title: Multiscale stochastic simulations for tensile testing of nanotube-based macroscopic cables.
abstract: Thousands of multiscale stochastic simulations are carried out in order to perform the first in-silico tensile tests of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based macroscopic cables with varying length. The longest treated cable is the space-elevator megacable but more realistic shorter cables are also considered in this bottom-up investigation. Different sizes, shapes, and concentrations of defects are simulated, resulting in cable macrostrengths not larger than approximately 10 GPa, which is much smaller than the theoretical nanotube strength (approximately 100 GPa). No best-fit parameters are present in the multiscale simulations: the input at level 1 is directly estimated from nanotensile tests of CNTs, whereas its output is considered as the input for the level 2, and so on up to level 5, corresponding to the megacable. Thus, five hierarchical levels are used to span lengths from that of a single nanotube (approximately 100 nm) to that of the space-elevator megacable (approximately 100 Mm).
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Structural Engineering and Geotechnics, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy. nicola.pugno@polito.it
authors.forename: Nicola M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pugno
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bosia
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpinteri
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004548:Elasticity; D008956:Models, Chemical; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon