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First, here's what you need to know:
Webinar Slides - Information for Prospective VIP Applicants (9-14-2021)
Apply for funding here.
Local orgs mitigating gun violence
Check out Up the Block—a free guide to the tools, resources, and people who can help you navigate your Philadelphia community, especially if you or people you know have been affected by gun violence.
Use it to learn about and support dozens of organizations across the city working to help those affected by gun violence—like these focused on providing resources for youth and young adults:
El Concilio aims to strengthen the quality of life in Philadelphia for children, youth, and adults while promoting our community's heritages, histories, and cultures.
YEAH Philly works with teens and young adults ages 15 to 21 in West and Southwest Philadelphia, implementing teen-led interventions to address root causes of violence through safe and authentic hangout spaces and culturally relevant engagement.
La Puerta Abierta provides pro-bono counseling to youth and families who cannot access services elsewhere due to language, economic, legal, or social barriers.
Understand gun violence in Philly
At the start of 2020, The Philadelphia Citizen tapped Jo Piazza to spend a year reporting for a podcast on Philadelphia's gun violence epidemic—its roots, its victims, its toll on our communities—and the solutions that could be effective in curbing it.
Listen to all seven episodes of Philly Under Fire, then reach out to Mayor Kenney, Danielle Outlaw and your state and local representatives and urge them to implement data-backed solutions.
The Mission is Preventing Violence
The state is giving about $40 million in grants to community groups this year to fight gun violence. Will it stop the shootings?
Nine months into a year that is on track to have the highest number of shootings in decades, Philly still has no coordinated, data-driven plan to combat gun violence—a fact that is shameful and devastating.
The work, instead, is piecemeal, often left to underfunded and overwhelmed community groups in neighborhoods across the city. Now, those groups have the opportunity to get real funding from the city and state to expand their programs, track their results and—at least this is the aim—make a dent in the surge of gun violence that has plagued the city for the last year.
Through funding from the state legislature, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is giving out about $23 million to gun violence prevention programs statewide, prioritizing those areas with the most need. "Philly is top of that list," says Stephen St.Vincent, PCCD's director of gun violence reduction initiatives (and a former Citizen staff member).
"The goal is for immediate impact," St.Vincent says. "And the main mission is preventing violence."
The funding is available to community-based organizations; higher ed institutions; cities, counties and District Attorney's offices, with grants ranging from $2 million over two years to $50,000 over the same period to combat "community" violence. The first (intentionally simple) part of the application process is due October 15th, with plans to distribute the funds by the first of the year.
PCCD is chaired by former Philly Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, and funded by the legislature to coordinate partnerships among federal, state and local policymakers and citizens in public safety and criminal justice; among its best known tasks is providing services to victims of crime. Making communities safer is one of the goals outlined in PCCD's 2021-2025 strategic framework, which specifically lists providing "support for community-led efforts to prevent gun violence" among its aims.
This is the third round of PCCD funding for gun violence prevention this year. In March, the commission distributed $7.5 million, including nearly $3 million in community-based violence intervention programs in Philly; most of that went to health systems and local universities. The commission is in the process of distributing another $10 million statewide to 53 projects (pending final approval), including almost $6 million to Philly groups.
The state money is in addition to about $20 million for community groups from the City's Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant Program, which extended its application deadline by two weeks, to this Friday; and to the nearly $500,000 distributed since May by the District Attorney's office, which gets the funds from civil asset forfeitures. (St.Vincent says he is coordinating with the City to ensure they are not funding the same projects at the same organizations.)
All together, that could mean an infusion of more than $40 million this year in community-based programs in Philadelphia with the intention of reducing gun violence. Not all of that money, is going to organizations that directly address the violence happening right now: Youth writing nonprofit Mighty Writers, for instance, is set to receive $225,000 from PCCD; Mural Arts Philadelphia will get $187,000 for an arts program for formerly incarcerated women; and Rock to the Future $87,000 to expand after school programming. Those may, long-term, keep people away from violence, but are not likely to stem the shootings now in a measurable way.
Most of the funding, though, is for groups in particularly hard-hit neighborhoods to develop or expand outreach and intervention programs for those most at risk of involvement with gun violence, or for services to treat victims and community members suffering trauma from the violence in their neighborhoods. For example, the Anti-Violence Partnership is set to receive $250,000 for trauma-informed counseling services for victims and their families; Frontline Dads $250,000 for a program to educate train and find employment opportunities for at-risk young men; and P.S. 14 Foundation $100,000 for a Diversion Influencer Initiative that will (among other things) employ young men to create social media and other campaigns to prevent violence among their peers.
Will any of this have an effect on the gun violence rate in Philly? The City's Office of Violence Prevention has already distributed $2.1million in funding to community groups over the last two years—and the homicide rate has skyrocketed. As of last year, as The Citizen's Jo Piazza learned when reporting the podcast Philly Under Fire, the goals of the OVP, despite its name, was not necessarily to target violence-fighting groups. "Our job is to be a voice to the community," OVP Executive Director Shondell D. Revell told Piazza. And, in testimony to City Council last year, First Deputy Managing Director Vanessa Garrett Harley, who oversees the OVP, admitted to not having any metrics that would show whether that public funding had any effect whatsoever on, well, anything.
"We don't want to just dump money on these programs," St.Vincent says. "We want them to be stronger and more stable and grow and keep doing this good work and do more of it as the years go on."
This year, the City has hired the very competent Erica Atwood to oversee and coordinate its violence prevention efforts. And unlike in the past, both the City and the state plan to hire a consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs being funded by public money—to "track the money," St.Vincent says—though he cautions that making a direct connection between the work of an organization and the homicide rate may be impossible, given the relatively small amount of funding and timing of the grants.
"If we can see programs grow, if these programs deliver the services they say they are going to with the money, they will be successful," he says.
Even St.Vincent acknowledges that this effort is not enough to solve the shooting problem in Philadelphia. Even if these groups had all the money they needed, it wouldn't be enough. Finding an end to gun violence requires a full-scale commitment from city leaders—the Mayor, the Police Commissioner, the District Attorney, City Council—as well as a comprehensive plan to ensure those most at risk of being involved in shootings have access to economic, educational and social opportunities. On these fronts, our city is far behind other communities that have dramatically reduced shootings over the last several years—Newark, Camden, Oakland, Chester.
MORE ON THE FIGHT TO END GUN VIOLENCE IN PHILLY—OR LACK THEREOF
Kenney, Krasner and other local leaders point fingers while body bags pile up
There's an economic imperative to fighting gun violence in Philadelphia
Who's really working to reverse the murder epidemic in Philly?
City leaders have a plan to fight gun violence—why won't Mayor Kenney listen?
As all those cities have shown, community members are a key part of keeping the peace, neighborhood by neighborhood. This funding, along with technical assistance to track results, is to support that work. "We don't want to just dump money on these programs," St.Vincent says. "We want them to be stronger and more stable and grow and keep doing this good work and do more of it as the years go on."
In an effort to make the application inclusive and accessible, the process to apply for funds is two-fold. First, applicants will fill out a Survey Monkey form with a narrative about who they are, what they hope to achieve, and budget information. Groups that pass the first round will be invited to use an Egrants system that will easily take them through the process of filling in more details. St.Vincent says he is also available to answer questions and help groups navigate the system.
PCCD's School Safety and Security Committee will decide which organizations will be invited to fill out a full grant application at its December 1 meeting. To apply, go here.
This article is part of The Toll: The Roots and Costs of Gun Violence in Philadelphia, a solutions-focused series from the collaborative reporting project Broke in Philly. You can find other stories in the series here and follow us on Twitter at @BrokeInPhilly.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the amount of money PCCD (pending final approval) is set to grant Mighty Writers. It's $225,000.
CHECK OUT OUR SEVEN-EPISODE PODCAST EXPLORING SOLUTIONS TO PHILLY'S GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC
Philly Under Fire Episode 1: "Roadmap to Nowhere"
Philly Under Fire Episode 2: The Other Epidemic
Philly Under Fire Episode 3: "Get in Front of the Beef"
Philly Under Fire Episode 4: "A Fresh 24"
Philly Under Fire Episode 5: "Killadelphia"
Philly Under Fire Episode 6: The Golden Hour
Philly Under Fire Episode 7: Detective Mode
Header photo by Jared Piper for Philadelphia City Council / Flickr
Who Has the Guts to Say We Need Cops?
Watch: Fixing the Prison Industrial Complex
Watch: Aqeela Sherrills on Brokering Peace


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Finite Element Analysis FEA Consulting Services | Hyperelastic Thermoplastics Rubber Composite Material Fatigue Testing Laboratory
Finite Element Analysis FEA Services Hyperelastic Materials Characterization Testing Abaqus Ansys Elastomer Rubber Material Constants Fatigue High Low Cycle S-N Curve HCF LCF
FEA & CAE SERVICES
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS (FEA) SERVICES
ELASTOMER RUBBER FEA FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
MATERIAL TESTING FOR FEA & CAE
HYPERELASTIC MATERIAL PROPERTIES TESTING
RUBBER TESTING LABORATORY
PLASTIC TESTING LABORATORY
COMPOSITES TESTING LABORATORY
DYNAMIC MECHANICAL ANALYSIS DMA
LIST OF ASTM, ISO TEST METHODS
COMPRESSION STRESS RELAXATION ISO 3384 ASTM D6147
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY AND EXPANSION COEFFICIENT TESTING
AUTOMOTIVE RUBBER COMPONENTS TESTING
FATIGUE TESTING
LOW CYCLE FATIGUE LCF TESTING
HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE HCF TESTING
FRACTURE TOUGHNESS TESTING K1C CTOD KIC
FATIGUE TESTING OF AUTOMOTIVE, AEROSPACE, BIOMEDICAL PARTS & COMPONENTS
ENGINEERING WITH RUBBER – A SHORT COURSE
MODELING RUBBER AND HYPERELASTICITY WITH ABAQUS
NON-LINEAR FEA & MODELING OF RUBBER & POLYMERS
ABAQUS TRAINING
AdvanSES Blog
fea abaqus ansys
Evaluation of Critical Tearing Energy of Rubber Materials
Kartik Srinivas failure analysis, fea abaqus ansys, life prediction, material testing July 12, 2022 July 13, 2022 critical tearing energy, elastomers, fatigue testing, Planar shear
Do you know the critical tearing energy of your rubber material?
Critical tearing energy is an important parameter to study crack growth in rubber under fatigue loading and it's evaluation becomes imperative for the design and evaluation of rubber products. To prevent crack growth and sudden fatigue failures, one of the technique is to improve the tearing energy of rubber. Evaluation and testing of tearing energy properties is of utmost importance.
In automotive, aerospace and biomedical applications, soft elastomers and rubbers often handle cyclic loads and displacement cycles during their entire service duty cycle. When going through long periods of cyclic loading, catastrophic failure frequently happens becuase of crack formation, growth followed by propagation.
Contact us to evaluate the critical energy of your rubber material. More information at https://www.advanses.com
Join our mailing list and stay up to date on related resources and discussions. We carry out standardized as well as custom testing.
Rubber Material Testing and Pre-Conditioning Techniques for Characterization
Kartik Srinivas fea abaqus ansys, material testing, service life prediction October 3, 2021 October 3, 2021
A proper treatment of the rubber material testing service conditions and material degradation phenomena like strain softening is of prime importance in the testing of rubbers specimens for FEA material characterization. The accuracy and reliability of obtained test data depends on how the mechanical conditioning and representational service conditions of the material have been accounted for in the test data. To simulate a component in unused and unaged conditions, the mechanical conditioning requirements are different than the ones for simulating a component that has gone through extensive field service and aging under different environmental conditions.
To simulate performance of a material or component by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) it should be tested under the same deformation modes to which original assembly will be subjected. The uniaxial tension tests are easy to perform and are fairly well understood but if the component assembly experiences complex multiaxial stress states then it becomes imperative to test in other deformation modes. Planar (pure shear), biaxial and volumetric (hydrostatic) tests need to be performed along with uniaxial tension test to incorporate the effects of multiaxial stress states in the FEA model.
Material stiffness degradation phenomena like Mullin's effect at high strains and Payne's effect at low strains significantly affect the stiffness properties of rubbers. After the first cycle of applied strain and recovery the material softens, upon subsequent stretching the stiffness is lower for the same applied strain.
Despite all the history in testing hyperelastic and viscoelastic materials, there is a lack of a methodical and standard testing protocol for pre-conditioning. Comprehensive studies on the influence of pre-conditioning are not available. Readers are referred to Austrell[] and Remache, et al,[]. There are no guidelines for sample pre-conditioning in ASTM D412. However, British Standard BS 903 suggests to perform 5 cycles of pre-conditioning to improve test reproducibility.
There are five (5) different techniques to carry out pre-conditioning and material testing of general elastomer samples.
1. The first technique pertains to a mechanical test where the the testing of the sample is carried out under one single stretch at a speed recommended by the ASTM D412 specification.
2. In the second testing technique the sample is stretched at a constant speed up to the maximum relevant strain brought back to the initial position. Cyclic stretching is then carried out for anywhere for 1 to 7 cycles. The speed of the initial stretch and the number of subsequent cyclic stretches needs to be same. The data curve is then shifted to the origin by zeroing out the stress and strain and used for curve-fitting procedure.
3. In the third testing protocol the sample is stretched to a fraction of the full material stretch capability and brought back to the initial position and cycled back again to this fractional position anywhere from 2 to 7 cycles. The stretch in the sample is then increased to the second level and cycled back to initial position multiple times. The sample is stretched back to an even higher position and cycled back. This progressively continues until the maximum strain capability of the material is reached. This protocol is known as progressive pre-conditioning.
4. In the fourth testing technique the sample is stretched to a fraction of the total stretch capability and relaxed for anywhere from 30 seconds to 120 seconds as per the material. The sample is then again stretched to a higher limit and relaxed again. This is continued until the maximum stretchable capability of the material. This particular technique stretches the material and allows the material to fully creep and relax at each interval so that all the stress softening is accounted for in the test data.
5. In the fifth testing technique the sample is tested under a single stretch but the speed or the rate of stretch is very slow. This ultra-slow speed test is carried out so that the material can creep, relax, and the cross-links in the elastomer are given enough time to expand-contract and come to a balanced position during the stretching. This technique is a combination of the two above testing techniques.
These five (5) testing protocols involve the stretching of the material to different limits under different conditions and suitably cycling the material. The suitability of one testing technique over the other is debatable and one should adopt the technique that most closely resembles the operating conditions of the material and what one expects to back out from the Finite Element Analysis. Figures (1.11) through (1.14) shows the results from using the different testing protocols on a 55 durometer Natural Rubber Compound that finds general application in an automotive engine mount.
Figure 1.11: Uniaxial Tension Test Results
Figure 1.12: Single Stretch Followed by 3 Cycles of Stretching to the Maximum
Figure (1.12) shows the results from comparisons carried out on a uniaxial compression test for an engine mount material characterization. Two protocols were employed to carry out the material characterization. Progressive straining and cycling was carried out first. The material was strained 3 times before reaching the ultimate strain of approximately 75 %. The material was subsequently tested using ultra slow straining protocol. As can be seen the test data output for FEA input is the same using both the techniques. This result confirms the observation by Austrell in his work on conditioning of material samples for characterization i.e., Mullins effect can be negated when enough time is allowed for the material to relax, creep, and flow during the rubber material testing.
Figure 1.13: Progressive Pre-conditioning with Stretching to 3 levels and Cyclic Stretches
Figure 1.14: Progressive Relaxation, Stretching and Relaxation to Maximum Levels
1.2 Guidelines for Rubber Material Testing
Rubber compounds are formulated from recipes of ingredient materials. Depending on the time, location and environment while mixing the compounds, properties are known to vary from batch to batch.
• All testing to characterize a material compound should be performed on the same batch.
• Laboratory validations will help to correlate test specimen slabs against the real components to make sure they have identical cure history.
• Small compression buttons can be extracted from components and compared with slab data.
• The testing should be carried out at the temperature at which the component is expected to perform under field service conditions.
• For seals and o-rings, aging in oils and solutions can be carried out prior to testing.
• Input of more than one test data type in FEA software will increase simulation accuracy by an order of magnitude
AdvanSES Materials Testing Services
Kartik Srinivas failure analysis, fea abaqus ansys, life prediction, material testing April 26, 2021 April 26, 2021
We at AdvanSES are capable of developing a custom testing protocol for compliance with international standards or for quality assurance. Materials testing services offered by AdvanSES include:
Composition: Whe you need to know with certainty what materials are used in the manufacture of thermoplastics, rubber materials etc.
Shear Test: Materials testing designed to measure shear strength of rubber and composites. These tests show how much stress a specimen can take before failure and is often times used to test and compare the strength of adhesives.
Flexural Test: When a product like an I-beam or girder used in construction must support a predetermined amount of weight without sagging, a flexure materials test is often performed to verify that the specimen can withstand a certain level of stress without flexing.
Environment and High Temperature Exposure Test: When it comes to determining the lifespan of materials, especially elastomer materials intended for outdoor use, exposure to high temperature and oils is carried out to check the degradation of materials.
Tensile/Compression Tests: From plastics and metals to adhesives and rubbers, tensile/compression testing is a form of materials testing that places specimens under precise compressive loads to measure their ability to withstand compression before deformation occurs.
Fatigue Tests: Fatigue tests are important to determine the endurance or breaking load a material can withstand before failing as well as the number of repeated loading cycles it can endure. Fatigue testing looks at a materials limit to withstand stresses and environment degradation. We can conduct stress controlled and strain controlled high cycle fatigue tests from room temperature to 250C on material samples, parts and components.
Applications of Materials Testing:
1) Quality Control
2) Regulatory Compliance
3) Design Development
4) Failure Analysis
5) Performance Prediction
6) Finite Element Analysis Material Constants Data
Advanced Scientific and Engineering Services (AdvanSES) Laboratory Earns Renowned ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Accreditation
Kartik Srinivas Business, failure analysis, fea abaqus ansys, life prediction, material testing, service life prediction, Uncategorized January 4, 2021 January 4, 2021
AdvanSES announces that its Testing Laboratory has attained ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation vide NABL certificate No. TC-9168. ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is the highest recognized quality standard in the world for calibration and testing laboratories. Accreditation means the lab consistently produces precise and accurate test data and has implemented a rigorous quality management system. The stringent processes in the audits for the accreditation relate to the operations, efficiency and effectiveness of the laboratory. Test data from the laboratory is benchmarked for accuracy, reliability and consistency.
Receiving the accreditation means that test reports and certificates generated from AdvanSES laboratory can now be generally accepted from one country to another without further testing.
The scope of the accreditation covers tests and properties in the field of rubbers, plastics and composite materials. It is one of the few labs in the world accredited to perform internationally recognized fatigue standards like ASTM D7791.
AdvanSES today is one of the few companies in the world who provide expert problem solving services using Finite element analysis (FEA), provides new product development and material testing and analysis.
National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL) provides accreditation to Conformity Assessment Bodies (Laboratories). NABL Schemes include Accreditation (Recognition) of Technical competence of testing, calibration, medical testing laboratories, Proficiency testing providers (PTP) & Reference Material Producers (RMP) for a specific scope following ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 15189, ISO/IEC 17043 & ISO 17034:2016[3] Standards. It has Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
NABL is a constituent board of Quality Council of India which is an autonomous body setup under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India
Polymer Testing for Aerospace Applications
Kartik Srinivas failure analysis, fea abaqus ansys, life prediction, material testing August 19, 2020 September 6, 2020
Space research and application demands stringent requirements from materials, making it imperative that they are tested rigorously, by multiple methods and techniques to fully characterize their performance and their ability to handle degradation, mechanical fatigue under extreme conditions.
AdvanSES provides full mechanical characterization of specialty polymers, rubber and in-homogeneous materials, for use in demanding atmospheric and space applications. Mechanical fatigue testing is a core area for us and we can test materials for HCF, LCF as well as elevated temperatures.
We can provide the following testing protocols for your rubbery materials;
1) Uniaxial Tension Test as per ASTM D412
2) Compression Test as per ASTM D575
3) Tear Test as per ASTM D624
4) Crompression Stress Relaxation Test as per ASTM D6147
5) Dynamic Viscoelastic Test ASTM D5992
6) Hyperelastic Material Constants
7) Axial Fatigue as per ASTM D7791
Testing And Evaluation Methods For Thermoplastics Compounds
Kartik Srinivas fea abaqus ansys, life prediction, material testing August 2, 2020 December 9, 2020
A thermoplastic, or thermosoftening plastic, is a plastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidifies upon cooling. Most thermoplastics have a high molecular weight. The polymer chains associate by intermolecular forces, which weaken rapidly with increased temperature, yielding a viscous liquid.
Mechanical Testing of Thermoplastics Materials
Physical testing of Thermoplastics measures the strength, elongation, toughness and other important properties. The most important properties for measurement are;
1) Hardness (ASTM D2240): The resistance of a plastic material to indentation. It is measured on a durometer machine. Normal specificationa is plus or minus 5 and three scales are used: Shore A for flexible, Shore C for semi rigid and Shore D for rigid. Usually a delayed reading of 10 or 15 seconds is used.
2) Tensile Strength (ASTM D638): The maximum nominal stress sustained by a test specimen being pulled from both ends, at a specific temperature and a specific rate of stretching. Specification is a minimum amount in MegaPascals, (N/mm2).
3) Elongation (ASTM D638): The amount of increased length of a material until breakage. Specification is a minimum percentage.
4) Flexural properties (three point bending method): The three point bending flexural test provides values for the modulus of elasticity in bending, flexural stress, flexural strain and the flexural stress-strain response of the material.
5) Creep and Stress Relaxation: Creep is the property of a material to expand or deform continuously over a period of time under the application of a constant force. Creep is one of the most widespread failure mechanism of thermoplastic materials.
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Consulting Services
Kartik Srinivas failure analysis, fea abaqus ansys June 22, 2020 June 22, 2020 characterization, fatigue testing, finite element analysis
AdvanSES has a history of completing FEA projects for customers from automotive, aerospace, biomedical and consumer durables background. All our projects are delivered using state of the art commercial FEA softwares.
We offer a complete range of Finite Element Analysis FEA consulting services for solving structural, thermal, fatigue, and fluid flow pressure problems. We work with our customers to analyze product behavior, predict service life, and understand failures. Our FEA engineers help our customers make early design choices. Our proactive approach helps our customers expedite products into the market.
Some our strengths in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) are detailed below;
Non-linear Materials: Our regular work includes characterization and implmentation of complex material models for hyperelasticity, elasto-plasticity and viscoelasticity. We can work on any kind of materials to implement them successfully in FEA models.
2) Verifications and Validations: Any kind of simulation without a strong verification and validation basis will mostly fail on expert scrutiny. We have extensive experience in verifications and validations procedures in our laboratory. We can replicate field service conditions, setup custom test rigs and characterize products under static and dynamic loads.
3) Contact-Impact: We offer implementation of full physics in contact, drops and high speed impact analysis.
Contact us for a quick quote.
Verifications and Validations in Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Kartik Srinivas failure analysis, fea abaqus ansys, life prediction, material testing, service life prediction June 1, 2020 June 30, 2020
The finite element method (FEM) is a numerical method used to solve a mathematical model of a given structure or system, which are very complex and for which analytical solution techniques are generally not possible, the solution can be found using the finite element method. The finite element method can thus be said to be a variational formulation method using the principle of minimum potential energy where the unknown quantities of interests are approximated by continuous piecewise polynomial functions. These quantities of interest can be different according to the chosen system, as the finite element method can be and is used in various different fields such as structural mechanics, fluid mechanics, accoustics, electromagnetics, etc. In the field of structural mechanics the primary field of interest is the displacements and stresses in the system.
It is important to understand that FEM only gives an approximate solution of the prob- lem and is a numerical approach to get the real result of the variational formulation of partial differential equations. A finite element based numerical approach gives itself to a number of assumptions and uncertainties related to domain discretizations, mathematical shape functions, solution procedures, etc. The widespread use of FEM as a primary tool has led to a product engineering lifecycle where each step from ideation, design development, to product optimization is done virtually and in some cases to the absence of even prototype testing.
This fully virtual product development and analysis methodology leads to a situation where a misinterpreted approximation or error in applying a load condition may be car- ried out through out the engineering lifecycle leading to a situation where the errors get cumulative at each stage leading to disastrous results. Errors and uncertainties in the ap- plication of finite element method (FEM) can come from the following main sources, 1) Errors that come from the inherent assumptions in the Finite element theory and 2) Errors and uncertainties that get built into the system when the physics we are seeking to model get transferred to the computational model. A common list of these kind of errors and uncertainties are as mentioned below;
Errors and uncertainties from the solver.
Level of mesh refinement and the choice of element type.
Averaging and calculation of stresses and strains from the primary solution variables.
Uncertainty in recreating the geometrical domain on a computer.
Approximations in the material properties of the model.
Approximations and uncertainties in the loading and boundary conditions of the model.
Errors coming from chosing the right solver types for problems, e.g. Solvers for eigen value problems.
The long list of error sources and uncertainties in the procedure makes it desirable that a framework of rules and criteria are developed by the application of which we can make sure that the finite element method performs within the required parameters of accuracy, reliability and repeatability. These framework of rules serve as verification and validation procedures by which we can consistently gauge the accuracy of our models, and sources of errors and uncertainties be clearly identified and progressively improved to achieve greater accuracy in the solutions. Verifications and Validations are required in each and every development and problem solving FEA project to provide the confidence that the compu- tational model developed performs within the required parameters. The solutions provided by the model are sufficiently accurate and the model solves the intended problem it was developed for.
Verification procedure includes checking the design, the software code and also investigate if the computational model accurately represents the physical system. Validation is more of a dynamic procedure and determines if the computational simulation agrees with the physical phenomenon, it examines the difference between the numerical simulation and the experimental results. Verification provides information whether the computational model is solved correctly and accurately, while validation provides evidence regarding the extent to which the mathematical model accurately correlates to experimental tests.
In addition to complicated discretization functions, partial differential equations repre- senting physical systema, CFD and FEA both use complicated matrices and PDE solution algorithms to solve physical systems. This makes it imperative to carry out verification and validation activities separately and incrementally during the model building to ensure reliable processes. In order to avoid spurious results and data contamination giving out false signals, it is important that the verification process is carried out before the valida- tion assessment. If the verification process fails the the model building process should be discontinued further until the verification is established. If the verification process suc- ceeds, the validation process can be carried further for comparison with field service and experimental tests.
1.2 Brief History of Standards and Guidelines for Verifi- cations and Validations
Finite element analysis found widespread use with the release of NASA Structural Anal- ysis Code in its various versions and flavous. The early adopters for FEA came from the aerospace and nuclear engineering background. The first guidelines for verification and validation were issued by the American Nuclear Society in 1987 as Guidelines for the Ver- ification and Validation of Scientific and Engineering Computer Programs for the Nuclear Industry.
The first book on the subject was written by Dr. Patrick Roache in 1998 titled Verification and Validation in Computational Science and Engineering, an update of the book appeared in 2009.
In 1998 the Computational Fluid Dynamics Committee on Standards at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics released the first standards document Guide for the Verification and Validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations. The US Depeartment of Defense through Defense Modeling and Simulation Office releaseed the DoD Modeling and Simulation, Verification, Validation, and Accreditation Document in 2003.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) V and V Standards Commit- tee released the Guide for Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics (ASME V and V-10-2006).
In 2008 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Standard for Models and Simulations for the first time developed a set of guidelines that provided a numerical score for verification and validation efforts.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers V and V Standards Committee V and V-20 in 2016 provided an updated Standard for Verification and Validation in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer .
1.3 Verifications and Validations :- Process and Procedures
Figure(1.1) shows a typical product design cycle in a fast-paced industrial product de- velopment group. The product interacts with the environment in terms of applied loads, boundary conditions and ambient atmosphere. These factors form the inputs into the com- putational model building process. The computational model provides us with predictions and solutions of what would happen to the product under different service conditions.
It is important to note that going from the physical world to generating a computational model involves an iterative process where all the assumptions, approximations and their effects on the the quality of the computational model are iterated upon to generate the most optimum computational model for representing the physical world.
Figure 1.1: Variation on the Sargent Circle Showing the Verification and Validation Procedures in a Typical Fast Paced Design Group
The validation process between the computational model and the physical world also involves an iterative process, where experiments with values of loads and boundary con- ditions are solved and the solution is compared to output from the physical world. The computational model is refined based upon the feedbacks obtained during the procedure.
The circular shapes of the process representation emphasizes that computational mod- eling and in particular verification and validation procedures are iterative in nature and require a continual effort to optimize them.
The blue, red and green colored areas in Figure(1.3) highlight the iterative validation and verification activities in the process. The standards and industrial guidelines clearly mention the distinctive nature of code and solution verifications and validations at different levels. The green highlighted region falls in the domain of the laboratory performing the experiments, it is equally important that the testing laboratory understands both the process and procedure of verification and validation perfectly.
Code verification seeks to ensure that there are no programming mistakes or bugs and that the software provides the accuracy in terms of the implementation of the numerical al- gorithms or construction of the solver. Comparing the issue of code verification and calcu- lation verification of softwares, the main point of difference is that calculation verification
Figure 1.2: Verification and Validation Process
involves quantifying the discretization error in a numerical simulation. Code verification is rather upstream in the process and is done by comparing numerical results with analytical solutions.
Figure 1.3: Guidance for Verification and Validation as per ASME 10.1 Standard
1.4 Guidelines for Verifications and Validations
The first step is the verification of the code or software to confirm that the software is work- ing as it was intended to do. The idea behind code verification is to identify and remove any bugs that might have been generated while implementing the numerical algorithms or because of any programming errors. Code verification is primarily a responsibility of the code developer and softwares like Abaqus, LS-Dyna etc., provide example problems man- uals, benchmark manuals to show the verifications of the procedures and algorithms they have implemented.
Next step of calculation verification is carried out to quantify the error in a computer simulation due to factors like mesh discretization, improper convergence criteria, approxi- mation in material properties and model generations. Calculation verification provides with an estimation of the error in the solution because of the mentioned factors. Experience has shown us that insufficient mesh discretization is the primary culprit and largest contributor to errors in calculation verification.
Validation processes for material models, elements, and numerical algorithms are gen- erally part of FEA and CFD software help manuals. However, when it comes to establishing the validity of the computational model that one is seeking to solve, the validation procedure has to be developed by the analyst or the engineering group.
The following validation guidelines were developed at Sandia National Labs[Oberkampf et al.] by experimentalists working on wind tunnel programs, however these are applicable to all problems from computational mechanics.
Guideline 1: The validation experiment should be jointly designed by the FEA group and the experimental engineers. The experiments should ideally be designed so that the validation domain falls inside the application domain.
Guideline 2: The designed experiment should involve the full physics of the system, including the loading and boundary conditions.
Guideline 3: The solutions of the experiments and from the computational model should be totally independent of each other.
Guideline 4: The experiments and the validation process should start from the system level solution to the component level.
Guideline 5: Care should be taken that operator bias or process bias does not contami- nate the solution or the validation process.
1.5 Verification & Validation in FEA
1.5.1 Verification Process of an FEA Model
In the case of automotive product development problems, verification of components like silent blocks and bushings, torque rod bushes, spherical bearings etc., can be carried. Fig- ure(1.4) shows the rubber-metal bonded component for which calculations have been carried out. Hill[11], Horton[12] and have shown that under radial loads the stiffness of the bushing can be given by,
Figure 1.4: Geometry Dimensions of the Silent Bushing
converted PNM file
Figure 1.5: Geometry of the Silent Bushing
and G= Shear Modulus = 0.117e0.034xHs, Hs = Hardness of the material. Replacing the geometrical values from Figure(1.4),
Krs = 8170.23N/mm, (1.3)
for a 55 durometer natural rubber compound. The finite element model for the bushing
is shown in Figure(1.9) and the stiffness from the FEA comes to 8844.45 N/mm. The verification and validation quite often recommends that a difference of less than 10% for a comparison of solutions is a sound basis for a converged value.
For FEA with non-linear materials and non-linear geometrical conditions, there are multiple steps that one has to carry out to ensure that the material models and the boundary conditions provide reliable solutions.
Unit Element Test: The unit element test as shown in in Figure(1.7) shows a unit cube element. The material properties are input and output stress-strain plots are compared to the inputs. This provides a first order validation of whether the material
Figure 1.6: Deformed Shape of the Silent Bushing
properties are good enough to provide sensible outputs. The analyst him/her self can carry out this validation procedure.
Experimental Characterization Test: FEA is now carried out on a characterization test such as a tension test or a compression test. This provides a checkpoint of whether the original input material data can be backed out from the FEA. This is a moderately difficult test as shown in Figure(1.8). The reasons for the difficulties are because of unquantified properties like friction and non-exact boundary conditions.
Comparison to Full Scale Experiments: In these validation steps, the parts and com- ponent products are loaded up on a testing rig and service loads and boundary con- ditions are applied. The FEA results are compared to these experiments. This step provides the most robust validation results as the procedure validates the finite ele- ment model as well as the loading state and boundary conditions. Figure(1.9) shows torque rod bushing and the validation procedure carried out in a multi-step analysis.
Experience shows that it is best to go linearly in the validation procedure from step 1 through 3, as it progressively refines one's material model, loading, boundary conditions. Directly jumping to step 3 to complete the validation process faster adds upto more time with errors remaining unresolved, and these errors go on to have a cumulative effect on the quality of the solutions.
Figure 1.7: Unit Cube Single Element Test
Figure 1.8: FEA of Compression Test
1.5.2 Validation Process of an FEA Model
Figure(1.7) shows the experimental test setup for validation of the bushing model. Radial loading is chosen to be the primary deformation mode and load vs. displacement results are compared. The verification process earlier carried out established the veracity of the FEA model and the current validation analysis applies the loading in multiple Kilonewtons. Results show a close match between the experimental and FEA results. Figures(1.10) and
Figure 1.9: Experimental Testing and Validation FEA for the Silent Bushing
(1.11) show the validation setup and solutions for a tire model and engine mount. The complexity of a tire simulation is due to the nature of the tire geometry, and the presence of multiple rubber compounds, fabric and steel belts. This makes it imperative to establish the validity of the simulations.
Figure 1.10: Experimental Testing and Validation FEA for a Tire Model
Figure 1.11: Experimental Testing and Validation FEA for a Passenger Car Engine Mount
An attempt was made in the article to provide information on the verification and validation processes in computational solid mechanics. We went through the history of adoption of verification and validation processes and their integration in computational mechanics processes and tools. Starting from 1987 when the first guidelines were issued in a specific field of application, today we are at a stage where the processes have been standardized and all major industries have found their path of adoption.
Verification and validations are now an integral part of computational mechanics processes to increase integrity and reliability of the solutions. Verification is done primarily at the software level and is aimed at evaluating whether the code has the capability to offer the correct solution to the problem, while validation establishes the accuracy of the solution. ASME, Nuclear Society and NAFEMS are trying to make the process more standardized, and purpose driven.
Uncertainty quantification has not included in this current review, the next update of this article will include steps for uncertainty quantification in the analysis.
American Nuclear Society, Guidelines for the Verification and Validation of Scientific and Engineering Computer Programs for the Nuclear Industry 1987.
Roache, P.J, American Nuclear Society, Verification and Validation in Computational Science and Engineering, Hermosa Publishing, 1998.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AIAA Guide for the Verification and Validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations (G-077-1998), 1998.
U.S. Department of Defense, DoD Modeling and Simulation (M-S) Verification, Validation, and Accreditation, Defense Modeling and Simulation Office, Washington DC.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Guide for Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics, 2006.
Thacker, B. H., Doebling S. W., Anderson M. C., Pepin J. E., Rodrigues E. A., Concepts of Model Verification and Validation, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 2004.
Standard for Models And Simulations, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA-STD-7009, 2008.
Oberkampf, W.L. and Roy, C.J., Verification and Validation in Computational Simulation, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Austrell, P. E., Olsson, A. K. and Jonsson, M. 2001, A Method to analyse the non- Linear dynamic behaviour of rubber components using standard FE codes, Paper no 44, Conference on Fluid and Solid Mechanics.
Austrell, P. E., Modeling of Elasticity and Damping for Filled Elastomers,Lund University.
ABAQUS Inc., ABAQUS: Theory and Reference Manuals, ABAQUS Inc., RI, 02.
Hill, J. M. Radical deflections of rubber bush mountings of finite lengths. Int. J. Eng. Sci., 1975, 13.
Horton, J. M., Gover, M. J. C. and Tupholme, G. E. Stiffness of rubber bush mountings subjected to radial loading. Rubber Chem. Tech., 2000, 73.
Lindley, P. B. Engineering design with natural rubber , The Malaysian Rubber Producers' Research Association, Brickendonbury, UK., 1992.
Material Pre-Conditioning and Testing Techniques
Kartik Srinivas fea abaqus ansys, material testing April 17, 2020 June 14, 2020
A proper treatment of the rubber material service conditions and material degradation phenomena like strain softening is of prime importance in the testing of rubbers specimens for FEA material characterization. The accuracy and reliability of obtained test data depends on how the mechanical conditioning and representational service conditions of the material have been accounted for in the test data. To simulate a component in unused and unaged conditions, the mechanical conditioning requirements are different than the ones for simulating a component that has gone through extensive field service and aging under different
environmental conditions. To simulate performance of a material or component by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) it should be tested underthe same deformation modes to which original assembly will be subjected. The uniaxial tension tests are easy to perform and are fairly well understood but if the component assembly experiences complex multiaxial stress states then it becomes imperative to test in other deformation modes. Planar (pure shear), biaxial and volumetric (hydrostatic) tests need to be performed along with uniaxial tension test to incorporate the effects of multiaxial stress states in the FEA model.
Material stiffness degradation phenomena like Mullin's effect at high strains and Payne's effect at low strains significantly affect the stiffness properties of rubbers. After the first cycle of applied strain and recovery the material softens, upon subsequent stretching the stiffness is lower for the same applied strain. Despite all the history in testing hyperelastic and viscoelastic materials, there is a lack of a methodical and standard testing protocol for pre-conditioning. Comprehensive studies on the influence of hyperelastic material testing pre-conditioning is not available.
Hyperelastic And Viscoelastic Testing Of Polymers, Composites and Rubber Materials
Kartik Srinivas fea abaqus ansys, material testing April 8, 2020 July 13, 2020
1) Mechanical Testing of Polymers, Metals and Composite Materials
2) Fatigue and Durability Testing
3) Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) of Materials and Components
4) Hyperelastic, Viscoelastic Material Characterization Testing
5) Data Cards for Input into FEA, CAE softwares
6) FEA Services
7) Custom Test Setups with NI Labview DAQ
Discover more at http://www.advanses.com
Hyperelastic and Viscoelastic Characterization of Polymers and Rubber Materials
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Java, C remain entrenched as most popular languages
C language nosedives in Tiobe popularity index
Languages on the rise: Julia, Go, Kotlin ... and assembly?
IoT spurs surprise surge in assembly language popularity
With help from Docker, Google's Go jumps in popularity
The language has climbed to 16th place in Tiobe index and could claim Programming Language of the Year honors
Google's Go language, which anchors projects like Kubernetes and Docker, keeps climbing the charts in language popularity.
Ranked 65th a year ago in the Tiobe Index of language popularity, it has climbed to 16th this month and is on track to become Tiobe's Programming Language of the Year, a designation awarded to the language with the biggest jump in the index.
[ Find out how to get ahead with our career development guide for developers. | The art of programming is changing rapidly. We help you navigate what's hot in programming and what's going cold. | Keep up with hot topics in programming with InfoWorld's Application Development newsletter. ]
"Google's Go language seems to be unrivaled, probably boosted by the immense popularity of Docker, the container application that is written in Go," said a report accompanying the index, which gauges popularity based on a formula assessing searches on languages in popular search engines.
While Go was rated at 1.809 percent in this month's index, it was rated at 0.139 in October 2015 -- a figure that index producer Paul Jansen, Tiobe managing director, believes was artificially low, resulting in changes in the formula. In September 2015, Go had jumped to the 44th spot after ranking 95th a year earlier.
In the alternative PyPL Popularity of Programming Language index, which looks at searches on language tutorials in Google, Go was in 18th place this month, with a share of 0.4 percent. "Go is especially very good in multithreading, making use of multicore platforms," Jansen said. "We see that is being adopted now also by our industrial customers. So that is a good sign."
Groovy also is doing well, slotted in 17th place this month, with a rating of 1.769 percent. It was rated at 0.65 percent one year ago. "Why Groovy is doing that well really wonders me," Jansen said. "I would expect Scala to be in more demand. Both Scala and Groovy are languages that run on the same VM as Java." Scala came in 33rd place this month with a rating of 0.611 percent.
Other Language of the Year candidates include R, Objective-C, and Swift. R, ranked 20th with a rating of 1.741 percent, has more than doubled its rating for October 2015. But the real surprise is that both Objective-C and Swift are vying for the honor, since Swift is a more modern successor to Objective-C.
In this month's index, Objective-C was ranked 10th, with a rating of 2.263 percent, while Swift was 12th, with a 2.004 rating. "I think Swift will eventually replace Objective-C. But the popularity index is also about emotions," Jansen said. People realize the migration to Swift will not happen that fast, thus it remains interesting to invest in Objective-C too for the time being, he noted. And the mobile app market is still growing, so it is no surprise that both languages, used for iOS development, are increasing -- in fact, Jansen said that "it surprises me that Swift is still not in the top 10."
Elsewhere in the index, Java again came in first place, with an 18.799 rating while C, still in second place, nonetheless continued its precipitous drop, to 9.835 percent (it had been 16.185 percent a year ago). In third was C++ (5.797) followed by C# (4.367), Python (3.775), JavaScript (2.751), PHP (2.741), Visual Basic .Net (2.66), and Perl (2.495). In the PyPL index, the top 10 were: Java, with a share of 23.4 percent, followed by Python (13.6 percent), PHP (9.9), C# (8.8), JavaScript (7.6), C++ (6.9), C (6.9), Objective-C (4.5), R (3.3), and Swift (3.1).


Is it Time to Draw a New Map of the Middle East?
America's Greatest Fear: What If Saddam Had Invaded Saudi Arabia?
Did America Really Lose the First Gulf War?
Should the United States Sell Fighter Jets to the Gulf?


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Tom Demerly is a feature writer, journalist, photographer and editorialist who has written articles that have appeared in The Aviationist, TACAIRNET, Outside, Business Insider, Russia's government media outlet Sputnik, Velo-News, Bicycle Guide, Bicycling, Inside Triathlon, Triathlete, Triathlon Today!, USA Triathlon Magazine and many other publications around the world.
Since 2016 he has been U.S. Correspondent for one of the world's most widely read defense and aviation online publications, David Cenciotti's TheAviationist.com, published in Rome, Italy. Beginning in 2009 he created and was Senior Content Editor for the TriSports University section of TriSports.com, then the world's largest online triathlon retailer. He has also worked as a brand journalist and copywriter for Felt Bicycles in Irvine, California. Demerly authored the naming nomenclature for the "Felt IA" series of World Championship winning bikes and developed names for the bike's unique engineering features. Prior to his career experience Demerly studied journalism at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan and with media pioneer Russ Gibb while in High School at Dearborn High.
Tom Demerly in the cockpit of a newly built Boeing P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine warfare aircraft for TheAviationist.com. (Photo: Lance Riegle)
Demerly has written the most-viewed feature on TACAIRNET.com with over 5,000 views per day and shares by noted aviation personalities like Chuck Yeager and Tom Clancy's technical advisor and author John Gresham. Demerly worked as a beta-reader and consultant for noted author, the late Robert F. Dorr's first fiction book, "Hitler's Time Machine".
Tom Demerly participates in wind tunnel tests at a Ford Motor Company facility in Dearborn, Michigan for World Triathlon Corporation.
Demerly is a noted expert on military aviation, defense technology and intelligence. He served in an intelligence gathering unit as a member of the U.S. Army and Michigan National Guard . His military experience includes being Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army Infantry School at Ft. Benning, Georgia (Cycle C-6-1) and as a Scout Observer for Company "F", 425th INF (RANGER/AIRBORNE), Long Range Surveillance Unit (LRSU). Demerly also consults to the defense industry in softgoods, uniform and personnel/equipment categories for the special operations community working for Tactical Performance Co., Ltd.™, North Highlands, California.
Tom Demerly has raced endurance events on all seven continents including the 152 mile ultra-endurance Marathon des Sables, the 105 mile Jordan Telecom Desert Cup, The Discovery Channel Eco Challenge and The Raid Gauloises Vietnam and "The Last Marathon" in Antarctica. Demerly has also climbed the highest mountain on three continents and the highest mountain in the western hemisphere, Aconcagua in Argentina at 22,841 ft.
On the summit of the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, Aconcagua, at 22,841 feet.
Demerly is four-time Michigan USA Cycling Champion and has completed over 250 triathlons around the world, Including the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii and five other Ironmans. In 1990 Demerly raced for the elite level Nike/Velo-News/Gatorade Cycling Team in Belgium.
In addition to his media, business and endurance/adventure sports experience Demerly attended the first-ever Fit Institute of Slowtwitch (F.I.S.T.) triathlon specific bike fitting program. He has gone on to develop unique and effective triathlon bike fit and positioning techniques specifically for the retailer.
Testing, evaluation, marketing and operational experience in the tactical/defense industry.
oakwoodsportsmedicine said: November 14, 20124:40 am
Excellent site you have here Tom! Keep up the solid work – we'll be back!
anonymous said: November 26, 20135:11 am
Love your blog! happened upon post on facebook and read some of your posts just when needed to give me perspective. Thanks 🙂
Pingback: The untold story of the US Army unit that surveilled the East/West German border before the collapse of the Wall | Maiden on the Midway
h2ofeo2 said: January 15, 20161:30 pm
Bookmarking you now….! (Why am I just finding your blog…weird!)
Greg Schempp said: January 15, 20168:12 pm
Hello Tom. I like your articles. Do you have a monthly email letter you send out? add me to your list. Thanks.
Hans Bergman said: April 1, 20164:53 pm
I just read your article: "Why you shouldn't support your local…" It was surely refreshing to see your spot-on analysis of the state of the IBD's and your proactive call for action. The best write up as far as I am concerned thus far. Congrats!
Hans Bergman
Luis Garcia said: November 14, 20161:21 pm
I stumbled upon your blog, wow! Great work and info. My wife and I started cycling this year. We will be reading your books.
Laura Hansen said: October 21, 20201:05 am
I just saw your interview with Lt. Col. Russell Szczepanik and thought it was great. My father is also an SR-71 alum and (small world) was the pilot that flew with Mr. Szczepanik. Thank you for sharing stories about that incredible aircraft. I could listen to my Dad tell stories about piloting the SR, U2, etc. for hours :). It was such an interesting time!
If you having any other pieces upcoming on the SR-71, etc. and need subject matter experts, please let me know! My Dad is always up for sharing his piloting experience.
Laura Hansen (Young)
Daughter of Col. Richard A. Young (Capt. when flying the SR-71)


Top 4 Cheapest Neighborhoods in the U.S.
More and more people are looking for reasonably priced living. Fortunately, not only are these the cheapest neighborhoods, they are also amazing.
This former cattle town has been undergoing a renaissance lately, and as a result, this affordable area is also very trendy. You can find plenty of boutique stores, music, and breweries within easy driving distance of the Quality Hill neighborhood. Located a short drive northwest of the city center, it is the perfect place for great, inexpensive living. Furthermore, there are enough large corporations to make moving and finding a job in this fantastic city even easier. Not bad for one of the cheapest neighborhoods in the U.S., right?
The most affordable neighborhood in Phoenix, Deer Valley Village, is not right next to the city center. Instead, it is right by two major highways to give you quick and easy access to the city without the big city hassle. This area is very quiet, and it does not have cute and quaint restaurants or shops nearby. However, it does have all of your necessary shopping nearby.
Birmingham, Alabama is a city full of history and historic homes. The amazing residences, combined with a growing art scene, are certainly making this a popular relocation destination. There are a number of fantastic neighborhoods, but ARIUM Inverness takes the cake. Built around Lake Dixie, ARIUM Inverness is a short drive from both large shopping centers and casual restaurants.
Those who want an eco-friendly place in one of the cheapest neighborhoods will do well to head to Dallas. Vickery Meadow is just north of downtown Dallas, and it is right next to all of the action. This area has low-flush toilets and showers, as well as energy efficient ceiling fans and windows. This area is great for people who want to help the environment and lower their energy bills.
Are the Cheapest Neighborhoods Worth It?
This is a question that only you can answer. Moreover, an in-depth look will show you that cheap does not have to mean poor. If you are looking at moving, why not check out the cheapest neighborhoods first? What you find might surprise you.


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Billionaire Rosenstein Ditches Expedia (EXPE) for Rival Priceline (PCLN), Adds Twitter (TWTR), Unloads Microsoft (MSFT)
Published on December 6, 2016 at 2:39 pm by Rashmi Sharma in Hedge Funds
Activist investor Barry Rosenstein's Jana Partners is a hedge fund with long and short exposure to the equity markets. The investment firm follows event-driven investment strategy. It was formed in 2001 and uses fundamental analysis for picking undervalued stocks. In a few cases, the firm has taken activist stance as well. Rosenstein sold 20% of the fund to Neuberger Berman in 2015, valuing the fund at $2 billion. Jana Partners' performance after the sale isn't very encouraging. The fund lost 5.4% in 2015 and was down 4.1% during the first 7 months of this year. Fortunately, the fund managed to claw back from this hole and went into black in November as it returned 2.2% on the heels of Trump's election victory. Jana Partners is up 1.4% for the year.
Consumer Staples stocks form the biggest chunk of its holdings. Information Technology stocks also account for nearly one-fifth of its portfolio. During the September quarter, the fund initiated positions in Priceline Group Inc (NASDAQ:PCLN) and Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) while liquidating its positions in Expedia Inc (NASDAQ:EXPE), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA).
The smart money sentiment is an important metric that can be used to assess the long-term profitability of a stock. While there are thousands of stocks trading daily on the market, taking a look at what hedge funds think about certain companies can narrow down the search significantly. At Insider Monkey, we track more than 700 hedge funds, whose 13F filings we analyze as part of our small-cap strategy. Our research has shown that imitating a portfolio that includes the 15 most popular small-cap stocks among hedge funds can outperform the market by as much as 95 basis points per month on average (see more details here).
crystal51/Shutterstock.com
Priceline Group Inc (NASDAQ:PCLN) stock gained 17% this year so far. The stock accounted for 2.72% of Jana's portfolio. For the quarter ended on 30th September, 2016, the investment fund initiated its position in the stock by buying 105,409 shares. The fund's holding amounted to $155 million. Of the hedge funds in our database, 98 funds currently hold $8.2 billion worth of Priceline Group shares in their portfolio at the end of the September quarter, which equals to 11.30% of the outstanding shares. Priceline reported strong results for its third quarter. The company's earnings for the quarter stood at $30.94 per share, surpassing consensus estimate of $28.40 per share. Its revenue was reported at $3.6 billion, matching forecast of $3.617 billion.
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Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) stock declined 21% in this year so far. However, Jana Partners initiated its holding of the stock during the quarter ended on 30th September, 2016. The fund held $67 million worth of Twitter stock at the end of the quarter, forming 1.19% of its portfolio. Jana Partners had 2.94 million shares of the company in its portfolio at the end of the period. Among the funds we track, 47 funds held $1 billion worth of Twitter's stock in aggregate at the end of September, having amassed 6.6% of its outstanding stock betting on the possibility that the tech company will be sold at a premium. The beleaguered company recently announced the closure of its popular video app Vine. The company is reportedly looking to sell the app. It is likely that the Twitter may receive less than what it paid for Vine nearly four years back. India is included in the top 10 biggest markets for Twitter. To know more about social networking sites in India, read our article here.
Hedge Funds Are Doubling Down On WSFS Financial Corporation (WSFS): What Do... Xcel Energy Inc (XEL): Smart Money Ownership Continues to Dreadfully Lag Peers... How WCI Communities Inc (WCIC) Stacks Up Against Its Peers Is Controladora Vuela Co Avcn SA CV (ADR) (VLRS) Going to Burn These Hedge... Is Southern Co (SO) A Good Stock To Buy? Hedge Funds Remain Unimpressed by POSCO (ADR) (PKX)
Expedia Inc (EXPE) Hedge Fund:69 Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) NASDAQ:EXPE NASDAQ:MSFT NASDAQ:PCLN NASDAQ:WBA NYSE:TWTR Priceline Group Inc (PCLN) Twitter Inc (TWTR) Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA) Yahoo Finance
Tairen Capital's Biggest Moves On Consumer Stocks in Q3 5 Technology Stocks Billionaires Were Piling Into in Q3 $50 Billion Quant Fund Is Making New Bets On These Stocks Billionaire Investors Are Bullish On These 5 Stocks Should You Avoid Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA)? Tiger Cub Lee Ainslie's Top Stock Picks Five Dow Jones Stocks That Can Outperform The Market 5 Countries That Have the Most Drones 6 Best Smartphones with Optical Zoom 10 Highest Rated Backpacking Tents


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1.The Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Nag flight tested successfully.
The Defence Research and development organisation has successfully test-fired the Anti-Tank Guided Missile Nag in the desert ranges of Rajasthan and the missile successfully destroyed the target
About ATGM:
It is a fire and forget 3rd generation missile which has advanced technologies including the Imaging Infrared Radar (IIR) Seeker with integrated avionics.
It is developed by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
It can be launched from both land and air-based platforms with a range of at least 4,000 m.
2.India and Australia bilateral maritime exercise AUSINDEX-17
Navies of India, Australia will participate in second edition of bilateral maritime exercise "AUSINDEX-17", to be held from June 13 to 17 in Freemantle, Australia.
The first edition of AUSINDEX was held at Visakhapatnam in 2015.
About AUSINDEX:
AUSINDEX is a bilateral maritime exercise started in 2015 with the aim to enhancing interoperability and cooperation between both navies.
Eastern Fleet ships INS Jyoti, Shivalik and Kamorta will participate in AUSINDEX-17.


The Alzheimer's Association provides insight into the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's. Click here to find out what to look for and what to do if you notice these signs.
It is best to be informed and aware. "Among those taking sedatives and anxiety-reducing drugs," the article says, "a lot of [emergency room] visits were because people were too sleepy or hard to arouse, or confused … And there were also a lot of falls." Click here to read The New York Times' article on their "The New Old Age" blog.
We shouldn't be surprised to learn that depression is epidemic among the aged. Read about understanding and treating depression. Focus on the Family provides this article on treating and understanding depression in the elderly with the added perspective of offering the hope of Christ.


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Triangle is the new theme this week at CraftBarn.
I used the beautiful Graphic45 papers Typography and I made a all-year round tree!
Here you can download the PDF with full instructions.
Triangoli è il nuovo tema su CraftBarn questa settimana. Io ho usato le bellissime carte Typography della Graphic45 per creare un albero non solo natalizio. Qui si può scaricare il PDF con le istruzioni.
E ultime ultime lettere per l'Alpha Challenge, uau, finitooooooooo!!
And the very last letters for the Alpha challenge, wow, it's finished!!
Thank you to all who play along with us!
what a fab tree and wonderful page Gio!
Your tree is a unique display, such great use of the papers - very beautiful indeed and I so like the I for Impossible page.
A great post .... as always.
Your triangle card is amazing, Gio!
Gorgeous tree Gio and your final alpha pages are adorable. Beautiful work sweetie.
A breathtaking triangle. Also your dictionary pages are fantastic. Mine are still on my to-do-list.
Cannot wait to read about next years challenge.
Stunning! Great details and colours!!!
Hi Gio, your tree is fantastic…great colours and texture and I just love how you combine everything together….
Journal pages are also great, specially love the one with I, probably because of bright colours…funny I almost never work with bright colours, but I love to see it elsewhere….
Your triangle tree is amazing, absolutely beautiful!!! Thanks for the pdf Gio. And your two last pages are gorgeous, especially the first one I love! What a great journal you must have now finished!!!
I tuoi lavori sono geniale Gio!!!, impattante!!!
The triangle tree is enchanting, Gio - what a lovely creation. Your I page is stunning, and the X Factor made me smile!
Ciao,bello e originale il tuo albero-triangolo,anche il colore,perché verde,mai e poi mai,troppo banale,ha ha ha!!!
Awesome journal pages! Your doodles are fantastic!
Gorgeus pages. I especially love the little face i R.


text:
Back in tune
sun/julia malakie
Singer Jamie Lynn Hart performs at the Back Page music venue in Lowell. At rear is bass player Louis Ochoa.
PUBLISHED: February 9, 2012 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: July 12, 2019 at 12:00 a.m.
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1570028818
LOWELL — Once upon a time, Lowell was a magnet for musicians.
From the late 1960s through to the early 80s, a creative energy gripped the city where Jack Kerouac found his muse. Factories were slowly sputtering out but the music scene was vibrant.
Scores of up-and-coming bands put Lowell's Commodore Ballroom, also known as Mr. C's, on their map. Maybe you've heard of them: The Doors, The Kinks, the Yard Birds with Jimmy Page, The Animals, Steppenwolf, Rod Stewart with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Hendrix and Aerosmith. All played here. The list goes on and on.
Bob Ramirez remembers packing four to five guys in an old beater and barreling down the highway from Arlington to Lowell. Every weekend, he and his buddies set a course for Mr. C's Rock Palace.
"It was an experience," Ramirez says. "Lowell was where the music scene was at."
From folk and rock to an evolving punk scene, it was a motley crew of characters. There were girls in miniskirts and sometimes guys in miniskirts.
Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics played. Her barely-there outfit was fashioned mostly out of black electrical tape.
"There was a long staircase leading up to the club. If you got kicked out, they'd throw you down the stairs," Ramirez says. "Sometimes, you'd be walking in and dodging human cannonballs. It was nuts but that was rock and roll."
Like a power grid switching on, the charged atmosphere lit up a new generation of musicians that flooded local clubs like The Raft and The Safe in the 80s and 90s.
Before Steve Perez (aka D-Tension) became the morning man on WFNX radio, a hip-hop artist and music producer, he got his start at open mic nights at The Safe, formerly at 160 Merrimack St.
The Safe churned out names like The Shods, Jen Kearney, D-Tension, Melvern Taylor and his Fabulous Meltones, the Mad Cap Laughs, Frank Morey and Jenny Riddle.
"It's not just about the people and the music," Perez says. "It's the venue. The place that brings everyone together becomes a main character too. When you lose that, you lose a part of the music."
Long ago are the days of the multi-story music complex that vanished with the closure of the original Brian's Ivy Hall, the former Smithwicks' Tavern and its successor, Evos Arts Institute.
These days, a buzz is building along the downtown's Eastern Canalway. There you'll find a group of people — fans, musicians and critics — who say a new chapter is beginning.
Nearly 30 years after his weekend escapades in Lowell, Ramirez is helping breathe some life back into a stagnant live music scene with his own nightclub, The Back Page. Billed as a jazz and comedy club, the Back Page has been able to attract a diverse group of bands from outside the city, and bring in a regular following of local talent for open mic nights on Wednesdays.
The club celebrates the one-year anniversary of its grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Ramirez, who used to own a plumbing and heating supply company, bought the property in the rear of 15 Kearney Square as part of a joint venture with his brother, Steven Ramirez.
Steven and his wife, Pon, own and operate the Blue Taleh Restaurant at the front of the building that used to house The Sun's classified advertising department before the newspaper vacated the space in 2007. The Ramirez brothers are cousins of Sun publisher Mark O'Neil.
The Blue Taleh was open when Bob was still gutting his space, wondering what to transform the room into.
"People kept popping their heads in while we were working," he says. "There were a lot of ideas about what we should do with the space."
A cigar shop. A blues bar. A strip club.
But one suggestion kept coming up: A music club.
"It was something I always wanted to do, and there seemed to be a huge need for it," Ramirez says.
New England blues veteran James Montgomery kicked off the club's opening night. It was standing room only.
Since then, thanks to bookings by the club's entertainment director and house musician, Evan Goodrow, the Back Page has developed a loyal following, bringing in acts like Toni Lynn Washington (a seven-time Blues Music Award nominee and three-time winner), Erin Harpe, The Love Dogs, Jamie Lynn Hart and The Joe Moss Band from Chicago.
DJs "Wireless" Mike Flynn and Jack Baldwin drop in every Friday to record shows live for WCAP 980 AM.
Baldwin used to book shows at The Raft, an East Merrimack Street club that was a revolving door for Boston bands and national acts.
Flynn still razzes Baldwin about turning down R.E.M. The band was climbing college radio charts but wasn't famous enough for Baldwin to justify paying them $1,000 to play a Tuesday night gig.
"They wanted too much money to play an off night," Baldwin says. "No one had ever heard of R.E.M. before. And where is Athens, Ga.? I said they'll never do anything. Hey, it's the only mistake I've ever made."
After a dry spell, Flynn and Baldwin say the city's live music scene is coming back full circle.
Sisters Liz Marshall and Sarah Palmer both live downtown. They're frequent visitors.
"Every night is different but you can always count on good music and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere," Marshall said.
"It's like a party in your living room, comfortable and homey but at the same time there's a band."
Mike Hubbard and Jim Tarr, students from UMass Lowell, were just grabbing a couple beers after work. They were about to cash out when Jamie Lynn Hart got up on stage. The pretty brunette with a powerhouse voice changed their minds.
Perez says music scenes come and go, but there's always talent in the city. It just needs a venue.
"I don't think you realize what a special thing those moments in time are until they've already passed," Perez says.
Ramirez hopes the next "wow" moment is now.
Visit backpagelowell.com for calendar listings.
Billerica track teams maintain winning formula


How is it that while we know about prayer and we say we believe God hears and answers prayer, that we don't spend more quality time in prayer? In this edition of Mount Hermon Ministries, Al Espinosa starts an extremely practical 3 part series on prayer to assist you in developing your prayer life.
How do we find our "pillar"? What is a "pillar"? Why would we really want to find it?


text:
6.02 Adoption and On-going Review of EHS System, Roles and Responsibilities
Policy and Procedures for Adoption and On-going Review of the University of Georgia's Comprehensive Environmental Health and Safety Management System and Roles and Responsibilities
1. Purpose. The purpose of this policy is to describe the policy and procedures for adoption of UGA's Comprehensive Environmental Health and Safety Management System ("Comprehensive EHSMS") and to define roles and responsibilities as required by EHS Policy No. 6.01, titled "University of Georgia's (UGA's) Environmental Health and Safety Policy."
2. Scope. EHS Policy No. 6.01 and this policy will be the dominant governing policies at UGA defining how UGA approaches and manages all aspects of environmental health and safety. EHS Policy No. 6.01 and this policy will cover all campuses and units of the University of Georgia, with no exceptions.
3. Required Review. This policy will be reviewed annually, and all changes to this policy must be approved by the EHSMS Executive Committee. All other associated policies, tied to and stemming from this policy, will be revised accordingly.
4. Procedures for Adoption and Review of UGA's Comprehensive EHSMS.
a. Adoption. The Executive Committee will have oversight over the adoption and annual review of the Comprehensive EHSMS. The Executive Committee will coordinate, work with and direct various university committees, academic and operating units, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and the Environmental Safety Division as needed, on all matters relating to environmental health and safety at UGA. The Comprehensive EHSMS will govern how UGA manages all aspects of environmental health and safety. It will be an integrated set of processes and procedures for managing the day-to-day EHS compliance operations to enhance the level of compliance and to increase efficiency of operations in a comprehensive manner. The Comprehensive EHSMS will use a process-driven approach to track information, identify safety risks, set safety goals, take action to ensure safety, assess results of those actions, and adjust processes as necessary to produce the intended results.
b. Annual Review. The Executive Committee, working together with various faculty and administrative staff, will review annually the Comprehensive EHSMS and all subsequent associated policies to ensure adherence with UGA's Environmental Health and Safety Policy (EHS Policy No. 6.01). Any revisions to the Comprehensive EHSMS will be approved by the Executive Committee and communicated to all UGA employees through coordinated communications from the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Environmental Safety Division.
c. Accountability and Compliance. UGA will define the responsibilities of all stakeholders, and hold each stakeholder accountable to those responsibilities and overall compliance with UGA's Environmental Health and Safety Policy (EHS Policy No. 6.01), this policy, and the Comprehensive EHSMS. Any stakeholder determined not in compliance will be required to complete additional training and to remedy the non-compliance matter. Any stakeholder found to be in repeated non-compliance will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action including possible removal from the laboratory or work environment, suspension or dismissal from UGA.
d. Training. All stakeholders must complete defined training offered by the University prior to carrying out their assigned responsibilities and work and must complete on-going training no less than annually. All training must be documented.
5. Roles and Responsibilities.
a. Academic and Research Units.
i. Laboratory Personnel. Laboratory Personnel are any persons who work, teach or observe within a designated research or instructional laboratory or field environment. Laboratory personnel include, but are not limited to, students, non-students, teaching assistants, instructors, and any visiting personnel. The responsibility of each Laboratory Personnel is to conduct activities in compliance with all laboratory-specific procedures, applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures and to assist the lead investigator or their designee with all EHS matters.
ii. Laboratory Supervisor/Laboratory Coordinator. The responsibility of each Supervisor or Coordinator is to provide day-to-day supervision of research and activities in the laboratory and to ensure that those activities comply with all applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures and to keep informed and assist the Principal Investigator, Instructor, or Lead Investigator or their designee with all EHS matters.
iii. Principal Investigator/Instructor/Lead Investigator ("PI"). The responsibility of each PI is to ensure that all laboratory activities under his/her direction are conducted in compliance with laboratory-specific procedures defined by the PI, applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations, as well as UGA policies and procedures. With assistance from the Office of Research Safety and the Environmental Safety Division, each PI is responsible for developing, implementing, and updating a laboratory-specific chemical hygiene plan for the safe use, storage, and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous materials in his/her laboratories. PIs must ensure that all personnel working in their laboratories have adequate training to carry out their assigned tasks and receive on-going training. PIs have the responsibility to remedy all non-compliance matters. PIs vacating any laboratory spaces have the responsibility to leave the space ready for future occupancy.
iv. Department Head and Center/Institute Director. The responsibility of each Head or Director is to ensure that all research and activities in the Department or Center/Institute are conducted in compliance with all applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures. Heads and Directors must ensure that all laboratory spaces under their direction or oversight are properly maintained while in use and safely cleaned after the spaces are vacated. Heads and Directors have the responsibility to remedy all non-compliance matters and have overall financial responsibility on such matters.
v. Deans. The responsibility of each Dean is to ensure that all research and activities in the college or school are conducted in compliance with all applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures. Deans must ensure that all laboratory and non-laboratory spaces under their direction or oversight are properly maintained while in use and safely cleaned after the spaces are vacated. Deans have the responsibility to remedy all non-compliance matters. Colleges or Schools will have overall financial and compliance responsibility for all laboratory spaces to which they have been assigned.
b. Administrative and Operating Units.
i. Administrative and Operations Staff. The responsibility of each Administrative and Operations staff person is to conduct activities in compliance with all applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures, to help ensure that the administrative or operating unit is in compliance with EHS regulations and UGA policies and procedures and to assist the Supervisor, Unit Head, or Director.
ii. Administrative and Operations Supervisor. The responsibility of each Supervisor is to provide day-to-day supervision of activities in his/her designated area to ensure that they are in compliance with all applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures, and to assist the Administrative or Operations Unit Head or Director with all EHS matters.
iii. Administrative and Operations Unit Head/Director. The responsibility of each Unit Head or Director is to ensure that all activities in the administrative units are conducted in compliance with all applicable EHS federal, state, and local regulations and UGA policies and procedures. Unit Heads and Directors must ensure that all personnel working in their units have adequate training to carry out their assigned tasks and receive on-going training. Unit Heads and Directors have the responsibility to remedy all non-compliance matters.
c. Environmental Safety Division (ESD) and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR).
i. ESD and OVPR staff. The responsibility of each ESD and OVPR staff person is to provide assistance and maintain a level of expertise in designated EHS regulatory and program areas. The responsibility of each ESD and OVPR staff person is to maintain his/her certifications or training needed to perform his/her responsibility, communicating with various academic and administrative units across the campus, developing and reviewing policies, procedures and guidelines, providing EHS training, responding to requests for assistance, addressing incidents, and maintaining EHS training and compliance records.
ii. Associate Vice President ESD. The responsibility of the Associate Vice President ESD is to oversee and supervise the ESD, and to be the primary contact for EHS matters, both within non-research areas at UGA and with the external community. The responsibility of the Associate Vice President ESD is to ensure that ESD is providing assistance and support to UGA regarding EHS matters, to handle administrative and personnel matters, and to communicate to the UGA Administration as needed regarding EHS matters. The Associate Vice President ESD is a member of the EHSMS Academic/Research Steering Committee and the EHSMS Administrative/Operations Steering Committee.
iii. Associate Vice President for Research. The responsibility of the Associate Vice President for Research is to oversee and supervise the EHS staff in the OVPR and to be the primary contact for EHS matters within research areas at UGA. The responsibility of the Associate Vice President for Research is to ensure that OVPR is providing assistance and support to UGA regarding EHS matters, to handle administrative and personnel matters, and to communicate to EHSMS Executive Committee as needed regarding EHS matters. The Associate Vice President for Research is a member of the EHSMS Academic/Research Steering Committee and the EHSMS Administrative/ Operations Steering Committee.
d. UGA Committees.
i. EHSMS Academic/Research Steering Committee. The EHSMS Academic/Research Steering Committee will meet periodically, but not less than quarterly, to guide the development and implementation of those aspects of the UGA EHSMS that will enhance environmental, health, and safety programs and compliance of academic/research activities at UGA. At the discretion of the EHSMS Executive Committee, this steering committee may be discharged following implementation of the EHSMS. Reactivation and recharge of the committee by the EHSMS Executive Committee will be based on institutional need.
ii. EHSMS Administrative/Operations Steering Committee. The EHSMS Administrative/Operations Steering Committee will meet periodically, but not less than quarterly, to guide the development and implementation of those aspects of the UGA EHSMS that will enhance environmental health and safety programs and compliance of administrative/operations activities at UGA. At the discretion of the EHSMS Executive Committee, this steering committee may be discharged following implementation of the EHSMS. Reactivation and recharge of the committee by the EHSMS Executive Committee will be based on institutional need.
iii. EHSMS Executive Committee. During the implementation of the EHSMS, the EHSMS Executive Committee will meet periodically, but not less than quarterly, to review and provide guidance on the design, development and implementation of the EHSMS. After implementation of the EHSMS, the Executive Committee will meet periodically, but not less than twice a year, to review and provide oversight on the Comprehensive EHSMS.
iv. Standing and Ad hoc Committees. The EHSMS Executive Committee, directly or through the Comprehensive EHSMS, will form and charge standing and ad hoc UGA committees as needed. Standing committees include the Research Safety Committee, the Radiation Safety Committee, Institutional Review Board, and the Institutional Biosafety Committee.
e. Senior Administration.
Senior Administration are all UGA cabinet members including the Director of Athletics, Associate Provosts, Vice Presidents, Vice Provost, Provost, and President. The responsibility of Senior Administration to environmental health and safety is consistent with their organizational and reporting responsibility.
Approved by the Environmental Health and Safety Management System Executive Committee on April 14, 2016