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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsPhilip J. Dudt, H. John Nasrin, Hiren D. Balsara
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Exemplary inventive practice provides a structure that is attributed with superior resistance to loading. For example, an inventive structure includes two coaxial axisymmetric (e.g., cylindrical) shells and a granulation-filled matrix material occupying the peripheral space between the shells. According to some inventive embodiments, the granulation-filled matrix material has a loading-responsive matrix (e.g., shear-thickening fluid or highly rate-sensitive polymer) and granules dispersed therein. When the inventive structure encounters pressure loading at its exterior shell, the consistency of the loading-responsive matrix becomes thicker or firmer and thereby promotes, among the granules, interactive mechanisms (e.g., friction and/or arching) that reinforce the granulation-filled matrix material. According to some inventive embodiments, the granulation-filled matrix material has a magnetic-field-responsive matrix and magnetizable granules dispersed therein, and is magnetically fortified via application of a magnetic field (e.g., continuously applied where the matrix is magnetorheological fluid, or temporarily applied where the matrix is rheological fluid containing diamagnetic particles).
A structure comprising an axisymmetric body and a granularly filled matrix material, said axisymmetric body characterized by an interior space, said granularly filled matrix material confined in said interior space and including a matrix and a plurality of granules dispersed in said matrix, wherein:
A structure comprising two hollow cylinders and a granularly filled matrix material, said two hollow cylinders being characterized by different diameters and being coaxially situated so as to define an annular cylindrical space therebetween, said granularly filled matrix material at least substantially occupying said annular cylindrical space and including a matrix and a plurality of granules dispersed in said matrix, wherein said matrix undergoes a physical change in response to subjection of said structure to loading, and wherein a strengthening of said structure by said granularly filled matrix material is associated with said physical change undergone by said matrix.
A structure comprising a hollow cylinder and a granularly filled matrix, said hollow cylinder defining a cylindrical space therein, said granularly filled matrix at least substantially occupying said cylindrical space and including a matrix and a plurality of granules dispersed in said matrix, wherein said matrix undergoes a physical change in response to subjection of said structure to loading, and wherein a strengthening of said structure by said granularly filled matrix is associated with said physical change undergone by said matrix.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.