Publications
Fracture mode analysis of cementitious mortars by simultaneous application of 4D-XCT and acoustic emission technique KU Leuven
Cementitious brittle construction materials are susceptible to fracturing due to their heterogeneous material composition and relatively weak bond between the aggregates and paste. Hence, enhanced methods of fracture analysis in these materials are an important subject of research. The acoustic emission technique (AET) is frequently used in the study of brittle construction materials, yet the random nature of cracking and the het erogeneity of ...
Effects of Water Uptake on the Electrical Properties of Carbon Black-Epoxy Nanocomposites KU Leuven
Water ingress in composite structures is a potentially costly problem, and its detection before related damage begins to appear is of utmost importance. Carbon black fillers (CB) and epoxy matrices can be used to produce water-sensitive nanocomposites that can be integrated into composites during production. Nevertheless, the effects of water uptake on the electrical properties of CB-epoxy nanocomposites have scarcely been reported. Therefore, ...
X-Ray-Based 3D Histopathology of the Kidney Using Cryogenic Contrast-Enhanced MicroCT. KU Leuven
The kidney's microstructure, which comprises a highly convoluted tubular and vascular network, can only be partially revealed using classical 2D histology. Considering that the kidney's microstructure is closely related to its function and is often affected by pathologies, there is a need for powerful and high-resolution 3D imaging techniques to visualize the microstructure. Here, we present how cryogenic contrast-enhanced microCT (cryo-CECT) ...
Defect detection in carbon fiber-reinforced plate by imaging of mechanical nonlinearity-induced sideband vibrations KU Leuven
Laser Doppler scanning vibrometry is used for imaging spectral vibration components in a carbon fiber-reinforced composite plate that contains a sub-surface delamination defect caused by hammer impact. The images reveal sideband generation at the location of the defect, reflecting mechanical nonlinearity-induced mixing between a high amplitude, low-frequency vibration that modulates the stress–strain behavior near the defect and a low amplitude, ...
Fatigue fracture quantification in brittle cementitious materials using acoustic emission testing and digital image correlation KU Leuven
Fatigue loading in brittle materials introduces damage at the micro-scale. These micro-fractures can accumulate and cause a significant reduction in material stiffness or even lead to structural failure. Deformation-based monitoring techniques can be inadequate when detecting damage at the micro-level. Hence, here is where advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) methods such as acoustic emission testing (AET) and digital image correlation (DIC) ...
Micromechanics-based variational phase-field modeling of Brazilian splitting tests KU Leuven
The simulation of the Brazilian splitting test can be challenging due to the presence of stress concentrations near the load points, which can lead to numerical problems and convergence issues. This paper aims to realistically model the Brazilian splitting test on mortar samples under monotonic loading, employing a micromechanics-based variational phase-field formulation. A micromechanics-based phase-field model connects the field variables at ...