We investigate the quasistatic mechanical response of soils under cyclic loading using a discrete model of randomly generated convex polygons. This response exhibits a sequence of regimes, each one characterized by a linear accumulation of plastic deformation with the number of cycles. At the grain level, a quasiperiodic ratchetlike behavior is observed at the contacts, which excludes the exist...

We present a mechanism for separating cells based on size and deformability using microfluidic ratchets created using micrometer-scale funnel constrictions. The force required to deform individual cells through such constrictions is directionally asymmetric, enabling rectified transport from oscillatory flow of the bulk fluid. Combining ratcheting with simple filtration enables cell separation ...

Numerical simulations of assemblies of grains under cyclic loading exhibit "granular ratcheting:" a small net deformation occurs with each cycle, leading to a linear accumulation of deformation with cycle number. We show that this is due to a curious property of the most frequently used models of the particle-particle interaction: namely, that the potential energy stored in contacts is path dep...

In this research, softening and ratcheting behaviors of Ck20 alloy steel cylindrical shells were studied under displacement-control and force-control cyclic axial loading and the behavior of hysteresis curves of specimens was also investigated. Experimental tests were performed by a servo-hydraulic INSTRON 8802 machine. The mechanical properties of specimens were determined according to ASTM E8...