assessed by constant pressure perfusion in enucleated eyes at four pressure levels (10, 20, 30, and 40 mmHg) to determine outflow facilities and variability in outflow resistance with pressure elevation. A micro-strain analyzer (MSA) was used to determine the circumferential bulk Young's modulus of the TM post-perfusion. Based on their relative ease of availability, pigs and rats were explored as possible animal models. Due to the small size of rat eyes, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to assess the Young's modulus of TM rather than with a MSA.

We found that there was a relationship with better outflow function and a stiffer TM in normal eyes. Additionally, glaucomatous TM was found to be much softer and more variable than normal TM. Unfortunately, porcine TM did not serve as a good model for the bulk Young's modulus of human TM, presumably due to anatomical difference in its outflow pathway. Lastly, we were able to establish a new method for measuring the Young's modulus of rat TM for future work to determine potential mechanism for evaluating stiffness changes that may be associated with glaucoma.