A method to design the kits and layup the reinforcement layers and core using projection system, comprising a mold having a contoured surface; a layup projection generator which: defines a plurality of mold sections; identifies the dimensions and location for a plurality of layup segments. A model-based calibration method for alignment of laser projection system is provided in which mold features are drawn digitally, incorporated into the plug(s) which form the wind turbine blade mold, and transferred into the mold. The mold also includes reflective targets which are keyed to the molded geometry wherein their position is calculated from the 3D model. This method ensures the precision level required from projection system to effectively assist with fabrication of wind turbine blades. In this method, digital location of reflectors is utilized to compensate for the mold deformations.

A layer configuration prediction method is provided and includes: a specimen production step of producing multiple specimens by depositing layers of a material in configurations different from each other; a specimen measurement step of performing, on each specimen, measurement to acquire a texture parameter corresponding to a texture; a learning step of causing a computer to perform machine learning of a relation between each of the specimens and the texture parameter; a setting parameter calculation step of calculating a setting parameter corresponding to the texture set to a computer graphics image; and a layer configuration acquisition step of providing the setting parameter as an input to the computer having been caused to perform the machine learning, and acquiring an output representing the layering pattern of layers of the material corresponding to the setting parameter.

An apparatus is provided for predicting propagation of a crack in a structure. A finite element model is provided that represents the layers of the structure by meshes of elements having interfaces defined between adjacent elements in orthogonal potential crack planes. Overlapping interface elements are defined at the interfaces and include a plurality of node pairs spaced apart along multiple interfaces and having a node cluster therebetween that includes bound node pairs. The nodes of each node pair are coincident with respective nodes of the adjacent elements on opposite sides of the interface. An analysis of the finite element model under an external load is performed in which a crack tip is established at a node cluster. A strain energy release rate between the nodes of the bound node pairs of the node cluster is calculated and based thereon propagation of the crack is identified.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating a recipe for a concrete mixture, comprising: obtaining an optical characterization of a set of particles; determining, based on the optical characterization, physical characteristics of the set of particles; generating a multispherical approximation of the set of particles; selecting, based on the physical characteristics of the set of particles and from a database of performance rules, performance rules applicable to the set of particles; predicting performance of a proposed recipe for a concrete mixture formed from the set of particles by: determining a wet flowability rating of the proposed recipe based on the selected performance rules; and determining a dry packing rating of the proposed recipe based on the multispherical approximation; iteratively altering the proposed recipe and predicting performance of the altered proposed recipe until the predicted performance satisfies performance criteria to obtain a final recipe; and outputting the final recipe.

A method and system for modeling fibrous composites. Initially, material properties are obtained for a model of a fibrous composite, where the model includes integration points and unit cells. For each integration point, composite level stresses and strains are determined based on the material properties, the composite level stresses and strains are decomposed into component level stresses and strains for the integration point, the component level stresses and strains are used to calculate failure quotients at the integration point, an appropriate material reduction model is applied at a component level based on the failure quotients to detect a component failure, the component failure is upscaled to determine updated material properties at a composite level, and the updated material properties are incorporated into the model. At this stage, a composite failure is detected based on the updated model.

A method for calculating a bending moment resistance of an internal unbonded post-tensioned composite beam with corrugated steel webs (CSWs) and a double-concrete-filled steel tube (CFST)lower flange includes: determining a degradation law of sectional flexural rigidity of the internal unbonded post-tensioned composite beam with CSWs and a double-CFST lower flange based on numerical analysis, and establishing a sectional flexural rigidity degradation model of the composite beam. The method can include segmenting a bending moment diagram of the composite beam based on the sectional flexural rigidity degradation model, and establishing a segmented integral equation of IUPS strain increment. The method can include establishing an equilibrium equation of force and a bending moment by considering contributions of concrete, the steel tubes, the upper steel flange, the IUPSs, and reinforcement in the composite beam.

A computer is configured to enable a rapid, consistent, ply-by-ply, quantitative analytical assessment of various Finite Element Method (FEM) material models based on metrics defined for impact damage. Additionally, the computer is configured to provide a method for determining the accuracy of such FEM material model(s) by comparing the output of those models to non-destructive evaluation (NDE) test data.

A method for computer analysis of a quality of an as-programmed surface of a composite laminate. A first data set representing an as-programmed top surface is generated based on as-programmed ply definitions and a tool surface definition. Thereafter, a second data set representing coordinates of points of a first mesh on the as-programmed top surface is generated, which points form a first mesh. Then a third data set representing coordinates of points of a second mesh on a defined tool surface is generated. A respective angle of each mesh element of the first mesh relative to a corresponding mesh element of the second mesh is then calculated. Each angle is compared to a threshold of acceptable angle. In response to an acceptable number of angles exceeding a threshold of acceptable angle, a tow placement machine may be programmed to fabricate a composite structure using the as-programmed ply definitions.

An approach to designing a structural combination of multiple materials includes determining, using a physical simulator, simulated measurement data for a first plurality of simulation designs. Each simulation design characterizes a structural combination of a plurality of materials. The simulated measurement data for each simulation design provides a simulation of physical qualities of the design. A subset of the simulation designs is selected based on the simulated measurement data for said simulation designs to yield a set of fabrications designs. This set of fabrication designs is provided for fabrication of a set respective physical samples. A set of physical measurements is received for the set of physical samples. Each physical measurement for a physical sample providing measurements a plurality of physical qualities of the sample. The physical simulator is reconfigured using a set of fabrication designs in association with respective physical measurements of physical samples fabricated according to the fabrication designs.

An evaluation apparatus includes a processor that performs operations including reading a simulation parameter of a topography simulator and first range information or second range information that are associated with each other, the simulation parameter being calculated to cause the topography simulator output topography information of a processed target object that is to be obtained by processing the unprocessed target object under a predetermined processing condition, providing topography information of a new unprocessed target object and the simulation parameter to the topography simulator to cause the topography simulator to predict topography information of a new processed target object that is processed under the predetermined processing condition, and outputting a result of comparing the topography information of the new unprocessed target object with the first range information or a result of comparing the topography information of the new processed target object with the second range information.