Publication Date

2017

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Pohlman, Nicholas A.

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Mechanical Engineering

LCSH

Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The Mu2e experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory seeks to observe the ultra-rare process of a lepton changing flavor from higher to lower fermion generations. This is known theoretically as a Charged Lepton Flavor Violation (CLFV), and finding evidence of such a process would provide insight into new areas of physics outside the Standard Model. Mu2e intends on achieving higher sensitivity than any other such experiment by employing state-of-the-art detectors and trackers to collect data, and minimize all background sources of error with unprecedented precision. One of these backgrounds comes from natural cosmic-ray muons, which can produce particles that appear to be created within the detector, or can themselves be misidentified as electrons. To eliminate this source of error, a detector capable of detecting penetrating cosmic muons will be utilized. This detector, named Cosmic Ray Veto (CRV), is designed as a set of sections of additional shielding to be mounted onto the concrete shielding. Each section is made up of several modules composed of four layers of long extrusions of scintillating polystyrene and aluminum panels bonded adhesively. To achieve the desired efficiency of 0.9999, the modules of each section are stepped at their ends and interlocked with millimeter precision. In the top section of the CRV, there is a need for the ability to move modules to access electronics and other components otherwise enclosed beneath them. To facilitate access to these components, a system of lifting mechanisms, which would support and raise modules using a centered platform, is being designed. Given that this loading scenario was unaccounted for when modules were being designed, their structural integrity, as well as the performance of the adhesive used to bond them, needs to be evaluated. Critical design constraints for these mechanisms, such as platform width, rise speed, load capacity, and material selection, will be determined by evaluating modules' stresses and deformations under this new loading scenario using FEA. Furthermore, shear and peel samples, made of aluminum and polystyrene bonded with the resin epoxy used to construct modules, will be built per ASTM codes D1002 and D3164 respectively. These samples will be subjected to thermal fluctuations and compression and loaded until failure. Gathered data for failure loads and modes will be evaluated to assess adhesive performance and quantify the effects of such pre-test conditions.

Comments

Advisors: Nicholas A. Pohlman.||Committee members: Craig Dukes; Iman Salehinia.||Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

ix, 108 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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