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The stress-strain state of an ideally elastic hollow ball under the action of arbitrary time-dependent loads is investigated using the defining relations of the mechanics of continuous media. Approximate analytical solutions are obtained for the displacement field in the elastic region. The dependences of elastic displacements on time and type of load are constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was used to measure the monocrystal elastic constants of iron over a temperature range of 3–500 K. All the moduli behave normally as a function of temperature and are well described by the semiempirical Einstein-oscillator model. Values at 300 K are bulk modulus=166.2±0.9 GPa; shear constant C′=(C11-C12)/2=48.15±0.9 GPa; shear constant C44=115.87±0.17 GPa. The Poisson ratio (ν100) is 0.3679±0.0005. Representation surfaces of Young’s and torsion moduli are presented. The Debye temperature (θD) is 476.3 K as calculated from 3 K measured elastic constants. A thermodynamic Grüneisen parameter γth=1.65 is calculated. The temperature dependence of the internal friction associated with C′ is very different from that associated with C44. Possible reasons for this difference are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An eight-degree-of-freedom (8DOF) time-dependent wave-packet approach has been developed to study the H2+C2H→H+C2H2 reaction system. The 8DOF model is obtained by fixing one of the Jacobi torsion angle in the nine-degree-of-freedom AB+CDE reaction system. This study is an extension of the previous seven-degree-of-freedom (7DOF) computation [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 12057 (2003)] of this reaction system. This study shows that vibrational excitations of H2 enhance the reaction probability, whereas the stretching vibrational excitations of C2H have only a small effect on the reactivity. Furthermore, the bending excitation of C2H, compared to the ground-state reaction probability, hinders the reactivity. A comparison of the rate constant between the 7DOF calculation and the present 8DOF results has been made. The theoretical and experimental results agree with each other very well when the present 8DOF results are adjusted to account for the lower transition state barrier heights found in recent ab initio calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model for the deformation of an elastic solid reinforced by embedded fibers is presented in which elastic resistance of the fibers to bending is incorporated. Within the framework of strain-gradient elasticity, we formulated the equilibrium equations and necessary boundary conditions which describe the finite plane deformations of fiber-reinforced composite materials. The resulting nonlinear partial differential equations are numerically solved by employing the finite element method. A complete analytical solutions is also obtained within the limitation of superposed incremental deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-part paper deals with energy-minimal multiple crack propagation in a linear elastic solid under quasi-static conditions. The principle of minimum total energy, i.e. the sum of the potential and fracture energies, which stems directly from the Griffith’s theory of cracks, is applied to the problem of arbitrary crack growth in 2D. The proposed formulation enables minimisation of the total energy of the mechanical system with respect to the crack extension directions and crack extension lengths to solve for the evolution of the mechanical system over time. The three parts focus, in turn, on (I) the theory of multiple crack growth including competing cracks, (II) the discrete solution by the extended finite element method using the minimum-energy formulation, and (III) the aspects of computer implementation within the Matlab programming language. The Part-II of our three-part paper examines three discrete solution methods for solving fracture mechanics problems based on the principle of minimum total energy. The suitability of each solution approach is determined by the stability property of the fracture configuration at hand. The first method is based on external load-control. It is suitable for stable crack growth and stable fracture configurations. The second method is based on fracture area-control (or length-control in 2D). This method is applicable to stable or unstable fracture growth but the fracture front must be stable. The third solution method is based on a gradient-descent. Although the method is aimed at solving general crack growth problems, its weak point is that the converged solution cannot be guaranteed to be optimal in the particular case of competing crack growth and an unstable fracture front configuration. Nonetheless, the main focus is on the implementation and application of the gradient-descent solution approach within the framework of the extended finite element method. Concerning the aforementioned case of competing crack growth, an alternative solution strategy is pursued to supplement the gradient-descent approach. The proposed method, however, is only a proof of concept since its robustness is assessed by solving fabricated benchmark problems. The open-source Matlab code, documentation and example cases are included as supplementary material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An arbitrary polling direction of the upper material is considered for a plane-strain problem of a crack between two different piezoelectric materials subject to a tensile mechanical stress and an electrical displacement that are applied at infinity. Limited permeable electrical conditions at the crack faces are considered. The problem is reduced to the problem of linear relationship by use of complex function theory. Formulas for stresses at the interface as well as the intensity factors at the crack tips are presented in the form of simple analytical formulas. A finite-sized piezoelectric bi-material plate with interface crack, which length is substantially less than the plate dimension, was analysed by the finite elements method. The influence of the polling direction on the fracture parameters is studied. The results are presented for different polarisation angles and for different combinations of the materials. A good agreement between analytical and numerical results is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We model the interaction between an incompressible, viscous fluid, thin elastic structure and a poroelastic material. The poroelastic material is modeled using the Biot's equations of dynamic poroelasticity. The fluid, elastic structure and the poroelastic material are fully coupled, giving rise to a nonlinear, moving boundary problem with novel energy estimates. We present a modular, loosely coupled scheme where the original problem is split into the fluid sub-problem, elastic structure sub-problem and poroelasticity sub-problem. An energy estimate associated with the stability of the scheme is derived in the case where one of the coupling parameters, β , is equal to zero. We present numerical tests where we investigate the effects of the material properties of the poroelastic medium on the fluid flow. Our findings indicate that the flow patterns highly depend on the storativity of the poroelastic material and cannot be captured by considering fluid–structure interaction only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We model the three-dimensional interaction of compressible materials separated by sharp interfaces. We simulate fluid and hyperelastic solid flows in a fully Eulerian framework. The scheme is the same for all materials and can handle large deformations and frictionless contacts. Necessary conditions for hyperbolicity of the hyperelastic neohookean model in three dimensions are proved thanks to an explicit computation of the characteristic speeds. We present stiff multimaterial interactions including air–helium and water–air shock interactions, projectile-shield impacts in air and rebounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract.: We investigated the formation of a contact between a smooth sphere of elastomer and a micro-patterned elastomer substrate. We focussed our attention on the transition between a contact only established at the top of the pillars, and a mixed contact with a central zone of full contact surrounded by a top contact corona, which was observed when the normal load was increased. The full contact zone always nucleated with a finite radius, and the transition appears to be a first-order transition, with a hysteresis due to the creation of an adhesive zone between the pillars. We propose to include the effect of the new inter-pillar adhesion to produce a realistic treatment of the mechanics of these complex contacts. This new approach quantitatively accounts for the evolution of the observed jump in the radius of the full contact with the geometrical parameters of the pattern. Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a stabilized mixed finite element method for advection-diffusion-reaction phenomena that involve an anisotropic viscous fluid diffusing and chemically reacting with an anisotropic elastic solid. The reactive fluid–solid mixture theory of Hall and Rajagopal (Diffusion of a fluid through an anisotropically chemically reacting thermoelastic body within the context of mixture theory. Math Mech Solid 2012; 17: 131–164) is employed wherein energy and entropy production relations are captured via an equation describing the Lagrange multiplier that results from imposing the constraint of maximum rate of entropy production. The primary partial differential equations are thus reduced to the balance of mass and balance of linear momentum equations for the fluid and the solid, together with an equation for the Lagrange multiplier. Present implementation considers a simplification of the full system of governing equations in the context of isothermal problems, although anisothermal studies are being investigated. The method is applied to problems involving Fickian diffusion, oxidation of PMR-15 polyimide resin, and slurry infiltration, within a one-dimensional finite element context. Results of the oxidation modeling of Tandon et al. (Modeling of oxidative development in PMR-15 resin. Polym Degrad Stab 2006; 91: 1861–1869) are recovered by employing the reaction kinetics model and properties assumed there; the only additional assumed properties are two constants describing coupled chemomechanical and purely chemical dissipation, and standard values for viscosity of air and PMR-15 stiffness properties. The present model provides the individual constituent kinematic and kinetic behaviors, thus adding rich detail to the interpretation of the process in comparison to the original treatment. The last problem considered is slurry infiltration that demonstrates the applicability of the model to account for the imposed mass deposition process and consequent effects on the kinematic and kinetic behaviors of the constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we give lower bounds for the spatial decay of the solutions for anti-plane shear deformations in the case of isotropic inhomogeneous elastic materials. We first consider the case when the shear modulus only depends on the lateral direction. By means of the logarithmic convexity arguments we obtain the required estimates. Some pictures illustrate our results. We also study the general inhomogeneity. We give some lower bounds whenever shear modulus satisfies several requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The presence of nanoparticles in an elastic solid introduces disturbances that can vary significantly from the ones predicted by classical elasticity. In this study, we were able to determine that nanoscale effects introduced via a coherent interface model can indeed result in complex, non-local displacement and stress fields near the free surface of a substrate. The specific geometry is defined by a spherical nanoparticle near a straight boundary. The system is loaded either through a far-field uniaxial tension or a transformation strain (eigenstrain) in the particle itself. The elastic field can be fully determined using a three-dimensional displacement formulation that incorporates a well-established interface model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The equilibrium equations of no-tension (masonry-like) bodies are analyzed. Unlike the existing proofs of the existence of the solution by Anzellotti or Giaquinta and Giusti, the present proof does not employ the uniform safe load condition. It is based on the assumption of the absence of a suitably defined collapse mechanisms. The collapse mechanism belongs to a generalized space BD(cl Ω) of displacements of bounded deformation on the closure cl Ω of the body Ω. This generalized displacement can have a jump discontinuity on the boundary of the body and the generalized strain is a measure on the closure of the body (instead of the standard interpretation as a measure supported by the interior). The equilibrium solution, however, belongs to the classical space of displacements of bounded deformation BD(Ω). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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Cage-based deformation has been one of the main approaches for mesh deformation in recent years, with a lot of interesting and active research. The main advantages of cage-based deformation techniques are their simplicity, relative flexibility, and speed. However, to date there has been no widely accepted solution that provides both user control at different levels of detail and high-quality deformations. We present *Cages (star-cages), a significant step forward with respect to traditional single-cage coordinate systems, and which allows the usage of multiple cages enclosing the model for easier manipulation while still preserving the smoothness of the mesh in the transitions between them. The proposed deformation scheme is extremely flexible and versatile, allowing the usage of heterogeneous sets of coordinates and different levels of deformation, ranging from a whole-model deformation to a very localized one. This locality allows faster evaluation and a reduced memory footprint, and as a result outperforms single-cage approaches in flexibility, speed, and memory requirements for complex editing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot deformation of cast TXA321 alloy has been studied in the temperature range 300-500 °C and in the strain rate range 0.0003-10 s−1 by developing a processing map. The map exhibited four domains in the temperature and strain rate ranges: (1) 300-325 °C and 0.0003-0.001 s−1, (2) 325-430 °C and 0.001-0.04 s−1, (3) 430-500 °C and 0.01-0.5 s−1, and (4) 430-500 °C and 0.0003-0.002 s−1. The first three domains represent dynamic recrystallization, resulting in finer grain sizes in the first two domains and coarser in the third domain. In the fourth domain, the alloy exhibited grain boundary sliding resulting in intercrystalline cracking in tension and is not useful for its hot working. Two regimes of flow instability were identified at higher strain rates, one at temperatures <380 °C and the other at >480 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous solid is in contact with a cracked elastic solid at a plane interface between them. For the presence of vertically aligned microcracks, the elastic solid behaves transversely isotropic to wave propagation. The coefficients of elastic anisotropy depend on the crack density and crack porosity in the medium. A loose bonding is considered between the two solids so that a limiting case could be the welded contact. At the plane interface, the imperfection in welded bonding is represented by tangential slipping and, hence, results in the dissipation of a part of strain energy. Three types of waves propagate in an isotropic fluid-saturated porous medium, which are considered for incidence at the interface. Incidence of a wave results in three reflected waves and two refracted waves. Partition of incident energy among the reflected and refracted waves is studied for each incidence, varying from normal to grazing directions. Numerical example calculates the energy shares of reflected and refracted waves at the plane interface between water-saturated sandstone and basalt. These energy shares are computed and analyzed for different values of crack parameters as well as loose bonding parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium alloys based on Mg-Al-Zn system are very attractive materials in many industries due to their specific properties. One of common forming manners suitable for this kind of material is the application of severe plastic deformation method. This paper is focused on the deformation behavior of AZ63 alloy at equal channel angular pressing process in the temperature range of 250-320 °. C. For this purpose finite element analysis was used. Main attention was devoted to the influence of processing parameters on the material flow. Among other, changes of the flow during equal channel angular pressing in chosen regions of the pressed samples were monitored. As variables, temperature, friction coefficient, strain rate, φ-angle or back pressure application were chosen. The comparison of the material flow lines at different conditions shows the affecting of material flow. There are obvious considerable differences between regions adjacent to the inner radius and those adjacent to the outer radius. For example in the case μ = 0 the dead zone is delimited by the angle ψ= 36 °. , while in the case of friction given by the coefficient μ = 0.04, the value of the angle was ψ= 26.5 °. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of microlocal analysis shows that the energy density associated with the high-frequency vibrations of a three-dimensional Timoshenko beam satisfies a Liouville-type transport equation. In the present application, the material of the beam is assumed to be isotropic. Its parameters are allowed to vary along the beam axis at length scales much larger than the wavelength of the high-frequency waves traveling in it. Moreover, the curvature and torsion of the beam are accounted for. The first part of the paper focuses on the derivation of the transport model for a single three-dimensional beam. In order to extend this model to beam trusses, the reflection/transmission phenomena of the energy fluxes at junctions of beams are described by power flow reflection/transmission operators in a subsequent part. For numerical simulations, a discontinuous Galerkin finite element method is used on account of the discontinuities of the energy density field at the junctions. Thus, a complete mechanical-numerical modeling of the linear transient dynamics of beam trusses is proposed. It is illustrated by numerical examples highlighting some remarkable features of high-frequency vibrations: The onset of a diffusive regime characterized by energy equipartition rules at late times. Energy diffusion is prompted by the multiple reflection/transmission of waves at the junctions, with possible mode (polarization) conversions. This is the regime applicable to the statistical energy analysis of structural acoustics systems. The main purpose of this research is to develop an effective strategy to simulate and predict the transient response of beam trusses impacted by acoustic or mechanical shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper an analysis of stresses and strains of the condition of a worm face-gear with reverse tapered pinion. The study is performed by FEM analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We confront Einstein-Cartan's theory with the Hubble diagram. An affirmative answer to the question in the title is compatible with today's supernovae data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship of three binder properties with three permanent deformation (rut) test data. The three binder properties include the stiffness (G*/sin δ) measured by dynamic shear rheometer, the large molecular size (LMS) ratio, measured by gel-permeation chromatography, and the absolute viscosity. The three rut tests at 60°C include the wheel tracking (WT), asphalt pavement analyzer (APA), and deformation strength (SD) tests on 28 hot-mix asphalt mixtures (two aggregates two gradations and seven binders). The regression analyses showed the two binder properties (G*/sin δ and LMS) had very high correlation (R²>0.81 ) with the rut depth values of WT and APA, and with SD values. This is an indication that G*/sin δ and LMS are reliable properties that provide a reasonable estimation of the rut potential of asphalt mixtures. Prediction models for rut estimation were developed by multiple regression using binder properties and aggregate information. The predicted rut data were well fit (R²>0.92) to the measured rut data. Therefore, it was found that the two binder properties could be reliably used for the estimation of the rut potential of asphalt mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equivalent static eccentricities of seismic forces are usually defined by building codes with simple expressions of the static eccentricity. The inelastic torsional response of multistory buildings using nonlinear static analysis (NL-SA) with the equivalent static eccentricities is less easily predictable because the response is influenced by the extent of plastic deformations, and the eccentricity varies story by story at each step. To overcome this weakness, it is necessary to change the location of static eccentricity in each step of the NL-SA method. In this paper, a simplified procedure for the correct calculation using the NL-SA method with varying static eccentricity based on the modal response of a single-story scheme is presented. In order to estimate torsional effects on the seismic response, the associated plastic mechanism is developed in a three dimensional model of building, using an updated version of the DRAIN-3DX program. The torsional response of three different structural systems with different eccentricities and varying ground excitations is investigated. The results of the nonlinear response history analysis (NL-RHA) indicate that the torsional responses using the proposed procedure (using updated static eccentricity) and those obtained by the adaptive modal combination (AMC) method at both the flexible edge and the stiff edge are more consistent than the NL-SA with static eccentricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gear failure involving bending fatigue can have catastrophic consequences depending on the propagation path direction. Therefore, anticipating and preventing eventual critical fracture are crucial at the design stage. However, none of the methods available can give rapid and quantitative evaluation of gear fatigue crack evolution. Aiming to provide fast predictions of crack propagation paths, this paper proposes a factorial design approach for gear bending fatigue simulation. Six parameters related to gear geometry and initial crack configuration are considered in this study. Factorial design experiments are numerically conducted with an efficient 2D boundary element model assuming linear elasticity. Then, bending fatigue damage is modelled using polynomial functions. The resulting prediction model can instantly establish the crack trajectory in thin-rimmed gear for any cycle numbers. Application of the approach is illustrated by several case studies, while its precision and reliability are demonstrated through an exhaustive validation procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Torossian (J Lie Theory 12(2):597-616, 2002), the second author used the Kontsevich deformation quantization technique to define a natural connection ω on the compactified configuration spaces $${\overline{C}_{n,0}}$$ of n points on the upper half-plane. Connections ω take values in the Lie algebra of derivations of the free Lie algebra with n generators. In this paper, we show that ω is flat. The configuration space $${\overline{C}_{n,0}}$$ contains a boundary stratum at infinity which coincides with the (compactified) configuration space of n points on the complex plane. When restricted to this stratum, ω gives rise to a flat connection $${\omega_n^\infty}$$. We show that the parallel transport $${\Phi}$$ defined by the connection $${\omega_3^\infty}$$ between configuration 1(23) and (12)3 verifies axioms of an associator. We conjecture that $${\omega_n^\infty}$$ takes values in the Lie algebra $${\mathfrak{t}_n}$$ of infinitesimal braids. If correct, this conjecture implies that $${\Phi \in \exp(\mathfrak{t}_3)}$$ is a Drinfeld's associator. Furthermore, we prove $${\Phi \neq \Phi_{KZ}}$$ showing that $${\Phi}$$ is a new explicit solution of associator axioms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, deformation/fracture (D/F) characteristics, defined as load-deformation relationships until the materials are fractured, have been analyzed and evaluated on the surface. The D/F characteristics are affected by more than 10,000 micro-scale internal structures like air bubbles (pores), dispersed particles and cracks in 1 mm3; therefore, it is required to analyze nano-scale D/F characteristics inside materials. In this paper, we propose an analysis method by obtaining displacement vectors of dispersed particles from nano-order 3D-CT images. A problem of matching over 10,000 dispersed particles between deformation is solved by a stratified matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the deformation of material under localised tangential loading has been investigated. An analytical expression to predict deformation and strain patterns under tangential loading over a rectangular patch on a surface is validated against experiential tests using surface displacement measurement and finite element modelling. The predicted force- displacement data and displacement/strain patterns show close agreement with experimental results a rubber test material and FE results. The ranges of specimen geometries that minimise the boundary effects have been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiple normal loading-unloading process of an elastic-plastic sphere by a rigid flat is analyzed using finite element method for stick contact condition and both kinematic and isotropic hardening models. The behavior of the global contact parameters as well as the stress field within the sphere tip is presented for several loading cycles. It was found that under stick contact condition, secondary plastification occurs even after the second loading cycle and that the hardening model used has little effect on the loading-unloading process. The cyclic loading process gradually converges into elastic shakedown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we use the formalism of multi-KP hierarchies in order to give some general formulas for infinitesimal deformations of solutions of the Darboux–Egoroff system. As an application, we explain how Shramchenko’s deformations of Frobenius manifold structures on Hurwitz spaces fit into the general formalism of Givental–van de Leur twisted loop group action on the space of semi-simple Frobenius manifolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave reflection at a moving surface edge of an elastic solid is discussed. Assuming a uniform edge motion and no additional disturbance due to the motion, an exact closed-form solution for reflected SH waves is obtained. Its solution procedure is slightly different from the standard Cagniard–de Hoop technique, but time development of wavefront shape is extracted exactly. In addition to the regular reflected wave, a pulse-like wave is found. It appears when a ray with a critical incident angle hits the moving edge and has a flat front. It is also shown that an imaginary source of the reflected wave is stationary, in spite of the reflector (edge) motion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many engineering structures, such as cranes, traffic-excited bridges, flexible mechanisms and robotic devices exhibit characteristics that vary with time and are referred to as time-varying or nonstationary. In particular, linear time-varying (LTV) systems have been often dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Many concepts and analytic methods of linear time-invariant (LTI) systems cannot be applied to LTV systems, as for example the conventional definition of modal parameters. In fact, LTV systems violate one of the assumptions of the conventional modal analysis, which is stationarity. Subspace-based identification methods, proposed in the 1970s, have been attracting much attention due to their affinity to the modern control theory, which is based on the state space model. These methods are now successfully applied to many industrial cases and may be considered reference methods for identifying LTI systems. In this paper the use of a subspace-based method for identifying LTV systems is discussed and applied to both numerical and experimental systems. More precisely a modified version of the SSI method, referred to here as ST-SSI (Short Time Stochastic Subspace Identification) is introduced as well as a method for predicting time-varying stochastic systems using the angle variation between the subspaces; the latter is able to predict the system parameter in the "near" future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In practice it is often necessary to conduct analysis of systems, with multilayer objects, each layer of which has individual properties. Deformations and stresses inside a system consisting of an arbitrary finite number of thick-walled spheres are investigated in the present article. Each sphere is characterized by its elastic modules. The zone of contact between each of the spheres is continuous on the surface. This problem can be completely solved analyticaly. The relations of pressure on the limits of the sphres, stress tensors and deformations inside the spheres are obtained. The findings have the relevant practical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration localization in periodically stiffened double-leaf multi-span panels is studied by employing the transfer matrix method. The localization factors of the ordered and disordered systems are calculated based on the Lyapunov exponent. The numerical results show that the propagation of vibration in rib-stiffened periodic double-leaf panels exhibits passbands and stopbands. The vibration localization phenomenon occurs and is enhanced with the increasing disorder of span-length. The torsional rigidities of the stiffeners have a significant effect on the pass bands and the localization factor. With the torsional rigidity of the stiffeners increasing, the vibration localization factor first decreases, then increases and finally tends to be the situation of the rib-stiffened single-leaf panels. It is also noted that for the double-leaf panels a passband appears among the lower dimensionless frequencies for some particular values of torsional rigidity of the stiffeners while a stopband always exists for the single-leaf panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In composite reinforcement shaping, textile preform undergo biaxial tensile deformation, in plane shear deformation, transverse compaction and out-of-plane bending deformations. Bending deformations have been neglected in some simulation codes up to now, but taking into account them would give more accurate simulations of forming especially for stiff and thick textiles. Bending behaviour is specific because the reinforcements are structural parts and out of plane properties cannot be directly deduced from in-plane properties, like for continuous material. Because the standard tests are not adapted for stiff reinforcements with non linear behaviour a new flexometer using optical measurements has been developed to test such reinforcements. This new device enables to carry out a set of cantilever tests with different histories of load. A series of tests has been performed to validate the test method and to show the capacities of the new flexometer to identify non linear non elastic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]