WorldWideScience

Sample records for critical impact load

  1. Nitrogen critical loads using biodiversity-related critical limits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Posch, Maximilian; Aherne, Julian; Hettelingh, Jean-Paul

    2011-01-01

    Critical loads are widely used in the effects-based assessment of emission reduction policies. While the impacts of acidification have diminished, there is increasing concern regarding the effects of nitrogen deposition on terrestrial ecosystems. In this context much attention has been focussed on empirical critical loads as well as simulations with linked geochemistry-vegetation models. Surprisingly little attention has been paid to adapt the widely used simple mass balance approach. This approach has the well-established benefit of easy regional applicability, while incorporating specified critical chemical criteria to protect specified receptors. As plant occurrence/biodiversity is related to both the nutrient and acidity status of an ecosystem, a single abiotic factor (chemical criterion) is not sufficient. Rather than an upper limit for deposition (i.e., critical load), linked nutrient nitrogen and acidity chemical criteria for plant occurrence result in an 'optimal' nitrogen and sulphur deposition envelope. - Highlights: → Mass balance critical load approaches for nutrient nitrogen remain useful. → Biodiversity-related limits are related to nutrient and acidity status. → Nutrient and acidity chemical criteria lead to optimal deposition envelopes. → Optimal loads support effects-based emission reduction policies. - Biodiversity-related critical limits lead to optimal nitrogen and sulphur deposition envelopes for plant species or species compositions.

  2. Exceedance of critical loads and of critical limits impacts tree nutrition across Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waldner, P.; Thimonier, A.; Graf Pannatier, E.

    2015-01-01

    solution tended to be related to less favourable nutritional status. Context Forests have been exposed to elevated atmospheric deposition of acidifying and eutrophying sulphur and nitrogen compounds for decades. Critical loads have been identified, below which damage due to acidification and eutrophication...... are not expected to occur. Aims We explored the relationship between the exceedance of critical loads and inorganic nitrogen concentration, the base cation to aluminium ratio in soil solutions, as well as the nutritional status of trees. Methods We used recent data describing deposition, elemental concentrations....... Conclusion The findings support the hypothesis that elevated nitrogen and sulphur deposition can lead to imbalances in tree nutrition....

  3. The Impact of Load Carriage on Measures of Power and Agility in Tactical Occupations: A Critical Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Aaron; Wiley, Amy; Orr, Robin; Schram, Benjamin; Dawes, J Jay

    2018-01-07

    The current literature suggests that load carriage can impact on a tactical officer's mobility, and that survival in the field may rely on the officer's mobility. The ability for humans to generate power and agility is critical for performance of the high-intensity movements required in the field of duty. The aims of this review were to critically examine the literature investigating the impacts of load carriage on measures of power and agility and to synthesize the findings. The authors completed a search of the literature using key search terms in four databases. After relevant studies were located using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, the studies were critically appraised using the Downs and Black Checklist and relevant data were extracted and tabled. Fourteen studies were deemed relevant for this review, ranging in percentage quality scores from 42.85% to 71.43%. Outcome measures used in these studies to indicate levels of power and agility included short-distance sprints, vertical jumps, and agility runs, among others. Performance of both power and agility was shown to decrease when tactical load was added to the participants. This suggests that the increase in weight carried by tactical officers may put this population at risk of injury or fatality in the line of duty.

  4. The Impact of Load Carriage on Measures of Power and Agility in Tactical Occupations: A Critical Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aaron Joseph

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The current literature suggests that load carriage can impact on a tactical officer’s mobility, and that survival in the field may rely on the officer’s mobility. The ability for humans to generate power and agility is critical for performance of the high-intensity movements required in the field of duty. The aims of this review were to critically examine the literature investigating the impacts of load carriage on measures of power and agility and to synthesize the findings. The authors completed a search of the literature using key search terms in four databases. After relevant studies were located using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, the studies were critically appraised using the Downs and Black Checklist and relevant data were extracted and tabled. Fourteen studies were deemed relevant for this review, ranging in percentage quality scores from 42.85% to 71.43%. Outcome measures used in these studies to indicate levels of power and agility included short-distance sprints, vertical jumps, and agility runs, among others. Performance of both power and agility was shown to decrease when tactical load was added to the participants. This suggests that the increase in weight carried by tactical officers may put this population at risk of injury or fatality in the line of duty.

  5. Critical Axial Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walt Wells

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Our objective in this paper is to solve a second order differential equation for a long, simply supported column member subjected to a lateral axial load using Heun's numerical method. We will use the solution to find the critical load at which the column member will fail due to buckling. We will calculate this load using Euler's derived analytical approach for an exact solution, as well as Euler's Numerical Method. We will then compare the three calculated values to see how much they deviate from one another. During the critical load calculation, it will be necessary to calculate the moment of inertia for the column member.

  6. The impact of occupational load carriage on carrier mobility: a critical review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlton, Simon D; Orr, Robin M

    2014-01-01

    Military personnel and firefighters are required to carry occupational loads and complete tasks in hostile and unpredictable environments where a lack of mobility may risk lives. This review critically examines the literature investigating the impacts of load carriage on the mobility of these specialist personnel. Several literature databases, reference lists, and subject matter experts were employed to identify relevant studies. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were critiqued using the Downs and Black protocol. Inter-rater agreement was determined by Cohen's κ. Twelve original research studies, which included male and female participants from military and firefighting occupations, were critiqued (κ = .81). A review of these papers found that as the carried load weight increased, carrier mobility during aerobic tasks (like road marching) and anaerobic tasks (like obstacle course negotiation) decreased. As such, it can be concluded that the load carried by some specialist personnel may increase their occupational risk by reducing their mobility.

  7. Air pollution and impact on eco-systems. Load concept/critical level and its consequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elichegaray, C.

    1993-01-01

    Critical loads and critical levels respectively can be defined as the deposition value, or the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere, above which adverse effects on receptors such as plants, ecosystems, materials may occur. Important research is currently being developed on critical loads and levels in the framework of the Geneva convention on transboundary air pollution. Several binding protocols have been elaborated between the european countries, the Canada, and the USA, to reduce their emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds. This article describes the critical loads and levels approach, and the way by which this concept is now used for the revision of the sulphur protocol. (author). 6 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

  8. The concept of target and critical loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grigal, D.F.

    1991-09-01

    Target and critical loads were initially developed for assessment and control of acidic deposition, but are being considered for other air pollutants such as ozone and air-borne toxic compounds. These loads are based on thresholds, with damage assumed to occur above some defined level of deposition. Many of the historically proposed targets for acidic deposition were based on arbitrary interpretations of data. The concept of critical loads has recently separated from that of target loads. A critical load is the amount of pollutant deposition, determined by technical analysis, above which there is a specific deleterious ecological effect. A target load is the deposition, determined by political agreement, above which unacceptable ecological damage occurs; it may be greater than the critical load because of political or economic considerations, or less to conservatively account for uncertainty in the estimation of the critical load. Recent definitions of critical loads include recognition that each kind of ecosystem and effect may require a different load. Geographic regions contain a mosaic of aquatic and terrestrial resources. If precise knowledge leads to different critical loads for each system, then how is the regional target load established? For better or worse, target and critical loads are likely to be used to regulate air pollutants. The philosophy of their establishment as thresholds, their quantitative validity, and their application in regulation all require careful examination. 36 refs., 3 figs

  9. Peak load-impulse characterization of critical pulse loads in structural dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abrahamson, G.R.; Lindberg, H.E.

    1975-01-01

    In presenting the characterization scheme, some general features are described first. A detailed analysis is given for the rigid-plastic system of one degree of freedom to illustrate the calculation of critical load curves in terms of peak load and impulse. This is followed by the presentation of critical load curves for uniformly loaded rigid-plastic beams and plates and for dynamic buckling of cylindrical shells under uniform lateral loads. The peak load-impulse characterization of critical pulse loads is compared with the dynamic load factor characterization, and some aspects of the history of the peak load-pulse scheme are presented. (orig./HP) [de

  10. Critical loads and excess loads of cadmium, copper and lead for European forest soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reinds, G.J.; Bril, J.; Vries, de W.; Groenenberg, J.E.; Breeuwsma, A.

    1995-01-01

    Recently, concern has arisen about the impact of the dispersion of heavy metals in Europe. Therefore, a study (ESQUAD) was initiated to assess critical loads and steady-state concentrations of cadmium, copper and lead for European forest soils. The calculation methods used strongly resemble those

  11. Mapping critical loads of nitrogen deposition for aquatic ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanus, Leora; Clow, David W.; Saros, Jasmine E.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Campbell, Donald H.

    2012-01-01

    Spatially explicit estimates of critical loads of nitrogen (N) deposition (CL Ndep ) for nutrient enrichment in aquatic ecosystems were developed for the Rocky Mountains, USA, using a geostatistical approach. The lowest CL Ndep estimates ( −1 yr −1 ) occurred in high-elevation basins with steep slopes, sparse vegetation, and abundance of exposed bedrock and talus. These areas often correspond with areas of high N deposition (>3 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ), resulting in CL Ndep exceedances ≥1.5 ± 1 kg N ha −1 yr −1 . CL Ndep and CL Ndep exceedances exhibit substantial spatial variability related to basin characteristics and are highly sensitive to the NO 3 − threshold at which ecological effects are thought to occur. Based on an NO 3 − threshold of 0.5 μmol L −1 , N deposition exceeds CL Ndep in 21 ± 8% of the study area; thus, broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess N deposition, with greatest impacts at high elevations. - Highlights: ► Critical loads maps for nutrient enrichment effects of nitrogen deposition. ► Critical load estimates show spatial variability related to basin characteristics. ► Critical loads are sensitive to the nitrate threshold value for ecological effects. ► Broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess nitrogen deposition. - Critical loads maps for nutrient enrichment effects of nitrogen deposition show that broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess nitrogen deposition.

  12. The development of an approach to assess critical loads of acidity for woodland habitats in Great Britain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. J. Langan

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Alongside other countries that are signatories to the UNECE Convention Long Range Transboundary on Air Pollution, the UK is committed to reducing the impact of air pollution on the environment. To advise and guide this policy in relation to atmospheric emissions of sulphur and nitrogen, a critical load approach has been developed. To assess the potential impact of these pollutants on woodland habitats a steady state, simple mass balance model has been parameterised. For mineral soils, a Ca:Al ratio in soil solution has been used as the critical load indicator for potential damage. For peat and organic soils critical loads have been set according to a pH criterion. Together these approaches have been used with national datasets to examine the potential scale of acidification in woodland habitats across the UK. The results can be mapped to show the spatial variability in critical loads of the three principal woodland habitat types (managed coniferous, managed broadleaved/ mixed woodland and unmanaged woodland. The results suggest that there is a wide range of critical loads. The most sensitive (lowest critical loads are associated with managed coniferous followed by unmanaged woodland on peat soils. Calculations indicate that at steady state, acid deposition inputs reported for 1995–1997 result in a large proportion of all the woodland habitats identified receiving deposition loads in excess of their critical load; i.e. critical loads are exceeded. These are discussed in relation to future modelled depositions for 2010. Whilst significant widespread negative impacts of such deposition on UK woodland habitats have not been reported, the work serves to illustrate that if acid deposition inputs were maintained and projected emissions reductions not achieved, the long-term sustainability of large areas of woodland in the UK could be compromised. Keywords: critical loads, acid deposition, acidification, woodland, simple mass balance model

  13. Critical loads of nitrogen deposition and critical levels of atmospheric ammonia for semi-natural Mediterranean evergreen woodlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Pinho

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen (N has emerged in recent years as a key factor associated with global changes, with impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems functioning and human health. In order to ameliorate the effects of excessive N, safety thresholds such as critical loads (deposition fluxes and levels (concentrations can be established. Few studies have assessed these thresholds for semi-natural Mediterranean ecosystems. Our objective was therefore to determine the critical loads of N deposition and long-term critical levels of atmospheric ammonia for semi-natural Mediterranean evergreen woodlands. We have considered changes in epiphytic lichen communities, one of the most sensitive comunity indicators of excessive N in the atmosphere. Based on a classification of lichen species according to their tolerance to N we grouped species into response functional groups, which we used as a tool to determine the critical loads and levels. This was done for a Mediterranean climate in evergreen cork-oak woodlands, based on the relation between lichen functional diversity and modelled N deposition for critical loads and measured annual atmospheric ammonia concentrations for critical levels, evaluated downwind from a reduced N source (a cattle barn. Modelling the highly significant relationship between lichen functional groups and annual atmospheric ammonia concentration showed the critical level to be below 1.9 μg m−3, in agreement with recent studies for other ecosystems. Modelling the highly significant relationship between lichen functional groups and N deposition showed that the critical load was lower than 26 kg (N ha−1 yr−1, which is within the upper range established for other semi-natural ecosystems. Taking into account the high sensitivity of lichen communities to excessive N, these values should aid development of policies to protect Mediterranean woodlands from the initial effects of excessive N.

  14. Estimates of critical acid loads and exceedances for forest soils across the conterminous United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven G. McNulty; Erika C. Cohen; Jennifer A. Moore Myers; Timothy J. Sullivan; Harbin Li

    2007-01-01

    Concern regarding the impacts of continued nitrogen and sulfur deposition on ecosystem health has prompted the development of critical acid load assessments for forest soils. A critical acid load is a quantitative estimate of exposure to one or more pollutants at or above which harmful acidification-related effects on sensitive elements of the environment occur. A...

  15. National implementation of the UNECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (effects). Pt. 2. Impacts and risk estimation, critical loads, biodiversity, dynamic modelling, critical level violation, material corrosion; Nationale Umsetzung UNECE-Luftreinhaltekonvention (Wirkungen). T. 2. Wirkungen und Risikoabschaetzungen Critical Loads, Biodiversitaet, Dynamische Modellierung, Critical Levels Ueberschreitungen, Materialkorrosion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gauger, Thomas [Bundesforschungsanstalt fuer Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig (DE). Inst. fuer Agraroekologie (FAL-AOE); Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Navigation; Haenel, Hans-Dieter; Roesemann, Claus [Bundesforschungsanstalt fuer Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig (DE). Inst. fuer Agraroekologie (FAL-AOE); Nagel, Hans-Dieter; Becker, Rolf; Kraft, Philipp; Schlutow, Angela; Schuetze, Gudrun; Weigelt-Kirchner, Regine [OeKO-DATA Gesellschaft fuer Oekosystemanalyse und Umweltdatenmanagement mbH, Strausberg (Germany); Anshelm, Frank [Geotechnik Suedwest Frey Marx GbR, Bietigheim-Bissingen (Germany)

    2008-09-15

    The report on the implementation of the UNECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution Pt.2 covers the following issues: The tasks of the NFC (National Focal Center) Germany including the ICP (international cooperative program) modeling and mapping and the expert panel for heavy metals. Results of the work for the multi-component protocol cover the initial data for the calculation of the critical loads following the mass balance method, critical loads for acid deposition, critical loads for nitrogen input, critical load violations (sulfur, nitrogen). The results of work for the heavy metal protocol cover methodology development and recommendations for ICO modeling and mapping in accordance with international development, contributions of the expert group/ task force on heavy metals (WGSR), data sets on the critical loads for lead, cadmium and mercury, and critical load violations (Pb, Cd, Hg). The results of work on the inclusion of biodiversity (BERN) cover data compilation, acquisition and integration concerning ecosystems, model validation and verification and the possible interpretation frame following the coupling with dynamic modeling. The future development and utilization of dynamic modeling covers model comparison, applicability, the preparation of a national data set and preparations concerning the interface to the BERN model.

  16. Calculation and mapping of critical loads in Europe: Status report 1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Downing, R.J.; Hettelingh, J.P.; De Smet, P.A.M.

    1993-01-01

    The work of the RIVM Coordination Center for Effects (CCE) and National Focal Centers (NFCs) for Mapping over the past two years is summarized. The primary task of the critical loads mapping program during this period was to compute and map critical loads of sulphur in Europe. Efforts were undertaken to enhance the scientific foundations and policy relevance of the critical load program, and to foster consensus among producers and users of this information by means of three workshops. The applied calculation methods are described, as well as the resulting critical loads maps, based upon the outcomes of the workshops. Chapter 2 contains the most recent maps (May 1993) of the critical load of acidity as well as the critical load of sulphur and critical sulphur deposition, which are derived from the critical load of acidity. The chapter also contains maps of the sulphur deposition in Europe in 1980 and 1990, and the resulting exceedances. In chapter 3 the methods and equations used to derive the maps of critical loads and exceedances of acidity and sulphur are described with emphasis on the advances in the calculation methods used since the first European critical loads maps were produced in 1991. In chapter 4 the methods to be used to compute and map critical loads in the future are presented. In chapter 5 an overview of the data inputs is given, and the methods of data handling performed by the CCE to produce the current European maps of critical loads. In chapter 6 the results of an uncertainty analysis is described, which was performed on the critical loads computation methodology to assess the reliability of the computation results and the importance of the various input variables. Chapter 7 provides some conclusions and recommendations resulting from the critical load mapping activities. In Appendix 1 the reports of the can be found, with additional maps of critical loads and background variables in Appendix 2. 15 figs., 11 tabs., 156 refs

  17. The impact of acid deposition and forest harvesting on lakes and their forested catchments in south central Ontario: a critical loads approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. A. Watmough

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available The impact of acid deposition and tree harvesting on three lakes and their representative sub-catchments in the Muskoka-Haliburton region of south-central Ontario was assessed using a critical loads approach. As nitrogen dynamics in forest soils are complex and poorly understood, for simplicity and to allow comparison among lakes and their catchments, CLs (A for both lakes and forest soils were calculated assuming that nitrate leaching from catchments will not change over time (i.e. a best case scenario. In addition, because soils in the region are shallow, base cation weathering rates for the representative sub-catchments were calculated for the entire soil profile and these estimates were also used to calculate critical loads for the lakes. These results were compared with critical loads obtained by the Steady State Water Chemistry (SSWC model. Using the SSWC model, critical loads for lakes were between 7 and 19 meq m-2yr-1 higher than those obtained from soil measurements. Lakes and forests are much more sensitive to acid deposition if forests are harvested, but two acid-sensitive lakes had much lower critical loads than their respective forested sub-catchments implying that acceptable acid deposition levels should be dictated by the most acid-sensitive lakes in the region. Under conditions that assume harvesting, the CL (A is exceeded at two of the three lakes and five of the six sub-catchments assessed in this study. However, sulphate export from catchments greatly exceeds input in bulk deposition and, to prevent lakes from falling below the critical chemical limit, sulphate inputs to lakes must be reduced by between 37% and 92% if forests are harvested. Similarly, sulphate leaching from forested catchments that are harvested must be reduced by between 16 and 79% to prevent the ANC of water draining the rooting zone from falling below 0 μeq l-1. These calculations assume that extremely low calcium leaching losses (9–27 μeq l-1 from

  18. Critical loads - assessment of uncertainty

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barkman, A.

    1998-10-01

    The effects of data uncertainty in applications of the critical loads concept were investigated on different spatial resolutions in Sweden and northern Czech Republic. Critical loads of acidity (CL) were calculated for Sweden using the biogeochemical model PROFILE. Three methods with different structural complexity were used to estimate the adverse effects of S0{sub 2} concentrations in northern Czech Republic. Data uncertainties in the calculated critical loads/levels and exceedances (EX) were assessed using Monte Carlo simulations. Uncertainties within cumulative distribution functions (CDF) were aggregated by accounting for the overlap between site specific confidence intervals. Aggregation of data uncertainties within CDFs resulted in lower CL and higher EX best estimates in comparison with percentiles represented by individual sites. Data uncertainties were consequently found to advocate larger deposition reductions to achieve non-exceedance based on low critical loads estimates on 150 x 150 km resolution. Input data were found to impair the level of differentiation between geographical units at all investigated resolutions. Aggregation of data uncertainty within CDFs involved more constrained confidence intervals for a given percentile. Differentiation as well as identification of grid cells on 150 x 150 km resolution subjected to EX was generally improved. Calculation of the probability of EX was shown to preserve the possibility to differentiate between geographical units. Re-aggregation of the 95%-ile EX on 50 x 50 km resolution generally increased the confidence interval for each percentile. Significant relationships were found between forest decline and the three methods addressing risks induced by S0{sub 2} concentrations. Modifying S0{sub 2} concentrations by accounting for the length of the vegetation period was found to constitute the most useful trade-off between structural complexity, data availability and effects of data uncertainty. Data

  19. Research of Impact Load in Large Electrohydraulic Load Simulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongguang Liu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The stronger impact load will appear in the initial phase when the large electric cylinder is tested in the hardware-in-loop simulation. In this paper, the mathematical model is built based on AMESim, and then the reason of the impact load is investigated through analyzing the changing tendency of parameters in the simulation results. The inhibition methods of impact load are presented according to the structural invariability principle and applied to the actual system. The final experimental result indicates that the impact load is inhibited, which provides a good experimental condition for the electric cylinder and promotes the study of large load simulator.

  20. Critical loads for vegetation. Definition, use and limits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thimonier, A.; Dupouey, J.L.

    1993-01-01

    Vegetation is a key compartment of ecosystems. It contains a large part of the biodiversity at the species level. For the evaluation of critical loads, we have to separate different receptors: lower plants (algae, fungi, lichens and mosses) and vascular plants. Trees must be distinguished due to their economic value. We analyze the different changes that pollution produces on vegetation: the state of health of individuals, changes in the biology and genetics at the population level, changes in the biodiversity or the specific composition at the community level. Calculation of critical loads is based on observational or experimental studies, in more or less controlled environments. However, they cannot yet be obtained through models of vegetation changes. Some results have been acquired at the European level, mainly for critical loads for nitrogen, but these results have come mostly from Northern Europe. Moreover, only heathlands and acidic forests have been studied in depth. Critical loads for a lot of environment types are still unknown. Lower plants and interactions between vegetation and animals need more investigation

  1. Evaluation of cognitive load and emotional states during multidisciplinary critical care simulation sessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawar, Swapnil; Jacques, Theresa; Deshpande, Kush; Pusapati, Raju; Meguerdichian, Michael J

    2018-04-01

    The simulation in critical care setting involves a heterogeneous group of participants with varied background and experience. Measuring the impacts of simulation on emotional state and cognitive load in this setting is not often performed. The feasibility of such measurement in the critical care setting needs further exploration. Medical and nursing staff with varying levels of experience from a tertiary intensive care unit participated in a standardised clinical simulation scenario. The emotional state of each participant was assessed before and after completion of the scenario using a validated eight-item scale containing bipolar oppositional descriptors of emotion. The cognitive load of each participant was assessed after the completion of the scenario using a validated subjective rating tool. A total of 103 medical and nursing staff participated in the study. The participants felt more relaxed (-0.28±1.15 vs 0.14±1, Pcognitive load for all participants was 6.67±1.41. There was no significant difference in the cognitive loads among medical staff versus nursing staff (6.61±2.3 vs 6.62±1.7; P>0.05). A well-designed complex high fidelity critical care simulation scenario can be evaluated to identify the relative cognitive load of the participants' experience and their emotional state. The movement of learners emotionally from a more negative state to a positive state suggests that simulation can be an effective tool for improved knowledge transfer and offers more opportunity for dynamic thinking.

  2. Impact of sampling strategy on stream load estimates in till landscape of the Midwest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidon, P.; Hubbard, L.E.; Soyeux, E.

    2009-01-01

    Accurately estimating various solute loads in streams during storms is critical to accurately determine maximum daily loads for regulatory purposes. This study investigates the impact of sampling strategy on solute load estimates in streams in the US Midwest. Three different solute types (nitrate, magnesium, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)) and three sampling strategies are assessed. Regardless of the method, the average error on nitrate loads is higher than for magnesium or DOC loads, and all three methods generally underestimate DOC loads and overestimate magnesium loads. Increasing sampling frequency only slightly improves the accuracy of solute load estimates but generally improves the precision of load calculations. This type of investigation is critical for water management and environmental assessment so error on solute load calculations can be taken into account by landscape managers, and sampling strategies optimized as a function of monitoring objectives. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

  3. Estimating the Impacts of Direct Load Control Programs Using GridPIQ, a Web-Based Screening Tool

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pal, Seemita; Thayer, Brandon L.; Barrett, Emily L.; Studarus, Karen E.

    2017-11-13

    In direct load control (DLC) programs, utilities can curtail the demand of participating loads to contractually agreed-upon levels during periods of critical peak load, thereby reducing stress on the system, generation cost, and required transmission and generation capacity. Participating customers receive financial incentives. The impacts of implementing DLC programs extend well beyond peak shaving. There may be a shift of load proportional to the interrupted load to the times before or after a DLC event, and different load shifts have different consequences. Tools that can quantify the impacts of such programs on load curves, peak demand, emissions, and fossil fuel costs are currently lacking. The Grid Project Impact Quantification (GridPIQ) screening tool includes a Direct Load Control module, which takes into account project-specific inputs as well as the larger system context in order to quantify the impacts of a given DLC program. This allows users (utilities, researchers, etc.) to test and compare different program specifications and their impacts.

  4. Critical traffic loading for the design of prestressed concrete bridge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassan, M.I.U.

    2009-01-01

    A study has been carried out to determine critical traffic loadings for the design of bridge superstructures. The prestressed concrete girder bridge already constructed in Lahore is selected for the analysis as an example. Standard traffic loadings according to AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) and Pakistan Highway Standards are used for this purpose. These include (1) HL-93 Truck, (2) Lane and (3) Tandem Loadings in addition to (4) Military tank loading, (5) Class-A, (6) Class-B and (7) Class-AA loading, (8) NLC (National Logistic Cell) and (9) Volvo truck loadings. Bridge superstructure including transom beam is analyzed Using ASD and LRFD (Load and Resistance Factor Design) provisions of AASHTO specifications. For the analysis, two longer and shorter spans are selected. This includes the analysis of bridge deck; interior and exterior girder; a typical transom beam and a pier. Dead and live loading determination is carried out using both computer aided and manual calculations. Evaluation of traffic loadings is done for all the bridge components to find out the critical loading. HL-93 loading comes out to be the most critical loading and where this loading is not critical in case of bridge decks; a factor of 1.15 is introduced to make it equivalent with HL-93 -Ioading. SAP-2000 (Structural Engineering Services of Pakistan) and MS-Excel is employed for analysis of bridge superstructure subjected to this loading. Internal forces are obtained for the structural elements of the bridge for all traffic loadings mentioned. It is concluded that HL-93 loading can be used for the design of prestressed concrete girder bridge. Bridge design authorities like NHA (National Highway Authority) and different cities development authorities are using different standard traffic loadings. A number of suggestions are made from the results of the research work related to traffic loadings and method of design. These recommendations may be

  5. Modeling of concrete exposed to severe loading conditions - impact and fire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozbolt, J.; Periskic, G.; Bosnjak, J.; Reinhardt, H.W.; Sharma, A.; Travas, V.

    2011-01-01

    It is well known that the behavior of concrete structures is strongly influenced by loading rate. Compared to quasi-static loading, concrete loaded by impact loading acts in different ways. First, there is a strain-rate influence on strength, stiffness, and ductility, and second, there are inertia forces activated. Both influences are clearly demonstrated in experiments. Moreover, for concrete structures, which exhibit damage and fracture phenomena, the failure mode and cracking pattern depend on loading rate. In general, there is a tendency that with the increase of loading rate the failure mode changes from mode-I to mixed mode. Furthermore, theoretical and experimental investigations indicate that after the crack reaches critical speed of propagation there is crack branching. First part of the present paper focuses on 3D finite-element studies of concrete structures of different kind exposed to impact loading. In the numerical studies the rate sensitive microplane model is used as a constitutive law. The strain-rate influence is captured by the activation energy theory. Inertia forces are implicitly accounted for through dynamic finite element analysis. The results of the study show that the failure mode and structural resistance strongly depend on the loading rate

  6. Mapping critical levels/loads for the Slovak Republic. Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zavodsky, D; Babiakova, G; Mitosinkova, M [and others

    1996-08-01

    As a part of the Agreement on Environmental Cooperation between Norway and Slovakia a project ``Mapping Critical Levels/Loads for Slovakia`` was established. This report presents the final project results. Critical loads for forest, surface and ground waters and their exceedances were calculated by means of the steady-state mass balance model PROFILE for soils, and the steady-state water chemistry method for waters. A grid distance of 10 km was used. Because the sulphur deposition has been decreasing, the exceedances of critical load of acidity and critical sulphur deposition of forest soils have decreased from 1990 to 1995. Practically no acidity exceedances for surface water or ground water were found in 1995. The critical level of forest ozone was exceeded all over Slovakia. In the Tatra mountains the exceedance was over 25000 ppb.h. 23 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.

  7. Effects of nitrogen deposition and empirical nitrogen critical loads for ecoregions of the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardo, L.H.; Fenn, M.E.; Goodale, C.L.; Geiser, L.H.; Driscoll, C.T.; Allen, E.B.; Baron, Jill S.; Bobbink, R.; Bowman, W.D.; Clark, C.M.; Emmett, B.; Gilliam, F.S.; Greaver, T.L.; Hall, S.J.; Lilleskov, E.A.; Liu, L.; Lynch, J.A.; Nadelhoffer, K.J.; Perakis, S.S.; Robin-Abbott, M. J.; Stoddard, J.L.; Weathers, K.C.; Dennis, R.L.

    2011-01-01

    Human activity in the last century has led to a significant increase in nitrogen (N) emissions and atmospheric deposition. This N deposition has reached a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. One approach for quantifying the deposition of pollution that would be harmful to ecosystems is the determination of critical loads. A critical load is defined as the input of a pollutant below which no detrimental ecological effects occur over the long-term according to present knowledge. The objectives of this project were to synthesize current research relating atmospheric N deposition to effects on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the United States, and to estimate associated empirical N critical loads. The receptors considered included freshwater diatoms, mycorrhizal fungi, lichens, bryophytes, herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. Ecosystem impacts included: (1) biogeochemical responses and (2) individual species, population, and community responses. Biogeochemical responses included increased N mineralization and nitrification (and N availability for plant and microbial uptake), increased gaseous N losses (ammonia volatilization, nitric and nitrous oxide from nitrification and denitrification), and increased N leaching. Individual species, population, and community responses included increased tissue N, physiological and nutrient imbalances, increased growth, altered root : shoot ratios, increased susceptibility to secondary stresses, altered fire regime, shifts in competitive interactions and community composition, changes in species richness and other measures of biodiversity, and increases in invasive species. The range of critical loads for nutrient N reported for U.S. ecoregions, inland surface waters, and freshwater wetlands is 1-39 kg N.ha -1.yr -1, spanning the range of N deposition observed over most of the country. The empirical critical loads for N tend to

  8. Mass balance approaches to assess critical loads and target loads of heavy metals for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vries, de W.; Groenenberg, J.E.; Posch, M.

    2015-01-01

    Critical loads of heavy metals address not only ecotoxicological effects on organisms in soils and surface waters, but also food quality in view of public health. A critical load for metals is the load resulting at steady state in a metal concentration in a compartment (e.g. soil solution, surface

  9. Critical acidity loads in France; Charges critiques d`acidite en France

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Probst, A.; Party, J.P.; Fevrier, C. [Centre de Geochimie de la Surface (UPR 06251 du CNRS), 67 - Strasbourg (France); Dambrine, E. [Centre de Recherches Forestieres, INRA, 45 - Orleans (France); Thomas, A.L.; King, D. [Institut National de Recherches Agronomique (INRA), 45 - ORDON (France); Stussi, J.M. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 54 - Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)

    1997-12-31

    Based on results from several systematic forest and surface water monitoring programs, carried out in various parts of France as well as in Europe, acidity critical loads have been calculated for soils and surface waters; critical loads are presented for water and soils in crystalline mountainous regions such as Ardennes, Vosges and Massif Central; links with geochemistry, ecosystems and types of trees are discussed and perspectives are given for the calculation of acid and nitrogen critical loads on the whole France

  10. [Mapping Critical Loads of Heavy Metals for Soil Based on Different Environmental Effects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Ya-xing; Wu, Shao-hua; Zhou, Sheng-lu; Wang, Chun-hui; Chen, Hao

    2015-12-01

    China's rapid development of industrialization and urbanization causes the growing problem of heavy metal pollution of soil, threatening environment and human health. Therefore, prevention and management of heavy metal pollution become particularly important. Critical loads of heavy metals are an important management tool that can be utilized to prevent the occurrence of heavy metal pollution. Our study was based on three cases: status balance, water environmental effects and health risks. We used the steady-state mass balance equation to calculate the critical loads of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn at different effect levels and analyze the values and spatial variation of critical loads. In addition, we used the annual input fluxes of heavy metals of the agro-ecosystem in the Yangtze River delta and China to estimate the proportion of area with exceedance of critical loads. The results demonstrated that the critical load value of Cd was the minimum, and the values of Cu and Zn were lager. There were spatial differences among the critical loads of four elements in the study area, lower critical loads areas mainly occurred in woodland and high value areas distributed in the east and southwest of the study area, while median values and the medium high areas mainly occurred in farmland. Comparing the input fluxes of heavy metals, we found that Pb and Zn in more than 90% of the area exceeded the critical loads under different environmental effects in the study area. The critical load exceedance of Cd mainly occurred under the status balance and the water environmental effect, while Cu under the status balance and water environmental effect with a higher proportion of exceeded areas. Critical loads of heavy metals at different effect levels in this study could serve as a reference from effective control of the emissions of heavy metals and to prevent the occurrence of heavy metal pollution.

  11. Potential nitrogen critical loads for northern Great Plains grassland vegetation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symstad, Amy J.; Smith, Anine T.; Newton, Wesley E.; Knapp, Alan K.

    2015-01-01

    The National Park Service is concerned that increasing atmospheric nitrogen deposition caused by fossil fuel combustion and agricultural activities could adversely affect the northern Great Plains (NGP) ecosystems in its trust. The critical load concept facilitates communication between scientists and policy makers or land managers by translating the complex effects of air pollution on ecosystems into concrete numbers that can be used to inform air quality targets. A critical load is the exposure level below which significant harmful effects on sensitive elements of the environment do not occur. A recent review of the literature suggested that the nitrogen critical load for Great Plains vegetation is 10-25 kg N/ha/yr. For comparison, current atmospheric nitrogen deposition in NGP National Park Service (NPS) units ranges from ~4 kg N/ha/yr in the west to ~13 kg N/ha/yr in the east. The suggested critical load, however, was derived from studies far outside of the NGP, and from experiments investigating nitrogen loads substantially higher than current atmospheric deposition in the region.Therefore, to better determine the nitrogen critical load for sensitive elements in NGP parks, we conducted a four-year field experiment in three northern Great Plains vegetation types at Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks. The vegetation types were chosen because of their importance in NGP parks, their expected sensitivity to nitrogen addition, and to span a range of natural fertility. In the experiment, we added nitrogen at rates ranging from below current atmospheric deposition (2.5 kg N/ha/yr) to far above those levels but commensurate with earlier experiments (100 kg N/ha/yr). We measured the response of a variety of vegetation and soil characteristics shown to be sensitive to nitrogen addition in other studies, including plant biomass production, plant tissue nitrogen concentration, plant species richness and composition, non-native species abundance, and soil inorganic

  12. Mapping critical loads in Europe in the framework of the UN/CEE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hettelingh, J.P.

    1993-01-01

    Critical loads for acidity, sulphur and nitrogen have been computed and geographically mapped in Europe. Critical loads are compared to actual deposition of acidity and of sulphur. Results show that parts of central and north-west Europe receive 20 times or more acidity than the ecosystems' critical loads, thus affecting the long-term sustainability. The Regional Acidification INformation and Simulation model (RAINS) is used to assess 2 scenarios of emission reduction. The first scenario describes currently applied reductions whereas the second assesses the application of maximum feasible reductions to SO 2 and NO x . The latter scenario significantly reduces the area of Europe where critical loads are exceeded. In general, it is shown that a pan-european policy is of highest necessity for obtaining an efficient reduction of acidic emissions throughout Europe. For France, in particular, it is concluded that the excess of critical loads for acidity is largely due to ammonia

  13. Microgrids for Service Restoration to Critical Load in a Resilient Distribution System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Yin; Liu, Chen-Ching; Schneider, Kevin P.; Tuffner, Francis K.; Ton, Dan T.

    2018-01-01

    icrogrids can act as emergency sources to serve critical loads when utility power is unavailable. This paper proposes a resiliency-based methodology that uses microgrids to restore critical loads on distribution feeders after a major disaster. Due to limited capacity of distributed generators (DGs) within microgrids, dynamic performance of the DGs during the restoration process becomes essential. In this paper, the stability of microgrids, limits on frequency deviation, and limits on transient voltage and current of DGs are incorporated as constraints of the critical load restoration problem. The limits on the amount of generation resources within microgrids are also considered. By introducing the concepts of restoration tree and load group, restoration of critical loads is transformed into a maximum coverage problem, which is a linear integer program (LIP). The restoration paths and actions are determined for critical loads by solving the LIP. A 4-feeder, 1069-bus unbalanced test system with four microgrids is utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The method is applied to the distribution system in Pullman, WA, resulting in a strategy that uses generators on the Washington State University campus to restore service to the Hospital and City Hall in Pullman.

  14. Methods for monitoring the initial load to critical in the fast test reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, D.L.

    1975-08-01

    Conventional symmetric fuel loadings for the initial loading to critical of the Fast Test Reactor (FTR) are predicted to be more time consuming than asymmetric or trisector loadings. Potentially significant time savings can be realized by the latter, since adequate intermediate assessments of neutron multiplication can be made periodically without control rod reconnection in all trisectors. Experimental simulation of both loading schemes was carried out in the Reverse Approach to Critical (RAC) experiments in the Fast Test Reactor-Engineering Mockup Critical facility. Analyses of these experiments indicated that conventional source multiplication methods can be applied for monitoring either a symmetric or asymmetric fuel loading scheme equally well provided that detection efficiency corrections are employed. Methods for refining predictions of reactivity and count rates for the stages in a load to critical were also investigated. (auth)

  15. Empirical and simulated critical loads for nitrogen deposition in California mixed conifer forests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenn, M.E.; Jovan, S.; Yuan, F.; Geiser, L.; Meixner, T.; Gimeno, B.S.

    2008-01-01

    Empirical critical loads (CL) for N deposition were determined from changes in epiphytic lichen communities, elevated NO 3 - leaching in streamwater, and reduced fine root biomass in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) at sites with varying N deposition. The CL for lichen community impacts of 3.1 kg ha -1 year -1 is expected to protect all components of the forest ecosystem from the adverse effects of N deposition. Much of the western Sierra Nevada is above the lichen-based CL, showing significant changes in lichen indicator groups. The empirical N deposition threshold and that simulated by the DayCent model for enhanced NO 3 - leaching were 17 kg N ha -1 year -1 . DayCent estimated that elevated NO 3 - leaching in the San Bernardino Mountains began in the late 1950s. Critical values for litter C:N (34.1), ponderosa pine foliar N (1.1%), and N concentrations (1.0%) in the lichen Letharia vulpina ((L.) Hue) are indicative of CL exceedance. - Critical loads for N deposition effects on lichens, trees and nitrate leaching provide benchmarks for protecting California forests

  16. Empirical and simulated critical loads for nitrogen deposition in California mixed conifer forests

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fenn, M.E. [USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507 (United States)], E-mail: mfenn@fs.fed.us; Jovan, S. [USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 620 SW Main, Suite 400, Portland, OR 97205 (United States); Yuan, F. [Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Geiser, L. [USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Air Resource Management Program, PO Box 1148, Corvallis, OR 97339 (United States); Meixner, T. [Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Gimeno, B.S. [Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, CIEMAT (ed. 70), Avda. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

    2008-10-15

    Empirical critical loads (CL) for N deposition were determined from changes in epiphytic lichen communities, elevated NO{sub 3}{sup -} leaching in streamwater, and reduced fine root biomass in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) at sites with varying N deposition. The CL for lichen community impacts of 3.1 kg ha{sup -1} year{sup -1} is expected to protect all components of the forest ecosystem from the adverse effects of N deposition. Much of the western Sierra Nevada is above the lichen-based CL, showing significant changes in lichen indicator groups. The empirical N deposition threshold and that simulated by the DayCent model for enhanced NO{sub 3}{sup -}leaching were 17 kg N ha{sup -1} year{sup -1}. DayCent estimated that elevated NO{sub 3}{sup -} leaching in the San Bernardino Mountains began in the late 1950s. Critical values for litter C:N (34.1), ponderosa pine foliar N (1.1%), and N concentrations (1.0%) in the lichen Letharia vulpina ((L.) Hue) are indicative of CL exceedance. - Critical loads for N deposition effects on lichens, trees and nitrate leaching provide benchmarks for protecting California forests.

  17. A conceptual framework: Redefining forest soil's critical acid loads under a changing climate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McNulty, Steven G.; Boggs, Johnny L.

    2010-01-01

    Federal agencies of several nations have or are currently developing guidelines for critical forest soil acid loads. These guidelines are used to establish regulations designed to maintain atmospheric acid inputs below levels shown to damage forests and streams. Traditionally, when the critical soil acid load exceeds the amount of acid that the ecosystem can absorb, it is believed to potentially impair forest health. The excess over the critical soil acid load is termed the exceedance, and the larger the exceedance, the greater the risk of ecosystem damage. This definition of critical soil acid load applies to exposure of the soil to a single, long-term pollutant (i.e., acidic deposition). However, ecosystems can be simultaneously under multiple ecosystem stresses and a single critical soil acid load level may not accurately reflect ecosystem health risk when subjected to multiple, episodic environmental stress. For example, the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina receive some of the highest rates of acidic deposition in the eastern United States, but these levels are considered to be below the critical acid load (CAL) that would cause forest damage. However, the area experienced a moderate three-year drought from 1999 to 2002, and in 2001 red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in the area began to die in large numbers. The initial survey indicated that the affected trees were killed by the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.). This insect is not normally successful at colonizing these tree species because the trees produce large amounts of oleoresin that exclude the boring beetles. Subsequent investigations revealed that long-term acid deposition may have altered red spruce forest structure and function. There is some evidence that elevated acid deposition (particularly nitrogen) reduced tree water uptake potential, oleoresin production, and caused the trees to become more susceptible to insect colonization during the drought period

  18. Analysis of Mesh Distribution Systems Considering Load Models and Load Growth Impact with Loops on System Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar Sharma, A.; Murty, V. V. S. N.

    2014-12-01

    The distribution system is the final link between bulk power system and consumer end. A distinctive load flow solution method is used for analysis of the load flow of radial and weakly meshed network based on Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL) and KVL. This method has excellent convergence characteristics for both radial as well as weakly meshed structure and is based on bus injection to branch current and branch-current to bus-voltage matrix. The main contribution of the paper is: (i) an analysis has been carried out for a weekly mesh network considering number of loops addition and its impact on the losses, kW and kVAr requirements from a system, and voltage profile, (ii) different load models, realistic ZIP load model and load growth impact on losses, voltage profile, kVA and kVAr requirements, (iii) impact of addition of loops on losses, voltage profile, kVA and kVAr requirements from substation, and (iv) comparison of system performance with radial distribution system. Voltage stability is a major concern in planning and operation of power systems. This paper also includes identifying the closeness critical bus which is the most sensitive to the voltage collapse in radial distribution networks. Node having minimum value of voltage stability index is the most sensitive node. Voltage stability index values are computed for meshed network with number of loops added in the system. The results have been obtained for IEEE 33 and 69 bus test system. The results have also been obtained for radial distribution system for comparison.

  19. Estimation of critical loads for radiocaesium in Fennoscandia and Northwest Russia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howard, B.J.; Wright, S.M.; Barnett, C.L.; Skuterud, L.; Strand, P.

    2002-01-01

    The application of the critical loads methodology for radioactive contamination of Arctic and sub-arctic ecosystems, where natural and semi-natural food products are important components of the diet of many people, is proposed and discussed. The critical load is herein defined as the amount of radionuclide deposition necessary to produce radionuclide activity concentrations in food products exceeding intervention limits. The high transfer of radiocaesium to reindeer meat gives this product the lowest critical load, even though the intervention limit is relatively high compared with other products. Ecological half-lives of radiocaesium in natural and semi-natural products are often very long, and it is therefore important to take account of contamination already present in the event of an accident affecting areas where such products are important. In particular, the long ecological half-life for radiocaesium in moose meat means that the critical load is highly sensitive to prior deposition. An example of the potential application of the method for emergency preparedness is given for the Chernobyl accident

  20. Results of the critical experiments concerning OTTO loading at the critical HTR-test facility KAHTER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drueke, V.; Litzow, W.; Paul, N.

    1982-12-01

    Critical experiments concerning OTTO loading are described. In the KAHTER facility an OTTO loading has been simulated, therefore the original KAHTER assembly was reconstructed. The determination of critical masses and reactivity worths of control rods and of additional absorber rods in the top reflector and in the upper cavity was of main interest for comparison with reactor following calculations. Besides this, reaction rates in different energy regions were measured in the upper part of the core, in the cavity and top reflector. (orig.) [de

  1. Impact evaluation of conducted UWB transients on loads in power-line networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bing; Månsson, Daniel

    2017-09-01

    Nowadays, faced with the ever-increasing dependence on diverse electronic devices and systems, the proliferation of potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) becomes a critical threat for reliable operation. A typical issue is the electronics working reliably in power-line networks when exposed to electromagnetic environment. In this paper, we consider a conducted ultra-wideband (UWB) disturbance, as an example of intentional electromagnetic interference (IEMI) source, and perform the impact evaluation at the loads in a network. With the aid of fast Fourier transform (FFT), the UWB transient is characterized in the frequency domain. Based on a modified Baum-Liu-Tesche (BLT) method, the EMI received at the loads, with complex impedance, is computed. Through inverse FFT (IFFT), we obtain time-domain responses of the loads. To evaluate the impact on loads, we employ five common, but important quantifiers, i.e., time-domain peak, total signal energy, peak signal power, peak time rate of change and peak time integral of the pulse. Moreover, to perform a comprehensive analysis, we also investigate the effects of the attributes (capacitive, resistive, or inductive) of other loads connected to the network, the rise time and pulse width of the UWB transient, and the lengths of power lines. It is seen that, for the loads distributed in a network, the impact evaluation of IEMI should be based on the characteristics of the IEMI source, and the network features, such as load impedances, layout, and characteristics of cables.

  2. Impact evaluation of conducted UWB transients on loads in power-line networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Li

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, faced with the ever-increasing dependence on diverse electronic devices and systems, the proliferation of potential electromagnetic interference (EMI becomes a critical threat for reliable operation. A typical issue is the electronics working reliably in power-line networks when exposed to electromagnetic environment. In this paper, we consider a conducted ultra-wideband (UWB disturbance, as an example of intentional electromagnetic interference (IEMI source, and perform the impact evaluation at the loads in a network. With the aid of fast Fourier transform (FFT, the UWB transient is characterized in the frequency domain. Based on a modified Baum–Liu–Tesche (BLT method, the EMI received at the loads, with complex impedance, is computed. Through inverse FFT (IFFT, we obtain time-domain responses of the loads. To evaluate the impact on loads, we employ five common, but important quantifiers, i.e., time-domain peak, total signal energy, peak signal power, peak time rate of change and peak time integral of the pulse. Moreover, to perform a comprehensive analysis, we also investigate the effects of the attributes (capacitive, resistive, or inductive of other loads connected to the network, the rise time and pulse width of the UWB transient, and the lengths of power lines. It is seen that, for the loads distributed in a network, the impact evaluation of IEMI should be based on the characteristics of the IEMI source, and the network features, such as load impedances, layout, and characteristics of cables.

  3. Damage Accumulation in Vertical Breakwaters due to Combined Impact Loading and Pulsating Wave Loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Nielsen, Søren R. K.

    1999-01-01

    Vertical wall breakwaters used to protect for example an harbour from large waves usually consist of large concrete caissons placed on the seabed. The wave loads can be divided in two types, pulsating and impact loads. For some types of breakwaters especially the impact wave loads can be very large...

  4. On-Line Impact Load Identification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Sekuła

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The so-called Adaptive Impact Absorption (AIA is a research area of safety engineering devoted to problems of shock absorption in various unpredictable scenarios of collisions. It makes use of smart technologies (systems equipped with sensors, controllable dissipaters and specialised tools for signal processing. Examples of engineering applications for AIA systems are protective road barriers, automotive bumpers or adaptive landing gears. One of the most challenging problems for AIA systems is on-line identification of impact loads, which is crucial for introducing the optimum real-time strategy of adaptive impact absorption. This paper presents the concept of an impactometer and develops the methodology able to perform real-time impact load identification. Considered dynamic excitation is generated by a mass M1 impacting with initial velocity V0. An analytical formulation of the problem, supported with numerical simulations and experimental verifications is presented. Two identification algorithms based on measured response of the impacted structure are proposed and discussed. Finally, a concept of the AIA device utilizing the idea of impactometer is briefly presented.

  5. Surface water acidification and critical loads: exploring the F-factor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Bishop

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available As acid deposition decreases, uncertainties in methods for calculating critical loads become more important when judgements have to be made about whether or not further emission reductions are needed. An important aspect of one type of model that has been used to calculate surface water critical loads is the empirical F-factor which estimates the degree to which acid deposition is neutralised before it reaches a lake at any particular point in time relative to the pre-industrial, steady-state water chemistry conditions.

    In this paper we will examine how well the empirical F-functions are able to estimate pre-industrial lake chemistry as lake chemistry changes during different phases of acidification and recovery. To accomplish this, we use the dynamic, process-oriented biogeochemical model SAFE to generate a plausible time series of annual runoff chemistry for ca. 140 Swedish catchments between 1800 and 2100. These annual hydrochemistry data are then used to generate empirical F-factors that are compared to the "actual" F-factor seen in the SAFE data for each lake and year in the time series. The dynamics of the F-factor as catchments acidify, and then recover are not widely recognised.

    Our results suggest that the F-factor approach worked best during the acidification phase when soil processes buffer incoming acidity. However, the empirical functions for estimating F from contemporary lake chemistry are not well suited to the recovery phase when the F-factor turns negative due to recovery processes in the soil. This happens when acid deposition has depleted the soil store of BC, and then acid deposition declines, reducing the leaching of base cations to levels below those in the pre-industrial era. An estimate of critical load from water chemistry during recovery and empirical F functions would therefore result in critical loads that are too low. Therefore, the empirical estimates of the F-factor are a significant source of

  6. Criticality conditions of heterogeneous energetic materials under shock loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nassar, Anas; Rai, Nirmal Kumar; Sen, Oishik; Udaykumar, H. S.

    2017-06-01

    Shock interaction with the microstructural heterogeneities of energetic materials can lead to the formation of locally heated regions known as hot spots. These hot spots are the potential sites where chemical reaction may be initiated. However, the ability of a hot spot to initiate chemical reaction depends on its size, shape and strength (temperature). Previous study by Tarver et al. has shown that there exists a critical size and temperature for a given shape (spherical, cylindrical, and planar) of the hot spot above which reaction initiation is imminent. Tarver et al. assumed a constant temperature variation in the hot spot. However, the meso-scale simulations show that the temperature distribution within a hot spot formed from processes such as void collapse is seldom constant. Also, the shape of a hot spot can be arbitrary. This work is an attempt towards development of a critical hot spot curve which is a function of loading strength, duration and void morphology. To achieve the aforementioned goal, mesoscale simulations are conducted on porous HMX material. The process is repeated for different loading conditions and void sizes. The hot spots formed in the process are examined for criticality depending on whether they will ignite or not. The metamodel is used to obtain criticality curves and is compared with the critical hot spot curve of Tarver et al.

  7. A conceptual framework: redifining forests soil's critical acid loads under a changing climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven G. McNulty; Johnny L. Boggs

    2010-01-01

    Federal agencies of several nations have or are currently developing guidelines for critical forest soil acid loads. These guidelines are used to establish regulations designed to maintain atmospheric acid inputs below levels shown to damage forests and streams. Traditionally, when the critical soil acid load exceeds the amount of acid that the ecosystem can absorb, it...

  8. Mechanical Model for Dynamic Behavior of Concrete Under Impact Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yuanxiang

    Concrete is a geo-material which is used substantively in the civil building and military safeguard. One coupled model of damage and plasticity to describe the complex behavior of concrete subjected to impact loading is proposed in this research work. The concrete is assumed as homogeneous continuum with pre-existing micro-cracks and micro-voids. Damage to concrete is caused due to micro-crack nucleation, growth and coalescence, and defined as the probability of fracture at a given crack density. It induces a decrease of strength and stiffness of concrete. Compaction of concrete is physically a collapse of the material voids. It produces the plastic strain in the concrete and, at the same time, an increase of the bulk modulus. In terms of crack growth model, micro-cracks are activated, and begin to propagate gradually. When crack density reaches a critical value, concrete takes place the smashing destroy. The model parameters for mortar are determined using plate impact experiment with uni-axial strain state. Comparison with the test results shows that the proposed model can give consistent prediction of the impact behavior of concrete. The proposed model may be used to design and analysis of concrete structures under impact and shock loading. This work is supported by State Key Laboratory of Explosion science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology (YBKT14-02).

  9. Bearing Capacity of Foundations subjected to Impact Loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ibsen, Lars Bo; Jakobsen, Kim Parsberg

    1996-01-01

    In the design process for foundations, the bearing capacity calculations are normally restricted to monotonic loads. Even in cases where the impact load is of significance the dynamic aspects are neglected by use of a traditional deterministic ultimate limit state analysis. Nevertheless it is com......In the design process for foundations, the bearing capacity calculations are normally restricted to monotonic loads. Even in cases where the impact load is of significance the dynamic aspects are neglected by use of a traditional deterministic ultimate limit state analysis. Nevertheless...

  10. Application of the critical loads approach in South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Van Tienhoven, AM

    1995-12-01

    Full Text Available , South Africa. Abstract. South Africa is the most industrialised country in southern Africa and stands at some risk from negative pollution i apa~ To the authors' knowledge, this paper presents the first attempt toapply the critical loads approach...

  11. Study on Mechanical Properties of Barite Concrete under Impact Load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Z. F.; Cheng, K.; Wu, D.; Gan, Y. C.; Tao, Q. W.

    2018-03-01

    In order to research the mechanical properties of Barite concrete under impact load, a group of concrete compression tests was carried out under the impact load by using the drop test machine. A high-speed camera was used to record the failure process of the specimen during the impact process. The test results show that:with the increase of drop height, the loading rate, the peak load, the strain under peak load, the strain rate and the dynamic increase factor (DIF) all increase gradually. The ultimate tensile strain is close to each other, and the time of impact force decreases significantly, showing significant strain rate effect.

  12. Probabilistic Load Models for Simulating the Impact of Load Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Peiyuan; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte; Chen, Zhe

    2009-01-01

    . It is concluded that the AR(12) model is favored with limited measurement data and that the joint-normal model may provide better results with a large data set. Both models can be applied in general to model load time series and used in time-sequential simulation of distribution system planning.......This paper analyzes a distribution system load time series through autocorrelation coefficient, power spectral density, probabilistic distribution and quantile value. Two probabilistic load models, i.e. the joint-normal model and the autoregressive model of order 12 (AR(12)), are proposed...... to simulate the impact of load management. The joint-normal model is superior in modeling the tail region of the hourly load distribution and implementing the change of hourly standard deviation. Whereas the AR(12) model requires much less parameter and is superior in modeling the autocorrelation...

  13. a model for the determination of the critical buckling load of self

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    Considering the widespread use of this type of structure and the critical role it ... proposed by the model for the critical buckling load of self- supporting lattice tower, whose equivalent solid beam- ... stiffness, both material and geometric, [5, 6].

  14. Impact load time histories for viscoelastic missiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoykovich, M.

    1977-01-01

    Generation of the impact load time history at the contact point between a viscoelastic missile and its targets is presented. In the past, in the case of aircraft striking containment shell structure, the impact load history was determined on the basis of actual measurements by subjecting a rigid wall to aircraft crash. The effects of elastic deformation of the target upon the impact load time history is formulated in this paper. The missile is idealized by a linear mass-spring-dashpot combination using viscoelastic models. These models can readily be processed taking into account the elastic as well as inelastic deformations of the missiles. The target is assumed to be either linearly elastic or rigid. In the case of the linearly elastic target, the normal mode theory is used to express the time-dependent displacements of the target which is simulated by lumped masses, elastic properties and dashpots in discrete parts. In the case of Maxwell viscoelastic model, the time-dependent displacements of the missile and the target are given in terms of the unknown impact load time history. This leads to an integral equation which may be solved by Laplace transformation. The normal mode theory is provided. Examples are given for bricks with viscoelastic materials as missiles against a rigid target. (Auth.)

  15. Variability of electricity load patterns and its effect on demand response: A critical peak pricing experiment on Korean commercial and industrial customers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jang, Dongsik; Eom, Jiyong; Jae Park, Min; Jeung Rho, Jae

    2016-01-01

    To the extent that demand response represents an intentional electricity usage adjustment to price changes or incentive payments, consumers who exhibit more-variable load patterns on normal days may be capable of altering their loads more significantly in response to dynamic pricing plans. This study investigates the variation in the pre-enrollment load patterns of Korean commercial and industrial electricity customers and their impact on event-day loads during a critical peak pricing experiment in the winter of 2013. Contrary to conventional approaches to profiling electricity loads, this study proposes a new clustering technique based on variability indices that collectively represent the potential demand–response resource that these customers would supply. Our analysis reveals that variability in pre-enrollment load patterns does indeed have great predictive power for estimating their impact on demand–response loads. Customers in relatively low-variability clusters provided limited or no response, whereas customers in relatively high-variability clusters consistently presented large load impacts, accounting for most of the program-level peak reductions. This study suggests that dynamic pricing programs themselves may not offer adequate motivation for meaningful adjustments in load patterns, particularly for customers in low-variability clusters. - Highlights: • A method of clustering customers by variability indices is developed. • Customers in high-variability clusters provide substantial peak reductions. • Low-variability clusters exhibit limited reductions. • For low-variability customers, alternative policy instruments is well advised. • A model of discerning customer's demand response potential is suggested.

  16. Measurement of deforming mode of lattice truss structures under impact loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao H.

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Lattice truss structures, which are used as a core material in sandwich panels, were widely investigated experimentally and theoretically. However, explanation of the deforming mechanism using reliable experimental results is almost rarely reported, particularly for the dynamic deforming mechanism. The present work aimed at the measurement of the deforming mode of lattice truss structures. Indeed, quasi-static and Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB tests have been performed on the tetrahedral truss cores structures made of Aluminum 3003-O. Global values such as crushing forces and displacements between the loading platens are obtained. However, in order to understand the deforming mechanism and to explain the observed impact strength enhancement observed in the experiments, images of the truss core element during the tests are recorded. A method based on the edge detection algorithm is developed and applied to these images. The deforming profiles of one beam are extracted and it allows for calculating the length of beam. It is found that these lengths diminish to a critical value (due to compression and remain constant afterwards (because of significant bending. The comparison between quasi-static and impact tests shows that the beam were much more compressed under impact loading, which could be understood as the lateral inertia effect in dynamic bucking. Therefore, the impact strength enhancement of tetrahedral truss core sandwich panel can be explained by the delayed buckling of beam under impact (more compression reached, together with the strain hardening of base material.

  17. Long-term modelling of nitrogen turnover and critical loads in a forested catchment using the INCA model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.-J. Langusch

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Many forest ecosystems in Central Europe have reached the status of N saturation due to chronically high N deposition. In consequence, the NO3 leaching into ground- and surface waters is often substantial. Critical loads have been defined to abate the negative consequences of the NO3 leaching such as soil acidification and nutrient losses. The steady state mass balance method is normally used to calculate critical loads for N deposition in forest ecosystems. However, the steady state mass balance approach is limited because it does not take into account hydrology and the time until the steady state is reached. The aim of this study was to test the suitability of another approach: the dynamic model INCA (Integrated Nitrogen Model for European Catchments. Long-term effects of changing N deposition and critical loads for N were simulated using INCA for the Lehstenbach spruce catchment (Fichtelgebirge, NE Bavaria, Germany under different hydrological conditions. Long-term scenarios of either increasing or decreasing N deposition indicated that, in this catchment, the response of nitrate concentrations in runoff to changing N deposition is buffered by a large groundwater reservoir. The critical load simulated by the INCA model with respect to a nitrate concentration of 0.4 mg N l–1 as threshold value in runoff was 9.7 kg N ha–1yr–1 compared to 10 kg ha–1yr–1 for the steady state model. Under conditions of lower precipitation (520 mm the resulting critical load was 7.7 kg N ha–1yr–1 , suggesting the necessity to account for different hydrological conditions when calculating critical loads. The INCA model seems to be suitable to calculate critical loads for N in forested catchments under varying hydrological conditions e.g. as a consequence of climate change. Keywords: forest ecosystem, N saturation, critical load, modelling, long-term scenario, nitrate leaching, critical loads reduction, INCA

  18. Precast concrete sandwich panels subjected to impact loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runge, Matthew W.

    Precast concrete sandwich panels are a relatively new product in the construction industry. The design of these panels incorporates properties that allow for great resilience against temperature fluctuation as well as the very rapid and precise construction of facilities. The concrete sandwich panels investigated in this study represent the second generation of an ongoing research and development project. This second generation of panels have been engineered to construct midsized commercial buildings up to three stories in height as well as residential dwellings. The panels consist of a double-tee structural wythe, a foam core and a fascia wythe, joined by shear connectors. Structures constructed from these panels may be subjected to extreme loading including the effects of seismic and blast loading in addition to wind. The aim of this work was to investigate the behaviour of this particular sandwich panel when subjected to structural impact events. The experimental program consisted of fourteen concrete sandwich panels, five of which were considered full-sized specimens (2700 mm X 1200mm X 270 mm) and nine half-sized specimens (2700mm X 600mm X 270 mm) The panels were subjected to impact loads from a pendulum impact hammer where the total energy applied to the panels was varied by changing the mass of the hammer. The applied loads, displacements, accelerations, and strains at the mid-span of the panel as well as the reaction point forces were monitored during the impact. The behaviour of the panels was determined primarily from the experimental results. The applied loads at low energy levels that caused little to no residual deflection as well as the applied loads at high energy levels that represent catastrophic events and thus caused immediate failure were determined from an impact on the structural and the fascia wythes. Applied loads at intermediate energy levels representing extreme events were also used to determine whether or not the panels could withstand

  19. Load and wear experiments on the impact hammer of a vertical shaft impact crusher

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, J H; Fang, H Y; Luo, M

    2015-01-01

    Impact hammers are important components of impact crushers, and are often shortlived due to the high-impact nature of their use. Wear-resistant alloys are welded to the surface of impact hammers to prolong their service life. In this paper, a simulation model of the rotor and impact hammers in impact crushers was designed to utilize the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The wear-resistant alloy on each impact hammer was divided into twenty-two action regions. The load distribution on each alloy block is affected by the structural and manufacturing parameters of the impact crusher. The wear distribution of the impact hammer was measured by shape morphology according to relative impact crushers. The results demonstrated that the real measurements of wear distribution on the impact hammer were similar to simulated load distribution measurements on the same surface. The study of load distribution of impact hammers by DEM established a theoretical foundation on which to base the optimal design of impact crushers. (paper)

  20. Economic impact analysis of load forecasting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranaweera, D.K.; Karady, G.G.; Farmer, R.G.

    1997-01-01

    Short term load forecasting is an essential function in electric power system operations and planning. Forecasts are needed for a variety of utility activities such as generation scheduling, scheduling of fuel purchases, maintenance scheduling and security analysis. Depending on power system characteristics, significant forecasting errors can lead to either excessively conservative scheduling or very marginal scheduling. Either can induce heavy economic penalties. This paper examines the economic impact of inaccurate load forecasts. Monte Carlo simulations were used to study the effect of different load forecasting accuracy. Investigations into the effect of improving the daily peak load forecasts, effect of different seasons of the year and effect of utilization factors are presented

  1. Water pollution abatement programme. The Czech Republic. Project 4.2. Assessing critical loads of acidity to surface waters in the Czech Republic. Critical loads of acidity to surface waters, north-eastern Bohemia and northern Moravia, The Czech Republic

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lien, L.; Raclavsky, K.; Raclavska, H.; Matysek, D.; Hovind, H.

    1996-01-01

    This report discusses estimates of critical loads of acidity to surface waters and their exceedances, for north-eastern Bohemia and Moravia in The Czech Republic. The survey covers 13 400 km{sup 2}, or 17% of the area of the country. Varying critical loads were observed within the examined region. 19% of the examined area showed exceedance of critical load and another 11% was close to exceedance. The survey should continue in Bohemia. 24 refs., 20 figs., 4 tabs.

  2. Derivation and Mapping of Critical Loads for Nitrogen and Trends in Their Exceedance in Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans-Dieter Nagel

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The term “critical load” means a quantitative estimate of an exposure to one or more pollutants below which significant harmful effects on specified sensitive elements of the environment do not occur, according to present knowledge. In the case of nitrogen, both oxidised and reduced compounds contribute to the total deposition of acidity, which exceeds critical loads in many forest ecosystems. These also cause negative effects through eutrophication. Critical loads of nitrogen were derived for forest soils (deciduous and coniferous forest, natural grassland, acid fens, heathland, and mesotrophic peat bogs. In Germany, a decrease in sulphur emissions over the past 15 years resulted in a reduced exceedance of critical loads for acid deposition. In the same period it was noted that reduction in the emissions of nitrogen oxides and ammonia remained insignificant. Therefore, emissions of nitrogen compounds have become relatively more important and will continue to threaten ecosystem function and stability. The risk of environmental damage remains at an unacceptable level. The German maps show the degree to which the critical loads are exceeded, and they present current developments and an expected future trend. Results indicate that recovery from pollutant stress occurs only gradually.

  3. Analysis of Dynamic Properties of Piezoelectric Structure under Impact Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taotao Zhang

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available An analytical model of the dynamic properties is established for a piezoelectric structure under impact load, without considering noise and perturbations in this paper. Based on the general theory of piezo-elasticity and impact mechanics, the theoretical solutions of the mechanical and electrical fields of the smart structure are obtained with the standing and traveling wave methods, respectively. The comparisons between the two methods have shown that the standing wave method is better for studying long-time response after an impact load. In addition, good agreements are found between the theoretical and the numerical results. To simulate the impact load, both triangle and step pulse loads are used and comparisons are given. Furthermore, the influence of several parameters is discussed so as to provide some advices for practical use. It can be seen that the proposed analytical model would benefit, to some extent, the design and application (especially the airport runway of the related smart devices by taking into account their impact load performance.

  4. Insensitivity of proportional fairness in critically loaded bandwidth sharing networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vlasiou, M.; Zhang, J.; Zwart, B.

    2014-01-01

    Proportional fairness is a popular service allocation mechanism to describe and analyze the performance of data networks at flow level. Recently, several authors have shown that the invariant distribution of such networks admits a product form distribution under critical loading. Assuming

  5. Assessing the performance of reinforced concrete structures under impact loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Akanshu; Reddy, G.R.; Vaze, K.K.; Ozbolt, Josko; Hofmann, J.

    2011-01-01

    Reinforced concrete (RC) structures housing nuclear facilities must qualify against much stringent requirements of operating and accidental loads than conventional structures. One such accidental load that must be considered while assessing the performance of safety related RC structures is impact load. It is known that the behavior of concrete/reinforced concrete structures is strongly influenced by the loading rate. The RC structural members subjected to impact loads behave quite differently as compared to the same subjected to quasi-static loading due to the strain-rate influence on strength, stiffness, and ductility as well as to the activation of inertia forces. Moreover, for concrete structures, which exhibit damage and fracture phenomena, the failure mode and cracking pattern depend significantly on loading rate. In general, there is a tendency that with the increase of loading rate the failure mode changes from mode-I to mixed mode. In order to assess the performance of existing structures against impact loads that may be generated mainly due to man-made accidental conditions, it is important to have models that can realistically predict the impact behavior of concrete structures. The present paper focuses on a relatively new approach for 3D finite element analysis of RC structures under impact loads. The approach uses rate sensitive micro-plane model as constitutive law for concrete, while the strain-rate influence is captured by the activation energy. Inertia forces are implicitly accounted for through dynamic finite element analysis. It is shown with the help of different examples that the approach can very well simulate the behavior of RC structural elements under high rate loading. (author)

  6. Eutrophic lichens respond to multiple forms of N: implications for critical levels and critical loads research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarah Jovan; Jennifer Riddell; Pamela E Padgett; Thomas Nash

    2012-01-01

    Epiphytic lichen communities are highly sensitive to excess nitrogen (N), which causes the replacement of native floras by N-tolerant, ‘‘weedy’’ eutrophic species. This shift is commonly used as the indicator of ecosystem ‘‘harm’’ in studies developing empirical critical levels (CLE) for ammonia (NH3) and critical loads (CLO) for N. To be most...

  7. Critical loads as a policy tool for protecting ecosystems from the effects of air pollutants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas A. Burns; Tamara Blett; Richard Haeuber; Linda H. Pardo

    2008-01-01

    Framing the effects of air pollutants on ecosystems in terms of a "critical load" provides a meaningful approach for research scientists to communicate policy-relevant science to air-quality policy makers and natural resource managers. A critical-loads approach has been widely used to shape air-pollutant control policy in Europe since the 1980s, yet has only...

  8. Steady-state critical loads of acidity for forest soils in the Georgia Basin, British Columbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaun A. WATMOUGH

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available There has been growing interest in acid rain research in western Canada where sulphur (S and nitrogen (N emissions are expected to increase during the next two decades. One region of concern is southern British Columbia, specifically the Georgia Basin, where emissions are expected to increase owing to the expansion of industry and urban centres (Vancouver and Victoria. In the current study, weathering rates and critical loads of acidity (S and N for forest soils were estimated at nineteen sites located within the Georgia Basin. A base cation to aluminium ratio of 10 was selected as the critical chemical criterion associated with ecosystem damage. The majority of the sites (58% had low base cation weathering rates (≤50 meq m–2 y–1 based on the PROFILE model. Accordingly, mean critical load for the study sites, estimated using the steady-state mass balance model, ranged between 129–168 meq m–2 y–1. Annual average total (wet and dry S and N deposition during the period 2005–2006 (estimated by the Community Multiscale Air Quality model, exceeded critical load at five–nine of the study sites (mean exceedance = 32–46 meq m–2 y–1. The high-elevation (>1000 m study sites had shallow, acid sensitive, soils with low weathering rates; however, critical loads were predominantly exceeded at sites close to Vancouver under higher modelled deposition loads. The extent of exceedance is similar to other industrial regions in western and eastern Canada.

  9. Determination of the critical plane and durability estimation for a multiaxial cyclic loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burago, N. G.; Nikitin, A. D.; Nikitin, I. S.; Yakushev, V. L.

    2018-03-01

    An analytical procedure is proposed to determine the critical plane orientation according to the Findley criterion for the multiaxial cyclic loading. The cases of in-phase and anti-phase cyclic loading are considered. Calculations of the stress state are carried out for the system of the gas turbine engine compressor disk and blades for flight loading cycles. The formulas obtained are used for estimations of the fatigue durability of this essential element of structure.

  10. The Application of Load-cell Technique in the Study of Armour Unit Responses to Impact Loads Tests

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burcharth, H. F.; Liu, Z.

    1995-01-01

    The slender, complex types of armour units, such as Tetrapods and Dolosse are widely used for rubble mound breakwaters. Many of the recent failures of such structures were caused by unforeseen early breakage of the units, thus revealing an in balance between the strength (structural integrity......) of the units and the hydraulic stability (resistance to displacements) of the armour layers. Breakage is caused by stresses from static, pulsating and impact loads. Impact load generated stresses are difficult to investigate due to non-linear scaling laws. The paper describes a method by which impact loads on....... slender armour units can be studied. by load-cell technique. Moreover, the paper presents DoJos design diagrams for the prediction of both breakage and hydraulic stability...

  11. Critical current degradation in superconducting niobium-titanium alloys in external magnetic fields under loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bojko, V.S.; Lazareva, M.B.; Starodubov, Ya.D.; Chernyj, O.V.; Gorbatenko, V.M.

    1992-01-01

    The effect of external magnetic fields on the stress at which the critical current starts to degrade (the degradation threshold σ 0 e ) under mechanical loads in superconducting Nb-Ti alloys is studied and a possible mechanism of realization of the effect observed is proposed.It is assumed that additional stresses on the transformation dislocation from the external magnetic fields are beneficial for the growth of martensite inclusions whose superconducting parameters (critical current density j k and critical temperature T k ) are lower then those in the initial material.The degradation threshold is studied experimentally in external magnetic fields H up to 7 T.The linear dependence σ 0 e (H) is observed.It is shown that external magnetic fields play an important role in the critical current degradation at the starting stages of deformation.This fact supports the assumption that the degradation of superconducting parameters under loading are due to the phenomenon of superelasticity,i.e. a reversible load-induced change in the martensite inclusions sizes rather than the reversible mechanical twinning.The results obtained are thought to be important to estimating superconducting solenoid stability in a wide range of magnetic fields

  12. Impact load time histories for viscoelastic missiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoykovich, M.

    1977-01-01

    Generation of the impact load time history at the contact point between a viscoelastic missile and its targets is presented. In the past, in the case of aircraft striking containment shell structure, the impact load time history was determined on the basis of actual measurements by subjecting a rigid wall to aircraft crash. The effects of elastic deformation of the target upon the impact load time history is formulated in this paper. The missile is idealized by a linear mass-spring-dashpot combination using viscoelastic models. These models can readily be processed taking into account the elastic as well as inelastic deformations of the missiles. The target is assumed to be either linearly elastic or rigid. In the case of the linearly elastic target, the normal mode theory is used to express the time-dependent displacements of the target which is simulated by lumped masses, elastic properties and dashpots in discrete parts. In the case of Maxwell viscoelastic model, the time-dependent displacements of the missile and the target are given in terms of the unknown impact load time history. This leads to an integral equation which may be solved by Laplace transformation. The normal mode theory is provided. The target structure may be composed of different materials with different components. Concrete and steel structural components have inherently different viscous friction damping properties. Hence, the equivalent modal damping depends on the degree of participation of these components in the modal response. An approximate rule for determining damping in any vibration mode by weighting the damping of each component according to the modal energy stored in each component is considered

  13. The scratch test - Different critical load determination techniques. [adhesive strength of thin hard coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekler, J.; Hintermann, H. E.; Steinmann, P. A.

    1988-01-01

    Different critical load determination techniques such as microscopy, acoustic emission, normal, tangential, and lateral forces used for scratch test evaluation of complex or multilayer coatings are investigated. The applicability of the scratch test to newly developed coating techniques, systems, and applications is discussed. Among the methods based on the use of a physical measurement, acoustic emission detection is the most effective. The dynamics ratio between the signals below and above the critical load for the acoustic emission (much greater than 100) is well above that obtained with the normal, tangential, and lateral forces. The present commercial instruments are limited in load application performance. A scratch tester able to apply accurate loads as low as 0.01 N would probably overcome most of the actual limitations and would be expected to extend the scratch testing technique to different application fields such as optics and microelectronics.

  14. Mapping critical loads of nitrogen deposition for aquatic ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanus, Leora; Clow, David W.; Saros, Jasmine E.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Campbell, Donald H.

    2012-01-01

    Spatially explicit estimates of critical loads of nitrogen (N) deposition (CLNdep) for nutrient enrichment in aquatic ecosystems were developed for the Rocky Mountains, USA, using a geostatistical approach. The lowest CLNdep estimates (-1 yr-1) occurred in high-elevation basins with steep slopes, sparse vegetation, and abundance of exposed bedrock and talus. These areas often correspond with areas of high N deposition (>3 kg N ha-1 yr-1), resulting in CLNdep exceedances ≥1.5 ± 1 kg N ha-1 yr-1. CLNdep and CLNdep exceedances exhibit substantial spatial variability related to basin characteristics and are highly sensitive to the NO3- threshold at which ecological effects are thought to occur. Based on an NO3- threshold of 0.5 μmol L-1, N deposition exceeds CLNdep in 21 ± 8% of the study area; thus, broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess N deposition, with greatest impacts at high elevations.

  15. Performance of Railway Sleepers with Holes under Impact Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Chie Hong; Kaewunruen, Sakdirat; Mlilo, Nhlanganiso

    2017-12-01

    Prestressed concrete sleepers are essential structural components of railway track structures, with the purpose of redistributing wheel loads from the rails to the ground. To facilitate cables and signalling equipment, holes are often generated in these prestressed concrete sleepers. However, the performance of these sleepers under impact loading may be a concern with the addition of these holes. Numerical modelling using finite element analysis (FEA) is an ideal tool that enables static and dynamic simulation and can perform analyses of basic/advanced linear and nonlinear problems, without incurring a huge cost in resources like standard experimental test methods would. This paper will utilize the three-dimensional FE modelling software ABAQUS to investigate the behaviour of the prestressed concrete sleepers with holes of varying sizes upon impact loading. To obtain the results that resemble real-life behaviour of the sleepers under impact loading, the material properties, element types, mesh sizes, contact and interactions and boundary conditions will be defined as accurately as possible. Both Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) and Brittle Cracking models will be used in this study. With a better understanding of how the introduction of holes will influence the performance of prestressed sleepers under impact loading, track and railway engineers will be able to generate them in prestressed concrete sleepers without compromising the sleepers’ performance during operation

  16. Prediction method for cavitation erosion based on measurement of bubble collapse impact loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hattori, S; Hirose, T; Sugiyama, K

    2009-01-01

    The prediction of cavitation erosion rates is important in order to evaluate the exact life of components. The measurement of impact loads in bubble collapses helps to predict the life under cavitation erosion. In this study, we carried out erosion tests and the measurements of impact loads in bubble collapses with a vibratory apparatus. We evaluated the incubation period based on a cumulative damage rule by measuring the impact loads of cavitation acting on the specimen surface and by using the 'constant impact load - number of impact loads curve' similar to the modified Miner's rule which is employed for fatigue life prediction. We found that the parameter Σ(F i α xn i ) (F i : impact load, n i : number of impacts and α: constant) is suitable for the evaluation of the erosion life. Moreover, we propose a new method that can predict the incubation period under various cavitation conditions.

  17. Quantitative analysis of impact measurements using dynamic load cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brent J. Maranzano

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available A mathematical model is used to estimate material properties from a short duration transient impact force measured by dropping spheres onto rectangular coupons fixed to a dynamic load cell. The contact stress between the dynamic load cell surface and the projectile are modeled using Hertzian contact mechanics. Due to the short impact time relative to the load cell dynamics, an additional Kelvin–Voigt element is included in the model to account for the finite response time of the piezoelectric crystal. Calculations with and without the Kelvin–Voigt element are compared to experimental data collected from combinations of polymeric spheres and polymeric and metallic surfaces. The results illustrate that the inclusion of the Kelvin–Voigt element qualitatively captures the post impact resonance and non-linear behavior of the load cell signal and quantitatively improves the estimation of the Young's elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. Mathematically, the additional KV element couples one additional differential equation to the Hertzian spring-dashpot equation. The model can be numerically integrated in seconds using standard numerical techniques allowing for its use as a rapid technique for the estimation of material properties. Keywords: Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, Dynamic load cell

  18. Residual torsional properties of composite shafts subjected to impact loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sevkat, Ercan; Tumer, Hikmet

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Impact loading reduces the torsional strength of composite shaft. • Impact energy level determines the severity of torsional strength reduction. • Hybrid composite shafts can be manufactured by mixing two types of filament. • Maximum torque capacity of shafts can be estimated using finite element method. - Abstract: This paper presents an experimental and numerical study to investigate residual torsional properties of composite shafts subjected to impact loadings. E-glass/epoxy, carbon/epoxy and E-glass–carbon/epoxy hybrid composite shafts were manufactured by filament winding method. Composite shafts were impacted at 5, 10, 20 and 40 J energy levels. Force–time and energy–time histories of impact tests were recorded. One composite shaft with no impact, and four composite shafts with impact damage, five in total, were tested under torsion. Torque-twisting angle relations for each test were obtained. Reduction at maximum torque and maximum twisting angle induced by impact loadings were calculated. While 5 J impact did not cause significant reduction at maximum torque and maximum twisting angle, remaining impact loadings caused 34–67% reduction at maximum torque, and 30–61% reduction at maximum twisting angle. Reductions increased with increasing energy levels and varied depending on the material of composite shafts. The 3-D finite element (FE) software, Abaqus, incorporated with an elastic orthotropic model, was then used to simulate the torsion tests. Good agreement between experimental and numerical results was achieved

  19. Impact of measurement uncertainty from experimental load distribution factors on bridge load rating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gangone, Michael V.; Whelan, Matthew J.

    2018-03-01

    Load rating and testing of highway bridges is important in determining the capacity of the structure. Experimental load rating utilizes strain transducers placed at critical locations of the superstructure to measure normal strains. These strains are then used in computing diagnostic performance measures (neutral axis of bending, load distribution factor) and ultimately a load rating. However, it has been shown that experimentally obtained strain measurements contain uncertainties associated with the accuracy and precision of the sensor and sensing system. These uncertainties propagate through to the diagnostic indicators that in turn transmit into the load rating calculation. This paper will analyze the effect that measurement uncertainties have on the experimental load rating results of a 3 span multi-girder/stringer steel and concrete bridge. The focus of this paper will be limited to the uncertainty associated with the experimental distribution factor estimate. For the testing discussed, strain readings were gathered at the midspan of each span of both exterior girders and the center girder. Test vehicles of known weight were positioned at specified locations on each span to generate maximum strain response for each of the five girders. The strain uncertainties were used in conjunction with a propagation formula developed by the authors to determine the standard uncertainty in the distribution factor estimates. This distribution factor uncertainty is then introduced into the load rating computation to determine the possible range of the load rating. The results show the importance of understanding measurement uncertainty in experimental load testing.

  20. Buckling behavior analysis of spacer grid by lateral impact load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Kyung Ho; Kang, Heung Seok; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Song, Kee Nam

    2000-05-01

    The spacer grid is one of the main structural components in the fuel assembly, Which supports the fuel rods, guides cooling water, and protects the system from an external impact load, such as earthquakes. Therefore, the mechanical and structural properties of the spacer grids must be extensively examined while designing it. In this report, free fall type shock tests on the several kinds of the specimens of the spacer grids were also carried out in order to compare the results among the candidate grids. A free fall carriage on the specimen accomplishes the test. In addition to this, a finite element method for predicting the critical impact strength of the spacer grids is described. FE method on the buckling behavior of the spacer grids are performed for a various array of sizes of the grids considering that the spacer grid is an assembled structure with thin-walled plates and imposing proper boundary conditions by nonlinear dynamic impact analysis using ABAQUS/explicit code. The simulated results results also similarly predicted the local buckling phenomena and were found to give good correspondence with the shock test results

  1. New approaches to provide ride-through for critical loads in electric power distribution systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montero-Hernandez, Oscar C.

    2001-07-01

    The extensive use of electronic circuits has enabled modernization, automation, miniaturization, high quality, low cost, and other achievements regarding electric loads in the last decades. However, modern electronic circuits and systems are extremely sensitive to disturbances from the electric power supply. In fact, the rate at which these disturbances happen is considerable as has been documented in recent years. In response to the power quality concerns presented previously, this dissertation is proposing new approaches to provide ride-through for critical loads during voltage disturbances with emphasis on voltage sags. In this dissertation, a new approach based on an AC-DC-AC system is proposed to provide ride-through for critical loads connected in buildings and/or an industrial system. In this approach, a three-phase IGBT inverter with a built in Dc-link voltage regulator is suitably controlled along with static by-pass switches to provide continuous power to critical loads. During a disturbance, the input utility source is disconnected and the power from the inverter is connected to the load. The remaining voltage in the AC supply is converted to DC and compensated before being applied to the inverter and the load. After detecting normal utility conditions, power from the utility is restored to the critical load. In order to achieve an extended ride-through capability a second approach is introduced. In this case, the Dc-link voltage regulator is performed by a DC-DC Buck-Boost converter. This new approach has the capability to mitigate voltage variations below and above the nominal value. In the third approach presented in this dissertation, a three-phase AC to AC boost converter is investigated. This converter provides a boosting action for the utility input voltages, right before they are applied to the load. The proposed Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control strategy ensures independent control of each phase and compensates for both single-phase or poly

  2. Sound-Intensity Feedback During Running Reduces Loading Rates and Impact Peak.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tate, Jeremiah J; Milner, Clare E

    2017-08-01

    Study Design Controlled laboratory study, within-session design. Background Gait retraining has been proposed as an effective intervention to reduce impact loading in runners at risk of stress fractures. Interventions that can be easily implemented in the clinic are needed. Objective To assess the immediate effects of sound-intensity feedback related to impact during running on vertical impact peak, peak vertical instantaneous loading rate, and vertical average loading rate. Methods Fourteen healthy, college-aged runners who ran at least 9.7 km/wk participated (4 male, 10 female; mean ± SD age, 23.7 ± 2.0 years; height, 1.67 ± 0.08 m; mass, 60.9 ± 8.7 kg). A decibel meter provided real-time sound-intensity feedback of treadmill running via an iPad application. Participants were asked to reduce the sound intensity of running while receiving continuous feedback for 15 minutes, while running at their self-selected preferred speed. Baseline and follow-up ground reaction force data were collected during overground running at participants' self-selected preferred running speed. Results Dependent t tests indicated a statistically significant reduction in vertical impact peak (1.56 BW to 1.13 BW, P≤.001), vertical instantaneous loading rate (95.48 BW/s to 62.79 BW/s, P = .001), and vertical average loading rate (69.09 BW/s to 43.91 BW/s, P≤.001) after gait retraining, compared to baseline. Conclusion The results of the current study support the use of sound-intensity feedback during treadmill running to immediately reduce loading rate and impact force. The transfer of within-session reductions in impact peak and loading rates to overground running was demonstrated. Decreases in loading were of comparable magnitude to those observed in other gait retraining methods. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(8):565-569. Epub 6 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7275.

  3. The dynamic behavior of mortar under impact-loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawai, Nobuaki; Inoue, Kenji; Misawa, Satoshi; Tanaka, Kyoji; Hayashi, Shizuo; Kondo, Ken-Ichi; Riedel, Werner

    2007-06-01

    Concrete and mortar are the most fundamental structural material. Therefore, considerable interest in characterizing the dynamic behavior of them under impact-loading exists. In this study, plate impact experiments have been performed to determine the dynamic behavior of mortar. Longitudinal and lateral stresses have been directly measured by means of embedded polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) gauges up to 1 GPa. A 200 mm-cal. powder gun enable us to measure longitudinal and lateral stresses at several point from the impact surface, simultaneously. The shear strength under impact-loading has been obtained from measured longitudinal and lateral stresses. The longitudinal stress profile shows a two-wave structure. It is indicated that this structure is associated with the onset of pore compaction and failure of mortar by comparing with hydrocode simulations using an elastic-plastic damage model for concrete.

  4. High rate loading tests and impact tests of concrete and reinforcement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, J.I.; Tachikawa, H.; Fujimoto, K.

    1982-01-01

    The responses of reinforced concrete structural members and structures subjected to impact or impulsive loadings are affected by the behavior of constituent concrete and reinforcement which are the synthesis of the rate effects and the contribution of propagating stress waves of them. The rate effects and the contribution of stress waves do not have the same tendency in the variation of magnitude of them with speed of impact or impulsive loadings. Therefore the rate effects, mentioned above, should be obtained by the tests minimized the effect of stress waves (high rate loading test). This paper deals with the testing techniques with high rate loadings and impact, and also reports the main results of these tests. (orig.) [de

  5. Effects and empirical critical loads of Nitrogen for ecoregions of the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardo, Linda H.; Robin-Abbott, Molly J.; Fenn, Mark E.; Goodale, Christine L.; Geiser, Linda H.; Driscoll, Charles T.; Allen, Edith B.; Baron, Jill S.; Bobbink, Roland; Bowman, William D.; Clark, C M; Emmett, B.; Gilliam, Frank S; Greaver, Tara L.; Hall, Sharon J; Lilleskov, Erik A.; Liu, Lingli; Lynch, Jason A.; Nadelhoffer, Knute J; Perakis, Steven; Stoddard, John L; Weathers, Kathleen C.; Dennis, Robin L.

    2015-01-01

    Human activity in the last century has increased nitrogen (N) deposition to a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. We synthesized current research relating atmospheric N deposition to effects on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the United States, and estimated associated empirical critical loads of N for several receptors: freshwater diatoms, mycorrhizal fungi, lichens, bryophytes, herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. Biogeochemical responses included increased N mineralization and nitrification, increased gaseous N losses, and increased N leaching. Individual species, population, and community responses included increased tissue N, physiological and nutrient imbalances, increased growth, altered root-shoot ratios, increased susceptibility to secondary stresses, altered fire regime, shifts in competitive interactions and community composition, changes in species richness and other measures of biodiversity, and increases in invasive species. The range of critical loads of nutrient N reported for U.S. ecoregions, inland surface waters, and freshwater wetlands is 1–39 kg N ha−1 yr−1, spanning the range of N deposition observed over most of the country. The empirical critical loads of N tend to increase in the following sequence: diatoms, lichens and bryophytes, mycorrhizal fungi, herbaceous plants and shrubs, trees.

  6. Critical Loads of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition for Aquatic Ecosystems in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanus, L.; Clow, D. W.; Sickman, J. O.

    2016-12-01

    High-elevation aquatic ecosystems in Yosemite (YOSE) and Sequoia and Kings Canyon (SEKI) National Parks are impacted by atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition associated with local and regional air pollution. Documented effects include elevated surface water nitrate concentrations, increased algal productivity, and changes in diatom species assemblages. Annual wet inorganic N deposition maps, developed at 1-km resolution for YOSE and SEKI to quantify N deposition to sensitive high-elevation ecosystems, range from 1.0 to over 5.0 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Critical loads of N deposition for nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems were quantified and mapped using a geostatistical approach, with N deposition, topography, vegetation, geology, and climate as potential explanatory variables. Multiple predictive models were created using various combinations of explanatory variables; this approach allowed us to better quantify uncertainty and more accurately identify the areas most sensitive to atmospherically deposited N. The lowest critical loads estimates and highest exceedances identified within YOSE and SEKI occurred in high-elevation basins with steep slopes, sparse vegetation, and areas of neoglacial till and talus. These results are consistent with previous analyses in the Rocky Mountains, and highlight the sensitivity of alpine ecosystems to atmospheric N deposition.

  7. Experimental Study on Pipe Sections against Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Engin GÜCÜYEN

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Pipelines are significant structural systems that transfer necessary materials from one place to another. They are under the effect of static and dynamic loads during their service lives. Investigations have become important to determine the effects of sudden dynamic loads with technological developments. Researchers study the mechanical properties of different materials and structural members under dynamic effects such as earthquake, wind, blast, rock falling and vehicle crushing. For this purpose, different test setups have been developed to investigate the behaviour of test members. In this study, galvanized and water filled galvanized pipe sections having three different diameter values are produced in a laboratory to perform tests under impact loading. The behaviour of the pipes is determined by free falling test apparatus. In addition, measurement devices as accelerometer, dynamic force sensor, lvdt, and data logger are used in the experimental program. So, acceleration, impact force, and displacement values are obtained during the tests. Besides, damage developments of the pipes are also observed to determine the impact resistances of test members. The results are compared to each other and it is stated that while acceleration and impact force values decrease, displacement values increase as the test members approach to collapse damage situation.

  8. The impact of natural hazard on critical infrastructure systems: definition of an ontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimauro, Carmelo; Bouchon, Sara; Frattini, Paolo; Giusto, Claudia

    2013-04-01

    physical-chemical process by means the event (e.g., a pyroclastic flow) can interact and damage a critical infrastructure asset (e.g., a pipe). Each event can be characterized by several modi (e.g., impact load, heating, burying) that can cause damages to the asset. Hence, the damage is linked to the modus and not directly to the event. The advantage of using the "modus" approach is to allow reducing the number of interactions (natural hazard/Critical infrastructure assets) to be addressed. All different events exert their impact on infrastructures by means of a limited number of different modus. This allows adapting existing vulnerability or fragility laws to events that have not been studied yet, and for which these laws are not available.

  9. The Application of Load-cell Technique in the Study of Armour Unit Responses to Impact Loads

    OpenAIRE

    Burcharth, H. F.; Liu, Zhou

    1994-01-01

    The slender, complex types of armour units, such as Tetrapods and Dolosse arewidely used for rubble mound breakwaters. Many of the recent failures of such structures were caused by unforeseen early breakage of the units, thus revealing an inbalance between the strength (structural integrity) of the units and the hydraulic stability (resistance to displacements) of the armour layers. Breakage is caused by stresses from static, pulsating and impact loads. Impact load generated stresses are diff...

  10. Impact loads on nuclear power plant structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riera, J.D.

    1993-01-01

    The first step in evaluation of a NPP design for protection against impact loading, is to identify those events that may be credible for a particular site. In connection with external, man-made events IAEA Safety Series No.50-SG-S5 provides a methodology for selecting the events that need to be considered. This presentation deals with modelling of interface forces in projectile impact against unyielding structures, vibrations induced by impact, penetration, scabbing and perforation effects

  11. Damage Tolerance of Pre-Stressed Composite Panels Under Impact Loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Alastair F.; Toso-Pentecôte, Nathalie; Schueler, Dominik

    2014-02-01

    An experimental test campaign studied the structural integrity of carbon fibre/epoxy panels preloaded in tension or compression then subjected to gas gun impact tests causing significant damage. The test programme used representative composite aircraft fuselage panels composed of aerospace carbon fibre toughened epoxy prepreg laminates. Preload levels in tension were representative of design limit loads for fuselage panels of this size, and maximum compression preloads were in the post-buckle region. Two main impact scenarios were considered: notch damage from a 12 mm steel cube projectile, at velocities in the range 93-136 m/s; blunt impact damage from 25 mm diameter glass balls, at velocities 64-86 m/s. The combined influence of preload and impact damage on panel residual strengths was measured and results analysed in the context of damage tolerance requirements for composite aircraft panels. The tests showed structural integrity well above design limit loads for composite panels preloaded in tension and compression with visible notch impact damage from hard body impact tests. However, blunt impact tests on buckled compression loaded panels caused large delamination damage regions which lowered plate bending stiffness and reduced significantly compression strengths in buckling.

  12. A dynamic modelling approach for estimating critical loads of nitrogen based on plant community changes under a changing climate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belyazid, Salim; Kurz, Dani; Braun, Sabine; Sverdrup, Harald; Rihm, Beat; Hettelingh, Jean-Paul

    2011-01-01

    A dynamic model of forest ecosystems was used to investigate the effects of climate change, atmospheric deposition and harvest intensity on 48 forest sites in Sweden (n = 16) and Switzerland (n = 32). The model was used to investigate the feasibility of deriving critical loads for nitrogen (N) deposition based on changes in plant community composition. The simulations show that climate and atmospheric deposition have comparably important effects on N mobilization in the soil, as climate triggers the release of organically bound nitrogen stored in the soil during the elevated deposition period. Climate has the most important effect on plant community composition, underlining the fact that this cannot be ignored in future simulations of vegetation dynamics. Harvest intensity has comparatively little effect on the plant community in the long term, while it may be detrimental in the short term following cutting. This study shows: that critical loads of N deposition can be estimated using the plant community as an indicator; that future climatic changes must be taken into account; and that the definition of the reference deposition is critical for the outcome of this estimate. - Research highlights: → Plant community changes can be used to estimate critical loads of nitrogen. → Climate change is decisive for future changes of geochemistry and plant communities. → Climate change cannot be ignored in estimates of critical loads. → The model ForSAFE-Veg was successfully used to set critical loads of nitrogen. - Plant community composition can be used in dynamic modelling to estimate critical loads of nitrogen deposition, provided the appropriate reference deposition, future climate and target plant communities are defined.

  13. Collection of in-Field Impact Loads Acting on a Rugby Wheelchair Frame

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Bettella

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This work was included in a wider project oriented to the improvement of residual neuromuscular skills in disabled athletes playing wheelchair rugby: the wheelchair rugby Italian national team was involved and tests allowed to analyse the impact loads on a rugby wheelchair frame. The frame of a rugby wheelchair offensive model, made by OffCarr Company, was instrumented with four strain gauge bridges in four different points. Then, three test types were conducted in laboratory: two static calibrations with the application of known loads, the first with horizontal load and the second with vertical load, and a dynamic horizontal calibration, impacting against a fix load cell in order to validate the results of horizontal static calibration. Finally, a test session took place in the field with the collaboration of two team players. The test consisted in voluntary frontal impacts between the two players, starting from 6 meters distance each other. The opponent of the instrumented wheelchair was a defender. From this test, the value of the horizontal load received by the frame in the impact instant was quantified. Moreover, also the vertical load acting on the wheelchair during the rebound of the player after the hit was evaluated: these informations were useful to the wheelchair frame manufacturer for the proper static, impact and fatigue design.

  14. Determination and Distribution of Critical Loads: Application to the Forest Soils in the Autonomous Region of Madrid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sousa, M.; Schmid, T.; Rabago, I.

    2000-01-01

    The critical loads of acidity and sulphur have been determined for forest soils within the north and northwest of the Autonomous Region of Madrid. The SMB-CCE and SMB-PROFILE steady state models have been applied using a 1 km x 1 km resolution. The forest ecosystems have been characterised according to the soil and forest type, slope and climatic data using a Geographic Information System. In order to estimate the critical loads, processes such as weathering rate of the parent material, atmospheric deposition. critical alkalinity leaching rate and nutrients absorbed by the vegetation have been considered. In general the forest soils present high critical load values for acidity and sulphur. The more sensitive zones are found in the north of the Sierra of Guadarrama. Independent of the applied methods, the results are associated to the types of soils where Leptosols have the lowest, Cambisoles and Regosoles intermediate and Luvisoles the most elevated values. (Author) 40 refs

  15. Combining Ecosystem Service and Critical Load Concepts for Resource Management and Public Policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timothy J. Sullivan

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Land management and natural resource public policy decision-making in the United States can benefit from two resource damage/recovery concepts: ecosystem service (ES and critical load (CL. The purpose of this paper is to suggest an integrated approach to the application of ES and CL principles for public land management and natural resource policy decision-making. One well known example that is appropriate for ES and CL evaluation is examined here: the acidification of soil and drainage water by atmospheric deposition of acidifying sulfur and nitrogen compounds. A conceptual framework illustrates how the ES and CL approaches can be combined in a way that enhances the strengths of each. This framework will aid in the process of translating ES and CL principles into land management and natural resource policy decision-making by documenting the impacts of pollution on environmental goods and services that benefit humans.

  16. High Strain Rate Deformation Mechanisms of Body Centered Cubic Material Subjected to Impact Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, William

    utilized to simulate the shock loading and twin evolution for these loading conditions. The second part of this research ties into the modeling efforts. Within the model for predicting twin volume fraction is a twin growth equation and a constant describing the stress at which the twin nucleation will occur. By using a constant value for the twin nucleation stress modeling efforts fail to accurately predict the growth and final twin volume fraction. A second shock loading experimental study combined with high strain rate compression tests using a split Hopkinson pressure bar were completed to determine a twin nucleation stress equation as a function of dislocation density. Steel specimens were subjected to cold rolling to 3% strain and subsequently impacted using the gas gun at different pressures. The increase in dislocation density due to pre-straining substantially increased the twin nucleation stress indicating that twin nucleation stress in dependent upon prior strain history. This has been explained in terms of the velocity and generation rates of both perfect and partial dislocations. An explicit form of the critical twin nucleation stress was developed and parameters were determined through plate impact tests and low temperature (77K) SHPB compression tests. The final component in studying deformation twin mechanisms in BCC steel extends the research to the post-impact mechanical properties and how the twin volume fraction affects the dynamic flow stress. Compression tests between 293K and 923K at an average strain rate of 4700 s-1 were completed on the as-received and 3% pre-strained steels in both the initial condition and after being impacted at pressures of 6GPa and 11GPa. Results of the experimental testing were used in a thermal activation model in order to distinguish separate components in the microstructure contributing to the enhanced flow stress caused by the shock loading. It has been shown that the dislocations generated from shock loading are

  17. Impact Load Behavior between Different Charge and Lifter in a Laboratory-Scale Mill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Zixin; Peng, Yuxing; Zhu, Zhencai; Yu, Zhangfa; Li, Tongqing

    2017-07-31

    The impact behavior between the charge and lifter has significant effect to address the mill processing, and is affected by various factors including mill speed, mill filling, lifter height and media shape. To investigate the multi-body impact load behavior, a series of experiments and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations were performed on a laboratory-scale mill, in order to improve the grinding efficiency and prolong the life of the lifter. DEM simulation hitherto has been extensively applied as a leading tool to describe diverse issues in granular processes. The research results shown as follows: The semi-empirical power draw of Bond model in this paper does not apply very satisfactorily for the ball mills, while the power draw determined by DEM simulation show a good approximation for the measured power draw. Besides, the impact force on the lifter was affected by mill speed, grinding media filling, lifter height and iron ore particle. The maximum percent of the impact force between 600 and 1400 N is at 70-80% of critical speed. The impact force can be only above 1400 N at the grinding media filling of 20%, and the maximum percent of impact force between 200 and 1400 N is obtained at the grinding media filling of 20%. The percent of impact force ranging from 0 to 200 N decreases with the increase of lifter height. However, this perfect will increase above 200 N. The impact force will decrease when the iron ore particles are added. Additionally, for the 80% of critical speed, the measured power draw has a maximum value. Increasing the grinding media filling increases the power draw and increasing the lifter height does not lead to any variation in power draw.

  18. The Application of Load-cell Technique in the Study of Armour Unit Responses to Impact Loads Tests

    OpenAIRE

    Burcharth, H. F.; Liu, Z.

    1995-01-01

    The slender, complex types of armour units, such as Tetrapods and Dolosse arewidely used for rubble mound breakwaters. Many of the recent failures of suchstructures were caused by unforeseen early breakage of the units, thus revealingan in balance between the strength (structural integrity) of the units and thehydraulic stability (resistance to displacements) of the armour layers. Breakageis caused by stresses from static, pulsating and impact loads. Impact load generated stresses are difficu...

  19. Concrete structures under impact loading: general aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cornelia Baeră

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Dynamic loading conditions distress the structural integrity of a structure differently than the static ones. Such actions transfer high rate strains and instant energy waves to the structure, inducing the possibility of imminent collapse and casualties as a direct consequence. In the latest years, considering the dramatic increase of terrorist threats and global warming, the structural safety criteria imply more than ever the need to withstand this kind of loading (e.g., missiles and blast, projectiles, strong winds, tornados and earthquakes in addition to the static ones. The aim of this paper is to provide a general overview with regard to impact loading in terms of defining the phenomenon from physical and mechanical perspective, its complex local or global effect on the targeted structure, relevant material characteristics, main research approaches, namely theoretical studies and experimental procedures developed for improving the predictability of the dynamic loads and their effects. New directions in developing superior cementitious composites, with better characteristics in terms of dynamic loading performance are also emphasized.

  20. Exploratory Investigation of Impact Loads During the Forward Handspring Vault

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Penitente Gabriella

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine kinematic and kinetic differences in low and high intensity hand support impact loads during a forward handspring vault. A high-speed video camera (500 Hz and two portable force platforms (500 Hz were installed on the surface of the vault table. Two-dimensional analyses were conducted on 24 forward handspring vaults performed by 12 senior level, junior Olympic program female gymnasts (16.9 ±1.4 yr; body height 1.60 ±0.1 m; body mass 56.7 ±7.8 kg. Load intensities at impact with the vault table were classified as low (peak force 0.8 × body weight. These vaults were compared via crucial kinetic and kinematic variables using independent t-tests and Pearson correlations. Statistically significant (p < 0.001 differences were observed in peak force (t(24 = 4.75, ES = 3.37 and time to peak force (t(24 = 2.07, ES = 1.56. Statistically significant relationships between the loading rate and time to peak force were observed for high intensity loads. Peak force, time to peak force, and a shoulder angle at impact were identified as primary variables potentially involved in the determination of large repetitive loading rates on the forward handspring vault.

  1. Multiscale Framework for Assessing Critical Loads of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition for Aquatic Ecosystems in Wilderness Areas of the Western United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanus, Leora; Clow, David; Saros, Jasmine; McMurray, Jill; Blett, Tamara; Sickman, James

    2017-04-01

    High-elevation aquatic ecosystems in Wilderness areas of the western United States are impacted by current and historic atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition associated with local and regional air pollution. Documented effects include elevated surface water nitrate concentrations, increased algal productivity, and changes in diatom species assemblages. A predictive framework was developed for sensitive high-elevation basins across the western United States at multiple spatial scales including the Rocky Mountain Region (Rockies), the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA), and Yosemite (YOSE) and Sequoia & Kings Canyon (SEKI) National Parks. Spatial trends in critical loads of N deposition for nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems were quantified and mapped using a geostatistical approach, with modeled N deposition, topography, vegetation, geology, and climate as potential explanatory variables. Multiple predictive models were created using various combinations of explanatory variables; this approach allowed for better quantification of uncertainty and identification of areas most sensitive to high atmospheric N deposition (> 3 kg N ha-1 yr-1). For multiple spatial scales, the lowest critical loads estimates (1.5 + 1 kg N ha-1 yr-1) correspond with areas of high N deposition and vary spatially ranging from less than 20% to over 40% of the study area for the Rockies, GYA, YOSE, and SEKI. These predictive models and maps identify sensitive aquatic ecosystems that may be impacted by excess atmospheric N deposition and can be used to help protect against future anthropogenic disturbance. The approach presented here may be transferable to other remote and protected high-elevation ecosystems at multiple spatial scales that are sensitive to adverse effects of pollutant loading in the US and around the world.

  2. Energy efficiency and load curve impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feilberg, Nicolai

    2002-01-01

    One of SINTEF Energy Research's European RTD projects is the two-year EFFLOCOM (Energy EFFiciency and LOad curve impacts of COMmercial development in competitive markets). This project will determine the end-user response of different market-related services offered in deregulated power markets. The project will investigate the possibility of influencing load curves by using different price signals and two-way communications via Internet. The partners are from Denmark. Finland, England, France and Norway. SINTEF Energy Research is in charge of the project management. During the project, the changes in load curves will he studied in the in the participating countries before and after deregulation. Specific issues are the use of ICT, time- and situation-dependent tariffs and smart-house technology. The project will consist of 5 work packages that will give recommendations about new methods, guidelines and tools to promote effective use of energy in the partner countries. The total budget is EUR 692 000. (author)

  3. Assessment of the impact of frequency support on DFIG wind turbine loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barahona Garzón, Braulio; You, Rui; Hansen, Anca Daniela

    2013-01-01

    This study presents models and tools for the assessment of the impact that providing frequency support has on doubly-fed generator (DFIG) wind turbine structural loads and drive train. The focus is on primary frequency support, aiming at quantifying the impact on wind turbines acting as frequency...... code and electrical models. In this simulation framework, the impact that power system conditions can have on wind turbines, and vice versa the support that wind turbines can offer to the power system can be investigated....... containment reserve and providing inertial response. The sensitivity of wind turbine load indicators—load duration- distribution and maximum load values—to inertial response control actions and different torsional models of drive train is investigated. The analysis is done by co-simulations of an aeroelastic...

  4. Dynamic behavior of reinforced concrete beam subjected to impact load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ito, Chihiro; Ohnuma, Hiroshi; Sato, Koichi; Takano, Hiroshi

    1984-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to find out the impact behavior of reinforced concrete beams by means of experiment. The reinforced concrete is widely used for such an important structure as the building facilities of the nuclear power plant, and so the impact behavior of the reinforced concrete structures must be examined to estimate the resistance of concrete containment against impact load and to develope the reasonable and reliable design procedure. The impact test on reinforced concrete beam which is one of the most basic elements in the structure was conducted. Main results are summarized as follows. 1) Bending failure occured on static test. On the other hand, shear failure occured in the case of high impact velocity on impact test. 2) Penetration depth and residual deflection are approximately proportional to V 2 (V: velocity at impact). 3) Flexural wave propagates about at the speed of 2000 m/s. 4) The resistance of reinforced concrete beam against the impact load is fairly good. (author)

  5. Mechanical Characterization of the Human Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Subjected to Impact Loading Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamison, David, IV

    Low back pain is a large and costly problem in the United States. Several working populations, such as miners, construction workers, forklift operators, and military personnel, have an increased risk and prevalence of low back pain compared to the general population. This is due to exposure to repeated, transient impact shocks, particularly while operating vehicles or other machinery. These shocks typically do not cause acute injury, but rather lead to pain and injury over time. The major focus in low back pain is often the intervertebral disc, due to its role as the major primary load-bearing component along the spinal column. The formation of a reliable standard for human lumbar disc exposure to repeated transient shock could potentially reduce injury risk for these working populations. The objective of this project, therefore, is to characterize the mechanical response of the lumbar intervertebral disc subjected to sub-traumatic impact loading conditions using both cadaveric and computational models, and to investigate the possible implications of this type of loading environment for low back pain. Axial, compressive impact loading events on Naval high speed boats were simulated in the laboratory and applied to human cadaveric specimen. Disc stiffness was higher and hysteresis was lower than quasi-static loading conditions. This indicates a shift in mechanical response when the disc is under impact loads and this behavior could be contributing to long-term back pain. Interstitial fluid loss and disc height changes were shown to affect disc impact mechanics in a creep study. Neutral zone increased, while energy dissipation and low-strain region stiffness decreased. This suggests that the disc has greater clinical instability during impact loading with progressive creep and fluid loss, indicating that time of day should be considered for working populations subjected to impact loads. A finite element model was developed and validated against cadaver specimen

  6. Concrete structures under impact and impulsive loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plauk, G.

    1982-05-01

    This book contains papers contributed to the RILEM/CEB/IABSE/IASS-Interassociation Symposium on 'Concrete Structures under Impact and Impulsive Loading'. The essential aim of this symposium is to provide an international forum for the exchange of information on existing and current research relating to impact problems as well as to identify areas to which further research activities should be directed. The subject of the symposium is far ranging. Fifty five papers were proposed and arranged in six technical sessions, a task which sometimes posed difficulties for the Organization Committee and the Advisory Group, because some of the papers touched several topics and were difficult to integrate. However, we are confident that these minor difficulties were solved to the satisfaction of everyone involved. Each session of the symposium is devoted to a major subject area and introduced by a distinguished Introductory Reporter. The large international attendance, some 21 countries are represented, and the large number of excellent papers will certainly produce a lively discussion after each session and thus help to further close the gaps in our knowledge about the behaviour of structures and materials under impact and impulsive loading. (orig./RW)

  7. Impact of Smart Grid Technologies on Peak Load to 2050

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2011-07-01

    The IEA's Smart Grids Technology Roadmap identified five global trends that could be effectively addressed by deploying smart grids. These are: increasing peak load (the maximum power that the grid delivers during peak hours), rising electricity consumption, electrification of transport, deployment of variable generation technologies (e.g. wind and solar PV) and ageing infrastructure. Along with this roadmap, a new working paper -- Impact of Smart Grid Technologies on Peak Load to 2050 -- develops a methodology to estimate the evolution of peak load until 2050. It also analyses the impact of smart grid technologies in reducing peak load for four key regions; OECD North America, OECD Europe, OECD Pacific and China. This working paper is a first IEA effort in an evolving modelling process of smart grids that is considering demand response in residential and commercial sectors as well as the integration of electric vehicles.

  8. The effect of tibia element on the tibia response due to impact loading

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Pandelani, T

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available , specifically for anti-vehicular mine blast scenarios. The aim of this study was to assess under impact loading to ensure that it represents the natural lower leg response. Axial impact loads were applied to the MIL-Lx at impact velocities of 2.7 to 10.2 m...

  9. Preliminary modelling and mapping of critical loads for cadmium and lead in Europa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hettelingh JP; Slootweg J; Posch M; Ilyin I; MNV-CCE/WGE-IPC M&M Coordination Center for Effects; EMEP-Meteorological Synthesizing Centre-East

    2004-01-01

    De "Working Group on Effects" (WGE) van de "Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution" onder de "United Nations Economic Commission or Europe" (UNECE-CLRTAP) heeft tijdens haar 20e bijeenkomst besloten dat de methode om kritische depositiewaarden (critical loads) voor cadmium en lood in

  10. Failure analysis of prestressed concrete beam under impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, N.; Sonoda, Y.; Kobayashi, N.

    1993-01-01

    This paper presents a failure analysis of prestressed concrete (PC) beam under impact loading. At first, the failure analysis of PC beam section is performed by using the discrete section element method in order to obtain the dynamic bending moment-curvature relation. Secondary, the failure analysis of PC beam is performed by using the rigid panel-spring model. Finally, the numerical calculation is executed and is compared with the experimental results. It is found that this approach can simulate well the experiments at the local and overall failure of the PC beam as well as the impact load and the displacement-time relations. (author)

  11. A one-dimensional model to describe flow localization in viscoplastic slender bars subjected to super critical impact velocities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaz-Romero, A.; Rodríguez-Martínez, J. A.

    2018-01-01

    In this paper we investigate flow localization in viscoplastic slender bars subjected to dynamic tension. We explore loading rates above the critical impact velocity: the wave initiated in the impacted end by the applied velocity is the trigger for the localization of plastic deformation. The problem has been addressed using two kinds of numerical simulations: (1) one-dimensional finite difference calculations and (2) axisymmetric finite element computations. The latter calculations have been used to validate the capacity of the finite difference model to describe plastic flow localization at high impact velocities. The finite difference model, which highlights due to its simplicity, allows to obtain insights into the role played by the strain rate and temperature sensitivities of the material in the process of dynamic flow localization. Specifically, we have shown that viscosity can stabilize the material behavior to the point of preventing the appearance of the critical impact velocity. This is a key outcome of our investigation, which, to the best of the authors' knowledge, has not been previously reported in the literature.

  12. Prediction calculation of HTR-10 fuel loading for the first criticality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jing Xingqing; Yang Yongwei; Gu Yuxiang; Shan Wenzhi

    2001-01-01

    The 10 MW high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTR-10) was built at Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, and the first criticality was attained in Dec. 2000. The high temperature gas cooled reactor physics simulation code VSOP was used for the prediction of the fuel loading for HTR-10 first criticality. The number of fuel element and graphite element was predicted to provide reference for the first criticality experiment. The prediction calculations toke into account the factors including the double heterogeneity of the fuel element, buckling feedback for the spectrum calculation, the effect of the mixture of the graphite and the fuel element, and the correction of the diffusion coefficients near the upper cavity based on the transport theory. The effects of impurities in the fuel and the graphite element in the core and those in the reflector graphite on the reactivity of the reactor were considered in detail. The first criticality experiment showed that the predicted values and the experiment results were in good agreement with little relative error less than 1%, which means the prediction was successful

  13. Criticality impacts on LWR fuel storage efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Napolitano, D.

    1992-01-01

    This presentation discusses the criticality impacts throughout storage of fuel onsite including new fuel storage, spent fuel storage, consolidation, and dry storage. The general principles for criticality safety are also be discussed. There is first an introduction which explains today's situation for criticality safety concerns. This is followed by a discussion of criticality safety Regulatory Guides, safety limits and fundamental principles. Design objectives for criticality safety in the 1990's include higher burnups, longer cycles, and higher enrichments which impact the criticality safety design. Criticality safety for new fuel storage, spent fuel storage, fuel consolidation, and dry storage are followed by conclusions. Today's situation is one in which the US does not reprocess, and does not have an operating MRS facility or repository. High density fuel storage rack designs of the 1980s, are filling up. Dry cask storage systems for spent fuel storage are being utilized. Enrichments continue to increase PWR fuel assemblies with enrichments of 4.5 to 5.0 weight percent U-235 and BWR fuel assemblies with enrichments of 3.25 to 3.5 weight percent U-235 are common. Criticality concerns affect the capacity and the economics of light water reactor (LWR) fuel storage arrays by dictating the spacing of fuel assemblies in a storage system, or the use of poisons or exotic materials in the storage system design

  14. Influence of the heater material on the critical heat load at boiling of liquids on surfaces with different sizes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anokhina, E. V.

    2010-05-01

    Data on critical heat loads q cr for the saturated and unsaturated pool boiling of water and ethanol under atmospheric pressure are reported. It is found experimentally that the critical heat load does not necessarily coincide with the heat load causing burnout of the heater, which should be taken into account. The absolute values of q cr for the boiling of water and ethanol on copper surfaces 65, 80, 100, 120, and 200 μm in diameter; tungsten surface 100 μm in diameter; and nichrome surface 100 μm in diameter are obtained experimentally.

  15. Nonlinear system identification of smart structures under high impact loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarp Arsava, Kemal; Kim, Yeesock; El-Korchi, Tahar; Park, Hyo Seon

    2013-01-01

    The main purpose of this paper is to develop numerical models for the prediction and analysis of the highly nonlinear behavior of integrated structure control systems subjected to high impact loading. A time-delayed adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (TANFIS) is proposed for modeling of the complex nonlinear behavior of smart structures equipped with magnetorheological (MR) dampers under high impact forces. Experimental studies are performed to generate sets of input and output data for training and validation of the TANFIS models. The high impact load and current signals are used as the input disturbance and control signals while the displacement and acceleration responses from the structure–MR damper system are used as the output signals. The benchmark adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is used as a baseline. Comparisons of the trained TANFIS models with experimental results demonstrate that the TANFIS modeling framework is an effective way to capture nonlinear behavior of integrated structure–MR damper systems under high impact loading. In addition, the performance of the TANFIS model is much better than that of ANFIS in both the training and the validation processes. (paper)

  16. Nonlinear system identification of smart structures under high impact loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarp Arsava, Kemal; Kim, Yeesock; El-Korchi, Tahar; Park, Hyo Seon

    2013-05-01

    The main purpose of this paper is to develop numerical models for the prediction and analysis of the highly nonlinear behavior of integrated structure control systems subjected to high impact loading. A time-delayed adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (TANFIS) is proposed for modeling of the complex nonlinear behavior of smart structures equipped with magnetorheological (MR) dampers under high impact forces. Experimental studies are performed to generate sets of input and output data for training and validation of the TANFIS models. The high impact load and current signals are used as the input disturbance and control signals while the displacement and acceleration responses from the structure-MR damper system are used as the output signals. The benchmark adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is used as a baseline. Comparisons of the trained TANFIS models with experimental results demonstrate that the TANFIS modeling framework is an effective way to capture nonlinear behavior of integrated structure-MR damper systems under high impact loading. In addition, the performance of the TANFIS model is much better than that of ANFIS in both the training and the validation processes.

  17. Attrition of limestone by impact loading in fluidized beds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fabrizio Scala; Fabio Montagnaro; Piero Salatino [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli (Italy). Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione

    2007-09-15

    The present study addresses limestone attrition and fragmentation associated with impact loading, a process which may occur extensively in various regions of fluidized bed (FB) combustors/gasifiers, primarily the jetting region of the bottom bed, the exit region of the riser, and the cyclone. An experimental protocol for the characterization of the propensity of limestone to undergo attrition/fragmentation by impact loading is reported. The application of the protocol is demonstrated with reference to an Italian limestone whose primary fragmentation and attrition by surface wear have already been characterized in previous studies. The experimental procedure is based on the characterization of the amount and particle size distribution of the debris generated upon the impact of samples of sorbent particles against a target. Experiments were carried out at a range of particle impact velocities between 10 and 45 m/s, consistent with jet velocities corresponding to typical pressure drops across FB gas distributors. The protocol has been applied to either raw or preprocessed limestone samples. In particular, the effect of calcination, sulfation, and calcination/recarbonation cycles on the impact damage suffered by sorbent particles has been assessed. The measurement of particle voidage and pore size distribution by mercury intrusion was also accomplished to correlate fragmentation with the structural properties of the sorbent samples. Fragmentation by impact loading of the limestone is significant. Lime displays the largest propensity to undergo impact damage, followed by the sorbent sulfated to exhaustion, the recarbonated sorbent, and the raw limestone. Fragmentation of the raw limestone and of the sulfated lime follows a pattern typical of the failure of brittle materials. The fragmentation behavior of lime and recarbonated lime better conforms to a disintegration failure mode, with an extensive generation of very fine fragments. 27 refs., 9 figs. 1 tab.

  18. Thermal-mechanical-chemical responses of polymer-bonded explosives using a mesoscopic reactive model under impact loading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, XinJie; Wu, YanQing; Huang, FengLei

    2017-01-05

    A mesoscopic framework is developed to quantify the thermal-mechanical-chemical responses of polymer-bonded explosive (PBX) samples under impact loading. A mesoscopic reactive model is developed for the cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX) crystal, which incorporates nonlinear elasticity, crystal plasticity, and temperature-dependent chemical reaction. The proposed model was implemented in the finite element code ABAQUS by the user subroutine VUMAT. A series of three-dimensional mesoscale models were constructed and calculated under low-strength impact loading scenarios from 100m/s to 600m/s where only the first wave transit is studied. Crystal anisotropy and microstructural heterogeneity are responsible for the nonuniform stress field and fluctuations of the stress wave front. At a critical impact velocity (≥300m/s), a chemical reaction is triggered because the temperature contributed by the volumetric and plastic works is sufficiently high. Physical quantities, including stress, temperature, and extent of reaction, are homogenized from those across the microstructure at the mesoscale to compare with macroscale measurements, which will advance the continuum-level models. The framework presented in this study has important implications in understanding hot spot ignition processes and improving predictive capabilities in energetic materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Atmospheric dry and wet deposition of sulphur and nitrogen species and assessment of critical loads of acidic deposition exceedance in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stuart J. Piketh

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available We tested the hypothesis that acidic atmospheric pollution deposition, originating from the South African central industrial area, poses an environmental threat across a larger region within the dispersal footprint. A network of 37 passive monitoring sites to measure SO2 and NO2 was operated from August 2005 to September 2007. The area extended over the entire northern and eastern interior of South Africa. Monitoring locations were chosen to avoid direct impacts from local sources such as towns, mines and highways. Dry deposition rates of SO2 and NO2 were calculated from the measured concentrations. Concentrations of sulphur and nitrogen species in wet deposition from a previous study were used in conjunction with measured rainfall for the years 2006 and 2007 to estimate the wet deposition over the region. The calculated total (non-organic acidic deposition formed the basis for an assessment of exceedance of critical loads based on sensitivity of the regional soils. Regional soil sensitivity was determined by combining two major soil attributes available in the World Inventory of Soil Emission Potentials (International Soil Reference and Information Centre. Results indicate that certain parts of the central pollution source area on the South African Highveld have the potential for critical load exceedance, while limited areas downwind show lower levels of exceedance. Areas upwind and remote areas up and downwind, including forested areas of the Drakensberg escarpment, do not show any exceedance of the critical loads.

  20. Airborne pollutants. Transports, effects and critical loads; Lufttransporterte forurensninger. Tilfoersler, virkninger og taalegrenser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Floeysand, I; Loebersli, E [eds.

    1996-01-01

    The report from a conference concerns two Norwegian research programmes. The first one deals with the transports and effects of airborne pollutants, and the second one relates to the critical loads of nature. A number of 17 papers from the conference are prepared. 318 refs., 57 figs., 22 tabs.

  1. Updated assessment of critical loads of lead and cadmium for European forest soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reinds, G.J.; Vries, de W.; Groenenberg, J.E.

    2002-01-01

    At its 20th session the Working Group on Effects (WGE) of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECECLRTAP), noted the need to further develop and test the methodology for mapping critical loads for cadmium and lead. To this

  2. Application of static critical load models for acidity to high mountain lakes in Europe

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Curtis, C. J.; Barbieri, A.; Camarero, L.; Gabathuler, M.; Galas, J.; Hanselmann, K.; Kopáček, Jiří; Mosello, R.; Nickus, U.; Rose, N.; Stuchlík, E.; Thies, H.; Ventura, M.; Wright, R.

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 2, č. 2 (2002), s. 115-126 ISSN 1567-7230 Grant - others:EU(XE) MOLAR ENV4-CT95-0007; EU(XE) Environment and Climate Programme Keywords : acid deposition * critical loads Subject RIV: DJ - Water Pollution ; Quality

  3. Influence of pain and gender on impact loading during walking: A randomised trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, M.; Christensen, R.; Alkjaer, T.

    2008-01-01

    measured using force platforms and accelerometers attached to the tibia and sacrum. Impact ground reaction force peaks and loading rates, and peak accelerations were used to quantify impact loadings. Attenuation was quantified by means of a transfer function between the tibial and sacral accelerometer...

  4. A probabilistic approach for evaluation of load time history of an aircraft impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zorn, N.F.; Schueller, G.I.; Riera, J.D.

    1981-01-01

    In the context of an overall structural realiability study for a containment located in the F.R. Germany the external load case aircraft impact is investigated. Previous investigations have been based on deterministic evaluations of the load time history. However, a close analysis of the input parameters, such as the mass distribution, the stiffness of the aircraft, the impact velocity and the impact angle reveal their random properties. This in turn leads to a stochastic load time history the parameters of which have been determined in this study. In other words, the randomness of the input parameters are introduced in the calculation of the load time history and their influence with regard to the load magnitude and frequency content is determined. The statistical parameters such as the mean values and the standard deviation of the mechanical properties are evaluated directly from the design plans of the manufacturer for the aircraft Phantom F4-F. This includes rupture loads, mass distributions etc.. The probability distributions of the crash velocity and impact angle are based on a thorough statistical evaluation of the crash histories of the airplane under consideration. Reference was made only to crashes which occurred in the F.R. Germany. (orig.)

  5. Dynamic Response Analysis of Storage Cask Lid Structure Subjected to Lateral Impact Load of Aircraft Engine Crash

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almomania, Belal; Kang, Hyun Gook; Lee, Sanghoon

    2015-01-01

    Several numerical methods and tests have been carried out to measure the capability of storage cask to withstand extreme impact loads. Testing methods are often constrained by cost, and difficulty in preparation for several impact conditions with different applied loads, and areas of impact. Instead, analytic method is an acceptable process that can easily apply different impact conditions for the evaluation of cask integrity. The aircraft engine impact is considered as one of the most critical impact accidents on the storage cask that significantly affects onto the lid closure system and may cause a considerable release of radioactive materials. This paper presents a method for evaluating the dynamic responses of one upper metal cask lid closure without impact limiters subjected to lateral impact of an aircraft engine with respect to variation of the impact velocity. An assessment method to predict damage response due to the lateral engine impact onto metal storage cask has been studied by using computer code LS-DYNA. The dynamic behavior of the lid movements was successfully calculated by utilizing a simplified finite element cask model, which showed a good agreement with the previous research. The simulation analyses results showed that no significant plastic deformation for bolts, lid, and the cask body. In this study, the lid opening and sliding displacements are considered as the major factors in initiating the leakage path. This analysis may be useful for evaluating the instantaneous leakage rates in a connection with the sliding and opening displacements between the lid and the flange to ensure that the radiological consequences caused by an aircraft engine crash accident during the storage phase are within the permissible level

  6. Dynamic Response Analysis of Storage Cask Lid Structure Subjected to Lateral Impact Load of Aircraft Engine Crash

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almomania, Belal; Kang, Hyun Gook [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sanghoon [Keimyung Univ., Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-15

    Several numerical methods and tests have been carried out to measure the capability of storage cask to withstand extreme impact loads. Testing methods are often constrained by cost, and difficulty in preparation for several impact conditions with different applied loads, and areas of impact. Instead, analytic method is an acceptable process that can easily apply different impact conditions for the evaluation of cask integrity. The aircraft engine impact is considered as one of the most critical impact accidents on the storage cask that significantly affects onto the lid closure system and may cause a considerable release of radioactive materials. This paper presents a method for evaluating the dynamic responses of one upper metal cask lid closure without impact limiters subjected to lateral impact of an aircraft engine with respect to variation of the impact velocity. An assessment method to predict damage response due to the lateral engine impact onto metal storage cask has been studied by using computer code LS-DYNA. The dynamic behavior of the lid movements was successfully calculated by utilizing a simplified finite element cask model, which showed a good agreement with the previous research. The simulation analyses results showed that no significant plastic deformation for bolts, lid, and the cask body. In this study, the lid opening and sliding displacements are considered as the major factors in initiating the leakage path. This analysis may be useful for evaluating the instantaneous leakage rates in a connection with the sliding and opening displacements between the lid and the flange to ensure that the radiological consequences caused by an aircraft engine crash accident during the storage phase are within the permissible level.

  7. Nonlinear analysis of a reactor building for airplane impact loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmermann, T.; Rodriguez, C.; Rebora, B.

    1981-01-01

    The purpose is to analyze the influence of material nonlinear behavior on the response of a reinforced concrete reactor building and on equipment response for airplane impact loadings. Two analyses are performed: first, the impact of a slow-flying commercial airplane (Boeing 707), then the impact of a fast flying military airplane (Phantom). (orig./HP)

  8. Impact of Electric Vehicle Charging Station Load on Distribution Network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanchari Deb

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent concerns about environmental pollution and escalating energy consumption accompanied by the advancements in battery technology have initiated the electrification of the transportation sector. With the universal resurgence of Electric Vehicles (EVs the adverse impact of the EV charging loads on the operating parameters of the power system has been noticed. The detrimental impact of EV charging station loads on the electricity distribution network cannot be neglected. The high charging loads of the fast charging stations results in increased peak load demand, reduced reserve margins, voltage instability, and reliability problems. Further, the penalty paid by the utility for the degrading performance of the power system cannot be neglected. This work aims to investigate the impact of the EV charging station loads on the voltage stability, power losses, reliability indices, as well as economic losses of the distribution network. The entire analysis is performed on the IEEE 33 bus test system representing a standard radial distribution network for six different cases of EV charging station placement. It is observed that the system can withstand placement of fast charging stations at the strong buses up to a certain level, but the placement of fast charging stations at the weak buses of the system hampers the smooth operation of the power system. Further, a strategy for the placement of the EV charging stations on the distribution network is proposed based on a novel Voltage stability, Reliability, and Power loss (VRP index. The results obtained indicate the efficacy of the VRP index.

  9. Reinforced concrete structures under impact and impulsive loading: recent development, problems and trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plauk, G.; Herter, J.

    1984-01-01

    Nuclear plant facilities and other reinforced concrete structures have to be regarded as to their safety in design and construction with respect to impact and impulsive loading in order to avoid serious damage to mankind and environment. The paper gives a survey on theoretical and experimental developments currently in progress, in particular regarding airplane crash. Some new results arising out of several research programs relevant to particular problems of impact loading have been reviewed and are presented. Experimental investigation for determination of material properties of plain concrete, reinforcing steel as well as steel-concrete bond under high strain-rates are treated in this paper including theoretical approaches for the respective material laws. An outline of soft missile impact tests performed on structural members, e.g. beams and plates, to determine the load deformation or fracture behaviour is given. Furthermore, numerical models and calculations to analyse structural components and structures under impact loading were discussed. (Author) [pt

  10. Damage assessment in CFRP laminates exposed to impact fatigue loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsigkourakos, George; Silberschmidt, Vadim V; Ashcroft, I A

    2011-01-01

    Demand for advanced engineering composites in the aerospace industry is increasing continuously. Lately, carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs) became one of the most important structural materials in the industry due to a combination of characteristics such as: excellent stiffness, high strength-to-weight ratio, and ease of manufacture according to application. In service, aerospace composite components and structures are exposed to various transient loads, some of which can propagate in them as cyclic impacts. A typical example is an effect of the wind gusts during flight. This type of loading is known as impact fatigue (IF); it is a repetition of low-energy impacts. Such loads can cause various types of damage in composites: fibre breaking, transverse matrix cracking, de-bonding between fibres and matrix and delamination resulting in reduction of residual stiffness and loss of functionality. Furthermore, this damage is often sub-surface, which reinforces the need for more regular inspection. The effects of IF are of major importance due its detrimental effect on the structural integrity of components that can be generated after relatively few impacts at low force levels compared to those in a standard fatigue regime. This study utilises an innovative testing system with the capability of subjecting specimens to a series of repetitive impacts. The primary subject of this paper is to assess the damaging effect of IF on the behaviour of drilled CFRP specimens, exposed to such loading. A detailed damage analysis is implemented utilising an X-ray micro computed tomography system. The main findings suggested that at early stages of life damage is governed by o degree splits along the length of the specimens resulting in a 20% reduction of stiffness. The final failure damage scenario indicated that transverse crasks in the 90 degree plies are the main reason for complete delamination which can be translated to a 50% stiffness reduction.

  11. Vegetation community change points suggest that critical loads of nutrient nitrogen may be too high

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkins, Kayla; Aherne, Julian; Bleasdale, Andy

    2016-12-01

    It is widely accepted that elevated nitrogen deposition can have detrimental effects on semi-natural ecosystems, including changes to plant diversity. Empirical critical loads of nutrient nitrogen have been recommended to protect many sensitive European habitats from significant harmful effects. In this study, we used Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN) to investigate shifts in vegetation communities along an atmospheric nitrogen deposition gradient for twenty-two semi-natural habitat types (as described under Annex I of the European Union Habitats Directive) in Ireland. Significant changes in vegetation community, i.e., change points, were determined for twelve habitats, with seven habitats showing a decrease in the number of positive indicator species. Community-level change points indicated a decrease in species abundance along a nitrogen deposition gradient ranging from 3.9 to 15.3 kg N ha-1 yr-1, which were significantly lower than recommended critical loads (Wilcoxon signed-rank test; V = 6, p < 0.05). These results suggest that lower critical loads of empirical nutrient nitrogen deposition may be required to protect many European habitats. Changes to vegetation communities may mean a loss of sensitive indicator species and potentially rare species in these habitats, highlighting how emission reductions policies set under the National Emissions Ceilings Directive may be directly linked to meeting the goal set out under the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy of "halting the loss of biodiversity" across Europe by 2020.

  12. Nuclear criticality safety: general. 4. The CASTOR X/32S Method of Covering mis-loading Concerns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lancaster, Dale B.; Rombough, Charles T.; Diersch, Rudolf; Spilker, Harry

    2001-01-01

    In the United States, most cask licenses do not directly consider mis-loading. If the enrichment limit for a shipping cask is high and the reactivity control is inherent in the cask, the reactivity effect of a mis-load is small. However, in large-capacity casks, such as the CASTOR X/32S, the effect can be much larger. The U.S. Department of Energy Topical Report on Actinide- Only Burnup Credit takes the position that a fuel assembly mis-load does need to be analyzed since there are multiple independent checks, and thus, the double-contingency principle is met. Unfortunately, 11 assemblies were mis-loaded at Palisades. This event has caused the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to ask for more detail on prevention of mis-loading. In the summer of 1999, Palisades loaded 11 assemblies, which did not comply with the loading requirements for their VSC-24 cask. The cask requires 5 yr of cooling, and these 11 assemblies had just a little more than 4 yr of cooling. The mis-loading did not result in an unsafe condition but in an un-reviewed condition. This mis-loading was not identified until November 2000 during a review related to an NRC information notice. The loading plan for the cask was incorrect. The engineering review of the loading plan missed the error. The operators had loaded the cask consistent with the loading plan. The cask loading was then confirmed by comparing to the loading plan. The loading plan was in error since the engineer assumed that the entire region of fuel was discharged at the same time. The 11 assemblies of concern were reinserted in the reactor, and the engineer and the reviewer did not check for this. The reactor records for all the assemblies were correct but apparently were not checked by the engineer who created the loading plan. To prevent a mis-load criticality event, the following steps will be required for the CASTOR X/32S storage and transport cask: 1. A loading plan will be prepared for each cask loaded. This plan will be

  13. Impact of Load Behavior on Transient Stability and Power Transfer Limitations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gordon, Mark

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents utility based load modeling practices and explores the interaction between loads and the power system and the effect of the interaction on transient stability and power transfer limitations. The effect of load composition is investigated at major load centers together with the......This paper presents utility based load modeling practices and explores the interaction between loads and the power system and the effect of the interaction on transient stability and power transfer limitations. The effect of load composition is investigated at major load centers together...... with the impact on rotor angle excursions of large scale generators during the transient and post-transient period. Responses of multi-induction motor stalling are also considered for different fault clearances in the system. Findings of the investigations carried out on the Eastern Australian interconnected...

  14. Normal dynamic deformation characteristics of non-consecutive jointed rock masses under impact loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Sheng; Jiang, Bowei; Sun, Bing

    2017-08-01

    In order to study deformation characteristics of non-consecutive single jointed rock masses under impact loads, we used the cement mortar materials to make simulative jointed rock mass samples, and tested the samples under impact loads by the drop hammer. Through analyzing the time-history signal of the force and the displacement, first we find that the dynamic compression displacement of the jointed rock mass is significantly larger than that of the intact jointless rock mass, the compression displacement is positively correlated with the joint length and the impact height. Secondly, the vertical compressive displacement of the jointed rock mass is mainly due to the closure of opening joints under small impact loads. Finally, the peak intensity of the intact rock mass is larger than that of the non-consecutive jointed rock mass and negatively correlated with the joint length under the same impact energy.

  15. Impact of shift work on critical care nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pryce, Cheryl

    2016-01-01

    Shift work is a common practice in the health care field to maintain 24-hour patient care. The purpose of this article is to recognize the negative impact of shift work on critical care nurses, and identify strategies to mitigate these effects. A review of the literature was completed, using the search terms: 'shift work, 'critical care', impact, and health. The literature revealed that shift work has an adverse effect on the health of a nurse. Some of the health implications include stress, sleep deprivation, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal symptoms, and mental health illnesses. Furthermore, shift work impacts a nurse's social life and may result in patient harm. Strategies to reduce the negative impact of shift work will be focused on educating critical care nurses and managers. These strategies include frontline staff maintaining a moderate amount of exercise, sustaining a well-balanced diet, using relaxation techniques, reducing the use of cigarettes, working an eight-hour work day, and napping during scheduled breaks. Recommendations for managers include implementing quiet time at the workplace, providing a safe space for staff to nap during breaks, facilitating an eight-hour work day, and encouraging a multidisciplinary team approach when managing workload.

  16. Cargo response to railcar impact and tiedown load analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartholomew, R.J.

    1978-01-01

    An analytical study that investigated the loads produced during coupling of railcars carrying heavy shipping containers is described. The structural model of the impact event is represented by a lumped parameter technique. Each discrete mass lump possesses longitudinal, vertical, and rotational degrees of freedom. The resulting computer simulation provides for nonlinear railcar coupler stiffness and linear damping forces in the coupler and container tiedowns. Results include response to parametric variations in container weight, impact speed, and tiedown stiffness. Container dynamic response and tiedown loads are found to depend heavily on these parameters. Also, railcar bending and subsequent vertical motion are shown to be important contributors to these responses. When experimentally substantiated, the model can serve as a useful tool in the design and evaluation of shipping container tiedown structures

  17. Load-Unload Response Ratio and Accelerating Moment/Energy Release Critical Region Scaling and Earthquake Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, X. C.; Mora, P.; Peng, K.; Wang, Y. C.; Weatherley, D.

    The main idea of the Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR) is that when a system is stable, its response to loading corresponds to its response to unloading, whereas when the system is approaching an unstable state, the response to loading and unloading becomes quite different. High LURR values and observations of Accelerating Moment/Energy Release (AMR/AER) prior to large earthquakes have led different research groups to suggest intermediate-term earthquake prediction is possible and imply that the LURR and AMR/AER observations may have a similar physical origin. To study this possibility, we conducted a retrospective examination of several Australian and Chinese earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 7.9, including Australia's deadly Newcastle earthquake and the devastating Tangshan earthquake. Both LURR values and best-fit power-law time-to-failure functions were computed using data within a range of distances from the epicenter. Like the best-fit power-law fits in AMR/AER, the LURR value was optimal using data within a certain epicentral distance implying a critical region for LURR. Furthermore, LURR critical region size scales with mainshock magnitude and is similar to the AMR/AER critical region size. These results suggest a common physical origin for both the AMR/AER and LURR observations. Further research may provide clues that yield an understanding of this mechanism and help lead to a solid foundation for intermediate-term earthquake prediction.

  18. Theoretical assessment of a proposal for the simplified determination of critical loads of elastic shells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malmberg, T.

    1986-08-01

    Within the context of the stability analysis of the cryostat of a fusion reactor the question was raised whether or not the rather lengthy conventional stability analysis can be circumvented by applying a simplified strategy based on common linear Finite Element computer programs. This strategy involves the static linear deformation analysis of the structure with and without imperfections. For some simple stability problems this approach has been shown to be successful. The purpose of this study is to derive a general proof of the validity of this approach for thin shells with arbitrary geometry under hydrostatic pressure or dead loading along the boundary. This general assessment involves two types of analyses: 1) A general stability analysis for thin shells; this is based on a simple nonlinear shell theory and a stability criterion in form of the neutral (indifferent) equilibrium condition. This result is taken as reference solution. 2) A general linear deformation analysis for thin imperfect shells and the definition of a suitable scalar parameter (β-parameter) which should represent the reciprocal of the critical load factor. It is shown that the simplified strategy (=β-parameter approach'') generally is not capable to predict the actual critical load factor irrespective whether there is a hydrostatic pressure loading or dead loading along the edge of the shell. This general result is in contrast to the observations made for some simple stability problems. Nevertheless, the results of this study do not exclude the possibility that the simplified strategy will give reasonable approximate solutions at least for a restricted class of stability problems. (orig./HP) [de

  19. Grid faults' impact on wind turbine structural loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Anca Daniela; Cutululis, Nicolaos Antonio; Iov, F.

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this work is to illustrate the impact of the grid faults on the wind turbine structural loads. Grid faults are typically simulated in detailed power system simulation tools, which by applying simplified mechanical models, are not able to provide a throughout insight...... on the structural loads caused by sudden disturbances on the grid. On the other hand, structural loads of the wind turbine are typically assessed in advanced aerolastic computer codes, which by applying simplified electrical models do not provide detailed electrical insight. This paper presents a simulation...... strategy, where the focus is on how to access a proper combination of two complimentary simulations tools, such as the advanced aeroelastic computer code HAWC2 and the detailed power system simulation tool DIgSILENT, in order to provide a whole overview of both the structural and the electrical behaviour...

  20. Impact Study on Power Factor of Electrical Load in Power Distribution System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Syirrazie Che Soh; Harzawardi Hasim; Ahmad Asraf, A.S.

    2014-01-01

    Low Power Factor of electrical loads cause high current is drawn from power supply. The impact of this circumstance is influenced by impedance of electrical load. Therefore, the key consideration of this study is how impedance of electrical loads influence power factor of electrical loads, and then power distribution as the whole. This study is important to evaluate the right action to mitigate low power factor effectively for electrical energy efficiency purpose. (author)

  1. Analytical research on impacting load of aircraft crashing upon moveable concrete target

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Tong; Ou, Zhuocheng; Duan, Zhuoping; Huang, Fenglei

    2018-03-01

    The impact load of an aircraft impact upon moveable concrete target was analyzed in this paper by both theoretical and numerical methods. The aircraft was simplified as a one dimensional pole and stress-wave theory was used to deduce the new formula. Furthermore, aiming to compare with previous experimental data, a numerical calculation based on the new formula had been carried out which showed good agreement with the experimental data. The approach, a new formula with particular numerical method, can predict not only the impact load but also the deviation between moveable and static concrete target.

  2. Impact of overweight vehicles (with heavy axle loads) on bridge deck deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-01

    Bridge deck slabs develop compressive stresses from global flexural deformation and locally from high-level : wheel loads when it is subjected to overweight trucks. This study quantified the impact of overweight vehicles : with heavy axle loads on br...

  3. Inter-annual variations in water yield to lakes in northeastern Alberta: implications for estimating critical loads of acidity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roderick HAZEWINKEL

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Stable isotopes of water were applied to estimate water yield to fifty lakes in northeastern Alberta as part of an acid sensitivity study underway since 2002 in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR. Herein, we apply site-specific water yields for each lake to calculate critical loads of acidity using water chemistry data and a steady-state water chemistry model. The main goal of this research was to improve site-specific critical load estimates and to understand the sensitivity to hydrologic variability across a Boreal Plains region under significant oil sands development pressure. Overall, catchment water yields were found to vary significantly over the seven year monitoring period, with distinct variations among lakes and between different regions, overprinted by inter-annual climate-driven shifts. Analysis of critical load estimates based on site-specific water yields suggests that caution must be applied to establish hydrologic conditions and define extremes at specific sites in order to protect more sensitive ecosystems. In general, lakes with low (high water yield tended to be more (less acid sensitive but were typically less (more affected by interannual hydrological variations. While it has been customary to use long-term water yields to define a static critical load for lakes, we find that spatial and temporal variability in water yield may limit effectiveness of this type of assessment in areas of the Boreal Plain characterized by heterogeneous runoff and without a long-term lake-gauging network. Implications for predicting acidification risk are discussed for the AOSR.

  4. Impact Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Columns with Side Openings Subjected to Eccentric Axial Loads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazar Kamil Ali

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In this research the behavior of reinforced concrete columns with large side openings under impact loads was studied. The overall cross sectional dimensions of the column specimens used in this research were (500*1400 mm with total height of (14000 mm. The dimensions of side openings were (600*2000 mm. The column was reinforced with (20 mm diameter in longitudinal direction, while (12 mm ties were used in the transverse direction. The effect of eccentric impact loads on the horizontal and vertical displacement for this column was studied. Nonlinear finite element analysis has been carried out using ready computer finite element package (ANSYS to simulate the behavior of the reinforced concrete column with large side openings. Two load cases were considered in this investigation (C1, C2 with three different load values for each case. In the first case (C1 the loads was applied to one side of the column and in the second case (C2 the loads was applied to both sides. An Equilateral triangular load-time function was used for simulation the impact load results from gantry cranes supported by the column with total time duration (0.1 sec. In order to verify the analysis method, as no experimental data exist for comparing the obtained results, another analysis is made for tested conventional column under impact load at mid-height and good agreement has been obtained. For the above mentioned column, the maximum displacements were (33.3, 22.2 mm in the horizontal and longitudinal direction respectively, location of the maximum horizontal displacement was at the crown of the column. By comparing the results of the first loading case with the second one it is shown that in the horizontal direction, maximum displacement increases by (139%, (208%, and (147% respectively, also the maximum vertical displacement increases by (150%, (172%, and (172% respectively.

  5. Incorporating episodicity into estimates of Critical Loads for juvenile salmonids in Scottish streams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. E. Bridcut

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Critical Load (CL methodology is currently used throughout Europe to assess the risks of ecological damage due to sulphur and nitrogen emissions. Critical acid neutralising capacity (ANCCRIT is used in CL estimates for freshwater systems as a surrogate for biological damage. Although UK CL maps presently use an ANC value of 0 μeq l-1, this value has been based largely on Norwegian lake studies, in which brown trout is chosen as a representative indicator organism. In this study, an ANC value specific for brown trout in Scottish streams was determined and issues were addressed such as salmon and trout sensitivity in streams, episodicity, afforestation and complicating factors such as dissolved organic carbon (DOC and labile aluminium (Al-L. Catchments with significant forest cover were selected to provide fishless sites and to provide catchment comparisons in unpolluted areas. Chemical factors were the primary determinant with land use a secondary determinant of the distribution of salmonid populations at the twenty-six study sites. ANC explained more variance in brown trout density than pH. The most significant index of episodicity was percent of time spent below an ANC of 0 μeq l-1. An ANCCRIT value of 39 μeq l-1 was obtained based on a 50% probability of brown trout occurrence. The use of this revised ANCCRIT value in the CL equation improved the relationship between trout status and exceedance of CLs. Uncertainties associated with variations in Al-L at any fixed ANCCRIT, particularly within forested catchments, and the role of DOC in modifying the toxicity of Al-L are discussed. Keywords: Critical Load, Critical acid neutralising capacity, brown trout, episodes, streams

  6. The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis: A critical review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hoesel, A.; Hoek, W.Z.; Pennock, G.M.; Drury, Martyn

    2014-01-01

    The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis suggests that multiple extraterrestrial airbursts or impacts resulted in the Younger Dryas cooling, extensive wildfires, megafaunal extinctions and changes in human population. After the hypothesis was first published in 2007, it gained much criticism, as the

  7. Ontario-U.S. power outages : impacts on critical infrastructure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-01-01

    This paper described the power outage and resulting blackout that occurred on August 14, 2003 and identified how critical infrastructure was directly and interdependently impacted in Canada. The aim of the paper was to assist critical infrastructure protection and emergency management professionals in assessing the potential impacts of large-scale critical infrastructure disruptions. Information for the study was acquired from Canadian and American media reports and cross-sectoral information sharing with provincial and federal governments and the private sector. The blackout impacted most of the sources and means of generating, transmitting and distributing power within the area, which in turn impacted all critical infrastructure sectors. Landline and cellular companies experienced operational difficulties, which meant that emergency responders were impacted. Newspapers and the electronic media struggled to release information to the public. The banking and finance industry experienced an immediate degradation of services. The power outage caused shipping and storage difficulties for commercial retailers and dairy producers. A number of incidents were reported where only partially treated waste water was released into neighbouring waterways. The timing of the blackout coincided with the closures of workplaces and created additional difficulties on transportation networks. Many gas station pumps were inoperable. Police, fire departments and ambulance services experienced a dramatic increase in the volume of calls received, and all branches of the emergency services sector encountered transportation delays and difficulties with communications equipment. Nuclear reactors were also impacted. An estimated 150,000 Government of Canada employees were unable to report to work. Estimates have indicated that the power outage cost Ontario's economy between $1 and $2 billion. The outage negatively impacted 82 per cent of small businesses in Ontario. 170 refs., 3 figs

  8. Damage in woven CFRP laminates under impact loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullah, H.; Harland, A. R.; Silberschmidt, V. V.

    2012-08-01

    Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites used in sports products can be exposed to different in-service conditions such as large dynamic bending deformations caused by impact loading. Composite materials subjected to such loads demonstrate various damage modes such as matrix cracking, delamination and, ultimately, fabric fracture. Damage evolution affects both in-service properties and performance of CFRP that can deteriorate with time. These failure modes need adequate means of analysis and investigation, the major approaches being experimental characterisation and numerical simulations. This research deals with a deformation behaviour and damage in composite laminates due to dynamic bending. Experimental tests are carried out to characterise the behaviour of a woven CFRP material under large-deflection dynamic bending in impact tests carried out to obtain the force-time and absorbed energy profiles for CFRP laminates. Damage in the impacted laminates is analysed using optical microscopy. Numerical simulations are performed to study the deformation behaviour and damage in CFRP for cases of large-deflection bending based on three-dimensional finite-element models implemented in the commercial code Abaqus/Explicit. Multiple layers of bilinear cohesive-zone elements are employed to model the initiation and progression of inter-ply delamination observed in the microscopy studies. The obtained results of simulations show good agreement with experimental data.

  9. Two Coupled Queues with Vastly Different Arrival Rates: Critical Loading Case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Knessl

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider two coupled queues with a generalized processor sharing service discipline. The second queue has a much smaller Poisson arrival rate than the first queue, while the customer service times are of comparable magnitude. The processor sharing server devotes most of its resources to the first queue, except when it is empty. The fraction of resources devoted to the second queue is small, of the same order as the ratio of the arrival rates. We assume that the primary queue is heavily loaded and that the secondary queue is critically loaded. If we let the small arrival rate to the secondary queue be O(ε, where 0≤ε≪1, then in this asymptotic limit the number of customers in the first queue will be large, of order O(ε-1, while that in the second queue will be somewhat smaller, of order O(ε-1/2. We obtain a two-dimensional diffusion approximation for this model and explicitly solve for the joint steady state probability distribution of the numbers of customers in the two queues. This work complements that in (Morrison, 2010, which the second queue was assumed to be heavily or lightly loaded, leading to mean queue lengths that were O(ε-1 or O(1, respectively.

  10. Dynamic analysis of elastic rubber tired car wheel breaking under variable normal load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedotov, A. I.; Zedgenizov, V. G.; Ovchinnikova, N. I.

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of the paper is to analyze the dynamics of the braking of the wheel under normal load variations. The paper uses a mathematical simulation method according to which the calculation model of an object as a mechanical system is associated with a dynamically equivalent schematic structure of the automatic control. Transfer function tool analyzing structural and technical characteristics of an object as well as force disturbances were used. It was proved that the analysis of dynamic characteristics of the wheel subjected to external force disturbances has to take into account amplitude and phase-frequency characteristics. Normal load variations impact car wheel braking subjected to disturbances. The closer slip to the critical point is, the higher the impact is. In the super-critical area, load variations cause fast wheel blocking.

  11. Improving Middle School Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Through Reading Infusion-Loaded Discovery Learning Model in the Science Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuryakin; Riandi

    2017-02-01

    A study has been conducted to obtain a depiction of middle school students’ critical thinking skills improvement through the implementation of reading infusion-loaded discovery learning model in science instruction. A quasi-experimental study with the pretest-posttest control group design was used to engage 55 eighth-year middle school students in Tasikmalaya, which was divided into the experimental and control group respectively were 28 and 27 students. Critical thinking skills were measured using a critical thinking skills test in multiple-choice with reason format questions that administered before and after a given instruction. The test was 28 items encompassing three essential concepts, vibration, waves and auditory senses. The critical thinking skills improvement was determined by using the normalized gain score and statistically analyzed by using Mann-Whitney U test.. The findings showed that the average of students’ critical thinking skills normalized gain score of both groups were 59 and 43, respectively for experimental and control group in the medium category. There were significant differences between both group’s improvement. Thus, the implementation of reading infusion-loaded discovery learning model could further improve middle school students’ critical thinking skills than conventional learning.

  12. The EU-strategy against soil acidification. Concept of the critical load; Die EU-Strategie gegen Bodenversauerung. Konzept der kritischen Belastung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trautwein, W.P.

    1998-10-01

    The development of so-called `novel forest damages` is considered to be - at least partly - a result of the impact of certain air pollutants such as sulphur and nitrogen oxides; these precipitate as acid rain and acidify the soil, thus damaging sensitive ecosystems, e.g. forests. To combat acidification, the EU Commission has produced a Community strategy, which is based on the concept of critical loads. The DGMK report 548 deals with this concept of critical loads and with the measures to combat soil acidifiction. It explains that critical loads are not damage thresholds, but environmental standards, and deviation does not necessarily required any action. It demonstrates, why the reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions, formed during the utilization of fluid fuels, is not a cost-effective measures. It proposes continued implementation of agreed plans for emission reduction, before additional legislative steps are considered. This report contains information to June 1998 inclusive. (orig.) [Deutsch] Die Entstehung der sogenannten `neuartigen Waldschaeden` fuehrt man zum Teil auf die Einwirkung gewisser Luftschadstoffe wie Schwefel- und Stickoxide zurueck, die als saurer Regen auf die Erde niedergehen und zu einer Versauerung des Bodens und damit zu einer Schaedigung empfindlicher Oekosysteme wie der Waelder fuehren koennen. Die EU-Kommission hat eine Strategie der EU zur Bekaempfung dieser Versauerung entwickelt, die auf dem Konzept der kritischen Belastungen beruht. Der DGMK-Bericht 548 setzt sich mit diesem Konzept der kritischen Belastungen sowie mit den Massnahmen zur Bekaempfung der Bodenversauerung auseinander. Er erlaeutert, dass kritische Belastungen keinen Schwellenwert, sondern einen Umweltstandard darstellen, aus dessen Ueberschreitung nicht zwingend ein Handlungsbedarf abgeleitet werden kann. Er erlaeutert ferner, warum vor allem die Reduktion der Schwefeldioxidemissionen, die beim Einsatz fluessiger Kraft- und Brennstoffe entstehen, keine

  13. Investigating the tension load of rubber composites by impact

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    This work deals with establishing the tension load by impact dynamic testing of rubber ... Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnology, Technical University of Košice, Institute of Logistics, Park Komenského 14, 043 84 ...

  14. Investigating the tension load of rubber composites by impact ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    This work deals with establishing the tension load by impact dynamic testing of rubber composite con- veyor belts. ... top layer ('top cover'), a fabric carcass which provide tensile strength, skim ... components of machines like CBs [20]. CBs of ...

  15. Fragility assessment method of Concrete Wall Subjected to Impact Loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hahm, Daegi; Shin, Sang Shup; Choi, In-Kil

    2014-01-01

    These studies have been aimed to verify and ensure the safety of the targeted walls and structures especially in the viewpoint of the deterministic approach. However, recently, the regulation and the assessment of the safety of the nuclear power plants (NPPs) against to an aircraft impact are strongly encouraged to adopt a probabilistic approach, i.e., the probabilistic risk assessment of an aircraft impact. In Korea, research to develop aircraft impact risk quantification technology was initiated in 2012 by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). In this paper, for the one example of the probabilistic safety assessment approach, a method to estimate the failure probability and fragility of concrete wall subjected to impact loading caused by missiles or engine parts of aircrafts will be introduced. This method and the corresponding results will be used for the total technical roadmap and the procedure to assess the aircraft impact risk (Fig.1). A method and corresponding results of the estimation of the failure probability and fragility for a concrete wall subjected to impact loadings caused by missiles or engine parts of aircrafts was introduced. The detailed information of the target concrete wall in NPP, and the example aircraft engine model is considered safeguard information (SGI), and is not contained in this paper

  16. Control of impact loading during distracted running before and after gait retraining in runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Roy T H; An, Winko W; Au, Ivan P H; Zhang, Janet H; Chan, Zoe Y S; MacPhail, Aislinn J

    2018-07-01

    Gait retraining using visual biofeedback has been reported to reduce impact loading in runners. However, most of the previous studies did not adequately examine the level of motor learning after training, as the modified gait pattern was not tested in a dual-task condition. Hence, this study sought to compare the landing peak positive acceleration (PPA) and vertical loading rates during distracted running before and after gait retraining. Sixteen recreational runners underwent a two-week visual biofeedback gait retraining program for impact loading reduction, with feedback on the PPA measured at heel. In the evaluation of PPA and vertical loading rates before and after the retraining, the participants performed a cognitive and verbal counting task while running. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant interaction between feedback and training on PPA (F = 4.642; P = 0.048) but not vertical loading rates (F > 1.953; P > 0.067). Pairwise comparisons indicated a significantly lower PPA and vertical loading rates after gait retraining (P  0.68). Visual feedback after gait retraining reduced PPA and vertical loading rates during distracted running (P  0.36). Gait retraining is effective in lowering impact loading even when the runners are distracted. In dual-task situation, visual biofeedback provided beneficial influence on kinetics control after gait retraining.

  17. Impact of ballistic body armour and load carriage on walking patterns and perceived comfort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Huiju; Branson, Donna; Petrova, Adriana; Peksoz, Semra; Jacobson, Bert; Warren, Aric; Goad, Carla; Kamenidis, Panagiotis

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of weight magnitude and distribution of body armour and carrying loads on military personnel's walking patterns and comfort perceptions. Spatio-temporal parameters of walking, plantar pressure and contact area were measured while seven healthy male right-handed military students wore seven different garments of varying weight (0.06, 9, 18 and 27 kg) and load distribution (balanced and unbalanced, on the front and back torso). Higher weight increased the foot contact time with the floor. In particular, weight placement on the non-dominant side of the front torso resulted in the greatest stance phase and double support. Increased plantar pressure and contact area observed during heavier loads entail increased impact forces, which can cause overuse injuries and foot blisters. Participants reported increasingly disagreeable pressure and strain in the shoulder, neck and lower back during heavier weight conditions and unnatural walking while wearing unbalanced weight distributed loads. This study shows the potentially synergistic impact of wearing body armour vest with differential loads on body movement and comfort perception. This study found that soldiers should balance loads, avoiding load placement on the non-dominant side front torso, thus minimising mobility restriction and potential injury risk. Implications for armour vest design modifications can also be found in the results.

  18. High-Velocity Impact Behaviour of Prestressed Composite Plates under Bird Strike Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Heimbs

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available An experimental and numerical analysis of the response of laminated composite plates under high-velocity impact loads of soft body gelatine projectiles (artificial birds is presented. The plates are exposed to tensile and compressive preloads before impact in order to cover realistic loading conditions of representative aeronautic structures under foreign object impact. The modelling methodology for the composite material, delamination interfaces, impact projectile, and preload using the commercial finite element code Abaqus are presented in detail. Finally, the influence of prestress and of different delamination modelling approaches on the impact response is discussed and a comparison to experimental test data is given. Tensile and compressive preloading was found to have an influence on the damage pattern. Although this general behaviour could be predicted well by the simulations, further numerical challenges for improved bird strike simulation accuracy are highlighted.

  19. The impact of luminance on tonic and phasic pupillary responses to sustained cognitive load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peysakhovich, Vsevolod; Vachon, François; Dehais, Frédéric

    2017-02-01

    Pupillary reactions independent of light conditions have been linked to cognition for a long time. However, the light conditions can impact the cognitive pupillary reaction. Previous studies underlined the impact of luminance on pupillary reaction, but it is still unclear how luminance modulates the sustained and transient components of pupillary reaction - tonic pupil diameter and phasic pupil response. In the present study, we investigated the impact of the luminance on these two components under sustained cognitive load. Fourteen participants performed a novel working memory task combining mathematical computations with a classic n-back task. We studied both tonic pupil diameter and phasic pupil response under low (1-back) and high (2-back) working memory load and two luminance levels (gray and white). We found that the impact of working memory load on the tonic pupil diameter was modulated by the level of luminance, the increase in tonic pupil diameter with the load being larger under lower luminance. In contrast, the smaller phasic pupil response found under high load remained unaffected by luminance. These results showed that luminance impacts the cognitive pupillary reaction - tonic pupil diameter (phasic pupil response) being modulated under sustained (respectively, transient) cognitive load. These findings also support the relationship between the locus-coeruleus system, presumably functioning in two firing modes - tonic and phasic - and the pupil diameter. We suggest that the tonic pupil diameter tracks the tonic activity of the locus-coeruleus while phasic pupil response reflects its phasic activity. Besides, the designed novel cognitive paradigm allows the simultaneous manipulation of sustained and transient components of the cognitive load and is useful for dissociating the effects on the tonic pupil diameter and phasic pupil response. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. A pulsed load model and its impact on a synchronous-rectifier system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Pengfei; Xu, Ye; Li, Jianke; Wang, Jinquan; Zhang, Haitao; Yan, Jun; Wang, Chunming; Chen, Jingjing

    2017-02-01

    The pulsed load has become a developing trend of power loading. Unlike traditional loads, pulsed loads with current abrupt and repeated charges will result in unstable Microgrid operations because of their small capacity and inertia. In this paper, an Average Magnitude Sum Function (AMSF) is proposed to calculate the frequency of the grid, and based on AMSF, the Relative Deviation Rate (RDR) that characterises the impact of pulsed load on the AC side of the grid is defined and its calculation process is described in detail. In addition, the system dynamic characteristics under a pulsed load are analysed using an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) to control the on/off state of the resistive load for simulating a pulsed load. Finally, the transient characteristics of a synchronous-rectifier system with a pulsed load are studied and validated experimentally.

  1. Analysis of reinforced concrete structures subjected to aircraft impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauer, J.; Scharpf, F.; Schwarz, R.

    1983-01-01

    Concerning the evaluation of the effects of aircraft impact loading on the reactor building and the contained equipment special interest belongs to both the characteristic of loading conditions and the consideration of the nonlinear behaviour of the local impacted area as well as the overall behaviour of the structure. To cover this extensive scope of problems the fully 3-dimensional code DYSMAS/L was prepared for the analysis of highly dynamic continuum mechanics problems. For this totally Lagrangian description, derived and tested in the field of the simulation of impact phenomena and penetration of armoured structures, an extension was made for the reasonable modelling of the material behaviour of reinforced concrete. Conforming the available experimental data a nonlinear stress-strain curve is given and a continuous triaxial failure-surface is composed which allows cracking of concrete in the tensile region and its crushing in the compressive mode. For the separately modeled reinforcement an elastic-plastic stress-strain relationship with kinematic hardening is used. (orig./RW)

  2. Susceptibility of forests in the northeastern USA to nitrogen and sulfur deposition: critical load exceedance and forest health

    Science.gov (United States)

    N. Duarte; L.H. Pardo; M.J. Robin-Abbott

    2013-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to assess susceptibility to acidification and nitrogen (N) saturation caused by atmospheric deposition to northeastern US forests, evaluate the benefits and shortcomings of making critical load assessments using regional data, and assess the relationship between expected risk (exceedance) and forest health. We calculated the critical...

  3. Lichen-based critical loads for atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Western Oregon and Washington forests, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linda H. Geiser; Sarah E. Jovan; Doug A. Glavich; Matthew K. Porter

    2010-01-01

    Critical loads (CLs) define maximum atmospheric deposition levels apparently preventative of ecosystem harm. We present first nitrogen CLs for northwestern North America's maritime forests. Using multiple linear regression, we related epiphytic-macrolichen community composition to: 1) wet deposition from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, 2) wet, dry,...

  4. Effect of Eccentricity of Load on Critical Force of Thin-Walled Columns CFRP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pawel Wysmulski

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The subject of study was a thin-walled C-section made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP. Column was subjected to eccentric compression in the established direction. In the computer simulation, the boundary conditions were assumed in the form of articulated support of the sections of the column. Particular studies included an analysis of the effects of eccentricity on the critical force value. The research was conducted using two independent research methods: numerical and experimental. Numerical simulations were done using the finite element method using the advanced system Abaqus®. The high sensitivity of the critical force value corresponding to the local buckling of the channel section to the load eccentricity was demonstrated.

  5. Assessing the financial impacts of distributed energy on load serving entities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zeyu; Negash, Ahlmahz; Kirschen, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    This article analyzes the financial impact of distributed energy resources (DERs) owned and operated by commercial customers on the load serving entities (LSEs). DERs reduce the customers' electricity bills and hence the revenues collected by their LSE. However, changes in customer demand profiles can potentially reduce the aggregated system demand profile, and therefore, reduce the LSE's costs in wholesale markets. Analysis of these financial impacts indicates that the LSE's lost revenue ultimately outweighs its reduced expenses. This is largely due to a significant reduction in revenue from demand charges. Dispatchable DERs, including energy storages and demand response, result in more financial losses for LSEs than photovoltaics. The financial losses LSEs face indicate that redesigning commercial customer tariffs is necessary in order for LSEs to accommodate customer owned DERs properly. Several suggestions on modifying commercial tariffs are presented. - Highlights: • We analyze the financial impacts on load serving entities of DERs owned by commercial customers. • Under the selected commercial tariff, load serving entities suffer economic losses. • Energy storages and demand response results in more financial losses for LSE than photovoltaics. • We provide some suggestions for tariff modifications.

  6. Cylindrical shell under impact load including transverse shear and normal stress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shakeri, M.; Eslami, M.R.; Ghassaa, M.; Ohadi, A.R.

    1993-01-01

    The general governing equations of shell of revolution under shock loads are reduced to equations describing the elastic behavior of cylindrical shell under axisymmetric impact load. The effect of lateral normal stress, transverse shear, and rotary inertia are included, and the equations are solved by Galerkin finite element method. The results are compared with the previous works of authors. (author)

  7. Volcanic ash impacts on critical infrastructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Thomas M.; Stewart, Carol; Sword-Daniels, Victoria; Leonard, Graham S.; Johnston, David M.; Cole, Jim W.; Wardman, Johnny; Wilson, Grant; Barnard, Scott T.

    2012-01-01

    Volcanic eruptions can produce a wide range of hazards. Although phenomena such as pyroclastic flows and surges, sector collapses, lahars and ballistic blocks are the most destructive and dangerous, volcanic ash is by far the most widely distributed eruption product. Although ash falls rarely endanger human life directly, threats to public health and disruption to critical infrastructure services, aviation and primary production can lead to significant societal impacts. Even relatively small eruptions can cause widespread disruption, damage and economic loss. Volcanic eruptions are, in general, infrequent and somewhat exotic occurrences, and consequently in many parts of the world, the management of critical infrastructure during volcanic crises can be improved with greater knowledge of the likely impacts. This article presents an overview of volcanic ash impacts on critical infrastructure, other than aviation and fuel supply, illustrated by findings from impact assessment reconnaissance trips carried out to a wide range of locations worldwide by our international research group and local collaborators. ‘Critical infrastructure’ includes those assets, frequently taken for granted, which are essential for the functioning of a society and economy. Electricity networks are very vulnerable to disruption from volcanic ash falls. This is particularly the case when fine ash is erupted because it has a greater tendency to adhere to line and substation insulators, where it can cause flashover (unintended electrical discharge) which can in turn cause widespread and disruptive outages. Weather conditions are a major determinant of flashover risk. Dry ash is not conductive, and heavy rain will wash ash from insulators, but light rain/mist will mobilise readily-soluble salts on the surface of the ash grains and lower the ash layer’s resistivity. Wet ash is also heavier than dry ash, increasing the risk of line breakage or tower/pole collapse. Particular issues for water

  8. Dynamical load factor of impact loaded shell structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammel, J.

    1977-01-01

    Dynamical loaded structures can be analysed by spectral representations, which usually lead to an enormous computational effort. If it is possible to find a fitting dynamical load factor, the dynamical problem can be reduced to a statical one. The computation of this statical problem is much simpler. The disadvantage is that the dynamical load factor usually leads to a very rough approximation. In this paper it will be shown, that by combination of these two methods, the approximation of the dynamical load factor can be improved and the consumption of computation time can be enormously reduced. (Auth.)

  9. Influence of combined impact and cyclic loading on the overall fatigue life of forged steel, EA4T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malekzadeh, A.; Hadidi-Moud, S.; Farhangdoost, Kh [Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    The performance of forged steel, EA4T, used in rail industry, under simulated in service conditions, i.e. combined impact - cyclic loading, was investigated through a comprehensive experimental programme. The standard Paris-Erdogan fatigue design curve parameters, m and C, were calibrated to account for the effect of the impact component of loading. A minimum threshold for impact load component, identified in the experiments, was also incorporated in the proposed empirical model. Comparison with experimental findings indicated that this “modified” Fatigue design curve could predict the fatigue life of pre impact loaded specimens with sufficient accuracy. It was therefore suggested that the modified model may be used as a novel design tool for predicting the overall fatigue life of components made of this material under the specified combined impact and fatigue loading conditions.

  10. Identification of critical equipment and determination of operational limits in helium refrigerators under pulsed heat load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Rohan; Ghosh, Parthasarathi; Chowdhury, Kanchan

    2014-01-01

    Large-scale helium refrigerators are subjected to pulsed heat load from tokamaks. As these plants are designed for constant heat loads, operation under such varying load may lead to instability in plants thereby tripping the operation of different equipment. To understand the behavior of the plant subjected to pulsed heat load, an existing plant of 120 W at 4.2 K and another large-scale plant of 18 kW at 4.2 K have been analyzed using a commercial process simulator Aspen Hysys®. A similar heat load characteristic has been applied in both quasi steady state and dynamic analysis to determine critical stages and equipment of these plants from operational point of view. It has been found that the coldest part of both the cycles consisting JT-stage and its preceding reverse Brayton stage are the most affected stages of the cycles. Further analysis of the above stages and constituting equipment revealed limits of operation with respect to variation of return stream flow rate resulted from such heat load variations. The observations on the outcome of the analysis can be used for devising techniques for steady operation of the plants subjected to pulsed heat load.

  11. Upwind impacts of ammonia from an intensive poultry unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, L.; Nizam, M.S.; Reynolds, B.; Bareham, S.; Oxley, E.R.B.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated potential ammonia impacts on a sand dune nature reserve 600 m upwind of an intensive poultry unit. Ammonia concentrations and total nitrogen deposition were measured over a calendar year. A series of ammonia and nitrogen exposure experiments using dune grassland species were conducted in controlled manipulations and in the field. Ammonia emissions from the intensive poultry unit were detected up to 2.8 km upwind, contributing to exceedance of critical levels of ammonia 800 m upwind and exceedance of critical loads of nitrogen 2.8 km upwind. Emissions contributed 30% of the total N load in parts of the upwind conservation site. In the nitrogen exposure experiments, plants showed elevated tissue nitrogen contents, and responded to ammonia concentrations and nitrogen deposition loads observed in the conservation site by increasing biomass. Estimated long-term impacts suggest an increase in the soil carbon pool of 9% over a 50-year timescale. -- Highlights: •Ammonia from a poultry unit can be detected 2.8 km upwind. •Ammonia caused exceedance of critical levels 800 m and critical loads 2.8 km upwind. •Dune grassland species utilised ammonia as a nutrient source. •Plant biomass increased at low levels of ammonia and total nitrogen deposition. •Soil C pools are predicted to increase by 9% over 50 years due to the excess ammonia. -- Ammonia from a poultry unit has upwind impacts, exceeding critical levels 800 m and critical loads 2.8 km upwind, and increasing biomass and tissue N of dune grassland species

  12. Dynamic stability under sudden loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simitses, G.J.

    1998-01-01

    The concept of dynamic stability of elastic structures subjected to sudden (step) loads is discussed. The various criteria and related methodologies for estimating critical conditions are presented with the emphasis on their similarities and differences. These are demonstrated by employing a simple mechanical model. Several structural configurations are analyzed, for demonstration purposes, with the intention of comparing critical dynamic loads to critical static loads. These configurations include shallow arches and shallow spherical caps, two bar frames, and imperfect cylindrical shells of metallic as well as laminated composite construction. In the demonstration examples, the effect of static pre loading on the dynamic critical load is presented

  13. On the Behavior of Fiberglass Epoxy Composites under Low Velocity Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gautam S. Chandekar

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Response of fiberglass epoxy composite laminates under low velocity impact loading is investigated using LS-DYNA®, and the results are compared with experimental analysis performed using an instrumented impact test setup (Instron dynatup 8250. The composite laminates are manufactured using H-VARTM© process with basket weave E-Glass fabrics. Epon 862 is used as a resin system and Epicure-W as a hardening agent. Composite laminates, with 10 layers of fiberglass fabrics, are modeled using 3D solid elements in a mosaic fashion to represent basket weave pattern. Mechanical properties are calculated by using classical micromechanical theory and assigned to the elements using ORTHOTROPIC ELASTIC material model. The damage occurred since increasing impact energy is incorporated using ADVANCED COMPOSITE DAMAGE material model in LS-DYNA®. Good agreements are obtained with the failure damage results in LS-DYNA® and experimental results. Main considerations for comparison are given to the impact load carrying capacity and the amount of impact energy absorbed by the laminates.

  14. Development of a Spring-Loaded Impact Device to Deliver Injurious Mechanical Impacts to the Articular Cartilage Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Peter G.; Song, Yingjie; Taboas, Juan M.; Chen, Faye H.; Melvin, Gary M.; Manner, Paul A.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Traumatic impacts on the articular joint surface in vitro are known to lead to degeneration of the cartilage. The main objective of this study was to develop a spring-loaded impact device that can be used to deliver traumatic impacts of consistent magnitude and rate and to find whether impacts cause catabolic activities in articular cartilage consistent with other previously reported impact models and correlated with the development of osteoarthritic lesions. In developing the spring-loaded impactor, the operating hypothesis is that a single supraphysiologic impact to articular cartilage in vitro can affect cartilage integrity, cell viability, sulfated glycosaminoglycan and inflammatory mediator release in a dose-dependent manner. Design: Impacts of increasing force are delivered to adult bovine articular cartilage explants in confined compression. Impact parameters are correlated with tissue damage, cell viability, matrix and inflammatory mediator release, and gene expression 24 hours postimpact. Results: Nitric oxide release is first detected after 7.7 MPa impacts, whereas cell death, glycosaminoglycan release, and prostaglandin E2 release are first detected at 17 MPa. Catabolic markers increase linearly to maximal levels after ≥36 MPa impacts. Conclusions: A single supraphysiologic impact negatively affects cartilage integrity, cell viability, and GAG release in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings showed that 7 to 17 MPa impacts can induce cell death and catabolism without compromising the articular surface, whereas a 17 MPa impact is sufficient to induce increases in most common catabolic markers of osteoarthritic degeneration. PMID:26069650

  15. A novel reformulation of the Theory of Critical Distances to design notched metals against dynamic loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, T.; Tyas, A.; Plekhov, O.; Terekhina, A.; Susmel, L.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The proposed method is successful in estimating dynamic strength of metals. • The critical distance varies as the loading/strain/displacement rate increases. • The reference strength varies as the loading/strain/displacement rate increases. • This method is recommended to be used with safety factors larger than 1.25. - Abstract: In the present study the linear-elastic Theory of Critical Distances (TCD) is reformulated to make it suitable for predicting the strength of notched metallic materials subjected to dynamic loading. The accuracy and reliability of the proposed reformulation of the TCD was checked against a number of experimental results generated by testing, under different loading/strain rates, notched cylindrical samples of aluminium alloy 6063-T5, titanium alloy Ti–6Al–4V, aluminium alloy AlMg6, and an AlMn alloy. To further validate the proposed design method also different data sets taken from the literature were considered. Such an extensive validation exercise allowed us to prove that the proposed reformulation of the TCD is successful in predicting the dynamic strength of notched metallic materials, this approach proving to be capable of estimates falling within an error interval of ±20%. Such a high level of accuracy is certainly remarkable, especially in light of the fact that it was reached without the need for explicitly modelling the stress vs. strain dynamic behaviour of the investigated ductile metals

  16. Assessing the long term impact of phosphorus fertilization on phosphorus loadings using AnnAGNPS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Yongping; Bingner, Ronald L; Locke, Martin A; Stafford, Jim; Theurer, Fred D

    2011-06-01

    High phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural fields has been an environmental concern because of potential water quality problems in streams and lakes. To better understand the process of P loss and evaluate the effects of different phosphorus fertilization rates on phosphorus losses, the USDA Annualized AGricultural Non-Point Source (AnnAGNPS) pollutant loading model was applied to the Ohio Upper Auglaize watershed, located in the southern portion of the Maumee River Basin. In this study, the AnnAGNPS model was calibrated using USGS monitored data; and then the effects of different phosphorus fertilization rates on phosphorus loadings were assessed. It was found that P loadings increase as fertilization rate increases, and long term higher P application would lead to much higher P loadings to the watershed outlet. The P loadings to the watershed outlet have a dramatic change after some time with higher P application rate. This dramatic change of P loading to the watershed outlet indicates that a "critical point" may exist in the soil at which soil P loss to water changes dramatically. Simulations with different initial soil P contents showed that the higher the initial soil P content is, the less time it takes to reach the "critical point" where P loadings to the watershed outlet increases dramatically. More research needs to be done to understand the processes involved in the transfer of P between the various stable, active and labile states in the soil to ensure that the model simulations are accurate. This finding may be useful in setting up future P application and management guidelines.

  17. Power Generation by Zinc Antimonide Thin Film under Various Load Resistances at its Critical Operating Temperature

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mir Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba; Rezaniakolaei, Alireza; Rosendahl, Lasse Aistrup

    slightly reduces during unload conditions, although it is expected that by eliminating load in each step, the initial amount of voltage exactly repeats. Similar behavior is observed for Seebeck coefficient distribution versus time of working particularly in lower load resistances. Based on variation...... thin films operating under different load resistances at around its critical operating temperature, 400 ᵒC. The thermoelement is subjected to constant hot side temperature and to room temperature at the cold junction in order to measure the thin film TEG’s sample performance. The nominal loads equal...... to 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45… 175, and also 200 Ohms were applied. The results show that the value of the Seebeck coefficient is 0.0002 [V/K] for the specimen, which is in agreement with quantities of other zinc antimonide bulks materials in literature. The results also show that the voltage...

  18. An Analytic Equation Partitioning Climate Variation and Human Impacts on River Sediment Load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, J.; Gao, G.; Fu, B.

    2017-12-01

    Spatial or temporal patterns and process-based equations could co-exist in hydrologic model. Yet, existing approaches quantifying the impacts of those variables on river sediment load (RSL) changes are found to be severely limited, and new ways to evaluate the contribution of these variables are thus needed. Actually, the Newtonian modeling is hardly achievable for this process due to the limitation of both observations and knowledge of mechanisms, whereas laws based on the Darwinian approach could provide one component of a developed hydrologic model. Since that streamflow is the carrier of suspended sediment, sediment load changes are documented in changes of streamflow and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) - water discharge relationships. Consequently, an analytic equation for river sediment load changes are proposed to explicitly quantify the relative contributions of climate variation and direct human impacts on river sediment load changes. Initially, the sediment rating curve, which is of great significance in RSL changes analysis, was decomposed as probability distribution of streamflow and the corresponding SSC - water discharge relationships at equally spaced discharge classes. Furthermore, a proposed segmentation algorithm based on the fractal theory was used to decompose RSL changes attributed to these two portions. Additionally, the water balance framework was utilized and the corresponding elastic parameters were calculated. Finally, changes in climate variables (i.e. precipitation and potential evapotranspiration) and direct human impacts on river sediment load could be figured out. By data simulation, the efficiency of the segmentation algorithm was verified. The analytic equation provides a superior Darwinian approach partitioning climate and human impacts on RSL changes, as only data series of precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and SSC - water discharge are demanded.

  19. Fast assessment of the critical principal stress direction for multiple separated multiaxial loadings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Cova

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The critical plane calculation for multiaxial damage assessment is often a demanding task, particularly for large FEM models of real components. Anyway, in actual engineering requests, sometime, it is possible to take advantage of the specific properties of the investigated case. This paper deals with the problem of a mechanical component loaded by multiple, but “time-separated”, multiaxial external loads. The specific material damage is dependent from the max principal stress variation with a significant mean stress sensitivity too. A specifically fitted procedure was developed for a fast computation, at each node of a large FEM model, of the direction undergoing the maximum fatigue damage; the procedure is defined according to an effective stress definition based on the max principal stress amplitude and mean value. The procedure is presented in a general form, applicable to the similar cases.

  20. Pipe/duct system design for tornado missile impact loads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, J.; Wang, S.; Johnson, W., E-mail: whjohnso@bechtel.com

    2014-04-01

    For nuclear power plant life extension projects, it may be convenient and in some instances necessary to locate safety-related steel ducts and pipes outside of the main structures, exposing them to extreme environmental loads such as tornado missile impact. Examples of this application include emergency firewater lines and Control Room vent ducts. A typical exposed commodity run could be comprised of a rectangular or circular cross-section with horizontal and vertical segments supported at variable spans off of roof and wall panels, respectively. Efficient and economical design of such a tornado-impacted duct or pipe system, consisting of the commodity and its supports, must exploit all of the system's capability to absorb the impact energy by deforming plastically to the fullest extent allowable. Energy can be absorbed locally in the vicinity of impact on the commodity, globally through rotation at flexural plastic hinges, and through yielding of the supports. In this paper a simplified NDOF lumped parameter nonlinear analysis methodology is presented and applied to the coupled commodity/support system subjected to tornado impulse loading. The analysis methodology is confirmed using a detailed ANSYS nonlinear finite element model. Optimization of the initial trial design is achieved by progressively decreasing the support resistances, while monitoring the response ductilities throughout the system. Evaluation methodologies are provided for the four types of plastic deformation responses which occur in the system: local response in the immediate vicinity of impact, flexural and membrane response of the sidewall out to one or two times the commodity depth beyond the point of impact, global response of the commodity as a beam spanning between supports, and the shear and flexural response of support. The inelastic responses are evaluated against AISC N690 acceptance criteria (ANSI, 2006), supplemented as appropriate by triaxiality considerations for inelastic

  1. A PVDF-Based Sensor for Internal Stress Monitoring of a Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular (CFST) Column Subject to Impact Loads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Guofeng; Li, Zhao; Song, Gangbing

    2018-05-23

    Impact loads can have major adverse effects on the safety of civil engineering structures, such as concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns. The study of mechanical behavior and stress analysis of CFST columns under impact loads is very important to ensure their safety against such loads. At present, the internal stress monitoring of the concrete cores CFST columns under impact loads is still a very challenging subject. In this paper, a PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) piezoelectric smart sensor was developed and successfully applied to the monitoring of the internal stress of the concrete core of a CFST column under impact loads. The smart sensor consists of a PVDF piezoelectric film sandwiched between two thin steel plates through epoxy. The protection not only prevents the PVDF film from impact damages but also ensures insulation and waterproofing. The smart sensors were embedded into the circular concrete-filled steel tube specimen during concrete pouring. The specimen was tested against impact loads, and testing data were collected. The time history of the stress obtained from the PVDF smart sensor revealed the evolution of core concrete internal stress under impact loads when compared with the impact force⁻time curve of the hammer. Nonlinear finite element simulations of the impact process were also carried out. The results of FEM simulations had good agreement with the test results. The results showed that the proposed PVDF piezoelectric smart sensors can effectively monitor the internal stress of concrete-filled steel tubular columns under impact loads.

  2. Dynamic response of a clamped/free hollow circular cylinder under travelling torsional impact loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jonker, J.B.

    1982-01-01

    Impact-induced vibrations in the casing of a gas centriguge due to a sudden failure of the spinning rotor (crash) can cause structural disintegrity of the casing. In order to study the influence of the rotor failure bahaviour and the impact load histories on the dynamic response of the casing, a simple crash model is proposed in this paper to analyse the transient torsional response due to tangential components of the impact loads. The casing is modeled as a linear-elastic hollow circular cylinder, clamped at the lower end and free at the upper end. The rotor is thought to breakup in identical sections in a sequence determined by its fracture behaviour. Each section is assumed to cause an axi-symmetric load distribution at the inner surface of the casing. Therefore the problem is essentially reduced to the analysis of a clamped/free cylinder under travelling torsional impact loads. The problem is solved by representing the impact loads as local pulses acting over the length of the sections. A perturbation method is used to show that the general two-dimensional theory of axi-symmetric torsional wave propagation in circular cylinders, for the problem under consideration, may be approximated by the elementary one-dimensional theory. Solutions are obtained according to the usual modal expansion approach. Measurements of transient torsional responses are shown to be in good agreement with the calculated responses by choosing a suitable shape of the pulses. The effects of travelling velocity and pulse shape are investigated. Finally the transfer of kinetic energy in the rotor to vibrational energy of torsion in the casing is studied. (orig.)

  3. Critical levels and loads of atmospheric pollutants for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The emergence of a scientific concept. Application potentials and their limits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landmann, G.

    1993-01-01

    The 'critical loads and levels' are defined as the highest atmospheric deposition rate or concentration of a gaseous pollutant, respectively, that will not cause harmful effects on sensitive elements of an ecosystem. The recent emergence of the concept of critical loads and levels is described, from the first explicit mention in 1986 to the production of the first European maps in 1991. The difficulties linked to the definition of the concept and to its english-derived terminology are discussed. The main approaches used for assessing critical loads and levels are briefly described. Important research is developed under the auspices of the Convention of Geneva (Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Transport, UN-ECE), arising from intensive studies which have been carried out on the effects of air pollution on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems for the past ten or fifteen years. Current knowledge is summarized, as well as the remaining gaps (and questions) which hinder the calculation of the critical thresholds. Finally, beyond the fundamental relevance of this scientifically sound and easily understood concept, its limits are pointed out. In brief, the 'critical loads and levels' concept is attractive and motivating to many scientists: it implies to apply an integrated and finalized approach, favors the prospecting of poorly known ecosystems and regions, and represents an interesting interface with decision makers

  4. The impact of cognitive load on reward evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krigolson, Olave E; Hassall, Cameron D; Satel, Jason; Klein, Raymond M

    2015-11-19

    The neural systems that afford our ability to evaluate rewards and punishments are impacted by a variety of external factors. Here, we demonstrate that increased cognitive load reduces the functional efficacy of a reward processing system within the human medial-frontal cortex. In our paradigm, two groups of participants used performance feedback to estimate the exact duration of one second while electroencephalographic (EEG) data was recorded. Prior to performing the time estimation task, both groups were instructed to keep their eyes still and avoid blinking in line with well established EEG protocol. However, during performance of the time-estimation task, one of the two groups was provided with trial-to-trial-feedback about their performance on the time-estimation task and their eye movements to induce a higher level of cognitive load relative to participants in the other group who were solely provided with feedback about the accuracy of their temporal estimates. In line with previous work, we found that the higher level of cognitive load reduced the amplitude of the feedback-related negativity, a component of the human event-related brain potential associated with reward evaluation within the medial-frontal cortex. Importantly, our results provide further support that increased cognitive load reduces the functional efficacy of a neural system associated with reward processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Missing a trick: Auditory load modulates conscious awareness in audition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fairnie, Jake; Moore, Brian C J; Remington, Anna

    2016-07-01

    In the visual domain there is considerable evidence supporting the Load Theory of Attention and Cognitive Control, which holds that conscious perception of background stimuli depends on the level of perceptual load involved in a primary task. However, literature on the applicability of this theory to the auditory domain is limited and, in many cases, inconsistent. Here we present a novel "auditory search task" that allows systematic investigation of the impact of auditory load on auditory conscious perception. An array of simultaneous, spatially separated sounds was presented to participants. On half the trials, a critical stimulus was presented concurrently with the array. Participants were asked to detect which of 2 possible targets was present in the array (primary task), and whether the critical stimulus was present or absent (secondary task). Increasing the auditory load of the primary task (raising the number of sounds in the array) consistently reduced the ability to detect the critical stimulus. This indicates that, at least in certain situations, load theory applies in the auditory domain. The implications of this finding are discussed both with respect to our understanding of typical audition and for populations with altered auditory processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Impact of onsite solar generation on system load demand forecast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaur, Amanpreet; Pedro, Hugo T.C.; Coimbra, Carlos F.M.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • We showed the impact onsite solar generation on system demand load forecast. • Forecast performance degrades by 9% and 3% for 1 h and 15 min forecast horizons. • Error distribution for onsite case is best characterized as t-distribution. • Relation between error, solar penetration and solar variability is characterized. - Abstract: Net energy metering tariffs have encouraged the growth of solar PV in the distribution grid. The additional variability associated with weather-dependent renewable energy creates new challenges for power system operators that must maintain and operate ancillary services to balance the grid. To deal with these issues power operators mostly rely on demand load forecasts. Electric load forecast has been used in power industry for a long time and there are several well established load forecasting models. But the performance of these models for future scenario of high renewable energy penetration is unclear. In this work, the impact of onsite solar power generation on the demand load forecast is analyzed for a community that meets between 10% and 15% of its annual power demand and 3–54% of its daily power demand from a solar power plant. Short-Term Load Forecasts (STLF) using persistence, machine learning and regression-based forecasting models are presented for two cases: (1) high solar penetration and (2) no penetration. Results show that for 1-h and 15-min forecasts the accuracy of the models drops by 9% and 3% with high solar penetration. Statistical analysis of the forecast errors demonstrate that the error distribution is best characterized as a t-distribution for the high penetration scenario. Analysis of the error distribution as a function of daily solar penetration for different levels of variability revealed that the solar power variability drives the forecast error magnitude whereas increasing penetration level has a much smaller contribution. This work concludes that the demand forecast error distribution

  7. Basic concept on the responses of structural members and structures under impact or impulsive loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, J.I.; Tachikawa, H.; Fujimoto, K.

    1982-01-01

    The responses of structural members and structures subjected to impact or impulsive loadings are generated by the interaction between acting bodies and structures, and the interaction is affected by many factors, e.g. the relations of masses, sizes, rigidities, etc. between acting bodies and structures and especially by relative velocity. The development of the responses of structural members and structures are controlled by the constitutive equations and failure criteria of constituent materials, the relationships of cowork system between the constituent materials and existing stress waves. Furthermore, the first two are influenced by rate effects and they all widely change by the speeds of impact and impulsive loadings. This paper deals with the physical meaning of the responses of structures under impact and impulsive loadings. (orig.) [de

  8. Ramifications of structural deformations on collapse loads of critically cracked pipe bends under in-plane bending and internal pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sasidharan, Sumesh; Arunachalam, Veerappan; Subramaniam, Shanmugam [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli (India)

    2017-02-15

    Finite-element analysis based on elastic-perfectly plastic material was conducted to examine the influence of structural deformations on collapse loads of circumferential through-wall critically cracked 90 .deg. pipe bends undergoing in-plane closing bending and internal pressure. The critical crack is defined for a through-wall circumferential crack at the extrados with a subtended angle below which there is no weakening effect on collapse moment of elbows subjected to in-plane closing bending. Elliptical and semioval cross sections were postulated at the bend regions and compared. Twice-elastic-slope method was utilized to obtain the collapse loads. Structural deformations, namely, ovality and thinning, were each varied from 0% to 20% in steps of 5% and the normalized internal pressure was varied from 0.2 to 0.6. Results indicate that elliptic cross sections were suitable for pipe ratios 5 and 10, whereas for pipe ratio 20, semioval cross sections gave satisfactory solutions. The effect of ovality on collapse loads is significant, although it cancelled out at a certain value of applied internal pressure. Thinning had a negligible effect on collapse loads of bends with crack geometries considered.

  9. Impact of soil properties on critical concentrations of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, and mercury in soil and soil solution in view of ecotoxicological effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vries, Wim; Lofts, Steve; Tipping, Ed; Meili, Markus; Groenenberg, Jan E; Schütze, Gudrun

    2007-01-01

    Risk assessment for metals in terrestrial ecosystems, including assessments of critical loads, requires appropriate critical limits for metal concentrations in soil and soil solution. This chapter presents an overview of methodologies used to derive critical (i) reactive and total metal concentrations in soils and (ii) free metal ion and total metal concentrations in soil solution for Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Hg, taking into account the effect of soil properties related to ecotoxicological effects. Most emphasis is given to the derivation of critical free and total metal concentrations in soil solution, using available NOEC soil data and transfer functions relating solid-phase and dissolved metal concentrations. This approach is based on the assumption that impacts on test organisms (plants, microorganisms, and soil invertebrates) are mainly related to the soil solution concentration (activity) and not to the soil solid-phase content. Critical Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Hg concentrations in soil solution vary with pH and DOC level. The results obtained are generally comparable to those derived for surface waters based on impacts to aquatic organisms. Critical soil metal concentrations, related to the derived soil solution limits, can be described as a function of pH and organic matter and clay content, and varying about one order of magnitude between different soil types.

  10. Cross-modal perceptual load: the impact of modality and individual differences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandhu, Rajwant; Dyson, Benjamin James

    2016-05-01

    Visual distractor processing tends to be more pronounced when the perceptual load (PL) of a task is low compared to when it is high [perpetual load theory (PLT); Lavie in J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 21(3):451-468, 1995]. While PLT is well established in the visual domain, application to cross-modal processing has produced mixed results, and the current study was designed in an attempt to improve previous methodologies. First, we assessed PLT using response competition, a typical metric from the uni-modal domain. Second, we looked at the impact of auditory load on visual distractors, and of visual load on auditory distractors, within the same individual. Third, we compared individual uni- and cross-modal selective attention abilities, by correlating performance with the visual Attentional Network Test (ANT). Fourth, we obtained a measure of the relative processing efficiency between vision and audition, to investigate whether processing ease influences the extent of distractor processing. Although distractor processing was evident during both attend auditory and attend visual conditions, we found that PL did not modulate processing of either visual or auditory distractors. We also found support for a correlation between the uni-modal (visual) ANT and our cross-modal task but only when the distractors were visual. Finally, although auditory processing was more impacted by visual distractors, our measure of processing efficiency only accounted for this asymmetry in the auditory high-load condition. The results are discussed with respect to the continued debate regarding the shared or separate nature of processing resources across modalities.

  11. Modeling of Combined Impact and Blast Loading on Reinforced Concrete Slabs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Del Linz

    Full Text Available Abstract Explosive devices represent a significant threat to military and civilian structures. Specific design procedures have to be followed to account for this and ensure buildings will have the capacity to resist the imposed pressures. Shrapnel can also be produced during explosions and the resulting impacts can weaken the structure, reducing its capacity to resist the blast pressure wave and potentially causing failures to occur. Experiments were performed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA of Singapore to study this combined loading phenomenon. Slabs were placed on the ground and loaded with approximately 9 kg TNT charges at a standoff distance of 2.1 m. Spherical steel ball bearings were used to reproduce the shrapnel loading. Loading and damage characteristics were recorded from the experiments. A finite element analysis (FEA model was then created which could simulate the effect of combined shrapnel impacts and blast pressure waves in reinforced concrete slabs, so that its results could be compared to experimental data from the blast tests. Quarter models of the experimental concrete slabs were built using LS-Dyna. Material models available in the software were employed to represent all the main components, taking into account projectile deformations. The penetration depth and damage areas measured were then compared to the experimental data and an analytical solution to validate the models.

  12. A Market Model for Evaluating Technologies That Impact Critical-Material Intensity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyer, Ananth V.; Vedantam, Aditya

    2016-07-01

    A recent Critical Materials Strategy report highlighted the supply chain risk associated with neodymium and dysprosium, which are used in the manufacturing of neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets (PM). In response, the Critical Materials Institute is developing innovative strategies to increase and diversify primary production, develop substitutes, reduce material intensity and recycle critical materials. Our goal in this paper is to propose an economic model to quantify the impact of one of these strategies, material intensity reduction. Technologies that reduce material intensity impact the economics of magnet manufacturing in multiple ways because of: (1) the lower quantity of critical material required per unit PM, (2) more efficient use of limited supply, and (3) the potential impact on manufacturing cost. However, the net benefit of these technologies to a magnet manufacturer is an outcome of an internal production decision subject to market demand characteristics, availability and resource constraints. Our contribution in this paper shows how a manufacturer's production economics moves from a region of being supply-constrained, to a region enabling the market optimal production quantity, to a region being constrained by resources other than critical materials, as the critical material intensity changes. Key insights for engineers and material scientists are: (1) material intensity reduction can have a significant market impact, (2) benefits to manufacturers are non-linear in the material intensity reduction, (3) there exists a threshold value for material intensity reduction that can be calculated for any target PM application, and (4) there is value for new intellectual property (IP) when existing manufacturing technology is IP-protected.

  13. Lichen-based critical loads for atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Western Oregon and Washington Forests, USA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geiser, Linda H., E-mail: lgeiser@fs.fed.u [US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Air Resource Management Program, Siuslaw National Forest, PO Box 1148, Corvallis, OR 97339 (United States); Jovan, Sarah E. [US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 620 SW Main St, Suite 400, Portland, OR 97205 (United States); Glavich, Doug A. [US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Air Resource Management Program, Siuslaw National Forest, PO Box 1148, Corvallis, OR 97339 (United States); Porter, Matthew K. [Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 (United States)

    2010-07-15

    Critical loads (CLs) define maximum atmospheric deposition levels apparently preventative of ecosystem harm. We present first nitrogen CLs for northwestern North America's maritime forests. Using multiple linear regression, we related epiphytic-macrolichen community composition to: 1) wet deposition from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, 2) wet, dry, and total N deposition from the Communities Multi-Scale Air Quality model, and 3) ambient particulate N from Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE). Sensitive species declines of 20-40% were associated with CLs of 1-4 and 3-9 kg N ha{sup -1} y{sup -1} in wet and total deposition. CLs increased with precipitation across the landscape, presumably from dilution or leaching of depositional N. Tight linear correlation between lichen and IMPROVE data suggests a simple screening tool for CL exceedance in US Class I areas. The total N model replicated several US and European lichen CLs and may therefore be helpful in estimating other temperate-forest lichen CLs. - Lichen-based critical loads for N deposition in western Oregon and Washington forests ranged from 3 to 9 kg ha{sup -1} y{sup -1}, increasing with mean annual precipitation.

  14. Loads and loads and loads: The influence of prospective load, retrospective load, and ongoing task load in prospective memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beat eMeier

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available In prospective memory tasks different kinds of load can occur. Adding a prospective memory task can impose a load on ongoing task performance. Adding ongoing task load can affect prospective memory performance. The existence of multiple target events increases prospective load and adding complexity to the to-be-remembered action increases retrospective load. In two experiments, we systematically examined the effects of these different types of load on prospective memory performance. Results showed an effect of prospective load on costs in the ongoing task for categorical targets (Experiment 2, but not for specific targets (Experiment 1. Retrospective load and ongoing task load both affected remembering the retrospective component of the prospective memory task. We suggest that prospective load can enhance costs in the ongoing task due to additional monitoring requirements. Retrospective load and ongoing task load seem to impact the division of resources between the ongoing task and retrieval of the retrospective component, which may affect disengagement from the ongoing task. In general, the results demonstrate that the different types of load affect prospective memory differentially.

  15. Impact of Hypobarism During Simulated Transport on Critical Care Air Transport Team Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-26

    AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0008 Impact of Hypobarism During Simulated Transport on Critical Care Air Transport Team Performance Dina...July 2014 – November 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Impact of Hypobarism During Simulated Transport on Critical Care Air Transport Team Performance 5a...During Critical Care Air Transport Team Advanced Course validation, three-member teams consisting of a physician, nurse, and respiratory therapist

  16. The determination of load-time curve for a reactor containment which undergoes the impact of an airplane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yuangong; Yu Aiping

    1991-01-01

    It is apparent that there exist some differences between the rigid load function of a reactor containment and the verified load function for undisturbed zone of deformative target when they undergo the impact of an airplane. The local non-linear behavior of impact zone is considered in the later situation, and a modified and better load function is obtained, which gives a value of the dynamic response of the structure 30% to 50% lower. In order to make engineering design more convenient and to simplify the calculation of non-linear behavior of the local zone, and based on the verified load function, several polygonal approximate curves are suggested for calculating the load functions of some typical structures

  17. Impacts of Dramatic Theory and Criticism on the Development of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper discusses, periscopically, the paradigmatic impacts of critical theory and criticism on the development of drama and theatre through the ages; from the classical periods; through the medieval, the Renaissance, the Romantic, Neoclassical to the modern period of realism and naturalism. It alludes to how each of ...

  18. Grid faults' impact on wind turbine structural loads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hansen, A.D.; Cutululis, N.A.; Soerensen, P.; Larsen, T.J. [Risoe National Lab., DTU, Wind Energy Dept. (Denmark); Iov, F.

    2007-11-15

    The objective of this work is to illustrate the impact of the grid faults on the wind turbine structural loads. Grid faults are typically in detailed power system simulation tools, which by applying simplified mechanical models, are not able to provide a throughout insight on the structural loads caused by sudden disturbances on the grid. On the other hand, structural loads of the wind turbine are typically assessed in advanced aeroelastic computer codes, which by applying simplified electrical models do not provide detailed electrical insight. This paper presents a simulation strategy, where the focus is on how to access a proper combination of two complementary simulation tools, such as the advanced aeroelastic computer code HAWC2 and the detailed power system simulation tool DIgSILENT, in order to provide a whole overview of both the structural and the electrical behaviour of the wind turbine during grid faults. The effect of a grid fault on the wind turbine flexible structure is assessed for a typical fixed speed wind turbine, equipped with an induction generator. (au)

  19. Effect of ventilation rate and board loading on formaldehyde concentration : a critical review of the literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    George E. Myers

    1984-01-01

    A critical literature review has been carried out on the influence of ventilation rate (N, hr.-1) and board loading (L, m2/m3) on steady state formaldehyde concentrations (Cs, ppm) resulting from particleboard and plywood emissions. Large differences exist among boards in the extent to which their formaldehyde concentrations change with N or L in laboratory chambers....

  20. Benzo[a]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasimov, Nikolay S.; Kosheleva, Natalia E.; Nikiforova, Elena M.; Vlasov, Dmitry V.

    2017-02-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), are toxic compounds emitted from various anthropogenic sources. Understanding the BaP concentrations, dynamics and decomposition in soil is required to assess the critical loads of BaP in urban environments. This study is the first attempt to evaluate all major input and output components of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) balance and to calculate the permissible load on the urban environment in different land-use zones in the Eastern district of Moscow. BaP contamination of the snow cover in the Eastern district of Moscow was related to daily BaP fallout from the atmosphere. In 2010, the mean content of the pollutant in the snow dust was 1942 ng g-1, whereas the average intensity of its fallout was 7.13 ng m-2 per day. Across the territory, BaP winter fallout intensities varied from 0.3 to 1100 ng m-2 per day. The average BaP content in the surface (0-10 cm) soil horizons was 409 ng g-1, which is 83 times higher than the local background value and 20 times higher than the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) accepted in Russia. The variations in soil and snow BaP concentrations among different land-use zones were examined. A significant contribution of BaP from the atmosphere to urban soils was identified. Based on the measurements of BaP atmospheric fallout and BaP reserves in the soils, the critical loads of BaP for the land-use zones in the Eastern district were calculated for different values of degradation intensity and different exposure times. It was established that at an annual degradation intensity of 1-10 %, ecologically safe BaP levels in the soils of all land-use zones, excluding the agricultural zone, will only be reached after many decades or centuries.

  1. Parameter studies to determine sensitivity of slug impact loads to properties of core surrounding structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gvildys, J.

    1985-01-01

    A sensitivity study of the HCDA slug impact response of fast reactor primary containment to properties of core surrounding structures was performed. Parameters such as the strength of the radial shield material, mass, void, and compressibility properties of the gas plenum material, mass of core material, and mass and compressibility properties of the coolant were used as variables to determine the magnitude of the slug impact loads. The response of the reactor primary containment and the partition of energy were also given. A study was also performed using water as coolant to study the difference in slug impact loads

  2. Attrition of limestones by impact loading in fluidized beds: The influence of reaction conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scala, Fabrizio [Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli (Italy); Salatino, Piero [Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli (Italy); Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli (Italy)

    2010-09-15

    The extent of attrition associated with impact loading was studied for five different limestones pre-processed in fluidized bed under different reaction conditions. The experimental procedure was based on the measurement of the amount and the particle size distribution of the debris generated upon impact of sorbent samples against a target at velocities between 10 and 45 m/s. The effect of calcination, sulfation and calcination/re-carbonation on impact damage was assessed. Fragmentation by impact loading of the limestones was significant and increased with the impact velocity. Lime samples displayed the largest propensity to undergo impact damage, followed by sulfated, re-carbonated and raw limestones. Fragmentation of the sulfated samples followed a pattern typical of the failure of brittle materials. On the other hand, the behaviour of lime samples better conformed to a disintegration failure mode, with extensive generation of very fine fragments. Raw limestone and re-carbonated lime samples followed either of the two patterns depending on the sorbent nature. The extent of particle fragmentation increased after multiple impacts, but the incremental amount of fragments generated upon one impact decreased with the number of successive impacts. (author)

  3. Analysis of Damage in Laminated Architectural Glazing Subjected to Wind Loading and Windborne Debris Impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel S. Stutts

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Wind loading and windborne debris (missile impact are the two primary mechanisms that result in window glazing damage during hurricanes. Wind-borne debris is categorized into two types: small hard missiles; such as roof gravel; and large soft missiles representing lumber from wood-framed buildings. Laminated architectural glazing (LAG may be used in buildings where impact resistance is needed. The glass plies in LAG undergo internal damage before total failure. The bulk of the published work on this topic either deals with the stress and dynamic analyses of undamaged LAG or the total failure of LAG. The pre-failure damage response of LAG due to the combination of wind loading and windborne debris impact is studied. A continuum damage mechanics (CDM based constitutive model is developed and implemented via an axisymmetric finite element code to study the failure and damage behavior of laminated architectural glazing subjected to combined loading of wind and windborne debris impact. The effect of geometric and material properties on the damage pattern is studied parametrically.

  4. Water depth effects on impact loading, kinematic and physiological variables during water treadmill running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdermid, Paul W; Wharton, Josh; Schill, Carina; Fink, Philip W

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare impact loading, kinematic and physiological responses to three different immersion depths (mid-shin, mid-thigh, and xiphoid process) while running at the same speed on a water based treadmill. Participants (N=8) ran on a water treadmill at three depths for 3min. Tri-axial accelerometers were used to identify running dynamics plus measures associated with impact loading rates, while heart rate data were logged to indicate physiological demand. Participants had greater peak impact accelerations (prunning immersed to the xiphoid process. Physiological effort determined by heart rate was also significantly less (prunning immersed to the xiphoid process. Water immersed treadmill running above the waistline alters kinematics of gait, reduces variables associated with impact, while decreasing physiological demand compared to depths below the waistline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Load flow analysis using decoupled fuzzy load flow under critical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    3.1 Maximum range selection of input and output variables: ..... Wong K. P., Li A., and Law M.Y., “ Advanced Constrained Genetic Algorithm Load Flow Method”, IEE Proc. ... Dr. Parimal Acharjee passed B.E.E. from North Bengal University ...

  6. Understanding negative impacts of perceived cognitive load on job learning effectiveness: a social capital solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chieh-Peng

    2010-12-01

    This study proposes a model explaining how social capital helps ease excessively required mental effort. Although organizational researchers have studied both social capital and cognitive load, no prior research has critically examined the role of social capital in improving individuals' mental load and effort and consequently enhancing job learning effectiveness. This study surveys participants made up of professionals in Taiwan's information technology industry. It measures the constructs with the use of 5-point Likert-type scale items modified from existing literature. The survey data were analyzed with the use of structural equation modeling. Job learning effectiveness is negatively influenced by role ambiguity and role conflict. Time pressure has a positive influence on role ambiguity and role conflict Although the relationship between task complexity and role ambiguity is insignificant, task complexity has a positive influence on role conflict. Because the relationship between network ties and role conflict is insignificant, trust has a negative influence on role conflict. Last, shared vision has a negative influence on role ambiguity. This study provides an example of how social capital can be applied as a useful remedy to ease the negative impact of perceived cognitive load on job learning effectiveness. The negative relationship between shared vision and role ambiguity suggests that a shared vision helps in disseminating organizationally common goals and directions among employees to alleviate individuals' mental efforts in dealing with the ambiguity of their job roles. A firm's management team should take actions to decrease role conflict by strengthening trust among employees.

  7. Dynamic analysis of reactor containment subjected to aircraft impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xiaotian; He Shuyan

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, dynamic character of reactor containment subjected to aircraft impact loading is analyzed with MSC.DYTRAN program. The displacement of concrete and velocity curve of airplane is obtained. The results of the different material model are compared with empirical formula. It is concluded that reasonable result can be obtained using cap model for concrete

  8. Critical impact energy for the perforation of metallic plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aly, S.Y.; Li, Q.M.

    2008-01-01

    This paper investigates the empirical formulae used in engineering practice to predict the critical perforation energy of metallic plates struck by rigid projectiles in the sub-ordnance regime. Main factors affecting the critical perforation energy are identified and valid conditions for each empirical formula are compared. Dimensional analysis is conducted to show the dependence of the non-dimensional critical impact energy on other influential non-dimensional numbers. Available empirical formulae are re-expressed in non-dimensional forms. A modified Jowett/AEA equation is proposed to predict the critical perforation energy of a flat-ended short projectile. The present work increases the confidence of using these empirical formulae and can be regarded as a quick guide for ballistic protection design of metallic shields and steel armour plates

  9. Power load limits of the WENDELSTEIN 7-X target elements-comparison of experimental results and design values for power loads up to the critical heat flux

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greuner, H; Boeswirth, B; Boscary, J; Leuprecht, A; Plankensteiner, A

    2007-01-01

    The power load limits of the WENDELSTEIN7-X divertor target elements were experimentally evaluated with heat loads considerably exceeding the expected operating conditions. The water-cooled elements are designed for steady-state heat flux of 10 MW m -2 and to remove a power load up to 100 kW. The elements must allow a limited operation time at 12 MW m -2 steady-state and should not fail for short pulses of up to 15 MW m -2 for cooling conditions in the subcooled nucleate boiling regime. In the framework of the qualification phase, pre-series target elements were loaded up to 24 MW m -2 without loss of CFC tiles. A critical heat flux at the target of 31 MW m -2 was achieved. The paper discusses the results of the tests performed at the high heat flux test facility GLADIS. The experimental results compared to transient nonlinear fine element method (FEM) calculations confirm a high thermal safety margin of the target design sufficient for plasma operation in W7-X

  10. Opposite Effects of Capacity Load and Resolution Load on Distractor Processing

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Weiwei; Luck, Steven J.

    2014-01-01

    According to the load theory of attention, an increased perceptual load reduces distractor processing whereas an increased working memory load facilitates distractor processing. Here we raise the possibility that the critical distinction may instead be between an emphasis on resolution and an emphasis on capacity. That is, perceptual load manipulations typically emphasize resolution (fine-grained discriminations), whereas working memory load manipulations typically emphasize capacity (simulta...

  11. Evaluation of underground pipe-structure interface for surface impact load

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Shen, E-mail: swang@terrapower.com

    2017-06-15

    Highlights: • A simple method is proposed for the evaluation of underground pipelines for surface impact load considering the effect of a nearby pipe-structure interface. • The proposed simple method can be used to evaluate the magnitude of damage within a short period of time after accidental drop occurs. • The proposed method is applied in a practical example and compared by using finite element analysis. - Abstract: Nuclear safety related buried pipelines need to be assessed for the effects of postulated surface impact loads. In published solutions, the buried pipe is often considered within an elastic half space without interference with other underground structures. In the case that a surface impact occurs in short distance from an underground pipe-structure interface, this boundary condition will further complicate the buried pipe evaluation. Neglecting such boundary effect in the assessment may lead to underestimating potential damage of buried pipeline, and jeopardizing safety of the nuclear power plant. Comprehensive analysis of such structure-pipe-soil system is often subjected to availability of state-of-art finite element tools, as well as costly and time consuming. Simple, but practical conservative techniques have not been established. In this study, a mechanics based solution is proposed in order to assess the magnitude of damage to a buried pipeline beneath a heavy surface impact considering the effect of a nearby pipe-structure interface. The proposed approach provides an easy to use tool in the early stage of evaluation before the decision of applying more costly technique can be made by owner of the nuclear facility.

  12. Evaluation of underground pipe-structure interface for surface impact load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Shen

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A simple method is proposed for the evaluation of underground pipelines for surface impact load considering the effect of a nearby pipe-structure interface. • The proposed simple method can be used to evaluate the magnitude of damage within a short period of time after accidental drop occurs. • The proposed method is applied in a practical example and compared by using finite element analysis. - Abstract: Nuclear safety related buried pipelines need to be assessed for the effects of postulated surface impact loads. In published solutions, the buried pipe is often considered within an elastic half space without interference with other underground structures. In the case that a surface impact occurs in short distance from an underground pipe-structure interface, this boundary condition will further complicate the buried pipe evaluation. Neglecting such boundary effect in the assessment may lead to underestimating potential damage of buried pipeline, and jeopardizing safety of the nuclear power plant. Comprehensive analysis of such structure-pipe-soil system is often subjected to availability of state-of-art finite element tools, as well as costly and time consuming. Simple, but practical conservative techniques have not been established. In this study, a mechanics based solution is proposed in order to assess the magnitude of damage to a buried pipeline beneath a heavy surface impact considering the effect of a nearby pipe-structure interface. The proposed approach provides an easy to use tool in the early stage of evaluation before the decision of applying more costly technique can be made by owner of the nuclear facility.

  13. Use of a 33 MJ high-energy rotary impact testing machine for investigations into material behaviour under impact loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Issler, W.

    1989-01-01

    To investigate material behaviour under impact loads, previously very different testing machines have been developed. One of these concepts is the rotary impact testing machine which stores rotational energy and on which a tension impact test can be performed with almost unchanged trigger speed. With this device maximum trigger speeds can be achieved by using mechanical, elastically stored or hydraulic energy. Usable sample geometries include in particular smooth or notched round or flat tensile specimen up to 30 mm in diameter and CT10 or CT15 mechanical strength test specimen, permitting a direct comparison with results from quasi-static tests. For present speeds of load application the elastic modulus of steel can be considered as being constant. For Poisson's ratio, measurements indicated changes by approximately -8% to +20%. Early tests to investigate the strain rate showed that the strain rate under purely elastic loads applied to smooth round tensile specimen is approximately 3-10 times slower than the strain rate under plastic deformation, while this ratio may have an order of magnitude of 1:100 for notched tensile specimen. Therefore it is unreasonable to indicate only one value for the strain rate as a test characterising parameter. (orig./MM) [de

  14. Acid deposition and assessment of its critical load for the environmental health of waterbodies in a subtropical watershed, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Junjie; Gao, Yang

    2017-12-01

    Atmospheric acidic deposition in subtropical watersheds poses an environmental risk of causing acidification of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of acid deposition in a subtropical forest ecosystem and the associated critical loads of acidity for a sensitive aquatic ecosystem. We found that out of 132 rainfall events, 33(25%) were acidic rainfall occurrences. Estimated wet acid deposition (2282.78 eq·ha-1·yr-1), consistent with SO42- and NH4+ deposition, was high in spring and summer and low in autumn and winter. Waterbodies surrounded by mixed wood and citrus orchard experience severe acidification, mostly from S deposition because acidic deposition exceeds the corresponding critical loads of acidity. Modifications that take acid rain deposition into consideration are needed for land-use and agricultural management strategies to improve the environmental health of waterbodies in subtropical watersheds.

  15. Impacts of Ripple Current to the Loading and Lifetime of Power Semiconductor Device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Ke; Choi, Uimin; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2017-01-01

    The thermal loading of power electronics devices is determined by many factors and has being a crucial design consideration because it is closely related to the reliability and cost of the converter system. In this paper the impacts of the ripple current to the loss and thermal loading, as well...... as reliability performances of power devices are comprehensively investigated and tested. It is concluded that the amplitude of ripple current may modify the loss and thermal loading of the power devices, especially under the conditions of converter with low power output, and thus the lifetime of devices could...

  16. Global and local emission impact assessment of distributed cogeneration systems with partial-load models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mancarella, Pierluigi; Chicco, Gianfranco

    2009-01-01

    Small-scale distributed cogeneration technologies represent a key resource to increase generation efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions with respect to conventional separate production means. However, the diffusion of distributed cogeneration within urban areas, where air quality standards are quite stringent, brings about environmental concerns on a local level. In addition, partial-load emission worsening is often overlooked, which could lead to biased evaluations of the energy system environmental performance. In this paper, a comprehensive emission assessment framework suitable for addressing distributed cogeneration systems is formulated. Local and global emission impact models are presented to identify upper and lower boundary values of the environmental pressure from pollutants that would be emitted from reference technologies, to be compared to the actual emissions from distributed cogeneration. This provides synthetic information on the relative environmental impact from small-scale CHP sources, useful for general indicative and non-site-specific studies. The emission models are formulated according to an electrical output-based emission factor approach, through which off-design operation and relevant performance are easily accounted for. In particular, in order to address the issues that could arise under off-design operation, an equivalent load model is incorporated within the proposed framework, by exploiting the duration curve of the cogenerator loading and the emissions associated to each loading level. In this way, it is possible to quantify the contribution to the emissions from cogeneration systems that might operate at partial loads for a significant portion of their operation time, as for instance in load-tracking applications. Suitability of the proposed methodology is discussed with respect to hazardous air pollutants such as NO x and CO, as well as to greenhouse gases such as CO 2 . Two case study applications based on the emission

  17. Fatigue Durability Analysis of Collecting Rapping System in Electrostatic Precipitators under Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Akbar Lotfi Neyestanak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to the importance of collecting rapping system in electrostatic precipitators (ESP and controlling the relevant damage under impact loading, fatigue durability of this system is analyzed in the present study based on the numerical and experimental results considering fatigue damage growth and vibration acceleration in the collecting system because of the successive impact of rapping hammers. By microscopic examination of the fracture surface of rapping hammer, beach marks obviously show typical fatigue failure in the rapping hammer arm. In addition, the microscopic examination of the cross section of the collecting plates indicates the corrosion voids which cause crack and eventually fatigue failure. The finite element method is applied to determine both the stress and concentration positions of dynamic stress on the rapping system under impact loading. The paper results can be utilized in system optimization and new material selection for the system by evaluating rapping system durability.

  18. Theoretical Analysis of the Dynamic Properties of a 2-2 Cement-Based Piezoelectric Dual-Layer Stacked Sensor under Impact Load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Taotao; Liao, Yangchao; Zhang, Keping; Chen, Jun

    2017-05-04

    Cement-based piezoelectric materials are widely used due to the fact that compared with common smart materials, they overcome the defects of structure-incompatibility and frequency inconsistency with a concrete structure. However, the present understanding of the mechanical behavior of cement-based piezoelectric smart materials under impact load is still limited. The dynamic characteristics under impact load are of importance, for example, for studying the anti-collision properties of engineering structures and aircraft takeoff-landing safety. Therefore, in this paper, an analytical model was proposed to investigate the dynamic properties of a 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor under impact load based on the piezoelectric effect. Theoretical solutions are obtained by utilizing the variable separation and Duhamel integral method. To simulate the impact load and verify the theory, three types of loads, including atransient step load, isosceles triangle load and haversine wave load, are considered and the comparisons between the theoretical results, Li's results and numerical results are presented by using the control variate method and good agreement is found. Furthermore, the influences of several parameters were discussed and other conclusions about this sensor are also given. This should prove very helpful for the design and optimization of the 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor in engineering.

  19. Behaviour of fiber reinforced concrete slabs under impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huelsewig, M.; Stilp, A.; Pahl, H.

    1982-01-01

    The behaviour of steel fiber reinforced concrete slabs under impact loads has been investigated. The results obtained show that fracturing and spallation effects are reduced to a large extend due to the high energy absorption and the increased yield strength of this material. Crater depths are comparable to those obtained using normal concrete targets. Systematic tests using different fiber types and dimensions show that the terminal ballistic behaviour is strongly dependent on these parameters. (orig.) [de

  20. IMPACT OF POLY-LINGUISTIC LOAD ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND MONITORING QUALITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Volodymyr Kharchenko

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available  We have defined the structure and basic characteristics of the poly-linguistic audio-acoustic channel within the framework of controller – pilot communication, and set limits of poly-linguistic load impact on air traffic control.

  1. Structural design for aircraft impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, R.; Heckhausen, H.; Chen, C.; Rieck, P.J.; Lemons, G.W.

    1977-01-01

    The distribution of military aircraft and proximity to commercial air routes requires the analysis of aircraft impact effect on nuclear power plant facilities in Europe. The typical approach on recent projects has been the hardening of safety-related buildings and/or protection of redundant safety-related equipment through separation. The 'hardened-building' approach has led to the consideration of severe shock and vibration caused by the aircraft impact and development of corresponding floor response spectra for component design. Conservatively calculated loads resulting from these are in some cases quite severe. The reactor auxiliary system building (Soft Shell Hardcore design) allows a more defensive alternate in the form of a partially softened design. In this approach the equipment layout is arranged such that equipment performing either safety functions or having the potential for significant release of radioactivity (upon destruction) is located in the central area of the plant and is enclosed in thick concrete walls for shielding and protection purposes. The non-safety class equipment is arranged in the area peripheral to the hardened central area and enclosed in thin concrete walls. Since the kinetic energy of the impacting aircraft is absorbed by the collapsed thin walls and ceilings, the vibrational effect on the safety class equipment is drastically reduced. In order to achieve the objective of absorbing high kinetic energy and yet reduce the shock and vibration effects, the softened exterior walls require low resistance and high ductility. This investigation determines the feasibility of two 0.5 m thick walls of the Soft Shell with the simplest possible mathematical model. (Auth.)

  2. Impact of the variation in dynamic vehicle load on flexible pavement responses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahsanuzzaman, Md

    The purpose of this research was to evaluate the dynamic variation in asphalt pavement critical responses due to dynamic tire load variations. An attempt was also made to develop generalized regression equations to predict the dynamic response variation in flexible pavement under various dynamic load conditions. The study used an extensive database of computed pavement response histories for five different types of sites (smooth, rough, medium rough, very rough and severely rough), two different asphalt pavement structures (thin and thick) at two temperatures (70 °F and 104 °F), subjected to a tandem axle dual tire at three speeds 25, 37 and 50 mph (40, 60 and 80 km/h). All pavement responses were determined using the 3D-Move Analysis program (Version 1.2) developed by University of Nevada, Reno. A new term called Dynamic Response Coefficient (DRC) was introduced in this study to address the variation in critical pavement responses due to dynamic loads as traditionally measured by the Dynamic Load Coefficient (DLC). While DLC represents the additional varying component of the tire load, DRC represents the additional varying component of the response value (standard deviation divided by mean response). In this study, DRC was compared with DLC for five different sites based on the roughness condition of the sites. Previous studies showed that DLC varies with vehicle speed and suspension types, and assumes a constant value for the whole pavement structure (lateral and vertical directions). On the other hand, in this study, DRC was found to be significantly varied with the asphalt pavement and function of pavement structure, road roughness conditions, temperatures, vehicle speeds, suspension types, and locations of the point of interest in the pavement. A major contribution of the study is that the variation of pavement responses due to dynamic load in a flexible pavement system can be predicted with generalized regression equations. Fitting parameters (R2) in the

  3. Impact of increasing freight loads on rail substructure from fracking sand transportation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-03-01

    In this report the effect of surface infiltration of frac sand and heavy axle loads (HALs) were studied for their impact on the ballast layer. : Different combinations of ballast and fracking sand were constructed to observe long term trends of defor...

  4. Grid Faults Impact on the Mechanical Loads of Active Stall Wind Turbine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iov, Florin; Cutululis, Nicolaos A.; Hansen, Anca D.

    2008-01-01

    Emphasis in this paper is on the fault ride-through operation impact on the wind turbines structural loads. Grid faults are typically simulated in power system simulation tools using simplified drive train mechanical model, approach which doesn't allow a thorough investigation of structural loads...... as the electrical design of the wind turbine response during grid faults. The two-step simulation procedure is assessed by means of a simulation example. The effect of a grid fault on the structural part of a typical fixed speed wind turbine, equipped with an induction generator, is assessed....

  5. Theoretical Analysis of the Dynamic Properties of a 2-2 Cement-Based Piezoelectric Dual-Layer Stacked Sensor under Impact Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taotao Zhang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Cement-based piezoelectric materials are widely used due to the fact that compared with common smart materials, they overcome the defects of structure-incompatibility and frequency inconsistency with a concrete structure. However, the present understanding of the mechanical behavior of cement-based piezoelectric smart materials under impact load is still limited. The dynamic characteristics under impact load are of importance, for example, for studying the anti-collision properties of engineering structures and aircraft takeoff-landing safety. Therefore, in this paper, an analytical model was proposed to investigate the dynamic properties of a 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor under impact load based on the piezoelectric effect. Theoretical solutions are obtained by utilizing the variable separation and Duhamel integral method. To simulate the impact load and verify the theory, three types of loads, including atransient step load, isosceles triangle load and haversine wave load, are considered and the comparisons between the theoretical results, Li’s results and numerical results are presented by using the control variate method and good agreement is found. Furthermore, the influences of several parameters were discussed and other conclusions about this sensor are also given. This should prove very helpful for the design and optimization of the 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor in engineering.

  6. Impacts of climate change on TN load and its control in a River Basin with complex pollution sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaoying; Warren, Rachel; He, Yi; Ye, Jinyin; Li, Qiaoling; Wang, Guoqing

    2018-02-15

    It is increasingly recognized that climate change could affect the quality of water through complex natural and anthropogenic mechanisms. Previous studies on climate change and water quality have mostly focused on assessing its impact on pollutant loads from agricultural runoff. A sub-daily SWAT model was developed to simulate the discharge, transport, and transformation of nitrogen from all known anthropogenic sources including industries, municipal sewage treatment plants, concentrated and scattered feedlot operations, rural households, and crop production in the Upper Huai River Basin. This is a highly polluted basin with total nitrogen (TN) concentrations frequently exceeding Class V of the Chinese Surface Water Quality Standard (GB3838-2002). Climate change projections produced by 16 Global Circulation Models (GCMs) under the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios in the mid (2040-2060) and late (2070-2090) century were used to drive the SWAT model to evaluate the impacts of climate change on both the TN loads and the effectiveness of three water pollution control measures (reducing fertilizer use, constructing vegetative filter strips, and improving septic tank performance) in the basin. SWAT simulation results have indicated that climate change is likely to cause an increase in both monthly average and extreme TN loads in February, May, and November. The projected impact of climate change on TN loads in August is more varied between GCMs. In addition, climate change is projected to have a negative impact on the effectiveness of septic tanks in reducing TN loads, while its impacts on the other two measures are more uncertain. Despite the uncertainty, reducing fertilizer use remains the most effective measure for reducing TN loads under different climate change scenarios. Meanwhile, improving septic tank performance is relatively more effective in reducing annual TN loads, while constructing vegetative filter strips is more effective in reducing annual maximum monthly

  7. A database of volcanic hazards and their physical impacts to critical infrastructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Grant; Wilson, Thomas; Deligne, Natalia

    2013-04-01

    Approximately 10% of the world's population lives within 100 km of historically active volcanoes. Consequently, considerable critical infrastructure is at risk of being affected by volcanic eruptions, where critical infrastructure includes: electricity and wastewater networks; water supply systems; transport routes; communications; and buildings. Appropriate risk management strategies are required to minimise the risk to infrastructure, which necessitates detailed understanding of both volcanic hazards and infrastructure parameters and vulnerabilities. To address this, we are developing a database of the physical impacts and vulnerability of critical infrastructure observed during/following historic eruptions, placed in the context of event-specific volcanic hazard and infrastructure parameters. Our database considers: volcanic hazard parameters for each case study eruption (tephra thickness, dynamic pressure of PDCs, etc.); inventory of infrastructure elements present within the study area (geographical extent, age, etc.); the type and number of impacts and disruption caused to particular infrastructure sectors; and the quantified assessment of the vulnerability of built environments. Data have been compiled from a wide range of literature, focussing in particular on impact assessment studies which document in detail the damage sustained by critical infrastructure during a given eruption. We are creating a new vulnerability ranking to quantify the vulnerability of built environments affected by volcanic eruptions. The ranking is based upon a range of physical impacts and service disruption criteria, and is assigned to each case study. This ranking will permit comparison of vulnerabilities between case studies as well as indicate expected vulnerability during future eruptions. We are also developing hazard intensity thresholds indicating when specific damage states are expected for different critical infrastructure sectors. Finally, we have developed a data quality

  8. Ultimate compression after impact load prediction in graphite/epoxy coupons using neural network and multivariate statistical analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregoire, Alexandre David

    2011-07-01

    The goal of this research was to accurately predict the ultimate compressive load of impact damaged graphite/epoxy coupons using a Kohonen self-organizing map (SOM) neural network and multivariate statistical regression analysis (MSRA). An optimized use of these data treatment tools allowed the generation of a simple, physically understandable equation that predicts the ultimate failure load of an impacted damaged coupon based uniquely on the acoustic emissions it emits at low proof loads. Acoustic emission (AE) data were collected using two 150 kHz resonant transducers which detected and recorded the AE activity given off during compression to failure of thirty-four impacted 24-ply bidirectional woven cloth laminate graphite/epoxy coupons. The AE quantification parameters duration, energy and amplitude for each AE hit were input to the Kohonen self-organizing map (SOM) neural network to accurately classify the material failure mechanisms present in the low proof load data. The number of failure mechanisms from the first 30% of the loading for twenty-four coupons were used to generate a linear prediction equation which yielded a worst case ultimate load prediction error of 16.17%, just outside of the +/-15% B-basis allowables, which was the goal for this research. Particular emphasis was placed upon the noise removal process which was largely responsible for the accuracy of the results.

  9. DYNAMIC TIME HISTORY ANALYSIS OF BLAST RESISTANT DOOR USING BLAST LOAD MODELED AS IMPACT LOAD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. A. Pranata

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available A blast resistant single door was designed to withstand a 0.91 bar blast pressure and 44 ms blast duration. The analysis was done using Dynamic Time History Analysis using Blast Load modeled as Impact Load for given duration. The material properties used have been modified to accommodate dynamic effects. The analysis was done using dynamic finite element method (fem for time of the blast duration, and the maximum/minimum internal forces and displacement were taken from the time history output, in order to know the behavior under blast load and estimate the safety margin of the door. Results obtained from this research indicated that the maximum z-displacement is 1.709 mm, while in the term of serviceability, the permitted is 25 mm. The maximum reaction force is 73,960 N, while the maximum anchor capacity is 82,069 N. On blast condition, the maximum frame stress is 71.71 MPa, the maximum hinge shear stress is 45.28 MPa. While on rebound condition, the maximum frame stress is 172.11 MPa, the maximum hinge shear stress is 29.46 MPa. The maximum door edge rotation is 0.44 degree, which is not exceed the permitted boundary (1.2 degree. Keywords: Dynamic time history, blast resistant door, single door, finite element method.

  10. Loads and loads and loads: the influence of prospective load, retrospective load, and ongoing task load in prospective memory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Beat; Zimmermann, Thomas D.

    2015-01-01

    In prospective memory tasks different kinds of load can occur. Adding a prospective memory task can impose a load on ongoing task performance. Adding ongoing task load (OTL) can affect prospective memory performance. The existence of multiple target events increases prospective load (PL) and adding complexity to the to-be-remembered action increases retrospective load (RL). In two experiments, we systematically examined the effects of these different types of load on prospective memory performance. Results showed an effect of PL on costs in the ongoing task for categorical targets (Experiment 2), but not for specific targets (Experiment 1). RL and OTL both affected remembering the retrospective component of the prospective memory task. We suggest that PL can enhance costs in the ongoing task due to additional monitoring requirements. RL and OTL seem to impact the division of resources between the ongoing task and retrieval of the retrospective component, which may affect disengagement from the ongoing task. In general, the results demonstrate that the different types of load affect prospective memory differentially. PMID:26082709

  11. Loads and loads and loads: the influence of prospective load, retrospective load, and ongoing task load in prospective memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Beat; Zimmermann, Thomas D

    2015-01-01

    In prospective memory tasks different kinds of load can occur. Adding a prospective memory task can impose a load on ongoing task performance. Adding ongoing task load (OTL) can affect prospective memory performance. The existence of multiple target events increases prospective load (PL) and adding complexity to the to-be-remembered action increases retrospective load (RL). In two experiments, we systematically examined the effects of these different types of load on prospective memory performance. Results showed an effect of PL on costs in the ongoing task for categorical targets (Experiment 2), but not for specific targets (Experiment 1). RL and OTL both affected remembering the retrospective component of the prospective memory task. We suggest that PL can enhance costs in the ongoing task due to additional monitoring requirements. RL and OTL seem to impact the division of resources between the ongoing task and retrieval of the retrospective component, which may affect disengagement from the ongoing task. In general, the results demonstrate that the different types of load affect prospective memory differentially.

  12. Impacts of Using Distributed Energy Resources to Reduce Peak Loads in Vermont

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruth, Mark F. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lunacek, Monte S. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jones, Birk [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-11-28

    To help the United States develop a modern electricity grid that provides reliable power from multiple resources as well as resiliency under extreme conditions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is leading the Grid Modernization Initiative (GMI) to help shape the future of the nation's grid. Under the GMI, DOE funded the Vermont Regional Initiative project to provide the technical support and analysis to utilities that need to mitigate possible impacts of increasing renewable generation required by statewide goals. Advanced control of distributed energy resources (DER) can both support higher penetrations of renewable energy by balancing controllable loads to wind and photovoltaic (PV) solar generation and reduce peak demand by shedding noncritical loads. This work focuses on the latter. This document reports on an experiment that evaluated and quantified the potential benefits and impacts of reducing the peak load through demand response (DR) using centrally controllable electric water heaters (EWHs) and batteries on two Green Mountain Power (GMP) feeders. The experiment simulated various hypothetical scenarios that varied the number of controllable EWHs, the amount of distributed PV systems, and the number of distributed residential batteries. The control schemes were designed with several objectives. For the first objective, the primary simulations focused on reducing the load during the independent system operator (ISO) peak when capacity charges were the primary concern. The second objective was to mitigate DR rebound to avoid new peak loads and high ramp rates. The final objective was to minimize customers' discomfort, which is defined by the lack of hot water when it is needed. We performed the simulations using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Integrated Energy System Model (IESM) because it can simulate both electric power distribution feeder and appliance end use performance and it includes the ability to simulate

  13. Impact of pore characteristics of silica materials on loading capacity and release behavior of ibuprofen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Numpilai, Thanapha [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); Muenmee, Suthaporn [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology and Its Applications in Chemical Food and Agricultural Industries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); Witoon, Thongthai, E-mail: fengttwi@ku.ac.th [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology and Its Applications in Chemical Food and Agricultural Industries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); NANOTEC-KU-Center of Excellence on Nanoscale Materials Design for Green Nanotechnology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand)

    2016-02-01

    Impact of pore characteristics of porous silica supports on loading capacity and release behavior of ibuprofen was investigated. The porous silica materials and ibuprofen-loaded porous silica materials were thoroughly characterized by N{sub 2}-sorption, thermal gravimetric and derivative weight analyses (TG-DTW), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) to determine the physical properties of materials, amount of ibuprofen adsorbed and position of ibuprofen. The detailed characterization reveals that the ibuprofen molecules adsorbed inside the mesopores. Increasing the mesopore size from 5 nm to 10 nm increased the ibuprofen loading from 0.74 to 0.85 mmol/g, respectively. Incorporation of macropore into the structure of porous silica materials enhanced the ibuprofen loading capacity of 11.8–20.3%. The ibuprofen-loaded bimodal meso-macroporous silica materials exhibited the highest dissolution of 92 wt.% within an hour. The ibuprofen particles deposited on the external surface of the porous silica materials showed a lower dissolution rate than the ibuprofen adsorbed inside the mesopores due to the formation of ibuprofen crystalline. - Highlights: • Impacts of pore characteristics of supports on adsorption and release of ibuprofen • Increasing mesopore size increased the ibuprofen loading and dissolution rate. • Macropores reduced the diffusion pathway of ibuprofen and dissolution medium.

  14. Impact of pore characteristics of silica materials on loading capacity and release behavior of ibuprofen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numpilai, Thanapha; Muenmee, Suthaporn; Witoon, Thongthai

    2016-01-01

    Impact of pore characteristics of porous silica supports on loading capacity and release behavior of ibuprofen was investigated. The porous silica materials and ibuprofen-loaded porous silica materials were thoroughly characterized by N 2 -sorption, thermal gravimetric and derivative weight analyses (TG-DTW), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) to determine the physical properties of materials, amount of ibuprofen adsorbed and position of ibuprofen. The detailed characterization reveals that the ibuprofen molecules adsorbed inside the mesopores. Increasing the mesopore size from 5 nm to 10 nm increased the ibuprofen loading from 0.74 to 0.85 mmol/g, respectively. Incorporation of macropore into the structure of porous silica materials enhanced the ibuprofen loading capacity of 11.8–20.3%. The ibuprofen-loaded bimodal meso-macroporous silica materials exhibited the highest dissolution of 92 wt.% within an hour. The ibuprofen particles deposited on the external surface of the porous silica materials showed a lower dissolution rate than the ibuprofen adsorbed inside the mesopores due to the formation of ibuprofen crystalline. - Highlights: • Impacts of pore characteristics of supports on adsorption and release of ibuprofen • Increasing mesopore size increased the ibuprofen loading and dissolution rate. • Macropores reduced the diffusion pathway of ibuprofen and dissolution medium.

  15. Strain rate dependency of bovine trabecular bone under impact loading at sideways fall velocity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enns-Bray, William S; Ferguson, Stephen J; Helgason, Benedikt

    2018-05-03

    There is currently a knowledge gap in scientific literature concerning the strain rate dependent properties of trabecular bone at intermediate strain rates. Meanwhile, strain rates between 10 and 200/s have been observed in previous dynamic finite element models of the proximal femur loaded at realistic sideways fall speeds. This study aimed to quantify the effect of strain rate (ε̇) on modulus of elasticity (E), ultimate stress (σ u ), failure energy (U f ), and minimum stress (σ m ) of trabecular bone in order to improve the biofidelity of material properties used in dynamic simulations of sideways fall loading on the hip. Cylindrical cores of trabecular bone (D = 8 mm, L gauge  = 16 mm, n = 34) from bovine proximal tibiae and distal femurs were scanned in µCT (10 µm), quantifying apparent density (ρ app ) and degree of anisotropy (DA), and subsequently impacted within a miniature drop tower. Force of impact was measured using a piezoelectric load cell (400 kHz), while displacement during compression was measured from high speed video (50,000 frames/s). Four groups, with similar density distributions, were loaded at different impact velocities (0.84, 1.33, 1.75, and 2.16 m/s) with constant kinetic energy (0.4 J) by adjusting the impact mass. The mean strain rates of each group were significantly different (p < 0.05) except for the two fastest impact speeds (p = 0.09). Non-linear regression models correlated strain rate, DA, and ρ app with ultimate stress (R 2  = 0.76), elastic modulus (R 2  = 0.63), failure energy (R 2  = 0.38), and minimum stress (R 2  = 0.57). These results indicate that previous estimates of σ u could be under predicting the mechanical properties at strain rates above 10/s. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Impact of collection method on assessment of semen HIV RNA viral load.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brendan J W Osborne

    Full Text Available The blood HIV RNA viral load is the best-defined predictor of HIV transmission, in part due to ease of measurement and the correlation of blood and genital tract (semen or cervico-vaginal viral load, although recent studies found semen HIV RNA concentration to be a stronger predictor of HIV transmission. There is currently no standardized method for semen collection when measuring HIV RNA concentration. Therefore, we compared two collection techniques in order to study of the impact of antiretroviral therapy on the semen viral load.Semen was collected by masturbation from HIV-infected, therapy-naïve men who have sex with men (MSM either undiluted (Visit 1 or directly into transport medium (Visit 2. Seminal plasma was then isolated, and the HIV RNA concentration obtained with each collection technique was measured and corrected for dilution if necessary. Collection of semen directly into transport medium resulted in a median HIV RNA viral load that was 0.4 log10 higher than undiluted samples.The method of semen collection is an important consideration when quantifying the HIV RNA viral load in this compartment.

  17. The Impact of Climatological Conditions on Low Enriched Uranium Loading Station Operations for the HEU Blend Down Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, R.C.

    2002-01-01

    A computer model was developed using COREsim to perform a time motion study for the Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Loading Station operations. The project is to blend Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) with Natural Uranium (NU) to produce LEU to be shipped to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for further processing. To cope with a project cost reduction, the LEU Loading Station concept has changed from an enclosed building with air-conditioning to a partially enclosed building without air conditioning. The LEU Loading Station is within a radiological contaminated area; two pairs of coveralls and negative pressure respirator are required. As a result, inclement weather conditions, especially heat stress, will affect and impact the LEU loading operations. The purposes of the study are to determine the climatological impacts on LEU Loading operations, resources required for committed throughputs, and to find out the optimum process pathways for multi crews working simultaneously in the space-lim ited LEU Loading Station

  18. Impact of Spatial and Verbal Short-Term Memory Load on Auditory Spatial Attention Gradients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golob, Edward J; Winston, Jenna; Mock, Jeffrey R

    2017-01-01

    Short-term memory load can impair attentional control, but prior work shows that the extent of the effect ranges from being very general to very specific. One factor for the mixed results may be reliance on point estimates of memory load effects on attention. Here we used auditory attention gradients as an analog measure to map-out the impact of short-term memory load over space. Verbal or spatial information was maintained during an auditory spatial attention task and compared to no-load. Stimuli were presented from five virtual locations in the frontal azimuth plane, and subjects focused on the midline. Reaction times progressively increased for lateral stimuli, indicating an attention gradient. Spatial load further slowed responses at lateral locations, particularly in the left hemispace, but had little effect at midline. Verbal memory load had no (Experiment 1), or a minimal (Experiment 2) influence on reaction times. Spatial and verbal load increased switch costs between memory encoding and attention tasks relative to the no load condition. The findings show that short-term memory influences the distribution of auditory attention over space; and that the specific pattern depends on the type of information in short-term memory.

  19. Impact of Spatial and Verbal Short-Term Memory Load on Auditory Spatial Attention Gradients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward J. Golob

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Short-term memory load can impair attentional control, but prior work shows that the extent of the effect ranges from being very general to very specific. One factor for the mixed results may be reliance on point estimates of memory load effects on attention. Here we used auditory attention gradients as an analog measure to map-out the impact of short-term memory load over space. Verbal or spatial information was maintained during an auditory spatial attention task and compared to no-load. Stimuli were presented from five virtual locations in the frontal azimuth plane, and subjects focused on the midline. Reaction times progressively increased for lateral stimuli, indicating an attention gradient. Spatial load further slowed responses at lateral locations, particularly in the left hemispace, but had little effect at midline. Verbal memory load had no (Experiment 1, or a minimal (Experiment 2 influence on reaction times. Spatial and verbal load increased switch costs between memory encoding and attention tasks relative to the no load condition. The findings show that short-term memory influences the distribution of auditory attention over space; and that the specific pattern depends on the type of information in short-term memory.

  20. Fuel-assembly behavior under dynamic impact loads due to dry-storage cask mishandling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-07-01

    Continued operation of nuclear power plants is contingent on the ability to provide adequate storage of spent fuel. Until recently, utilities have been able to maintain interim in-pool spent fuel storage. However, many facilities have reached their capacity and are now faced with shipping their spent fuel in dry casks to alternate storage facilities. The objective of this report is to provide estimates of the structural integrity of irradiated LWR fuel rods subjected to impact loads resulting from postulated cask handling accidents. This is accomplished in five stages: (1) Material properties for irradiated fuel are compiled for use in the structural analyses. (2) Results from parametric analyses of representative assembly designs are used to determine the most limiting case for end and side drop postulated handling accidents. (3) Detailed structural analysis results are presented for these critical designs. The detailed analyses include the coupling of assembly interaction with the cask and cask internals. (4) Criteria for both ultimate stress and brittle fracture failure modes of fuel rod cladding are established. (5) Safe cask handling drop height limits are computed based on items 2 through 4 above. 44 figs., 18 tabs

  1. Impact of enzyme loading on the efficacy and recovery of cellulolytic enzymes immobilized on enzymogel nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samaratunga, Ashani; Kudina, Olena; Nahar, Nurun; Zakharchenko, Andrey; Minko, Sergiy; Voronov, Andriy; Pryor, Scott W

    2015-03-01

    Cellulase and β-glucosidase were adsorbed on a polyacrylic acid polymer brush grafted on silica nanoparticles to produce enzymogels as a form of enzyme immobilization. Enzyme loading on the enzymogels was increased to a saturation level of approximately 110 μg (protein) mg(-1) (particle) for each enzyme. Enzymogels with varied enzyme loadings were then used to determine the impact on hydrolysis rate and enzyme recovery. Soluble sugar concentrations during the hydrolysis of filter paper and Solka-Floc with the enzymogels were 45 and 53%, respectively, of concentrations when using free cellulase. β-Glucosidase enzymogels showed lower performance; hydrolyzate glucose concentrations were just 38% of those using free enzymes. Increasing enzyme loading on the enzymogels did not reduce net efficacy for cellulase and improved efficacy for β-glucosidase. The use of free cellulases and cellulase enzymogels resulted in hydrolyzates with different proportions of cellobiose and glucose, suggesting differential attachment or efficacy of endoglucanases, exoglucanases, and β-glucosidases present in cellulase mixtures. When loading β-glucosidase individually, higher enzyme loadings on the enzymogels produced higher hydrolyzate glucose concentrations. Approximately 96% of cellulase and 66 % of β-glucosidase were recovered on the enzymogels, while enzyme loading level did not impact recovery for either enzyme.

  2. Design procedure for pollutant loadings and impacts for highway stormwater runoff (Macintosh version) (for microcomputers). Software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    The interactive computer program was developed to make a user friendly procedure for the personal computer for calculations and guidance to make estimations of pollutant loadings and impacts from highway stormwater runoff which are presented in the Publication FHWA-RD-88-006, Pollutant Loadings and Impacts from Highway Stormwater Runoff, Volume I: Design Procedure. The computer program is for the evaluation of the water quality impact from highway stormwater runoff to a lake or a stream from a specific highway site considering the necessary rainfall data and geographic site situation. The evaluation considers whether or not the resulting water quality conditions can cause a problem as indicated by the violations of water quality criteria or objectives

  3. Design procedure for pollutant loadings and impacts for highway stormwater runoff (IBM version) (for microcomputers). Software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    The interactive computer program was developed to make a user friendly procedure for the personal computer for calculations and guidance to make estimations of pollutant loadings and impacts from highway stormwater runoff which are presented in the Publication FHWA-RD-88-006, Pollutant Loadings and Impacts from Highway Stormwater Runoff, Volume I: Design Procedure. The computer program is for the evaluation of the water quality impact from highway stormwater runoff to a lake or a stream from a specific highway site considering the necessary rainfall data and geographic site situation. The evaluation considers whether or not the resulting water quality conditions can cause a problem as indicated by the violations of water quality criteria or objectives

  4. Unbalanced voltage faults: the impact on structural loads of doubly fed asynchronous generator wind turbines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barahona Garzón, Braulio; Cutululis, Nicolaos Antonio; Hansen, Anca Daniela

    2014-01-01

    This paper investigates the impact that unbalanced voltage faults have on wind turbine structural loads. In such cases, electromagnetic torque oscillations occur at two times the supply voltage frequency. The objectives of this work are to quantify wind turbine structural loads induced...... by unbalanced voltage faults relative to those during normal operation; and to evaluate the potential for reducing structural loads with the control of the generator. The method applied is integrated dynamic analysis. Namely, dynamic analysis with models that consider the most important aeroelastic, electrical...

  5. Impact of Thresholds and Load Patterns when Executing HPC Applications with Cloud Elasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinicius Facco Rodrigues

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Elasticity is one of the most known capabilities related to cloud computing, being largely deployed reactively using thresholds. In this way, maximum and minimum limits are used to drive resource allocation and deallocation actions, leading to the following problem statements: How can cloud users set the threshold values to enable elasticity in their cloud applications? And what is the impact of the application’s load pattern in the elasticity? This article tries to answer these questions for iterative high performance computing applications, showing the impact of both thresholds and load patterns on application performance and resource consumption. To accomplish this, we developed a reactive and PaaS-based elasticity model called AutoElastic and employed it over a private cloud to execute a numerical integration application. Here, we are presenting an analysis of best practices and possible optimizations regarding the elasticity and HPC pair. Considering the results, we observed that the maximum threshold influences the application time more than the minimum one. We concluded that threshold values close to 100% of CPU load are directly related to a weaker reactivity, postponing resource reconfiguration when its activation in advance could be pertinent for reducing the application runtime.

  6. Living in critical times: The impact of critical incidents on frontline ambulance personnel--a qualitative perspective.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Gallagher, Sharon

    2007-01-01

    Little is known about the impact of Critical Incidents (CIs) on the lives of ambulance personnel. One-to-one interviews were conducted with 27 participants who had experienced CIs during the previous 12 months in order to: assess the nature and impact of CIs on health and well-being; examine attitudes toward support services; and explore barriers to service use. The results showed that incidents involving children, suicides, and grotesque mutilation were the most distressing. Participants reported a wide range of physical and mental health problems including sleep difficulties, angry outbursts, irrationality and feelings of alienation. Key themes included: low support service uptake due to fears relating to confidentiality and machismo; a perceived lack of concern and support from management; and a need for professional counselling and stress awareness training. Emergency Medical Controllers (EMCs) also reported a number of difficulties unique to their role. The findings suggest that exposure to CIs has a significant impact on health and well-being; this has important implications for recognizing and appropriately addressing the health and training needs of ambulance personnel, including the effective management of Critical Incident Stress.

  7. Effects of Carbon Nanomaterial Reinforcement on Composite Joints Under Cyclic and Impact Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-01

    prepreg . 2 Figure 1. Composite decks on DDG1000. (From [3]) Figure 2. USV built from nanotube-reinforced carbon fiber composites. (From [2...been proven that the infusion of CNTs enhances the strength and fracture toughness of CFRP laminates under static loading (mode I and mode II...Kostopoulos et al. [5] investigated the influence of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the impact and after-impact behavior of CFRP laminates

  8. The Response of Clamped Shallow Sandwich Arches with Metallic Foam Cores to Projectile Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanping Fan

    Full Text Available Abstract The dynamic response and energy absorption capabilities of clamped shallow sandwich arches with aluminum foam core were numerically investigated by impacting the arches at mid-span with metallic foam projectiles. The typical deformation modes, deflection response, and core compression of sandwich arches obtained from the tests were used to validate the computation model. The resistance to impact loading was quantified by the permanent transverse deflection at mid-span of the arches as a function of projectile momentum. The sandwich arches have a higher shock resistance than the monolithic arches of equal mass, and shock resistance could be significantly enhanced by optimizing geometrical configurations. Meanwhile, decreasing the face-sheet thickness and curvature radius could enhance the energy absorption capability of the sandwich arches. Finite element calculations indicated that the ratio of loading time to structural response time ranged from 0.1 to 0.4. The projectile momentum, which was solely used to quantify the structural response of sandwich arches, was insufficient. These findings could provide guidance in conducting further theoretical studies and producing the optimal design of metallic sandwich structures subjected to impact loading.

  9. Simulation Study on the Deflection Response of the 921A Steel thin plate under Explosive Impact Load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yu-Xiang; Chen, Fang; Han, Yan

    2018-03-01

    The Ship cabin would be subject to high-intensity shock wave load when it is attacked by anti-ship weapons, causing its side board damaged. The time course of the deflection of the thin plate made of 921A steel in different initial conditions under the impact load is researched by theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. According to the theory of elastic-plastic deformation of the thin plate, the dynamic response equation of the thin plate under the explosion impact load is established with the method of energy, and the theoretical calculation value is compared with the result from the simulation method. It proved that the theoretical calculation method has better reliability and accuracy in different boundary size.

  10. Statistics concerning the Apollo command module water landing, including the probability of occurrence of various impact conditions, sucessful impact, and body X-axis loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitnah, A. M.; Howes, D. B.

    1971-01-01

    Statistical information for the Apollo command module water landings is presented. This information includes the probability of occurrence of various impact conditions, a successful impact, and body X-axis loads of various magnitudes.

  11. Impact of Fuel Failure on Criticality Safety of Used Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marshall, William J.; Wagner, John C.

    2012-01-01

    Commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) in the United States is expected to remain in storage for considerably longer periods than originally intended (e.g., 45 GWd/t) may increase the potential for fuel failure during normal and accident conditions involving storage and transportation. Fuel failure, depending on the severity, can result in changes to the geometric configuration of the fuel, which has safety and regulatory implications. The likelihood and extent of fuel reconfiguration and its impact on the safety of the UNF is not well understood. The objective of this work is to assess and quantify the impact of fuel reconfiguration due to fuel failure on criticality safety of UNF in storage and transportation casks. This effort is primarily motivated by concerns related to the potential for fuel degradation during ES periods and transportation following ES. The criticality analyses consider representative UNF designs and cask systems and a range of fuel enrichments, burnups, and cooling times. The various failed-fuel configurations considered are designed to bound the anticipated effects of individual rod and general cladding failure, fuel rod deformation, loss of neutron absorber materials, degradation of canister internals, and gross assembly failure. The results quantify the potential impact on criticality safety associated with fuel reconfiguration and may be used to guide future research, design, and regulatory activities. Although it can be concluded that the criticality safety impacts of fuel reconfiguration during transportation subsequent to ES are manageable, the results indicate that certain configurations can result in a large increase in the effective neutron multiplication factor, k eff . Future work to inform decision making relative to which configurations are credible, and therefore need to be considered in a safety evaluation, is recommended.

  12. Damage of plates due to impact, dynamic pressure and explosive loads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norman Jones

    Full Text Available It is the purpose of this article to present design equations which can be used to predict the damage of ductile plating when subjected to mass impact, dynamic pressure or impulsive loadings. The external loadings are sufficiently severe to produce inelastic material behaviour and produce finite transverse displacement, or geometry change, effects. The damage is characterised as the final or permanent transverse displacement of a plate. The theoretical method predicts values for the maximum permanent transverse displacements which agree reasonably well with the corresponding experimental results generated on aluminium alloy circular, square and rectangular plates. Thus, the equations presented in this article are valuable for preliminary design purposes and for forensic studies, while the experimental data can be used for validating numerical schemes.

  13. Cognitive Load and Self-Determination Theories Applied to E-Learning : Impact on Students' Participation and Academic Performance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Araujo Guerra Grangeia, Tiago; de Jorge, Bruno; Franci, Daniel; Martins Santos, Thiago; Vellutini Setubal, Maria Silvia; Schweller, Marcelo; de Carvalho-Filho, Marco Antonio

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Emergency clerkships expose students to a stressful environment that require multiple tasks, which may have a direct impact on cognitive load and motivation for learning. To address this challenge, Cognitive Load Theory and Self Determination Theory provided the conceptual frameworks to

  14. The Impact of Roof Pitch and Ceiling Insulation on Cooling Load of Naturally-Ventilated Attics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linxia Gu

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available A 2D unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD model is employed to simulate buoyancy-driven turbulent ventilation in attics with different pitch values and ceiling insulation levels under summer conditions. The impacts of roof pitch and ceiling insulation on the cooling load of gable-roof residential buildings are investigated based on the simulation of turbulent air flow and natural convection heat transfer in attic spaces with roof pitches from 3/12 to 18/12 combined with ceiling insulation levels from R-1.2 to R-40. The modeling results show that the air flows in the attics are steady and exhibit a general streamline pattern that is qualitatively insensitive to the investigated variations of roof pitch and ceiling insulation. Furthermore, it is predicted that the ceiling insulation plays a control role on the attic cooling load and that an increase of roof pitch from 3/12 to 8/12 results in a decrease in the cooling load by around 9% in the investigated cases. The results suggest that the increase of roof pitch alone, without changing other design parameters, has limited impact on attics cooling load and airflow pattern. The research results also suggest both the predicted ventilating mass flow rate and attic cooling load can be satisfactorily correlated by simple relationships in terms of appropriately defined Rayleigh and Nusselt numbers.

  15. Nuclear criticality safety bounding analysis for the in-tank-precipitation (ITP) process, impacted by fissile isotopic weight fractions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bess, C.E.

    1994-04-22

    The In-Tank Precipitation process (ITP) receives High Level Waste (HLW) supernatant liquid containing radionuclides in waste processing tank 48H. Sodium tetraphenylborate, NaTPB, and monosodium titanate (MST), NaTi{sub 2}O{sub 5}H, are added for removal of radioactive Cs and Sr, respectively. In addition to removal of radio-strontium, MST will also remove plutonium and uranium. The majority of the feed solutions to ITP will come from the dissolution of supernate that had been concentrated by evaporation to a crystallized salt form, commonly referred to as saltcake. The concern for criticality safety arises from the adsorption of U and Pt onto MST. If sufficient mass and optimum conditions are achieved then criticality is credible. The concentration of u and Pt from solution into the smaller volume of precipitate represents a concern for criticality. This report supplements WSRC-TR-93-171, Nuclear Criticality Safety Bounding Analysis For The In-Tank-Precipitation (ITP) Process. Criticality safety in ITP can be analyzed by two bounding conditions: (1) the minimum safe ratio of MST to fissionable material and (2) the maximum fissionable material adsorption capacity of the MST. Calculations have provided the first bounding condition and experimental analysis has established the second. This report combines these conditions with canyon facility data to evaluate the potential for criticality in the ITP process due to the adsorption of the fissionable material from solution. In addition, this report analyzes the potential impact of increased U loading onto MST. Results of this analysis demonstrate a greater safety margin for ITP operations than the previous analysis. This report further demonstrates that the potential for criticality in the ITP process due to adsorption of fissionable material by MST is not credible.

  16. On Input Vector Representation for the SVR model of Reactor Core Loading Pattern Critical Parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trontl, K.; Pevec, D.; Smuc, T.

    2008-01-01

    Determination and optimization of reactor core loading pattern is an important factor in nuclear power plant operation. The goal is to minimize the amount of enriched uranium (fresh fuel) and burnable absorbers placed in the core, while maintaining nuclear power plant operational and safety characteristics. The usual approach to loading pattern optimization involves high degree of engineering judgment, a set of heuristic rules, an optimization algorithm and a computer code used for evaluating proposed loading patterns. The speed of the optimization process is highly dependent on the computer code used for the evaluation. Recently, we proposed a new method for fast loading pattern evaluation based on general robust regression model relying on the state of the art research in the field of machine learning. We employed Support Vector Regression (SVR) technique. SVR is a supervised learning method in which model parameters are automatically determined by solving a quadratic optimization problem. The preliminary tests revealed a good potential of the SVR method application for fast and accurate reactor core loading pattern evaluation. However, some aspects of model development are still unresolved. The main objective of the work reported in this paper was to conduct additional tests and analyses required for full clarification of the SVR applicability for loading pattern evaluation. We focused our attention on the parameters defining input vector, primarily its structure and complexity, and parameters defining kernel functions. All the tests were conducted on the NPP Krsko reactor core, using MCRAC code for the calculation of reactor core loading pattern critical parameters. The tested input vector structures did not influence the accuracy of the models suggesting that the initially tested input vector, consisted of the number of IFBAs and the k-inf at the beginning of the cycle, is adequate. The influence of kernel function specific parameters (σ for RBF kernel

  17. Numerical Simulation of Shock Response and Dynamic Fracture of a Concrete Dam Subjected to Impact Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu Lu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The shock response and dynamic fracture of concrete gravity dams under impact load are the key problems to evaluate the antiknock safety of the dam. This study aims at understanding the effects of impact shock on the elastic response and dynamic fracture of concrete gravity dams. Firstly, this paper uses acceleration records of a concrete gravity dam under impact to establish the correct way to determine the concrete gravity dam of the fundamental frequency and present cut sheets multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic modeling. Under strong impact loading, the constitutive relation of concrete gravity dam and the highest frequency of the impact are uncertain. So, the main advantage of this method is avoiding the use of elastic modulus in the calculation. The result indicates that the calculation method is a reliable computational method for concrete gravity dams subjected to impact. Subsequently, the failure process of dam models was numerically simulated based on ABAQUS commercial codes. Finally, this paper puts forward suggestions for future research based on the results of the analysis.

  18. Impact loading of a BWR control rod during braking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heeschen, U.

    1977-01-01

    In an emergency case the control rods of a boiling water reactor are shot into the RPV from below against the weight of the rods with drive motors. According to the position of the control rods between the fuel elements the rods can reach in that case velocities up to 4 m/s. The moved masses of the control rods and of the pistons (both of them are connected by a coupling) are braked through a cup spring which transfers its forces to the RPV-bottom sphere. The spring has to be designed that in this case tthe complete kinetic energy of he control rods of about 1000Nm can be taken up. The spring power and the inertia of the moved masses cause extremely high loadings during and shortly after the impact onto the spring. The shock-like loading propagates along the whole rod at the speed of sound, and this is also the reason why the weaker cross-sections have to endure considerable short-term stress peaks. (Auth.)

  19. Electrical load modeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valgas, Helio Moreira; Pinto, Roberto del Giudice R.; Franca, Carlos [Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (CEMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Lambert-Torres, Germano; Silva, Alexandre P. Alves da; Pires, Robson Celso; Costa, Junior, Roberto Affonso [Escola Federal de Engenharia de Itajuba, MG (Brazil)

    1994-12-31

    Accurate dynamic load models allow more precise calculations of power system controls and stability limits, which are critical mainly in the operation planning of power systems. This paper describes the development of a computer program (software) for static and dynamic load model studies using the measurement approach for the CEMIG system. Two dynamic load model structures are developed and tested. A procedure for applying a set of measured data from an on-line transient recording system to develop load models is described. (author) 6 refs., 17 figs.

  20. Development of methodology for component testing under impact loading for space applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Church, Phillip; Taylor, Nicholas; Perkinson, Marie-Claire; Wishart, Alex; Vijendran, Sanjay; Braithwaite, Chris

    2017-06-01

    A number of recent studies have highlighted the scientific benefits of penetrator technology in conducting exploration on other planetary bodies and moons within the solar system. Such a ``hard landing'' approach is cheaper and easier than the traditional ``soft landing'' method. However it is necessary for the science package of such a mission to withstand the rapid decelerations that will occur upon impact. This paper outlines an approach that has been developed to simulate the loading appropriate to Europa and also to monitor component performance before, during and after the impact.

  1. A technique for measuring dynamic friction coefficient under impact loading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Y L; Qin, J G; Chen, R; Zhao, P D; Lu, F Y

    2014-09-01

    We develop a novel setup based on the split Hopkinson pressure bar technique to test the dynamic friction coefficient under impact loading. In the setup, the major improvement is that the end of the incident bar near the specimen is wedge-shaped, which results in a combined compressive and shear loading applied to the specimen. In fact, the shear loading is caused by the interfacial friction between specimen and bars. Therefore, when the two loading force histories are measured, the friction coefficient histories can be calculated without any assumptions and theoretical derivations. The geometry of the friction pairs is simple, and can be either cuboid or cylindrical. Regarding the measurements, two quartz transducers are used to directly record the force histories, and an optical apparatus is designed to test the interfacial slip movement. By using the setup, the dynamic friction coefficient of PTFE/aluminum 7075 friction pairs was tested. The time resolved dynamic friction coefficient and slip movement histories were achieved. The results show that the friction coefficient changes during the loading process, the average data of the relatively stable flat plateau section of the friction coefficient curves is 0.137, the maximum normal pressure is 52 MPa, the maximum relative slip velocity is 1.5 m/s, and the acceleration is 8400 m(2)/s. Furthermore, the friction test was simulated using an explicit FEM code LS-DYNA. The simulation results showed that the constant pressure and slip velocity can both be obtained with a wide flat plateau incident pulse. For some special friction pairs, normal pressure up to a few hundred MPa, interfacial slip velocities up to 10 m/s, and slip movement up to centimeter-level can be expected.

  2. Online Reading: A Preliminary Study of the Impact of Integrated and Split-Attention Formats on L2 Students' Cognitive Load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Shehri, Saleh; Gitsaki, Christina

    2010-01-01

    Cognitive load theory has been utilized by second language acquisition (SLA) researchers to account for differences in learner performance with regards to different learning tasks. Certain instructional designs were shown to have an impact on cognitive load and working memory, and this impact was found to be accentuated in a multimedia environment…

  3. Evaluation of sealing performance of metal cask subjected to vertical impact load due to aircraft engine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Namba, Kosuke; Shirai, Koji; Saegusa, Toshiari

    2010-01-01

    To confirm the sealing performance of a metal cask subjected to impact force due to commercial aircraft crash against a spent fuel storage facility, a vertical impact test was carried out. In this test, a simplified deformable missile was used by considering the rigidity of the actual aircraft engine and accelerated to the specified impact velocity (60 m/s) to hit the full-scale lid structure with the primary and secondary lids. Then, the leak rate, the inner pressure between the lids, and the displacement of the lids were measured. The leak rate of the secondary lid exceeded 1.0x10 -3 Pa·m 3 /s upon impact. However, because no residual lid opening displacement occurred after loading, the leak rate recovered to less than 1.0x10 -6 Pa·m 3 /s after 3 h from the impact test. In addition, to clarify the impact behaviour of the lid structure, the impact analysis using the LS-DYNA code was executed. It was found that the lid bolts maintained the good tightening force after impact loading, and the sealing performance of the full-scale metal cask would not be affected immediately by the vertical impact of the aircraft engine with a speed of 60 m/s. (author)

  4. Critical phosphorus loading of different types of shallow lakes and the consequences for management estimated with the ecosystem model PCLake

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janse, J.H.; De Senerpont Domis, L.N.; Scheffer, M.; Lijklema, L.; Klinge, M.; Mooij, W.M.; Van Liere, L.

    2008-01-01

    Shallow lakes typically can be in one of two contrasting states: a clear state with submerged macrophytes or a turbid state dominated by phytoplankton. Eutrophication may cause a switch from the clear to the turbid state, if the phosphorus loading exceeds a critical value. Recovery of the clear

  5. Finite element simulation of low velocity impact loading on a sandwich composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishwas M.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich structure offer more advantage in bringing flexural stiffness and energy absorption capabilities in the application of automobile and aerospace components. This paper presents comparison study and analysis of two types of composite sandwich structures, one having Jute Epoxy skins with rubber core and the other having Glass Epoxy skins with rubber core subjected to low velocity normal impact loading. The behaviour of sandwich structure with various parameters such as energy absorption, peak load developed, deformation and von Mises stress and strain, are analyzed using commercially available analysis software. The results confirm that sandwich composite with jute epoxy skin absorbs approximately 20% more energy than glass epoxy skin. The contact force developed in jute epoxy skin is approximately 2.3 times less when compared to glass epoxy skin. von Mises stress developed is less in case of jute epoxy. The sandwich with jute epoxy skin deforms approximately 1.6 times more than that of same geometry of sandwich with glass epoxy skin. Thus exhibiting its elastic nature and making it potential candidate for low velocity impact application.

  6. Friction Stir Weld Failure Mechanisms in Aluminum-Armor Structures Under Ballistic Impact Loading Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    REPORT Friction Stir Weld Failure Mechanisms in Aluminum-Armor Structures Under Ballistic Impact Loading Conditions 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY...properties and of the attendant ballistic-impact failure mechanisms in prototypical friction stir welding (FSW) joints found in armor structures made of high...mechanisms, friction stir welding M. Grujicic, B. Pandurangan, A. Arakere, C-F. Yen, B. A. Cheeseman Clemson University Office of Sponsored Programs 300

  7. Simulation of Mechanical Behavior and Damage of a Large Composite Wind Turbine Blade under Critical Loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarfaoui, M.; Nachtane, M.; Khadimallah, H.; Saifaoui, D.

    2018-04-01

    Issues such as energy generation/transmission and greenhouse gas emissions are the two energy problems we face today. In this context, renewable energy sources are a necessary part of the solution essentially winds power, which is one of the most profitable sources of competition with new fossil energy facilities. This paper present the simulation of mechanical behavior and damage of a 48 m composite wind turbine blade under critical wind loads. The finite element analysis was performed by using ABAQUS code to predict the most critical damage behavior and to apprehend and obtain knowledge of the complex structural behavior of wind turbine blades. The approach developed based on the nonlinear FE analysis using mean values for the material properties and the failure criteria of Tsai-Hill to predict failure modes in large structures and to identify the sensitive zones.

  8. Impact of Cyclic Loading on Chloride Diffusivity and Mechanical Performance of RC Beams under Seawater Corrosion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sen Pang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available An experimental study was conducted to investigate the impact of cyclic loading on the mechanical performance and chloride diffusivity of RC beams exposed to seawater wet-dry cycles. To induce initial damage to RC beam specimen, cyclic loading controlled by max load and cycles was applied. Then beam specimens underwent 240 wet-dry cycles of seawater. Results show that the chloride content increased as max load and cycle increased. The chloride content at steel surface increased approximatively linearly as average crack width increased. Moreover, the max load had more influence on chloride content at steel surface than cycle. The difference of average chloride diffusion coefficient between tension and compression concrete was little at uncracked position. Average chloride diffusion coefficient increased as crack width increased when crack width was less than 0.11 mm whereas the increasing tendency was weak when crack width exceeded 0.11 mm. The residual yield load and ultimate load of RC beams decreased as max load and cycle increased. Based on univariate analysis of variance, the max load had more adverse effect on yield load and ultimate load than cycle.

  9. Opposite effects of capacity load and resolution load on distractor processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weiwei; Luck, Steven J

    2015-02-01

    According to the load theory of attention, an increased perceptual load reduces distractor processing whereas an increased working memory load facilitates distractor processing. Here we raise the possibility that the critical distinction may instead be between an emphasis on resolution and an emphasis on capacity. That is, perceptual load manipulations typically emphasize resolution (fine-grained discriminations), whereas working memory load manipulations typically emphasize capacity (simultaneous processing of multiple relevant stimuli). To test the plausibility of this hypothesis, we used a visual working memory task that emphasized either the number of items to be stored (capacity load, retaining 2 vs. 4 colors) or the precision of the representations (resolution load, detecting small vs. large color changes). We found that an increased capacity load led to increased flanker interference (a measure of distractor processing), whereas an increased resolution load led to reduced flanker interference. These opposite effects of capacity load and resolution load on distractor processing mirror the previously described opposite effects of perceptual load and working memory load.

  10. Amelioration of the cooling load based chiller sequencing control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Sen; Zuo, Wangda; Sohn, Michael D.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • We developed a new approach for the optimal load distribution for chillers. • We proposed a new approach to optimize the number of operating chillers. • We provided a holistic solution to address chiller sequencing control problems. - Abstract: Cooling Load based Control (CLC) for the chiller sequencing is a commonly used control strategy for multiple-chiller plants. To improve the energy efficiency of these chiller plants, researchers proposed various CLC optimization approaches, which can be divided into two groups: studies to optimize the load distribution and studies to identify the optimal number of operating chillers. However, both groups have their own deficiencies and do not consider the impact of each other. This paper aims to improve the CLC by proposing three new approaches. The first optimizes the load distribution by adjusting the critical points for the chiller staging, which is easier to be implemented than existing approaches. In addition, by considering the impact of the load distribution on the cooling tower energy consumption and the pump energy consumption, this approach can achieve a better energy saving. The second optimizes the number of operating chillers by modulating the critical points and the condenser water set point in order to achieve the minimal energy consumption of the entire chiller plant that may not be guaranteed by existing approaches. The third combines the first two approaches to provide a holistic solution. The proposed three approaches were evaluated via a case study. The results show that the total energy consumption saving for the studied chiller plant is 0.5%, 5.3% and 5.6% by the three approaches, respectively. An energy saving of 4.9–11.8% can be achieved for the chillers at the cost of more energy consumption by the cooling towers (increases of 5.8–43.8%). The pumps’ energy saving varies from −8.6% to 2.0%, depending on the approach.

  11. Finite Element Analysis of Saferooms Subjected to Tornado Impact Loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parfilko, Y.; Amaral de Arruda, F.; Varela, B.

    2017-10-01

    A Tornado is one of the most dreadful and unpredictable events in nature. Unfortunately, weather and geographic conditions make a large portion of the United States prone to this phenomenon. Tornado saferooms are monolithic reinforced concrete protective structures engineered to guard against these natural disasters. Saferooms must withstand impacts and wind loads from EF-5 tornadoes - where the wind speed reaches up to 150 m/s (300 mph) and airborne projectiles can reach up to 50 m/s (100 mph). The objective of this work is to evaluate the performance of a saferoom under impact from tornado-generated debris and tornado-dragged vehicles. Numerical simulations were performed to model the impact problem using explicit dynamics and energy methods. Finite element models of the saferoom, windborne debris, and vehicle models were studied using the LS-DYNA software. RHT concrete material was used to model the saferoom and vehicle models from NCAC were used to characterize damage from impacts at various speeds. Simulation results indicate good performance of the saferoom structure at vehicle impact speeds up to 25 meters per second. Damage is more significant and increases nonlinearly starting at impact velocities of 35 m/s (78 mph). Results of this study give valuable insight into the dynamic response of saferooms subjected to projectile impacts, and provide design considerations for civilian protective structures. Further work is being done to validate the models with experimental measurements.

  12. Impacts of rising air temperatures on electric transmission ampacity and peak electricity load in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartos, Matthew; Chester, Mikhail; Johnson, Nathan; Gorman, Brandon; Eisenberg, Daniel; Linkov, Igor; Bates, Matthew

    2016-11-01

    Climate change may constrain future electricity supply adequacy by reducing electric transmission capacity and increasing electricity demand. The carrying capacity of electric power cables decreases as ambient air temperatures rise; similarly, during the summer peak period, electricity loads typically increase with hotter air temperatures due to increased air conditioning usage. As atmospheric carbon concentrations increase, higher ambient air temperatures may strain power infrastructure by simultaneously reducing transmission capacity and increasing peak electricity load. We estimate the impacts of rising ambient air temperatures on electric transmission ampacity and peak per-capita electricity load for 121 planning areas in the United States using downscaled global climate model projections. Together, these planning areas account for roughly 80% of current peak summertime load. We estimate climate-attributable capacity reductions to transmission lines by constructing thermal models of representative conductors, then forcing these models with future temperature projections to determine the percent change in rated ampacity. Next, we assess the impact of climate change on electricity load by using historical relationships between ambient temperature and utility-scale summertime peak load to estimate the extent to which climate change will incur additional peak load increases. We find that by mid-century (2040-2060), increases in ambient air temperature may reduce average summertime transmission capacity by 1.9%-5.8% relative to the 1990-2010 reference period. At the same time, peak per-capita summertime loads may rise by 4.2%-15% on average due to increases in ambient air temperature. In the absence of energy efficiency gains, demand-side management programs and transmission infrastructure upgrades, these load increases have the potential to upset current assumptions about future electricity supply adequacy.

  13. Lipid-load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: Impact of food-consumption, dietary-macronutrients, extracellular lipid availability and demographic factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameer, Fatima; Munir, Rimsha; Usman, Hina; Rashid, Rida; Shahjahan, Muhammad; Hasnain, Shahida; Zaidi, Nousheen

    2017-04-01

    Lipid-load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has recently gained attention of the researchers working on nutritional regulation of metabolic health. Previous works have indicated that the metabolic circuitries in the circulating PBMCs are influenced by dietary-intake and macronutrient composition of diet. In the present work, we analyzed the impact of diet and dietary macronutrients on PBMCs' lipid-load. The overall analyses revealed that dietary carbohydrates and fats combinatorially induce triglyceride accumulation in PBMCs. On the other hand, dietary fats were shown to induce significant decrease in PBMCs' cholesterol-load. The effects of various demographic factors -including age, gender and body-weight- on PBMCs' lipid-load were also examined. Body-weight and age were both shown to affect PBMC's lipid-load. Our study fails to provide any direct association between extracellular lipid availability and cholesterol-load in both, freshly isolated and cultured PBMCs. The presented work significantly contributes to the current understanding of the impact of food-consumption, dietary macronutrients, extracellular lipid availability and demographic factors on lipid-load in PBMCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  14. Effects of matrix properties on microscale damage in thermoplastic laminates under quasi-static and impact loading

    KAUST Repository

    Wafai, B. Husam

    2018-03-01

    Thermoplastics reinforced with continuous fibers are very promising building materials for the auto industry and consumer electronics to reduce the weight of vehicles and portable devices, and to deliver a high impact tolerance at the same time. Polypropylene is an abundant thermoplastic, and its glass fibers composites make a valuable solution that is suitable for mass production. But the adoption of such composites requires a deep understanding of their mechanical behavior under the relevant loading conditions. In this Ph.D. work, we aim to understand the damage process in continuous glass fiberreinforced polypropylene in detail. We will focus in particular on developing an approach for microscale observation of damage during the out-of-plane loading process and will use these observations for both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the composite. We will apply our approach to two kinds of polypropylene composites, one of them is specially designed to withstand impact. The comparison between the two types of composites at slow and fast loading cases will shed some light on the effect of the polymer properties on the behavior of composites under out-of-plane loading.

  15. The Impact of Phosphate Loading Activities on Environment: The Egyptian Red Sea Coast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Shabasy, A.M.; Diab, H.M.; Ataiw, S.E.H.

    2013-01-01

    The phosphate industry in Egypt includes three major activities, namely, mining and milling of phosphate rock, phosphate product manufacture, and phosphate product use. The production of fertilizers from natural phosphate ore can lead to the redistribution of uranium and other radionuclides in products, by-products and residues and hence, to severe environmental impacts and increased radiation exposures. In this study, the impact of loading cargoes of phosphate ore into ships at the Red Sea coast has been evaluated. The main objective was to assess the impact of phosphate loading activities near marine environment by determining the activity concentrations of '2 26 Ra ( 238 U) series, 232 Th series and 40 K in soil, sediment and seawater from El- Hamraween and Safaga Port where phosphate mine. The specific activities of 226 Ra ( 238 U) series, 232 Th series and 40 K (Bq/kg dry weight) were measured using gamma ray spectrometers based on hyper-pure germanium detectors. The specific activities showed high concentration level of 226 Ra. The concentration and distribution pattern of 226 Ra in sediment can be used to trace the radiological impact of the non-nuclear industries on the Red Sea coast. The absorbed dose (nGy/h) was also evaluated and can be used as a pre-operational baseline to estimate the possible radiological impacts due to mining, processing and future phosphate industrial activities. Because of the limited measures to control radiological hazards to individuals and the environment, normal occupational health and environmental protection measures were designed to protect against radiological hazards.

  16. Critical factors in environmental impact assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Creasey, R.

    1999-01-01

    Environmental impact assessment (EIA) has shown that it is of proven benefit to the overall planning and environmental management of resource development projects, but certain elements within the application and practice of EIA remain problematic for proponents and regulatory decision makers alike. The use of the word 'critical' in the title of this paper suggests that if the components identified are not considered or implemented properly through the process of EIA, the product will be of less value to both the proponent and decision maker. In the context of EIA, the regulatory, financial, legal and social benefits that accrue make the need for good EIA practice even more imperative. A discussion is included that highlights a number of issues that need to be addressed to improve the effectiveness of EIA, a tool necessary to attaining provincial and federal regulatory approvals. To a large extent, the discussion reflects items of contemporary public concern, and those emerging issues of the scientific and regulatory community. At the same time, it needs to be realized that not all the identified items are necessarily new to the practice of impact assessment, but are nonetheless important to professional environmental impact assessment and decision making. Insight is also provided into the direction of decision making of the Energy and Utilities Board as it will affect the regulatory review and administration of resource development projects in the province of Alberta. 16 refs

  17. Impact loads on beams on elastic foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kameswara Rao, N.S.V.; Prasad, B.B.

    1975-01-01

    Quite often, complex structural components are idealised as beams in engineering analysis and design. Also, equations governing the responses of shallow shells are mathematically equivalent to the equations governing the responses of beams on elastic foundations. Hence with possible applications in several technical disciplines, the behaviour of beams on elastic foundations subjected to impact loads is studied in detail in the present investigation both analytically and experimentally. The analytical methods include analysis and energy method. The effect of foundation parameters (stiffness, and damping constants) on the dynamic responses of the beam-foundation system has been analysed. In modal analysis, the free-vibration equation has been solved by replacing the applied impulse by suitable initial conditions and the solution has been obtained as the linear combination of an infinite sequence of discrete eigen-vectors. In the energy method, the beam-foundation system is treated to be under forced vibrations and the forcing function has been obtained using the Hertz's law of impact. In the case of free-free end conditions of the beam, the rigid body modes and the elastic modes have been superposed to obtain the total response. The responses predicted using modal analysis are higher than those obtained using energy method. From the present study it is observed that model analysis is preferable to energy method. (Auth.)

  18. Do running speed and shoe cushioning influence impact loading and tibial shock in basketball players?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wing-Kai Lam

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Background Tibial stress fracture (TSF is a common injury in basketball players. This condition has been associated with high tibial shock and impact loading, which can be affected by running speed, footwear condition, and footstrike pattern. However, these relationships were established in runners but not in basketball players, with very little research done on impact loading and speed. Hence, this study compared tibial shock, impact loading, and foot strike pattern in basketball players running at different speeds with different shoe cushioning properties/performances. Methods Eighteen male collegiate basketball players performed straight running trials with different shoe cushioning (regular-, better-, and best-cushioning and running speed conditions (3.0 m/s vs. 6.0 m/s on a flat instrumented runway. Tri-axial accelerometer, force plate and motion capture system were used to determine tibial accelerations, vertical ground reaction forces and footstrike patterns in each condition, respectively. Comfort perception was indicated on a 150 mm Visual Analogue Scale. A 2 (speed × 3 (footwear repeated measures ANOVA was used to examine the main effects of shoe cushioning and running speeds. Results Greater tibial shock (P 0.14; η2 = 0.13. Discussion There may be an optimal band of shoe cushioning for better protection against TSF. These findings may provide insights to formulate rehabilitation protocols for basketball players who are recovering from TSF.

  19. Potential impacts of ENDF/B-V on critical experiment analysis based on ZEBRA-8 criticals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choong, T S

    1982-06-01

    The ZEBRA-8 series of null-zone measurements featured a different neutron spectrum for each assembly. The experiments were designed for the purpose of basic data testing. The series cover a range of spectra both harder and softer than that for the LMFBR. The potential impacts of the newly released ENDF/BV cross section library on LMFBR critical exeriment analysis are discussed based on analysis of ZEBRA-8 series.

  20. Impacting effects of seismic loading in feeder pipes of PHWR power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, R.

    1996-01-01

    The core of a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) consists of a large number of fuel channels. These fuel channels are connected to the feeder pipes through which the heavy water flows and transports heat from the reactor core to the steam generators. The feeder pipes are several hundreds in number. They run close to each other with small gaps and have several bends. Thus they represent a complex piping system. Under seismic loading, the adjacent feeder pipes may impact each other. In this paper a simplified procedure has been established to assess such impacting effects. The results of the proposed analysis include bending moment and impact force, which provide the stresses due to impacting effects. These results are plotted in nondimensional form so that they could be utilized for any set of feeder pipes. The procedure used for studying the impacting effects includes seismic analysis of individual feeder pipes without impacting effects, selection of pipes for impact analysis, and estimating their maximum impact velocity. Based on the static and dynamic characteristics of the selected feeder pipes, the maximum bending moment, impact force, and stresses are obtained. The results of this study are useful for quick evaluation of the impacting effects in feeder pipes

  1. Vibration and Energy Dissipation of Nanocomposite Laminates for Below Ballistic Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Balaganesan

    Full Text Available Abstract Composite laminates are made of glass woven roving mats of 610gsm, epoxy resin and nano clay which are subjected to projectile impact. Nano clay dispersion is varied from 1% to 5%. Impact tests are conducted in a gas gun setup with a spherical nose cylindrical projectile of diameter 9.5 mm of mass 7.6 g. The energy absorbed by the laminates when subjected to impact loading is studied, the velocity range is below ballistic limit. The effect of nano clay on energy absorption in vibration, delamination and matrix crack is studied for different weight % of nano clay and for different thickness values of the laminates. The natural frequencies and damping factors are obtained for the laminates during impact and the effect of nano clay is studied. The results show considerable improvement in energy absorption due to the presence of nano clay

  2. Colistin Population Pharmacokinetics after Application of a Loading Dose of 9 MU Colistin Methanesulfonate in Critically Ill Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Karaiskos, Ilias; Friberg, Lena E.; Pontikis, Konstantinos; Ioannidis, Konstantinos; Tsagkari, Vasiliki; Galani, Lamprini; Kostakou, Eirini; Baziaka, Fotini; Paskalis, Charalambos; Koutsoukou, Antonia; Giamarellou, Helen

    2015-01-01

    Colistin has been revived, in the era of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Gram-negative infections, as the last-resort treatment in critically ill patients. Recent studies focusing on the optimal dosing strategy of colistin have demonstrated the necessity of a loading dose at treatment initiation (D. Plachouras, M. Karvanen, L. E. Friberg, E. Papadomichelakis, A. Antoniadou, I. Tsangaris, I. Karaiskos, G. Poulakou, F. Kontopidou, A. Armaganidis, O. Cars, and H. Giamarellou, Antimicrob Agents ...

  3. Mechanical and fracture properties at impact loading of selected steels for nuclear power engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buchar, J.; Bilek, Z.

    1988-01-01

    The possibilities are briefly characterized of experimental research of mechanical and fracture properties of steels used in nuclear power engineering. Attention is paid to plastic deformation and the assessment of fracture formation during impact loading. The results are reported for steels 15Kh2MFA and 10GN2MFA. For steel 15Kh2MFA the effect was also studied of neutron radiation at different temperatures. From the theory developed for non-irradiated material 10GN2MFA, a prediction is made within the original model of the fracture stress value for steel 15Kh2MFA in both non-irradiated and irradiated states. The conclusion is arrived at that the existing methods of assessing steel properties at impact load allow obtaining knowledge of all significant effects during actual stress, this using only small specimens of the materials. (Z.M.). 4 figs., 8 refs

  4. The impact of water loading on postglacial decay times in Hudson Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Holly Kyeore; Gomez, Natalya

    2018-05-01

    Ongoing glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) due to surface loading (ice and water) variations during the last glacial cycle has been contributing to sea-level changes globally throughout the Holocene, especially in regions like Canada that were heavily glaciated during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The spatial and temporal distribution of GIA, as manifested in relative sea-level (RSL) change, are sensitive to the ice history and the rheological structure of the solid Earth, both of which are uncertain. It has been shown that RSL curves near the center of previously glaciated regions with no ongoing surface loading follow an exponential-like form, with the postglacial decay times associated with that form having a weak sensitivity to the details of the ice loading history. Postglacial decay time estimates thus provide a powerful datum for constraining the Earth's viscous structure and improving GIA predictions. We explore spatial patterns of postglacial decay time predictions in Hudson Bay by decomposing numerically modeled RSL changes into contributions from water and ice loading effects, and computing their relative impact on the decay times. We demonstrate that ice loading can contribute a strong geographic trend on the decay time estimates if the time window used to compute decay times includes periods that are temporally close to (i.e. contemporaneous with, or soon after) periods of active loading. This variability can be avoided by choosing a suitable starting point for the decay time window. However, more surprisingly, we show that across any adopted time window, water loading effects associated with inundation into, and postglacial flux out of, Hudson Bay and James Bay will impart significant geographic variability onto decay time estimates. We emphasize this issue by considering both maps of predicted decay times across the region and site-specific estimates, and we conclude that variability in observed decay times (whether based on existing or future data

  5. An investigation of Crater Diameter on Plain Slab Foamed Concrete Rice Husk Ash (FCRHA Exposed to Low Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadipramana Josef

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available As sustainable material building and construction, the foamed concrete (FC in this investigation was modified by adding the Rice Husk Ash (RHA as sand replacement to increase its strength. Furthermore, this modification material (is called FCRHA treated on impact loading. This investigation was motivated when the plain slab of FCRHA subjected to small impactor, then the nose impactor over all would penetrate into slab target due to porosity of FCRHA. The experimental produced plain slabs FCRHA and FC (as a control with 1400 kg/m3 and 1600 Kg/m3 of densities. In impact test all plain slabs exposed by 40 mm steel blunt nose impactor with various impact velocities. The result showed the crater which produced by impact loading was not found spalling, scabbing, radial crack and widely cratering. This local damage occurred when porosity of FCRHA took over the impact loading. The nose impactor over all considered have been successful penetrated into slab of FCRHA and FC. Therefore, the diameter of crater equals to diameter of impactor. With this certainty, the prediction penetration depth on plain slab FCRHA (also FC can be determined in future investigation. In addition, the penetration of impactor on FCRHA with low impact velocity give the same impression on penetration impactor with high impact velocity on FC.

  6. Mechanical behavior of ultrafine-grained materials under combined static and dynamic loadings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo Y.Z.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrafine-grained (UFG materials have extensive prospects for engineering application due to their excellent mechanical properties. However, the grain size decrease reduces their strain hardening ability and makes UFG materials more susceptible to deformation instability such as shear localization. In most cases, critical shear strain is taken as the criterion for formation of shear localization under impact loading or adiabatic shear band (ASB. Recently, some researchers found that the formation of ASB was determined only by the dynamic loading process and had nothing to do with its static loading history. They proposed for coarse-grained metals a dynamic stored energy-based criterion for ASB and verified it by some experiments. In this study, we will focus on the shear localization behavior of UFG metals such as UFG titanium and magnesium alloy AZ31. Quasi-static loading and dynamic loading will be applied on the same specimen alternately. The shear localization behavior will be analyzed and the criterion of its formation will be evaluated.

  7. The dynamic response of the containment of the Qinshan nuclear power plant to the aircraft impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuo Jiahong; Han Liangbi; Xia Zufeng

    1991-08-01

    The structural response of the containment of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant under the standard-load-function to aircraft impact has been analyzed by using the ADINA code considering an axisymmetric continuum model, which is assumed a mixed-model for the steel-concrete mixture. It consists of 179 four-node isoparametric concrete elements and 118 steel elements. In order to obtain optimum results, the nonlinear behavior of materials and structures, dynamic modes of failure and damage have been considered in the numerical solution. The coordinate system is based on the total Lagrangian formulation. The F.E. system has been solved using an incremental interactions (BFGS method) with 600 steps totally. A discussion of the overall behavior of the containment for the aircraft impact loading, especially the nonlinear behavior of the local impacted area is presented

  8. Machine Learning of the Reactor Core Loading Pattern Critical Parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krešimir Trontl

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The usual approach to loading pattern optimization involves high degree of engineering judgment, a set of heuristic rules, an optimization algorithm, and a computer code used for evaluating proposed loading patterns. The speed of the optimization process is highly dependent on the computer code used for the evaluation. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of a machine learning model which could be used for fast loading pattern evaluation. We employ a recently introduced machine learning technique, support vector regression (SVR, which is a data driven, kernel based, nonlinear modeling paradigm, in which model parameters are automatically determined by solving a quadratic optimization problem. The main objective of the work reported in this paper was to evaluate the possibility of applying SVR method for reactor core loading pattern modeling. We illustrate the performance of the solution and discuss its applicability, that is, complexity, speed, and accuracy.

  9. Machine Learning of the Reactor Core Loading Pattern Critical Parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trontl, K.; Pevec, D.; Smuc, T.

    2008-01-01

    The usual approach to loading pattern optimization involves high degree of engineering judgment, a set of heuristic rules, an optimization algorithm, and a computer code used for evaluating proposed loading patterns. The speed of the optimization process is highly dependent on the computer code used for the evaluation. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of a machine learning model which could be used for fast loading pattern evaluation. We employ a recently introduced machine learning technique, support vector regression (SVR), which is a data driven, kernel based, nonlinear modeling paradigm, in which model parameters are automatically determined by solving a quadratic optimization problem. The main objective of the work reported in this paper was to evaluate the possibility of applying SVR method for reactor core loading pattern modeling. We illustrate the performance of the solution and discuss its applicability, that is, complexity, speed, and accuracy

  10. Injury risk curves for the skeletal knee-thigh-hip complex for knee-impact loading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rupp, Jonathan D; Flannagan, Carol A C; Kuppa, Shashi M

    2010-01-01

    Injury risk curves for the skeletal knee-thigh-hip (KTH) relate peak force applied to the anterior aspect of the flexed knee, the primary source of KTH injury in frontal motor-vehicle crashes, to the probability of skeletal KTH injury. Previous KTH injury risk curves have been developed from analyses of peak knee-impact force data from studies where knees of whole cadavers were impacted. However, these risk curves either neglect the effects of occupant gender, stature, and mass on KTH fracture force, or account for them using scaling factors derived from dimensional analysis without empirical support. A large amount of experimental data on the knee-impact forces associated with KTH fracture are now available, making it possible to estimate the effects of subject characteristics on skeletal KTH injury risk by statistically analyzing empirical data. Eleven studies were identified in the biomechanical literature in which the flexed knees of whole cadavers were impacted. From these, peak knee-impact force data and the associated subject characteristics were reanalyzed using survival analysis with a lognormal distribution. Results of this analysis indicate that the relationship between peak knee-impact force and the probability of KTH fracture is a function of age, total body mass, and whether the surface that loads the knee is rigid. Comparisons between injury risk curves for the midsize adult male and small adult female crash test dummies defined in previous studies and new risk curves for these sizes of occupants developed in this study suggest that previous injury risk curves generally overestimate the likelihood of KTH fracture at a given peak knee-impact force. Future work should focus on defining the relationships between impact force at the human knee and peak axial compressive forces measured by load cells in the crash test dummy KTH complex so that these new risk curves can be used with ATDs.

  11. A study for structural safety of ISER reactor building under impact load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, Yoichiro; Hasegawa, Toshiyasu; Mutoh, Atsushi; Wakabayashi, Hiroaki.

    1991-01-01

    ISER (Inherently Safe and Economical Reactor) proposed in Japan by an academic circle and industries is expected to be used world-wide particularly in developing countries where an energy crunch is feared in the 21-st century. A certain level of hardened structures for plant safety seems to be effective and may be required by the regulatory body, since the ISER is claimed to be inherently safe even against a kind of external load. This paper concerns impact resistant design of ISER. A brief state-of-the-art review on related works, impact resistant design flow and results of some preliminary analysis of a proposed ISER model is also presented. (author)

  12. Damage initiation and growth in laminated polymer compsosite plates with fluid-structure interaction under impact loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y Kwon

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Damage initiation and growth as well as dynamic response of laminated polymer composite plates were investigated with the effect of Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI when they were subjected to impact loading. The E-glass composite plates were clamped along the boundaries and impact loading was applied from a specially designed vertical drop-impact testing machine while the plates were surrounded by either water or air. The damage and transient responses such as force- and strain-time history were measured during the progressive impact tests, and the test data collected from either impact in air or under water were compared to determine the effect of FSI. The study showed that FSI was generally detrimental to composite plates because of the hydrodynamic mass effect so that damage occurred at a lower impact force for the composite plate submerged in water. The strain measure also suggested that the FSI effect varied from location to location of the plate surface. Additionally, the FSI effect yielded a significant change in the strain response in terms of both magnitude and shape in time history for the plate in water along with progressive damage. In summary, it is essential to include the FSI effect for design and analysis of composite structures when they are in contact with water.

  13. Brittle materials at high-loading rates: an open area of research

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Brittle materials are extensively used in many civil and military applications involving high-strain-rate loadings such as: blasting or percussive drilling of rocks, ballistic impact against ceramic armour or transparent windshields, plastic explosives used to damage or destroy concrete structures, soft or hard impacts against concrete structures and so on. With all of these applications, brittle materials are subjected to intense loadings characterized by medium to extremely high strain rates (few tens to several tens of thousands per second) leading to extreme and/or specific damage modes such as multiple fragmentation, dynamic cracking, pore collapse, shearing, mode II fracturing and/or microplasticity mechanisms in the material. Additionally, brittle materials exhibit complex features such as a strong strain-rate sensitivity and confining pressure sensitivity that justify expending greater research efforts to understand these complex features. Currently, the most popular dynamic testing techniques used for this are based on the use of split Hopkinson pressure bar methodologies and/or plate-impact testing methods. However, these methods do have some critical limitations and drawbacks when used to investigate the behaviour of brittle materials at high loading rates. The present theme issue of Philosophical Transactions A provides an overview of the latest experimental methods and numerical tools that are currently being developed to investigate the behaviour of brittle materials at high loading rates. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Experimental testing and modelling of brittle materials at high strain rates’. PMID:27956517

  14. Brittle materials at high-loading rates: an open area of research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forquin, Pascal

    2017-01-01

    Brittle materials are extensively used in many civil and military applications involving high-strain-rate loadings such as: blasting or percussive drilling of rocks, ballistic impact against ceramic armour or transparent windshields, plastic explosives used to damage or destroy concrete structures, soft or hard impacts against concrete structures and so on. With all of these applications, brittle materials are subjected to intense loadings characterized by medium to extremely high strain rates (few tens to several tens of thousands per second) leading to extreme and/or specific damage modes such as multiple fragmentation, dynamic cracking, pore collapse, shearing, mode II fracturing and/or microplasticity mechanisms in the material. Additionally, brittle materials exhibit complex features such as a strong strain-rate sensitivity and confining pressure sensitivity that justify expending greater research efforts to understand these complex features. Currently, the most popular dynamic testing techniques used for this are based on the use of split Hopkinson pressure bar methodologies and/or plate-impact testing methods. However, these methods do have some critical limitations and drawbacks when used to investigate the behaviour of brittle materials at high loading rates. The present theme issue of Philosophical Transactions A provides an overview of the latest experimental methods and numerical tools that are currently being developed to investigate the behaviour of brittle materials at high loading rates. This article is part of the themed issue 'Experimental testing and modelling of brittle materials at high strain rates'.

  15. The impact of loading approach and biological activity on NOM removal by ion exchange resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winter, Joerg; Wray, Heather E; Schulz, Martin; Vortisch, Roman; Barbeau, Benoit; Bérubé, Pierre R

    2018-05-01

    The present study investigated the impact of different loading approaches and microbial activity on the Natural Organic Matter (NOM) removal efficiency and capacity of ion exchange resins. Gaining further knowledge on the impact of loading approaches is of relevance because laboratory-scale multiple loading tests (MLTs) have been introduced as a simpler and faster alternative to column tests for predicting the performance of IEX, but only anecdotal evidence exists to support their ability to forecast contaminant removal and runtime until breakthrough of IEX systems. The overall trends observed for the removal and the time to breakthrough of organic material estimated using MLTs differed from those estimated using column tests. The results nonetheless suggest that MLTs could best be used as an effective tool to screen different ion exchange resins in terms of their ability to remove various contaminants of interest from different raw waters. The microbial activity was also observed to impact the removal and time to breakthrough. In the absence of regeneration, a microbial community rapidly established itself in ion exchange columns and contributed to the removal of organic material. Biological ion exchange (BIEX) removed more organic material and enabled operation beyond the point when the resin capacity would have otherwise been exhausted using conventional (i.e. in the absence of a microbial community) ion exchange. Furthermore, significantly greater removal of organic matter could be achieved with BIEX than biological activated carbon (BAC) (i.e. 56 ± 7% vs. 15 ± 5%, respectively) when operated at similar loading rates. The results suggest that for some raw waters, BIEX could replace BAC as the technology of choice for the removal of organic material. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Tradeoffs between impact loading rate, vertical impulse and effective mass for walkers and heel strike runners wearing footwear of varying stiffness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addison, Brian J; Lieberman, Daniel E

    2015-05-01

    Humans experience repetitive impact forces beneath the heel during walking and heel strike running that cause impact peaks characterized by high rates and magnitudes of loading. Impact peaks are caused by the exchange of momentum between the ground and a portion of the body that comes to a full stop (the effective mass) during the period of the impact peak. A number of factors can influence this exchange of momentum, including footwear stiffness. This study presents and tests an impulse-momentum model of impact mechanics which predicts that effective mass and vertical impulse is greater in walkers and heel strike runners wearing less stiff footwear. The model also predicts a tradeoff between impact loading rate and effective mass, and between impact loading rate and vertical impulse among individuals wearing footwear of varying stiffness. We tested this model using 19 human subjects walking and running in minimal footwear and in two experimental footpads. Subjects walked and ran on an instrumented treadmill and 3D kinematic data were collected. As predicted, both vertical impulse (walking: F(2,54)=52.0, p=2.6E-13; running: F(2,54)=25.2, p=1.8E-8) and effective mass (walking: F(2,54)=12.1, p=4.6E-5; running: F(2,54)=15.5, p=4.7E-6) increase in less stiff footwear. In addition, there is a significant inverse relationship between impact loading rate and vertical impulse (walking: r=-0.88, pfootwear heels influence injury risk during human walking and running. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Impact of optimal load response to real-time electricity price on power system constraints in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hu, Weihao; Chen, Zhe; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte

    2010-01-01

    Since the hourly spot market price is available one day ahead in Denmark, the price could be transferred to the consumers and they may shift their loads from high price periods to the low price periods in order to save their energy costs. The optimal load response to a real-time electricity price...... and may represent the future of electricity markets in some ways, is chosen as the studied power system in this paper. A distribution system where wind power capacity is 126% of maximum loads is chosen as the study case. This paper presents a nonlinear load optimization method to real-time power price...... for demand side management in order to save the energy costs as much as possible. Simulation results show that the optimal load response to a real-time electricity price has some good impacts on power system constraints in a distribution system with high wind power penetrations....

  18. Study of Impact Damage in PVA-ECC Beam under Low-Velocity Impact Loading Using Piezoceramic Transducers and PVDF Thin-Film Transducers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Baoxin; Kong, Qingzhao; Qian, Hui; Patil, Devendra; Lim, Ing; Li, Mo; Liu, Dong; Song, Gangbing

    2018-02-24

    Compared to conventional concrete, polyvinyl alcohol fiber reinforced engineering cementitious composite (PVA-ECC) offers high-strength, ductility, formability, and excellent fatigue resistance. However, impact-induced structural damage is a major concern and has not been previously characterized in PVA-ECC structures. We investigate the damage of PVA-ECC beams under low-velocity impact loading. A series of ball-drop impact tests were performed at different drop weights and heights to simulate various impact energies. The impact results of PVA-ECC beams were compared with mortar beams. A combination of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin-film sensors and piezoceramic-based smart aggregate were used for impact monitoring, which included impact initiation and crack evolution. Short-time Fourier transform (STFT) of the signal received by PVDF thin-film sensors was performed to identify impact events, while active-sensing approach was utilized to detect impact-induced crack evolution by the attenuation of a propagated guided wave. Wavelet packet-based energy analysis was performed to quantify failure development under repeated impact tests.

  19. Coupled fluid/structure response of a reactor cover to slug impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, B.L.; Saurer, G.; Wanner, R.; Palsson, H.

    1983-05-01

    The response of an LMFBR roof structure to slug impact loads is investigated using a combined 2D and 3D approach based on the containment code SEURBNUK and the finite element structure code ADINA. A specimen roof design of box-type construction with concrete infill is adopted for the study, with dimensions appropriate to a commercial-sized fast reactor of the 'pool' type. Provision is made in the model for the location of the major roof penetrations, and the roof annulus is closed in the central section by a rigid, but movable plug concentric with the axis of symmetry. An interface between the codes SEURBNUK and ADINA is made possible by defining a 2D substitute roof model with material properties chosen to match the principal response characteristics of the detailed model. The SEURBNUK code, recently extended to account for coupling of roof loading and roof response, uses the 2D model, incorporated in an appropriate reactor geometry, to examine the fluid-structure interactions and to supply roof pressure loadings for the ADINA runs. A strategy for cross-checking the structural equivalence of the 2D and 3D roof models is developed, and this operates in parallel with the loading and response computations. The first exploratory SEURBNUK calculations are described in which the roof is represented by a simple homogeneous plate. (Auth.)

  20. Effects of stressor characteristics on early warning signs of critical transitions and "critical coupling" in complex dynamical systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blume, Steffen O P; Sansavini, Giovanni

    2017-12-01

    Complex dynamical systems face abrupt transitions into unstable and catastrophic regimes. These critical transitions are triggered by gradual modifications in stressors, which push the dynamical system towards unstable regimes. Bifurcation analysis can characterize such critical thresholds, beyond which systems become unstable. Moreover, the stochasticity of the external stressors causes small-scale fluctuations in the system response. In some systems, the decomposition of these signal fluctuations into precursor signals can reveal early warning signs prior to the critical transition. Here, we present a dynamical analysis of a power system subjected to an increasing load level and small-scale stochastic load perturbations. We show that the auto- and cross-correlations of bus voltage magnitudes increase, leading up to a Hopf bifurcation point, and further grow until the system collapses. This evidences a gradual transition into a state of "critical coupling," which is complementary to the established concept of "critical slowing down." Furthermore, we analyze the effects of the type of load perturbation and load characteristics on early warning signs and find that gradient changes in the autocorrelation provide early warning signs of the imminent critical transition under white-noise but not for auto-correlated load perturbations. Furthermore, the cross-correlation between all voltage magnitude pairs generally increases prior to and beyond the Hopf bifurcation point, indicating "critical coupling," but cannot provide early warning indications. Finally, we show that the established early warning indicators are oblivious to limit-induced bifurcations and, in the case of the power system model considered here, only react to an approaching Hopf bifurcation.

  1. Finite element modelling of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 under transverse impact loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Ahmad Sufian; Kuntjoro, Wahyu; Yamin, A. F. M.

    2017-12-01

    Fiber metal laminate named GLARE is a new aerospace material which has great potential to be widely used in future lightweight aircraft. It consists of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and glass-fiber reinforced laminate. In order to produce reliable finite element model of impact response or crashworthiness of structure made of GLARE, one can initially model and validate the finite element model of the impact response of its constituents separately. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable finite element model of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 under low velocity transverse impact loading using commercial software ABAQUS. Johnson-Cook plasticity and damage models were used to predict the alloy's material properties and impact behavior. The results of the finite element analysis were compared to the experiment that has similar material and impact conditions. Results showed good correlations in terms of impact forces, deformation and failure progressions which concluded that the finite element model of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy under low velocity transverse impact condition using Johnson-Cook plastic and damage models was reliable.

  2. The impact of benthic fauna on fluvial bed load transport: Challenges of upscaling laboratory experiments to river and landscape scales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, S. P.

    2012-04-01

    The impact on sediment transport processes and channel morphology of several relatively large, iconic animals including beaver and salmon is increasingly well understood. However, many other aquatic fauna are important zoogeomorphic agents and ecosystem engineers. These somewhat overlooked "Cinderella" species include benthic aquatic insect larvae, freshwater crustaceans and many species of fish. Despite relatively modest individual effects, the ubiquity, abundance and cumulative impact of these organisms makes them a potentially significant agency, with as yet undiscovered and unquantified impacts on channel morphology and sediment fluxes. Their actions (digging, foraging, moving, burrowing), constructions and secretions modify bed sediment characteristics (grain size distribution, interlock, imbrication, protrusion), alter bed topography (thence hydraulic roughness) and contribute to biogenic restraints on grain movement. In turn, they can affect the distribution of surface particle entrainment thresholds and bed shear stresses, with implications for bed load transport. Flume experiments have measured some of these impacts and provided direct observations of the mechanisms involved, but many of the most interesting research questions pertain to the impact of these animals at reach, catchment and even landscape scales: Not least, what is the impact of small aquatic animals on bed load flux and yield? This presentation will consider some of the challenges involved in answering this question; that is, of scaling up experimental understanding of how aquatic animals affect bed load transport processes to river scales. Pertinent themes include: (1) the potential impacts of experimental arrangements on the behaviours and activities that affect hydraulic or geomorphological processes; (2) field coincidence of the spatial and temporal distributions of (a) the animals and their behaviours with (b) the physical conditions (substrates, flows) under which those animals are

  3. Aeroelastic tailoring for gust load alleviation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lancelot, P.M.G.J.; De Breuker, R.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the results from the equivalent static load method applied to gust response optimisation of an aircraft wing. Through the different optimisation runs, it is assessed that gust load cases can be critical and are difficult to constrain with the sole use of static load cases.

  4. Load function modelling for light impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klingmueller, O.

    1982-01-01

    For Pile Integrity Testing light weight drop hammers are used to induce stress waves. In the computational analysis of one-dimensional wave propagation a load function has to be used. Several mechanical models and corresponding load functions are discussed. It is shown that a bell-shaped function which does not correspond to a mechanical model is in best accordance with test results and does not lead to numerical disturbances in the computational results. (orig.) [de

  5. Effect of load eccentricity on the buckling of thin-walled laminated C-columns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wysmulski, Pawel; Teter, Andrzej; Debski, Hubert

    2018-01-01

    The study investigates the behaviour of short, thin-walled laminated C-columns under eccentric compression. The tested columns are simple-supported. The effect of load inaccuracy on the critical and post-critical (local buckling) states is examined. A numerical analysis by the finite element method and experimental tests on a test stand are performed. The samples were produced from a carbon-epoxy prepreg by the autoclave technique. The experimental tests rest on the assumption that compressive loads are 1.5 higher than the theoretical critical force. Numerical modelling is performed using the commercial software package ABAQUS®. The critical load is determined by solving an eigen problem using the Subspace algorithm. The experimental critical loads are determined based on post-buckling paths. The numerical and experimental results show high agreement, thus demonstrating a significant effect of load inaccuracy on the critical load corresponding to the column's local buckling.

  6. The impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of pre-service science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arsal, Zeki

    2017-07-01

    In the study, the impact of inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions was investigated. The sample of the study comprised of 56 pre-service teachers in the science education teacher education programme at the public university in the north of Turkey. In the study, quasi-experimental design with an experimental and a control group were applied to find out the impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers in the teacher education programme. The results showed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group did not show statistically significant greater progress in terms of critical thinking dispositions than those in the control group. Teacher educators who are responsible for pedagogical courses in the teacher education programme should consider that the inquiry-based learning could not be effective method to improve pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions. The results are discussed in relation to potential impact on science teacher education and implications for future research.

  7. ABOUT INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SCHEMES IMPACT RADIATION ENVIRONMENTS AND LOADS ON REINFORCED LAMELLAR STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafail B. Garibov

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the model of deformation of fiber-reinforced concrete rectangular plate under the influence of radiation environments. In the calculation of the plate was considered different schemes impact of the applied external loads and radiation environments.

  8. The impact of ergonomics intervention on trunk posture and cumulative compression load among carpet weavers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afshari, Davood; Motamedzade, Majid; Salehi, Reza; Soltanian, Alir Raze

    2015-01-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders of back among weavers are prevalent. Epidemiological studies have shown an association between poor working postures and back disorders among carpet weavers. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the traditional (A) and ergonomically designed (B) workstations on trunk posture and cumulative compression load in carpet weavers. In this study, subtasks were identified in terms of stressful postures and carpet weaving process. Postural data were collected during knotting and compacting subtasks using inclinometer during four hours for each workstation. Postural data, weight and height of the weavers were entered into the University of Michigan three-dimensional static biomechanical model for estimation of the compression load and cumulative load were estimated from the resultant load and exposure time. Thirteen healthy carpet weavers (four males and nine females) participated in the study. Median trunk flexion angle was reduced with workstation B during knotting subtask (18° versus 8.5°, pergonomically designed workstation.

  9. Critical Infrastructure Protection: EMP Impacts on the U.S. Electric Grid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boston, Edwin J., Jr.

    The purpose of this research is to identify the United States electric grid infrastructure systems vulnerabilities to electromagnetic pulse attacks and the cyber-based impacts of those vulnerabilities to the electric grid. Additionally, the research identifies multiple defensive strategies designed to harden the electric grid against electromagnetic pulse attack that include prevention, mitigation and recovery postures. Research results confirm the importance of the electric grid to the United States critical infrastructures system and that an electromagnetic pulse attack against the electric grid could result in electric grid degradation, critical infrastructure(s) damage and the potential for societal collapse. The conclusions of this research indicate that while an electromagnetic pulse attack against the United States electric grid could have catastrophic impacts on American society, there are currently many defensive strategies under consideration designed to prevent, mitigate and or recover from an electromagnetic pulse attack. However, additional research is essential to further identify future target hardening opportunities, efficient implementation strategies and funding resources.

  10. Attribution Analyses of Impacts of Environmental Changes on Streamflow and Sediment Load in a Mountainous Basin, Vietnam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Located in the southeastern China and northern Vietnam, the Red River is an important international trans-boundary river that has experienced rapid deforestation and environmental changes over the past decades. We conducted attribution analysis of impacts of various environmental changes on streamflow and sediment load. The contribution of reclassified environmental changes to total change of the streamflow and sediment load was separated. Land cover change based on climate-induced and human-induced indicators were defined. We found that human-induced land cover change was the main factor affecting changes of the streamflow and sediment load. Changes of the land cover were more pronounced in the dry season than in the wet season whereas sediment load changed more in the wet season than in the dry season. In addition, changes in sediment load were mainly caused by human-induced land cover change and the changes of land cover were more influential on sediment load than on streamflow in the Red River basin.

  11. Impacts of groundwater metal loads from bedrock fractures on water quality of a mountain stream.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caruso, Brian S; Dawson, Helen E

    2009-06-01

    Acid mine drainage and metal loads from hardrock mines to surface waters is a significant problem in the western USA and many parts of the world. Mines often occur in mountain environments with fractured bedrock aquifers that serve as pathways for metals transport to streams. This study evaluates impacts from current and potential future groundwater metal (Cd, Cu, and Zn) loads from fractures underlying the Gilt Edge Mine, South Dakota, on concentrations in Strawberry Creek using existing flow and water quality data and simple mixing/dilution mass balance models. Results showed that metal loads from bedrock fractures to the creek currently contribute water quality is achieved upstream in Strawberry Creek, fracture metal loads would be water quality standards exceedances once groundwater with elevated metals concentrations in the aquifer matrix migrates to the fractures and discharges to the stream. Potential future metal loads from an upstream fracture would contribute a small proportion of the total load relative to current loads in the stream. Cd has the highest stream concentrations relative to standards. Even if all stream water was treated to remove 90% of the Cd, the standard would still not be achieved. At a fracture farther downstream, the Cd standard can only be met if the upstream water is treated achieving a 90% reduction in Cd concentrations and the median stream flow is maintained.

  12. Impact of extreme load requirements and quality assurance on nuclear power plant costs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevenson, J.D.

    1993-01-01

    Definitive costs, applicable to nuclear power plant concrete structures, as a function of National Regulatory Requirements, standardization, the effect of extreme load design associated with both design basis accidents and extreme external events and quality assurance are difficult to develop since such effects are interrelated and not only differ widely from country to country, project to project but also vary in time. Table 1 shows an estimate of the of the overall plant cost effects of external event extreme load design on nuclear power plant design for the U.S -and selected foreign countries for which experience with LWRs exist- Germany is the most expensive primarily due to a military aircraft crash resistance. However, the German requirement for 4 safeguards trains rather than 2 and the containment design requirement to consider one Steam Generator blowdown concurrent with a RCS blowdown. This presentation will concentrate on the direct current impact extreme load design and quality assurance have on concrete structures, systems and components for nuclear plants. This presentation is considered timely due to the increased interest in the c potential backfit of Eastern European nuclear power stations of the WWER 440 and WWER 1000 types which typically did not consider the extreme loads identified in Table 1 and accident loads in Table 3 and quality assurance in Table 5 in their original design. Concrete structures in particular are highlighted because they typically form the last barrier to radioactive release from the containment and other Safety Related Structures

  13. A Novel Load Capacity Model with a Tunable Proportion of Load Redistribution against Cascading Failures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen-Hao Zhang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Defence against cascading failures is of great theoretical and practical significance. A novel load capacity model with a tunable proportion is proposed. We take degree and clustering coefficient into account to redistribute the loads of broken nodes. The redistribution is local, where the loads of broken nodes are allocated to their nearest neighbours. Our model has been applied on artificial networks as well as two real networks. Simulation results show that networks get more vulnerable and sensitive to intentional attacks along with the decrease of average degree. In addition, the critical threshold from collapse to intact states is affected by the tunable parameter. We can adjust the tunable parameter to get the optimal critical threshold and make the systems more robust against cascading failures.

  14. Assessment of the transportation route of oversize and excessive loads in relation to the load-bearing capacity of existing bridges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doležel, Jiří; Novák, Drahomír; Petrů, Jan

    2017-09-01

    Transportation routes of oversize and excessive loads are currently planned in relation to ensure the transit of a vehicle through critical points on the road. Critical points are level-intersection of roads, bridges etc. This article presents a comprehensive procedure to determine a reliability and a load-bearing capacity level of the existing bridges on highways and roads using the advanced methods of reliability analysis based on simulation techniques of Monte Carlo type in combination with nonlinear finite element method analysis. The safety index is considered as a main criterion of the reliability level of the existing construction structures and the index is described in current structural design standards, e.g. ISO and Eurocode. An example of a single-span slab bridge made of precast prestressed concrete girders of the 60 year current time and its load bearing capacity is set for the ultimate limit state and serviceability limit state. The structure’s design load capacity was estimated by the full probability nonlinear MKP analysis using a simulation technique Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS). Load-bearing capacity values based on a fully probabilistic analysis are compared with the load-bearing capacity levels which were estimated by deterministic methods of a critical section of the most loaded girders.

  15. Limitations of power conversion systems under transient loads and impact on the pulsed tokamak power reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sager, G.T.; Wong, C.P.C.; Kapich, D.D.; McDonald, C.F.; Schleicher, R.W.

    1993-11-01

    The impact of cyclic loading of the power conversion system of a helium-cooled, pulsed tokamak power plant is assessed. Design limits of key components of heat transport systems employing Rankie and Brayton thermodynamic cycles are quantified based on experience in gas-cooled fission reactor design and operation. Cyclic loads due to pulsed tokamak operation are estimated. Expected performance of the steam generator is shown to be incompatible with pulsed tokamak operation without load leveling thermal energy storage. The close cycle gas turbine is evaluated qualitatively based on performance of existing industrial and aeroderivative gas turbines. Advances in key technologies which significantly improve prospects for operation with tokamak fusion plants are reviewed

  16. Hydraulic braking system for loads subjected to impacts and vibrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    This invention concerns a hydraulic braking system for loads subjected to impacts and vibrations. These double acting telescopic type hydraulic braking systems possess significant drawbacks linked to possibly important hydraulic leaks due to (a) the use of many dynamic seals in such appliances and (b) the effects of the environment of the system on these seals, particularly when employed in nuclear power stations where the seals reach significant temperatures and are subjected to radiation. Under this invention a remedy is suggested to such drawbacks by integrating means to offset automatically the leaks and the accumulation of hydraulic fluid expansions, as well as facilities to show if such leaks have occurred [fr

  17. Structural Impact of Construction Loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-01

    Numerous bridge construction accidents have occurred across the country because of construction loadings, which are an underemphasized : topic in many DOT specifications and design manuals. Bridge girders are least stable when they are subjected to c...

  18. FFTF initial fuel loading, preanalyses, and comparison with preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rothrock, R.B.; Daughtry, J.W.; Zimmerman, B.D.; Petrowicz, N.E.; Bennett, R.A.; Ombrellaro, P.A.

    1980-02-01

    Disadvantages of conventional loading from the center out were circumvented by loading one trisector at a time, and connecting the control rod drivelines in each sector after it was loaded so that the rods could be operated during the loading of subsequent trisectors. This sequence was interrupted once during the loading of the final sector, to achieve initial criticality at an approximately minimum critical loading and to measure absolute subcriticality by the rod drop technique. An in-core detector was preferable to the standard FTR ex-core detectors for monitoring the initial fuel loading. Consequently, special fission chambers were installed in an instrument thimble near the core center to monitor the initial fuel loading

  19. Increasing impacts of climate extremes on critical infrastructures in Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forzieri, Giovanni; Bianchi, Alessandra; Feyen, Luc; Silva, Filipe Batista e.; Marin, Mario; Lavalle, Carlo; Leblois, Antoine

    2016-04-01

    The projected increases in exposure to multiple climate hazards in many regions of Europe, emphasize the relevance of a multi-hazard risk assessment to comprehensively quantify potential impacts of climate change and develop suitable adaptation strategies. In this context, quantifying the future impacts of climatic extremes on critical infrastructures is crucial due to their key role for human wellbeing and their effects on the overall economy. Critical infrastructures describe the existing assets and systems that are essential for the maintenance of vital societal functions, health, safety, security, economic or social well-being of people, and the disruption or destruction of which would have a significant impact as a result of the failure to maintain those functions. We assess the direct damages of heat and cold waves, river and coastal flooding, droughts, wildfires and windstorms to energy, transport, industry and social infrastructures in Europe along the 21st century. The methodology integrates in a coherent framework climate hazard, exposure and vulnerability components. Overall damage is expected to rise up to 38 billion €/yr, ten time-folds the current climate damage, with drastic variations in risk scenarios. Exemplificative are drought and heat-related damages that could represent 70% of the overall climate damage in 2080s versus the current 12%. Many regions, prominently Southern Europe, will likely suffer multiple stresses and systematic infrastructure failures due to climate extremes if no suitable adaptation measures will be taken.

  20. Impact of axial burnup profile on criticality safety of ANPP spent fuel cask

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bznuni, S.

    2006-01-01

    Criticality safety assessment for WWER-440 NUHOMS cask with spent nuclear fuel from Armenian NPP has been performed. The cask was designed in such way that the neutron multiplication factor k eff must be below 0,95 for all operational modes and accident conditions. Usually for criticality analysis, fresh fuel approach with the highest enrichment is taken as conservative assumption as it was done for ANPP. NRSC ANRA in order to improve future fuel storage efficiency initiated research with taking into account burn up credit in the criticality safety assessment. Axial burn up profile (end effect) has essential impact on criticality safety justification analysis. However this phenomenon was not taken into account in the Safety Analysis Report of NUHOMS spent fuel storage constructed on the site of ANPP. Although ANRA does not yet accept burn up credit approach for ANPP spent fuel storage, assessment of impact of axial burnup profile on criticality of spent fuel assemblies has important value for future activities of ANRA. This paper presents results of criticality calculations of spent fuel assemblies with axial burn up profile. Horizontal burn up profile isn't taken account since influence of the horizontal variation of the burn up is much less than the axial variation. The actinides and actinides + fission products approach are discussed. The calculations were carried out with STARBUCS module of SCALE 5.0 code package developed at Oak Ridge National laboratory. SCALE5.0 sequence CSAS26 (KENO-VI) was used for evaluation the k eff for 3-D problems. Obtained results showed that criticality of ANPP spent fuel cask is very sensitive to the end effect

  1. Impact of pore characteristics of silica materials on loading capacity and release behavior of ibuprofen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Numpilai, Thanapha; Muenmee, Suthaporn; Witoon, Thongthai

    2016-02-01

    Impact of pore characteristics of porous silica supports on loading capacity and release behavior of ibuprofen was investigated. The porous silica materials and ibuprofen-loaded porous silica materials were thoroughly characterized by N2-sorption, thermal gravimetric and derivative weight analyses (TG-DTW), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) to determine the physical properties of materials, amount of ibuprofen adsorbed and position of ibuprofen. The detailed characterization reveals that the ibuprofen molecules adsorbed inside the mesopores. Increasing the mesopore size from 5nm to 10nm increased the ibuprofen loading from 0.74 to 0.85mmol/g, respectively. Incorporation of macropore into the structure of porous silica materials enhanced the ibuprofen loading capacity of 11.8-20.3%. The ibuprofen-loaded bimodal meso-macroporous silica materials exhibited the highest dissolution of 92wt.% within an hour. The ibuprofen particles deposited on the external surface of the porous silica materials showed a lower dissolution rate than the ibuprofen adsorbed inside the mesopores due to the formation of ibuprofen crystalline. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Concrete road barriers subjected to impact loads: An overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Fauzi Bin Mohd. Zain

    Full Text Available Abstract Concrete barriers prevent vehicles from entering the opposite lane and going off the road. An important factor in the design of concrete barriers is impact load, which a vehicle exerts upon collision with a concrete barrier. This study suggests that a height of 813 mm, a base width of 600 mm, and a top width of 240 mm are optimum dimensions for a concrete barrier. These dimensions ensure the stability of concrete barriers during vehicle collisions. An analytical and experimental model is used to analyze the concrete barrier design. The LS-DYNA software is utilized to create the analytical models because it can effectively simulate vehicle impact on concrete barriers. Field tests are conducted with a vehicle, whereas laboratory tests are conducted with machines that simulate collisions. Full-scale tests allow the actual simulation of vehicle collisions with concrete barriers. In the vehicle tests, a collision angle of 25°, collision speeds of 100 km per hour, and a vehicle weighing more than 2 t are considered in the reviewed studies. Laboratory tests are performed to test bridge concrete barriers in static condition.

  3. Numerical and Experimental Investigation on the Structural Behaviour of a Horizontal Stabilizer under Critical Aerodynamic Loading Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Sepe

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the proposed research activity is to investigate the mechanical behaviour of a part of aerospace horizontal stabilizer, made of composite materials and undergoing static loads. The prototype design and manufacturing phases have been carried out in the framework of this research activity. The structural components of such stabilizer are made of composite sandwich panels (HTA 5131/RTM 6 with honeycomb core (HRH-10-1/8-4.0; the sandwich skins have been made by means of Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM process. In order to assess the mechanical strength of this stabilizer, experimental tests have been performed. In particular, the most critical inflight recorded aerodynamic load has been experimentally reproduced and applied on the stabilizer. A numerical model, based on the Finite Element Method (FEM and aimed at reducing the experimental effort, has been preliminarily developed to calibrate amplitude, direction, and distribution of an equivalent and simpler load vector to be used in the experimental test. The FEM analysis, performed by using NASTRAN code, has allowed modelling the skins of the composite sandwich plates by definition of material properties and stack orientation of each lamina, while the honeycomb core has been modelled by using an equivalent orthotropic plate. Numerical and experimental results have been compared and a good agreement has been achieved.

  4. Experiment and simulation of double-layered RC plates under impact loadings. Part 1: Impact tests for double-layered RC plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shirai, T.; Ueda, M.; Taniguchi, H.; Kambayashi, A.; Ohno, T.; Ishikawa, N.

    1993-01-01

    At a nuclear power plant facility, it should be of interest and important problem to ensure structures against impact loads induced by projectile impacts or plant-internal accidents. It has been well known that local damage consists of spalling of concrete from the impacted area and scabbing of concrete from the back face of the target together with projectile penetration into the target. There are several techniques for improving the impact resistance of RC slabs, that is, lining with a steel plate on the impacted and/or rear face of the slab, making the slab a double-layered composite slab with an elastic absorber and employing a fiber reinforced concrete or a high-strength concrete as the slab materials. Of the many measures available for withstanding impact loads, the use of a double-layered reinforced concrete (RC) slab with absorber is expected to have the higher resistance in reducing or preventing local damage. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the impact resistance of double-layered RC plates subjected to the impact of projectile. In the experiment, the effects of two parameters; the combination of two RC plates having different thicknesses and the existence of an absorber in the middle layer, are mainly investigated. And, the effects of the concrete thickness (7,9 and 11 cm) and the concrete strength (a normal-:35MPa, a lightweight-:40MPa and a high-strength:57MPa) of target were also examined. RC plates, 0.6m-square, were used for test specimens. The projectile has a mass of 0.43kg, made of steel with a flat nose. An average projectile velocity was about 170m/sec. A rubber plate shaped into a square with the same size of RC plate was used for a double-layered specimen as an absorber which was put between two RC plates. It could be concluded that double-layering and presence of an absorber had a considerable effect on the increase of impact resistance of RC plate. In order to reduce local damage, it is more effective to

  5. Critical Loads of Acid Deposition for Wilderness Lakes in the Sierra Nevada (California) Estimated by the Steady-State Water Chemistry Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glenn D. Shaw; Ricardo Cisneros; Donald Schweizer; James O. Sickman; Mark E. Fenn

    2014-01-01

    Major ion chemistry (2000-2009) from 208 lakes (342 sample dates and 600 samples) in class I and II wilderness areas of the Sierra Nevada was used in the Steady-State Water Chemistry (SSWC) model to estimate critical loads for acid deposition and investigate the current vulnerability of high elevation lakes to acid deposition. The majority of the lakes were dilute (...

  6. Barriers to critical thinking: workflow interruptions and task switching among nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornell, Paul; Riordan, Monica; Townsend-Gervis, Mary; Mobley, Robin

    2011-10-01

    Nurses are increasingly called upon to engage in critical thinking. However, current workflow inhibits this goal with frequent task switching and unpredictable demands. To assess workflow's cognitive impact, nurses were observed at 2 hospitals with different patient loads and acuity levels. Workflow on a medical/surgical and pediatric oncology unit was observed, recording tasks, tools, collaborators, and locations. Nineteen nurses were observed for a total of 85.2 hours. Tasks were short with a mean duration of 62.4 and 81.6 seconds on the 2 units. More than 50% of the recorded tasks were less than 30 seconds in length. An analysis of task sequence revealed few patterns and little pairwise repetition. Performance on specific tasks differed between the 2 units, but the character of the workflow was highly similar. The nonrepetitive flow and high amount of switching indicate nurses experience a heavy cognitive load with little uninterrupted time. This implies that nurses rarely have the conditions necessary for critical thinking.

  7. Critical undrained shear strength of sand-silt mixtures under monotonic loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Bensoula

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available This study uses experimental triaxial tests with monotonic loading to develop empirical relationships to estimate undrained critical shear strength. The effect of the fines content on undrained shear strength is analyzed for different density states. The parametric analysis indicates that, based on the soil void ratio and fine content properties, the undrained critical shear strength first increases and then decreases as the proportion of fines increases, which demonstrates the influence of fine content on a soil’s vulnerability to liquefaction. A series of monotonic undrained triaxial tests were performed on reconstituted saturated sand-silt mixtures. Beyond 30% fines content, a fraction of the silt participates in the soil’s skeleton chain force. In this context, the concept of the equivalent intergranular void ratio may be an appropriate parameter to express the critical shear strength of the studied soil. This parameter is able to control the undrained shear strength of non-plastic silt and sand mixtures with different densities.   Resumen Este estudio utiliza evaluaciones experimentales triaxiales con cargas repetitivas para desarrollar relaciones empíricas y estimar la tensión crítica de corte bajo condiciones no drenadas. El efecto de contenido de finos en la tensión de corte sin drenar se analizó en diferentes estados de densidad. El análisis paramétrico indica que, basado en la porosidad del suelo y las propiedades del material de finos, la tensión de corte sin drenar primero se incrementa y luego decrece mientras la proporción de finos aumenta, lo que demuestra la influencia de contenido de finos en la vulnerabilidad del suelo a la licuación. Una serie de las evaluaciones se realizó en  mezclas rehidratadas y saturadas de arena y cieno. Más allá del 30 % de los contenidos finos, una fracción del cieno hace parte principal de la cadena de fuerza del suelo. En este contexto, el concepto de porosidad equivalente

  8. An Applied Method for Predicting the Load-Carrying Capacity in Compression of Thin-Wall Composite Structures with Impact Damage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitrofanov, O.; Pavelko, I.; Varickis, S.; Vagele, A.

    2018-03-01

    The necessity for considering both strength criteria and postbuckling effects in calculating the load-carrying capacity in compression of thin-wall composite structures with impact damage is substantiated. An original applied method ensuring solution of these problems with an accuracy sufficient for practical design tasks is developed. The main advantage of the method is its applicability in terms of computing resources and the set of initial data required. The results of application of the method to solution of the problem of compression of fragments of thin-wall honeycomb panel damaged by impacts of various energies are presented. After a comparison of calculation results with experimental data, a working algorithm for calculating the reduction in the load-carrying capacity of a composite object with impact damage is adopted.

  9. Manual for calculating critical loads of heavy metals for soils and surface waters; preliminary guidelines for environmental quality criteria, calculation methods and input data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vries, de W.; Bakker, D.J.

    1996-01-01

    Methodologies are described for calculating critical loads of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, nickel, chromium and mercury for soils and surface waters. The aspects which are discussed are: selection of a computation model, determination of environmental-quality criteria for the metals, collection of

  10. Vulnerability Assessment for a Complex Structure Using Vibration Response Induced by Impact Load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jeongwon; Park, Junhong; Koo, Man Hoi

    2014-01-01

    This work presents a vulnerability assessment procedure for a complex structure using vibration characteristics. The structural behavior of a three-dimensional framed structure subjected to impact forces was predicted using the spectral element method. The Timoshenko beam function was applied to simulate the impact wave propagations induced by a high-velocity projectile at relatively high frequencies. The interactions at the joints were analyzed for both flexural and longitudinal wave propagations. Simulations of the impact energy transfer through the entire structure were performed using the transient displacement and acceleration responses obtained from the frequency analysis. The kill probabilities of the crucial components for an operating system were calculated as a function of the predicted acceleration amplitudes according to the acceptable vibration levels. Following the proposed vulnerability assessment procedure, the vulnerable positions of a three-dimensional combat vehicle with high possibilities of damage generation of components by impact loading were identified from the estimated vibration responses

  11. Modeling the impact of scaffold architecture and mechanical loading on collagen turnover in engineered cardiovascular tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argento, G; de Jonge, N; Söntjens, S H M; Oomens, C W J; Bouten, C V C; Baaijens, F P T

    2015-06-01

    The anisotropic collagen architecture of an engineered cardiovascular tissue has a major impact on its in vivo mechanical performance. This evolving collagen architecture is determined by initial scaffold microstructure and mechanical loading. Here, we developed and validated a theoretical and computational microscale model to quantitatively understand the interplay between scaffold architecture and mechanical loading on collagen synthesis and degradation. Using input from experimental studies, we hypothesize that both the microstructure of the scaffold and the loading conditions influence collagen turnover. The evaluation of the mechanical and topological properties of in vitro engineered constructs reveals that the formation of extracellular matrix layers on top of the scaffold surface influences the mechanical anisotropy on the construct. Results show that the microscale model can successfully capture the collagen arrangement between the fibers of an electrospun scaffold under static and cyclic loading conditions. Contact guidance by the scaffold, and not applied load, dominates the collagen architecture. Therefore, when the collagen grows inside the pores of the scaffold, pronounced scaffold anisotropy guarantees the development of a construct that mimics the mechanical anisotropy of the native cardiovascular tissue.

  12. Determination and Distribution of Critical Loads: Application to the Forest Soils in the Autonomous Region of Madrid; Determinacion y Distribucion de Cargas Criticas: Aplicacion a los Suelos forestales de la comunidad Autonoma de Madrid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sousa, M.; Schmid, T.; Rabago, I. [Ciemat, Madrid (Spain)

    2000-07-01

    The critical loads of acidity and sulphur have been determined for forest soils within the north and north-west of the Autonomous Region of Madrid. The SMB-CCE and SMB-PROFILE Steady state models have been applied using a 1 km x 1 km resolution. the forest ecosystems have been characterised according to the soil and forest type, slope and climatic data using a Geographic Information System. In order to estimate the critical loads, processes such as weathering rate of the parent material, atmospheric deposition, critical alkalinity leaching rate and nutrients absorbed by the vegetation have been considered. In general the forest soils present high critical load values for acidity and sulphur. The more sensitive zones are found in the north of the Sierra of Guadarrama. Independent of the applied methods, the results are associated to the types of soils where Leptosols have the lowest. Cambisoles and Regosoles intermediate and luvisoles the most elevated values. (Author) 40 refs.

  13. Nitrogen deposition and its ecological impact in China: An overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Xuejun, E-mail: xuejun.13500@gmail.com [College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 (China) and Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011 (China); Duan Lei [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Mo Jiangming [South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650 (China); Du Enzai [College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Shen Jianlin [College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 (China); Lu Xiankai [South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650 (China); Zhang Ying [College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 (China); Zhou Xiaobing [Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011 (China); He Chune [Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Zhang Fusuo [College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 (China)

    2011-10-15

    Nitrogen (N) deposition is an important component in the global N cycle that has induced large impacts on the health and services of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Anthropogenic reactive N (N{sub r}) emissions to the atmosphere have increased dramatically in China due to rapid agricultural, industrial and urban development. Therefore increasing N deposition in China and its ecological impacts are of great concern since the 1980s. This paper synthesizes the data from various published papers to assess the status of the anthropogenic N{sub r} emissions and N deposition as well as their impacts on different ecosystems, including empirical critical loads for different ecosystems. Research challenges and policy implications on atmospheric N pollution and deposition are also discussed. China urgently needs to establish national networks for N deposition monitoring and cross-site N addition experiments in grasslands, forests and aquatic ecosystems. Critical loads and modeling tools will be further used in N{sub r} regulation. - This paper reviews current knowledge on nitrogen deposition and its effects across China

  14. Nitrogen deposition and its ecological impact in China: An overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Xuejun; Duan Lei; Mo Jiangming; Du Enzai; Shen Jianlin; Lu Xiankai; Zhang Ying; Zhou Xiaobing; He Chune; Zhang Fusuo

    2011-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) deposition is an important component in the global N cycle that has induced large impacts on the health and services of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Anthropogenic reactive N (N r ) emissions to the atmosphere have increased dramatically in China due to rapid agricultural, industrial and urban development. Therefore increasing N deposition in China and its ecological impacts are of great concern since the 1980s. This paper synthesizes the data from various published papers to assess the status of the anthropogenic N r emissions and N deposition as well as their impacts on different ecosystems, including empirical critical loads for different ecosystems. Research challenges and policy implications on atmospheric N pollution and deposition are also discussed. China urgently needs to establish national networks for N deposition monitoring and cross-site N addition experiments in grasslands, forests and aquatic ecosystems. Critical loads and modeling tools will be further used in N r regulation. - This paper reviews current knowledge on nitrogen deposition and its effects across China

  15. Comparative study on deformation and mechanical behavior of corroded pipe: Part I–Numerical simulation and experimental investigation under impact load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong-Man Ryu

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Experiments and a numerical simulation were conducted to investigate the deformation and impact behavior of a corroded pipe, as corrosion, fatigue, and collision phenomena frequently occur in subsea pipelines. This study focuses on the deformation of the corrosion region and the variation of the geometry of the pipe under impact loading. The experiments for the impact behavior of the corroded pipe were performed using an impact test apparatus to validate the results of the simulation. In addition, during the simulation, material tests were performed, and the results were applied to the simulation. The ABAQUS explicit finite element analysis program was used to perform numerical simulations for the parametric study, as well as experiment scenarios, to investigate the effects of defects under impact loading. In addition, the modified ASME B31.8 code formula was proposed to define the damage range for the dented pipe.

  16. Dual-task and anticipation impact lower limb biomechanics during a single-leg cut with body borne load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seymore, Kayla D; Cameron, Sarah E; Kaplan, Jonathan T; Ramsay, John W; Brown, Tyler N

    2017-12-08

    This study quantified how a dual cognitive task impacts lower limb biomechanics during anticipated and unanticipated single-leg cuts with body borne load. Twenty-four males performed anticipated and unanticipated cuts with and without a dual cognitive task with three load conditions: no load (∼6 kg), medium load (15% of BW), and heavy load (30% of BW). Lower limb biomechanics were submitted to a repeated measures linear mixed model to test the main and interaction effects of load, anticipation, and dual task. With body borne load, participants increased peak stance (PS) hip flexion (p = .004) and hip internal rotation (p = .001) angle, and PS hip flexion (p = .001) and internal rotation (p = .018), and knee flexion (p = .016) and abduction (p = .001) moments. With the dual task, participants decreased PS knee flexion angle (p biomechanical adaptations thought to increase risk of musculoskeletal injury, but neither anticipation nor dual task exaggerated those biomechanical adaptations. With a dual task, participants adopted biomechanics known to increase injury risk; whereas, participants used lower limb biomechanics thought to decrease injury risk during unanticipated cuts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Characterization of focal muscle compression under impact loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, B. J.; Sory, D. R.; Nguyen, T.-T. N.; Proud, W. G.; Williams, A.; Brown, K. A.

    2017-01-01

    In modern wars over 70% of combat wounds are to the extremities. These injuries are characterized by disruption and contamination of the limb soft tissue envelope. The extent of this tissue trauma and contamination determine the outcome of the extremity injury. In military injury, common post-traumatic complications at amputation sites include heterotopic ossification (formation of bone in soft tissue), and severe soft tissue and bone infections. We are currently developing a model of soft tissue injury that recreates pathologies observed in combat injuries. Here we present characterization of a controlled focal compression of the rabbit flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) muscle group. The FCU was previously identified as a suitable site for studying impact injury because its muscle belly can easily be mobilized from the underlying bone without disturbing anatomical alignment in the limb. We show how macroscopic changes in tissue organization, as visualized using optical microscopy, can be correlated with data from temporally resolved traces of loading conditions.

  18. Modeling the impact of scaffold architecture and mechanical loading on collagen turnover in engineered cardiovascular tissues

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Argento, G.; de Jonge, N.; Söntjens, S.H.M.; Oomens, C.W.J.; Bouten, C.V.C.; Baaijens, F.P.T.

    2015-01-01

    The anisotropic collagen architecture of an engineered cardiovascular tissue has a major impact on its in vivo mechanical performance. This evolving collagen architecture is determined by initial scaffold microstructure and mechanical loading. Here, we developed and validated a theoretical and

  19. Impact of Wildfire on Microbial Biomass in Critical Zone Observatory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, M. A.; Fairbanks, D.; Chorover, J.; Gallery, R. E.; Rich, V. I.

    2014-12-01

    The recovery of the critical zone following disturbances such as wildfire is not fully understood. Wildfires have increased in size and intensity in western US forests in recent years and these fires influence soil microbial communities, both in composition and overall biomass. Studies have typically shown a 50% post-fire decline in overall microbial biomass (µg per g soil) that can persist for years. There is however, some variability in the severity of biomass decline, and its relationship with burn severity and landscape position have not yet been studied. Since microbial biomass has a cascade of impacts in soil systems, from helping control the rate and diversity the biogeochemical processes occurring, to promoting soil fertility, to impacting the nature and structure of soil carbon (C), fire's lasting impact on it is one mechanistic determinant of the overall post-fire recovery of impacted ecosystems. Additionally, microbial biomass measurements hold potential for testing and incorporation into land surface models (NoahMP, CLM, etc.) in order to improve estimates of long-term effects of climate change and disturbances such as fire on the C cycle. In order to refine our understanding of the impact of fire on microbial biomass and then relate that to biogeochemical processes and ecosystem recovery, we used chloroform fumigation extraction to quantify total microbial biomass C (Cmic ). One year after the June 2013 Thompson Ridge fire in the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory, we are measuring the Cmic of 22 sites across a gradient of burn severities and 4 control unburned sites, from six depth intervals at each site (0-2, 2-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, and 30-40 cm). We hypothesize that the decrease in microbial biomass in burned sites relative to control sites will correlate with changes in soil biogeochemistry related to burn severity; and that the extent of the impact on biomass will be inversely related to depth in the soil column. Additionally, as the

  20. Safety demonstration analyses on criticality for severe accident during overland transport of fresh nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Satoshi; Okuno, Hiroshi; Yamada, Kenji; Watanabe, Kouji; Nomura, Yasushi; Miyoshi, Yoshinori

    2005-01-01

    Criticality safety analysis was performed for transport packages of uranium dioxide powder or of fresh PWR fuel involved in a severe accident during overland transportation, and as a result, sub-criticality was confirmed against impact accident conditions such as loaded by a drop from high position to a concrete or asphalt surface, and fire accident conditions such as caused by collisions with an oil tank trailer carrying lots of inflammable material in open air, or with a commonly used two-ton-truck inside an unventilated tunnel. (author)

  1. DEPENDENCE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CRITICAL QUALITY FACTORS AND SOCIAL IMPACT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Álvarez García

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper shows the results of the empirical study conducted in 186 tourist accommodation businesses in Spain certified under the “Q for Tourist Quality”, own System Quality Management. It was raised with the purpose of analyzing the structure of the relationship between critical quality factors and results-social impact, how they operate and the level of their influence on obtaining these results within the company. Starting from a deep theoretical revision we propose a theoretical model together with the hypotheses to be tested, and we proceed to validation using the technique of Structural Equation Models. The results obtained show that companies wishing to improve their social impact should take into account that leadership is the most important factor to achieve it. Leadership indirectly affects the social impact through its influence on alliances and resources, quality policy/planning, personnel management and learning.

  2. Droop Control of Solar PV, Grid and Critical Load using Suppressing DC Current Injection Technique without Battery Storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dama Mr., Jayachandra; (Mrs. , Lini Mathew, Dr.; Srikanth Mr., G.

    2017-08-01

    This paper presents design of a sustainable solar Photo voltaic system for an Indian cities based residential/community house, integrated with grid, supporting it as supplementary sources, to meet energy demand of domestic loads. The role of renewable energy sources in Distributed Generation (DG) is increasingly being recognized as a supplement and an alternative to large conventional central power supply. Though centralized economic system that solely depends on cities is hampered due to energy deficiency, the use of solar energy in cities is never been tried widely due to technical inconvenience and high installation cost. To mitigate these problems, this paper proposes an optimized design of grid-tied PV system without storage which is suitable for Indian origin as it requires less installallation cost and supplies residential loads when the grid power is unavailable. The energy requirement is mainly fulfilled from PV energy module for critical load of a city located residential house and supplemented by grid/DG for base and peak load. The system has been developed for maximum daily household demand of 50kWp and can be scaled to any higher value as per requirement of individual/community building ranging from 50kWp to 60kWp as per the requirement. A simplified control system model has been developed to optimize and control flow of power from these sources. The simulation work, using MATLAB Simulink software for proposed energy management, has resulted in an optimal yield leading efficient power flow control of proposed system.

  3. In science "there is no bad publicity": papers criticized in comments have high scientific impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radicchi, Filippo

    2012-01-01

    Comments are special types of publications whose aim is to correct or criticize previously published papers. For this reason, comments are believed to make commented papers less worthy or trusty to the eyes of the scientific community, and thus predestined to have low scientific impact. Here, we show that such belief is not supported by empirical evidence. We consider thirteen major publication outlets in science, and perform systematic comparisons between the citations accumulated by commented and non commented articles. We find that (i) commented papers are, on average, much more cited than non commented papers, and (ii) commented papers are more likely to be among the most cited papers of a journal. Since comments are published soon after criticized papers, comments should be viewed as early indicators of the future impact of criticized papers.

  4. Machine learning of the reactor core loading pattern critical parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trontl, K.; Pevec, D.; Smuc, T.

    2007-01-01

    The usual approach to loading pattern optimization involves high degree of engineering judgment, a set of heuristic rules, an optimization algorithm and a computer code used for evaluating proposed loading patterns. The speed of the optimization process is highly dependent on the computer code used for the evaluation. In this paper we investigate the applicability of a machine learning model which could be used for fast loading pattern evaluation. We employed a recently introduced machine learning technique, Support Vector Regression (SVR), which has a strong theoretical background in statistical learning theory. Superior empirical performance of the method has been reported on difficult regression problems in different fields of science and technology. SVR is a data driven, kernel based, nonlinear modelling paradigm, in which model parameters are automatically determined by solving a quadratic optimization problem. The main objective of the work reported in this paper was to evaluate the possibility of applying SVR method for reactor core loading pattern modelling. The starting set of experimental data for training and testing of the machine learning algorithm was obtained using a two-dimensional diffusion theory reactor physics computer code. We illustrate the performance of the solution and discuss its applicability, i.e., complexity, speed and accuracy, with a projection to a more realistic scenario involving machine learning from the results of more accurate and time consuming three-dimensional core modelling code. (author)

  5. Computational Model for Impact-Resisting Critical Thickness of High-Speed Machine Outer Protective Plate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huaying; Wang, Li Zhong; Wang, Yantao; Yuan, Xiaolei

    2018-05-01

    The blade or surface grinding blade of the hypervelocity grinding wheel may be damaged due to too high rotation rate of the spindle of the machine and then fly out. Its speed as a projectile may severely endanger the field persons. Critical thickness model of the protective plate of the high-speed machine is studied in this paper. For easy analysis, the shapes of the possible impact objects flying from the high-speed machine are simplified as sharp-nose model, ball-nose model and flat-nose model. Whose front ending shape to represent point, line and surface contacting. Impact analysis based on J-C model is performed for the low-carbon steel plate with different thicknesses in this paper. One critical thickness computational model for the protective plate of high-speed machine is established according to the damage characteristics of the thin plate to get relation among plate thickness and mass, shape and size and impact speed of impact object. The air cannon is used for impact test. The model accuracy is validated. This model can guide identification of the thickness of single-layer outer protective plate of a high-speed machine.

  6. Calculation of reinforced-concrete frame strength under a simultaneous static cross section load and a column lateral impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belov, Nikolay; Kopanitsa, Dmitry; Yugov, Alexey; Kaparulin, Sergey; Plyaskin, Andrey; Kalichkina, Anna; Ustinov, Artyom; Yugov, Nikolay; Kopanitsa, Georgy

    2016-01-01

    When designing buildings with reinforced concrete that are planned to resist dynamic loads it is necessary to calculate this structural behavior under operational static and emergency impact and blast loads. Calculations of the structures under shock-wave loads can be performed by solving dynamic equations that do not consider static loads. Due to this fact the calculation of reinforced concrete frame under a simultaneous static and dynamic load in full 3d settings becomes a very non trivial and resource consuming problem. This problem can be split into two tasks. The first one is a shock-wave problem that can be solved using software package RANET-3, which allows solving the problem using finite elements method adapted for dynamic task. This method calculates strain-stress state of the material and its dynamic destruction, which is considered as growth and consolidation of micro defects under loading. On the second step the results of the first step are taken as input parameters for quasi static calculation of simultaneous static and dynamic load using finite elements method in AMP Civil Engineering-11

  7. Calculation of reinforced-concrete frame strength under a simultaneous static cross section load and a column lateral impact

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Belov, Nikolay, E-mail: n.n.belov@mail.ru; Kopanitsa, Dmitry, E-mail: kopanitsa@mail.ru; Yugov, Alexey, E-mail: yugalex@mail.ru; Kaparulin, Sergey, E-mail: kaparulin@mail.ru; Plyaskin, Andrey, E-mail: plyaskinandrei@mail.ru; Kalichkina, Anna, E-mail: aniotka@mail.ru; Ustinov, Artyom, E-mail: artemustinov@bk.ru [Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, 2, Solyanaya Sq. Tomsk, 634003 (Russian Federation); Yugov, Nikolay, E-mail: n.t.yugov@mail.ru [Tomsk State University for Radio Electronics and Control Systems, 40, Lenin Av. Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation); Kopanitsa, Georgy, E-mail: kopanitsa@mail.ru [National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, 30, Lenin Av. Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation)

    2016-01-15

    When designing buildings with reinforced concrete that are planned to resist dynamic loads it is necessary to calculate this structural behavior under operational static and emergency impact and blast loads. Calculations of the structures under shock-wave loads can be performed by solving dynamic equations that do not consider static loads. Due to this fact the calculation of reinforced concrete frame under a simultaneous static and dynamic load in full 3d settings becomes a very non trivial and resource consuming problem. This problem can be split into two tasks. The first one is a shock-wave problem that can be solved using software package RANET-3, which allows solving the problem using finite elements method adapted for dynamic task. This method calculates strain-stress state of the material and its dynamic destruction, which is considered as growth and consolidation of micro defects under loading. On the second step the results of the first step are taken as input parameters for quasi static calculation of simultaneous static and dynamic load using finite elements method in AMP Civil Engineering-11.

  8. Colistin Population Pharmacokinetics after Application of a Loading Dose of 9 MU Colistin Methanesulfonate in Critically Ill Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karaiskos, Ilias; Friberg, Lena E; Pontikis, Konstantinos; Ioannidis, Konstantinos; Tsagkari, Vasiliki; Galani, Lamprini; Kostakou, Eirini; Baziaka, Fotini; Paskalis, Charalambos; Koutsoukou, Antonia; Giamarellou, Helen

    2015-12-01

    Colistin has been revived, in the era of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Gram-negative infections, as the last-resort treatment in critically ill patients. Recent studies focusing on the optimal dosing strategy of colistin have demonstrated the necessity of a loading dose at treatment initiation (D. Plachouras, M. Karvanen, L. E. Friberg, E. Papadomichelakis, A. Antoniadou, I. Tsangaris, I. Karaiskos, G. Poulakou, F. Kontopidou, A. Armaganidis, O. Cars, and H. Giamarellou, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 53:3430-3436, 2009, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.01361-08; A. F. Mohamed, I. Karaiskos, D. Plachouras, M. Karvanen, K. Pontikis, B. Jansson, E. Papadomichelakis, A. Antoniadou, H. Giamarellou, A. Armaganidis, O. Cars, and L. E. Friberg, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 56:4241- 4249, 2012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.06426-11; S. M. Garonzik, J. Li, V. Thamlikitkul, D. L. Paterson, S. Shoham, J. Jacob, F. P. Silveira, A. Forrest, and R. L. Nation, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 55:3284-3294, 2011, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.01733-10). In 19 critically ill patients with suspected or microbiologically documented infections caused by XDR Gram-negative strains, a loading dose of 9 MU colistin methanesulfonate (CMS) (∼ 270 mg colistin base activity) was administered with a maintenance dose of 4.5 MU every 12 h, commenced after 24 h. Patients on renal replacement were excluded. CMS infusion was given over 30 min or 1 h. Repeated blood sampling was performed after the loading dose and after the 5th or 6th dose. Colistin concentrations and measured CMS, determined after hydrolization to colistin and including the partially sulfomethylated derivatives, were determined with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted in NONMEM with the new data combined with data from previous studies. Measured colistimethate concentrations were described by 4 compartments for distribution and removal of sulfomethyl groups, while

  9. The prediction of the impact of climatic factors on short-term electric power load based on the big data of smart city

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Yunfei; Li, Xizhong; Zheng, Wei; Hu, Qinghe; Wei, Zhanmeng; Yue, Yaqin

    2017-08-01

    The climate changes have great impact on the residents’ electricity consumption, so the study on the impact of climatic factors on electric power load is of significance. In this paper, the effects of the data of temperature, rainfall and wind of smart city on short-term power load is studied to predict power load. The authors studied the relation between power load and daily temperature, rainfall and wind in the 31 days of January of one year. In the research, the authors used the Matlab neural network toolbox to establish the combinational forecasting model. The authors trained the original input data continuously to get the internal rules inside the data and used the rules to predict the daily power load in the next January. The prediction method relies on the accuracy of weather forecasting. If the weather forecasting is different from the actual weather, we need to correct the climatic factors to ensure accurate prediction.

  10. Fracture behavior of nuclear graphites under tensile impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ugachi, Hirokazu; Ishiyama, Shintaro; Eto, Motokuni

    1994-01-01

    Impact tensile strength test was performed with two kinds of HTTR graphites, fine grained isotropic graphite, IG-11 and coarse grained near isotropic graphite, PGX and deformation and fracture behavior under the strain rate of over 100s -1 was measured and the following results were derived: (1) Tensile strength for IG-11 graphite does not depend on the strain rate less than 1 s -1 , but over 1 s -1 , tensile strength for IG-11 graphite increase larger than that measured under 1 s -1 . At the strain rate more than 100 s -1 , remarkable decrease of tensile strength for IG-11 graphite was found. Tensile strength of PGX graphite does not depend on the strain rate less than 1 s -1 , but beyond this value, the sharp tensile strength decrease occurs. (2) Under 100 s -1 , fracture strain for both graphites increase with increase of strain rate and over 100 s -1 , drastic increase of fracture strain for IG-11 graphite was found. (3) At the part of gage length, volume of specimen increase with increase of tensile loading level and strain rate. (4) Poisson's ratio for both graphites decrease with increase of tensile loading level and strain rate. (5) Remarkable change of stress-strain curve for both graphites under 100 s -1 was not found, but over 100 s -1 , the slope of these curve for IG-11 graphite decrease drastically. (author)

  11. The Influence of Loading Ratio on Fatigue Crack Propagation Through a Bi-material Interface

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Náhlík, Luboš; Hutař, Pavel; Knésl, Zdeněk

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 348-349, - (2007), s. 317-320 ISSN 1013-9826. [International Conference on Fracture and Damage Mechanics /6./. Funchal, Madeira, 17.07.2007-19.07.2007] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA101/05/0320 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : bi-material interface * loading ratio * plasticity-induced crack closure * critical stress Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 0.224, year: 2005

  12. Impacts of Electric Vehicle Loads on Power Distribution Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pillai, Jayakrishnan Radhakrishna; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte

    2010-01-01

    operation. This paper investigates the effects on the key power distribution system parameters like voltages, line drops, system losses etc. by integrating electric vehicles in the range of 0-50% of the cars with different charging capacities. The dump as well as smart charging modes of electric vehicles......Electric vehicles (EVs) are the most promising alternative to replace a significant amount of gasoline vehicles to provide cleaner, CO2 free and climate friendly transportation. On integrating more electric vehicles, the electric utilities must analyse the related impacts on the electricity system...... is applied in this analysis. A typical Danish primary power distribution system is used as a test case for the studies. From the simulation results, not more than 10% of electric vehicles could be integrated in the test system for the dump charging mode. About 40% of electric vehicle loads could...

  13. Impact of network topology on self-organized criticality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Heiko

    2018-02-01

    The general mechanisms behind self-organized criticality (SOC) are still unknown. Several microscopic and mean-field theory approaches have been suggested, but they do not explain the dependence of the exponents on the underlying network topology of the SOC system. Here, we first report the phenomena that in the Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld (BTW) model, sites inside an avalanche area largely return to their original state after the passing of an avalanche, forming, effectively, critically arranged clusters of sites. Then, we hypothesize that SOC relies on the formation process of these clusters, and present a model of such formation. For low-dimensional networks, we show theoretically and in simulation that the exponent of the cluster-size distribution is proportional to the ratio of the fractal dimension of the cluster boundary and the dimensionality of the network. For the BTW model, in our simulations, the exponent of the avalanche-area distribution matched approximately our prediction based on this ratio for two-dimensional networks, but deviated for higher dimensions. We hypothesize a transition from cluster formation to the mean-field theory process with increasing dimensionality. This work sheds light onto the mechanisms behind SOC, particularly, the impact of the network topology.

  14. Load kick-back effects due to activation of demand response in view of distribution grid operation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Han, Xue; Sossan, Fabrizio; Bindner, Henrik W.

    2014-01-01

    . The paper has shown how aggregated consumption dynamics introduce new peaks in the system due to the synchronous behaviors of a portfolio of homogeneous DSRs, which is instructed by the flexibility management system. This dynamic effect is recognized as load kick-back effect. The impact of load kick......-back effects onto the distribution grid is analysed in this paper by establishing scenarios based on the estimation of DSR penetration levels from the system operator. The results indicate some risks that the activation of demand response may create critical peaks in the local grid due to kick-back effects....

  15. Site-dependent life-cycle impact assessment of acidification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Potting, Josepha Maria Barbara; Schöpp, W.; Blok, Kornelis

    1998-01-01

    The lack of spatial differentiation in current life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) affects the relevance of the assessed impact. This article first describes a framework for constructing factors relating the region of emission to the acidifying impact on its deposition areas. Next, these factors...... are established for 44 European regions with the help of the RAINS model, an integrated assessment model that combines information on regional emission levels with information on long-range atmospheric transport to estimate patterns of deposition and concentration for comparison with critical loads and thresholds...

  16. Experiment evaluation of impact attenuator for a racing car under static load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imanullah, Fahmi; Ubaidillah, Prasojo, Arfi Singgih; Wirawan, Adhe Aji

    2018-02-01

    The automotive world is a world where one of the factors that must be considered carefully is the safety aspect. In the formula student car one of the safety factor in the form of impact attenuator. Impact attenuator is used as anchoring when a collision occurs in front of the vehicle. In the rule of formula society of automotive engineer (FSAE) student, impact attenuator is required to absorb the energy must meet or exceed 7350 Joules with a slowdown in speed not exceeding 20 g average and peak of 40 g. The student formula participants are challenged to pass the boundaries so that in designing and making the impact attenuator must pay attention to the strength and use of the minimum material so that it can minimize the expenditure. In this work, an impact attenuator was fabricated and tested using static compression. The primary goal was evaluating the actual capability of the impact attenuator for impact energy absorption. The prototype was made of aluminum alloy in a prismatic shape, and the inside wall was filled with rooftop plastic slices and polyurethane hard foam. The compression test has successfully carried out, and the load versus displacement data could be used in calculating energy absorption capability. The result of the absorbent energy of the selected impact attenuator material. Impact attenuator full polyurethane absorbed energy reach 6380 Joule. For impact attenuator with aluminum polyurethane with a slashed rooftop material as section absorbed energy reach 6600 Joule. Impact attenuator with Aluminum Polyurethane with aluminum orange peel partitions absorbed energy reach 8800 Joule. From standard student formula, energy absorbed in this event must meet or exceed 7350 Joules that meet aluminum polyurethane with aluminum orange peel partitions with the ability to absorb 8800 Joule.

  17. Lightweight Potential of Welded High-strength Steel Joints from S700 Under Constant and Variable Amplitude Loading by High-frequency Mechanical Impact (HFMI) Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Yıldırım, Halid Can; Marquis, Gary; Sonsino, Cetin Morris

    2015-01-01

    Investigations with longitudinal stiffeners of the steel grade S700 under fully-reversed, constant amplitude loading and under variable amplitude loading with a straight-line spectrum show impressive fatigue strength improvement by high-frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment. However, the degree of improvement was for variable amplitude loading lower when compared to constant amplitude loading due to local plasticity which occurs during larger load levels and consequently reduces the be...

  18. Protection against external impacts and missiles - Load assumption and effects on the plant design of a 1300 MW PWR-Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gremm, O.; Orth, K.H.

    1978-01-01

    The load assumptions and effects of the external impacts are given. The fundamental properties of the KWU standard design according to these impacts and the consequences for the engineering safeguards are explained. The protection against external impacts includes the protection against all external missiles. The basic measure of protection against internal missiles is the strict separation of redundancies. (author)

  19. Building America Case Study: The Impact of Thermostat Placement in Low-Load Homes in Sunny Climates, Denver, Colorado

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2016-02-01

    Modern, energy-efficient homes conforming to the Zero Energy Ready Home standard face the challenge of meeting high customer expectations for comfort. Traditional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) sizing and control strategies may be insufficient to adequately condition each zone due to unique load patterns in each room caused by a number of factors. These factors include solar heat gains, occupant-related gains, and gains associated with appliances and electronics. Because of shrinking shell loads, these intermittent factors are having an increasingly significant impact on the thermal load in each zone. Consequently, occupant comfort can be compromised. To evaluate the impact of climate and house geometry, as well as HVAC system and control strategies on comfort conditions, IBACOS analyzed the results of 99 TRNSYS multiple-zone simulations. The results of this analysis indicate that for simple-geometry and single-story plans, a single zone and thermostat can adequately condition the entire house. Demanding house geometry and houses with multiple stories require the consideration of multiple thermostats and multiple zones.

  20. A novel modeling to predict the critical current behavior of Nb$_{3}$Sn PIT strand under transverse load based on a scaling law and Finite Element Analysis

    CERN Document Server

    Wang, Tiening; Takayasu, Makoto; Bordini, Bernardo

    2014-01-01

    Superconducting Nb$_{3}$Sn Powder-In-Tube (PIT) strands could be used for the superconducting magnets of the next generation Large Hadron Collider. The strands are cabled into the typical flat Rutherford cable configuration. During the assembly of a magnet and its operation the strands experience not only longitudinal but also transverse load due to the pre-compression applied during the assembly and the Lorentz load felt when the magnets are energized. To properly design the magnets and guarantee their safe operation, mechanical load effects on the strand superconducting properties are studied extensively; particularly, many scaling laws based on tensile load experiments have been established to predict the critical current dependence on strain. However, the dependence of the superconducting properties on transverse load has not been extensively studied so far. One of the reasons is that transverse loading experiments are difficult to conduct due to the small diameter of the strand (about 1 mm) and the data ...

  1. Aircraft crash survivability from viscous injury in vertical impacts

    OpenAIRE

    Barth, Thomas H.

    2009-01-01

    This research investigated viscous injury from vertical impact loading to determine if it is critical to survivability of aircraft accidents. A unique database was built from autopsy reports and accident investigations combining injury data with the vehicle impact data. Computer models were created and used to assess injury potential. Common design limits and actual crash data from full scale research experiments were used as inputs. The results were analyzed according to publi...

  2. The impact of hybrid energy storage on power quality, when high power pulsed DC loads are operated on a microgrid testbed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelley, Jay Paul

    As the Navy's demands for high power transient loads evolves, so too does the need for alternative energy sources to back-up the more traditional power generation. Such applications in need of support include electrical grid backup and directed energy weapon systems such as electromagnetic launchers, laser systems, and high power microwave generators, among others. Among the alternative generation sources receiving considerable attention are energy storage devices such as rechargeable electrochemical batteries and capacitors. In such applications as those mentioned above, these energy storage devices offer the ability to serve a dual role as both a power source to the various loads as well high power loads themselves to the continual generation when the high power transient loads are in periods of downtime. With the recent developments in electrochemical energy storage, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) seem like the obvious choice, but previous research has shown that the elevated rates of charging can be detrimental to both the cycle life and the operational life span of the device. In order to preserve the batteries, their charge rate must be limited. One proposed method to accomplish the dual role task mentioned above, while preserving the life of the batteries, is by combining high energy density LIBs with high power density electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) or lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) using controllable power electronics to adjust the flow of power to and from each device. Such a configuration is typically referred to as hybrid energy storage module (HESM). While shipboard generators start up, the combined high energy density and high power density of the HESM provides the capability to source critical loads for an extended period of time at the high rates they demand. Once the generator is operationally efficient, the HESM can act as a high energy reservoir to harvest the energy from the generator while the loads are in short periods of inactivity

  3. Ecological ranges for the pH and NO3 of syntaxa: a new basis for the estimation of critical loads for acid and nitrogen deposition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wamelink, G.W.W.; Goedhart, P.W.; Malinowska, A.H.; Frissel, J.Y.; Wegman, R.M.A.; Slim, P.A.; Dobben, van H.F.

    2011-01-01

    Question: Can the abiotic ranges of syntaxonomic units (associations) in terms of pH and nitrate concentration be estimated and then in principle be used to estimate critical loads for acid and nitrogen deposition? Location: Europe. Methods: Using splines, abiotic ranges of syntaxonomic units were

  4. The impact of phosphate loading activities on near marine environment: The Syrian coast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Masri, M. S.; Mamish, S.; Budeir, Y.

    2002-01-01

    The impact of loading cargoes of phosphate ore into ships on the near marine environment at the Syrian coast has been evaluated. Results have shown a significant enhancement of 210 Po, 210 Pb and other natural radionuclides in sediment and surface water inside the port area. The highest 210 Po and 210 Pb concentrations observed in sediment were found to be 170 Bq kg -1 respectively, while 210 Po concentrations in surface water ranged from 5 to 20 mBql -1 . In addition, comparable values of 210 Po and 210 Pb for all marine organisms (algae, crab and fish) suggest that their use as indicators for phosphate pollution is not recommended. However, the effect of loading cargoes on Tartous port marine environment of Tartous was found to be mainly related to wind direction where radioactive air particulate are either being dispersed to land or sea. (author)

  5. The impact of cognitive load on delayed recall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camos, Valérie; Portrat, Sophie

    2015-08-01

    Recent studies have suggested that long-term retention of items studied in a working memory span task depends on the refreshing of memory items-more specifically, on the number of refreshing opportunities. However, it was previously shown that refreshing depends on the cognitive load of the concurrent task introduced in the working memory span task. Thus, cognitive load should determine the long-term retention of items assessed in a delayed-recall test if such retention relies on refreshing. In two experiments, while the amount of refreshing opportunities remained constant, we varied the cognitive load of the concurrent task by either introducing tasks differing in their attentional demands or varying the pace of the concurrent task. To verify that this effect was related to refreshing and not to any maintenance mechanism, we also manipulated the availability of subvocal rehearsal. Replicating previous results, increasing cognitive load reduced immediate recall. This increase also had a detrimental effect on delayed recall. Conversely, the addition of concurrent articulation reduced immediate but not delayed recall. This study shows that both working and episodic memory traces depend on the cognitive load of the concurrent task, whereas the use of rehearsal affects only working memory performance. These findings add further evidence of the dissociation between subvocal rehearsal and attentional refreshing.

  6. The breakage behaviour of Aspirin under quasi-static indentation and single particle impact loading: effect of crystallographic anisotropy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olusanmi, D; Roberts, K J; Ghadiri, M; Ding, Y

    2011-06-15

    The influence of crystallographic structural anisotropy on the breakage behaviour of Aspirin under impact loading is highlighted. Under both quasi-static testing conditions, using nano-indentation, and dynamic impact tests, Aspirin demonstrates clear anisotropy in its slip and fracture behaviour. During nano-indentation on the (100) and (001) faces, cracks were propagated along the [010] direction. While the hardness was found to be comparatively similar for both these faces, it was observed that slip due to plastic deformation occurred more readily on the (100) than the (001) crystal planes suggesting the former as the preferred slip plane. Furthermore, the fracture toughness on the (001) planes was found to be distinctly lower than that of the (100) planes, indicating the former as the preferred cleavage plane. Observations of the crystal morphology of damaged particles after dynamic impact testing showed that both the chipping and fragmentation of Aspirin mostly occurred via cleavage in a manner consistent with the observed fracture behaviour following nano-indentation. This work highlights the importance of cleavage as a dominant factor underpinning the fracture mechanism of Aspirin under both quasi-static and impact loading conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Influence of the Metal Volume Fraction on the maximum deflection and impact load of GLARE plates subjected to low velocity impact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bikakis, GSE; Savaidis, A.; Zalimidis, P.; Tsitos, S.

    2016-11-01

    Fiber-metal laminates are hybrid composite materials, consisting of alternating metal layers bonded to fiber-reinforced prepreg layers. GLARE (GLAss REinforced) belongs to this new family of materials. GLARE is the most successful fiber-metal laminate up to now and is currently being used for the construction of primary aerospace structures, such as the fuselage of the Airbus A380 air plane. Impact properties are very important in aerospace structures, since impact damage is caused by various sources, such as maintenance damage from dropped tools, collision between service cars or cargo and the structure, bird strikes and hail. The principal objective of this article is to evaluate the influence of the Metal Volume Fraction (MVF) on the low velocity impact response of GLARE fiber-metal laminates. Previously published differential equations of motion are employed for this purpose. The low velocity impact behavior of various circular GLARE plates is predicted and characteristic values of impact variables, which represent the impact phenomenon, are evaluated versus the corresponding MVF of the examined GLARE material grades. The considered GLARE plates are subjected to low velocity impact under identical impact conditions. A strong effect of the MVF on the maximum impact load and a significant effect on the maximum plate deflection of GLARE plates has been found.

  8. Modelling Framework for the Identification of Critical Variables and Parameters under Uncertainty in the Bioethanol Production from Lignocellulose

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Morales Rodriguez, Ricardo; Meyer, Anne S.; Gernaey, Krist

    2011-01-01

    This study presents the development of a systematic modelling framework for identification of the most critical variables and parameters under uncertainty, evaluated on a lignocellulosic ethanol production case study. The systematic framework starts with: (1) definition of the objectives; (2......, suitable for further analysis of the bioprocess. The uncertainty and sensitivity analysis identified the following most critical variables and parameters involved in the lignocellulosic ethanol production case study. For the operating cost, the enzyme loading showed the strongest impact, while reaction...

  9. Emergency Power For Critical Items

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, William R.

    2009-07-01

    Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, and tsunami, are becoming a greater problem as climate change impacts our environment. Disasters, whether natural or man made, destroy lives, homes, businesses and the natural environment. Such disasters can happen with little or no warning, leaving hundreds or even thousands of people without medical services, potable water, sanitation, communications and electrical services for up to several weeks. In our modern world, the need for electricity has become a necessity. Modern building codes and new disaster resistant building practices are reducing the damage to homes and businesses. Emergency gasoline and diesel generators are becoming common place for power outages. Generators need fuel, which may not be available after a disaster, but Photovoltaic (solar-electric) systems supply electricity without petroleum fuel as they are powered by the sun. Photovoltaic (PV) systems can provide electrical power for a home or business. PV systems can operate as utility interactive or stand-alone with battery backup. Determining your critical load items and sizing the photovoltaic system for those critical items, guarantees their operation in a disaster.

  10. Abnormal liquid loading in gas wells of the Samandepe Gasfield in Turkmenistan and countermeasures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peijun Zhang

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available With complicated formation mechanisms, liquid loading in gas wells during gasfield development may significantly affect the productivity of gas wells and the ultimate recovery rate. Dynamic monitoring data of the Samandepe Gasfield in Turkmenistan shows that liquid loading can be found extensively in gas wells. Their formation mechanisms and negative impacts on gasfield development severely restrict the productivity enhancement of this gasfield. With their origins taken into consideration, liquid loads in gas wells were classified into three types: formation water, condensed liquid, and external liquid. By using the hydrostatic pressure gradient method and through PLT monitoring, properties of liquid loads in the Samandepe Gasfield were determined. In addition, formation mechanisms related to liquid loading in gas wells were obtained through analyses of critical fluid-carrying capacities and by using gas-reservoir production data. The following findings were obtained. Liquid loading was commonly found in this gas well with majority of reservoir formations in lower well intervals flooded. However, the formation mechanisms for these liquid loads are different from those of other gasfields. Due to long-term shut-down of gas wells, killing fluids precipitated and pores in lower reservoir formations were plugged. As a result, natural gas had no access to boreholes, killing fluids were impossibly carried out of the borehole. Instead, the killing fluid was detained at the bottomhole to generate liquid load and eliminate the possibility of formation water coning. Moreover, since the gasfield was dominated by block reservoirs with favorable physical properties and connectivity, impacts of liquid load on gasfield development were insignificant. Thus, to enhance the recovery rate of the Samandepe Gasfield significantly, it is necessary to expand the gasfield development scale and strengthen the development of marginal gas reservoirs.

  11. Impact Load of Welds After Micro-Jet Cooling / Dynamiczne Obciążenie Spoin Chłodzonych Mikrojetowo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadryś D.

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Micro-jet cooling is an innovative method of forced cooling. It could be used to cooling after welding immediately. It allows to obtain welds with better properties in comparison to ordinary welding method. Favourable structure of weld metal deposit (WMD with higher content of acicular ferrite (AF could be obtained. These properties can be controlled by several variables (e. g. type of cooling gas, number of jets. Plastic properties are particularly important in case of impact load. This type of strength is very dangerous for the structure and for safety of users (ex. car body during car crash. This article presents the influence of the cooling gas and the number of jets on plastic properties of the weld joint for impact load. It is described by restitution coefficient and plastic strain.

  12. Environmental impact assessment: Classification of ecosystems with respect to vulnerability for radioactive contamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blytt, Line Diana

    1999-01-01

    This presentation recommends that an environmental impact assessment should be made ahead of any major action plan in the environment. The final document should point out to the authorities and public that expertise has been systematised in order to predict the effects of an action plan on the environment. This should be done for different scenarios and time scales. A useful tool for an environmental impact assessment is GIS, Geographic Information Systems. It can be used to identify areas and ecosystems that are vulnerable to radioactive contamination. To predict the radiation dose to humans and biota, a vulnerability assessment considers population density, land use, economic resources and the chemical and biological pathways of radionuclides in different ecosystems. Supplemented with knowledge of consumption and dietary habits a vulnerability assessment can be used to identify critical groups and to calculate doses to these groups. For ecosystems, vulnerability can be quantified by using critical loads for radioactive contamination or flux of radionuclides from an area. One criterion for critical load can be that intervention limits for food products should not be exceeded. If the critical load is low, this indicates a high vulnerability. The flux from an area can also identify vulnerability and it can be used to calculate collective dose. The vulnerability approach is a methodology that can be used to select areas that are suitable for treatment, transport and disposal of radioactive waste

  13. Accommodating oversize and overweight loads : technical report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-01

    Adequate management of oversize/overweight (OS/OW) permit loads throughout the state of Texas is : critical to maintaining a vibrant state economy. The growth in the number and size of permit loads in recent : years is clear evidence that new tools a...

  14. The Impact of Waste Loading on Viscosity in the Frit 418-SB3 System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    PEELER, DAVID

    2004-01-01

    In this report, data are provided to gain insight into the potential impact of a lower viscosity glass on melter stability (i.e., pressure spikes, cold cap behavior) and/or pour stream stability. High temperature viscosity data are generated for the Frit 418-SB3 system as a function of waste loading (from 30 to 45 percent) and compared to similar data from other systems that have been (or are currently being) processed through the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) melter. The data are presented in various formats to potentially align the viscosity data with physical observations at various points in the melter system or critical DWPF processing unit operations. The expectations is that the data will be provided adequate insight into the vitrification parameters which might evolve into working solutions as DWPF strives to maximize waste throughput. This report attempts to provide insight into a physical interpretation of the data from a DWPF perspective. The theories present ed are certainly not an all inclusive list and the order in which they are present does imply a ranking, probability, or likelihood that the proposed theory is even plausible. The intent of this discussion is to provide a forum in which the viscosity data can be discussed in relation to possible mechanisms which could potentially lead to a workable solution as discussed in relation to possible solution as higher overall attainment is striven for during processing of the current or future sludge batches

  15. Stormwater Runoff Pollutant Loading Distributions and Their Correlation with Rainfall and Catchment Characteristics in a Rapidly Industrialized City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dongya; Wan, Jinquan; Ma, Yongwen; Wang, Yan; Huang, Mingzhi; Chen, Yangmei

    2015-01-01

    Fast urbanization and industrialization in developing countries result in significant stormwater runoff pollution, due to drastic changes in land-use, from rural to urban. A three-year study on the stormwater runoff pollutant loading distributions of industrial, parking lot and mixed commercial and residential catchments was conducted in the Tongsha reservoir watershed of Dongguan city, a typical, rapidly industrialized urban area in China. This study presents the changes in concentration during rainfall events, event mean concentrations (EMCs) and event pollution loads per unit area (EPLs). The first flush criterion, namely the mass first flush ratio (MFFn), was used to identify the first flush effects. The impacts of rainfall and catchment characterization on EMCs and pollutant loads percentage transported by the first 40% of runoff volume (FF40) were evaluated. The results indicated that the pollutant wash-off process of runoff during the rainfall events has significant temporal and spatial variations. The mean rainfall intensity (I), the impervious rate (IMR) and max 5-min intensity (Imax5) are the critical parameters of EMCs, while Imax5, antecedent dry days (ADD) and rainfall depth (RD) are the critical parameters of FF40. Intercepting the first 40% of runoff volume can remove 55% of TSS load, 53% of COD load, 58% of TN load, and 61% of TP load, respectively, according to all the storm events. These results may be helpful in mitigating stormwater runoff pollution for many other urban areas in developing countries. PMID:25774922

  16. Stormwater runoff pollutant loading distributions and their correlation with rainfall and catchment characteristics in a rapidly industrialized city.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dongya; Wan, Jinquan; Ma, Yongwen; Wang, Yan; Huang, Mingzhi; Chen, Yangmei

    2015-01-01

    Fast urbanization and industrialization in developing countries result in significant stormwater runoff pollution, due to drastic changes in land-use, from rural to urban. A three-year study on the stormwater runoff pollutant loading distributions of industrial, parking lot and mixed commercial and residential catchments was conducted in the Tongsha reservoir watershed of Dongguan city, a typical, rapidly industrialized urban area in China. This study presents the changes in concentration during rainfall events, event mean concentrations (EMCs) and event pollution loads per unit area (EPLs). The first flush criterion, namely the mass first flush ratio (MFFn), was used to identify the first flush effects. The impacts of rainfall and catchment characterization on EMCs and pollutant loads percentage transported by the first 40% of runoff volume (FF40) were evaluated. The results indicated that the pollutant wash-off process of runoff during the rainfall events has significant temporal and spatial variations. The mean rainfall intensity (I), the impervious rate (IMR) and max 5-min intensity (Imax5) are the critical parameters of EMCs, while Imax5, antecedent dry days (ADD) and rainfall depth (RD) are the critical parameters of FF40. Intercepting the first 40% of runoff volume can remove 55% of TSS load, 53% of COD load, 58% of TN load, and 61% of TP load, respectively, according to all the storm events. These results may be helpful in mitigating stormwater runoff pollution for many other urban areas in developing countries.

  17. Analysis of ex-core detector response measured during nuclear ship Mutsu land-loaded core critical experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itagaki, M.; Abe, J.I.; Kuribayashi, K.

    1987-01-01

    There are some cases where the ex-core neutron detector response is dependent not only on the fission source distribution in a core but also on neutron absorption in the borated water reflector. For example, an unexpectedly large response variation was measured during the nuclear ship Mutsu land-loaded core critical experiment. This large response variation is caused largely by the boron concentration change associated with the change in control rod positioning during the experiment. The conventional Crump-Lee response calculation method has been modified to take into account this boron effect. The correction factor in regard to this effect has been estimated using the one-dimensional transport code ANISN. The detector response variations obtained by means of this new calculation procedure agree well with the measured values recorded during the experiment

  18. Blinded by the load: attention, awareness and the role of perceptual load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavie, Nilli; Beck, Diane M; Konstantinou, Nikos

    2014-05-05

    What is the relationship between attention and conscious awareness? Awareness sometimes appears to be restricted to the contents of focused attention, yet at other times irrelevant distractors will dominate awareness. This contradictory relationship has also been reflected in an abundance of discrepant research findings leading to an enduring controversy in cognitive psychology. Lavie's load theory of attention suggests that the puzzle can be solved by considering the role of perceptual load. Although distractors will intrude upon awareness in conditions of low load, awareness will be restricted to the content of focused attention when the attended information involves high perceptual load. Here, we review recent evidence for this proposal with an emphasis on the various subjective blindness phenomena, and their neural correlates, induced by conditions of high perceptual load. We also present novel findings that clarify the role of attention in the response to stimulus contrast. Overall, this article demonstrates a critical role for perceptual load across the spectrum of perceptual processes leading to awareness, from the very early sensory responses related to contrast detection to explicit recognition of semantic content.

  19. An Asymptotic Approach for the Elastodynamic Problem of a Plate under Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Penelope Michalopoulou

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available An approach is presented for analyzing the transient elastodynamic problem of a plate under an impact loading. The plate is considered to be in the form of a long strip under plane strain conditions. The loading is taken as a concentrated line force applied normal to the plate surface. It is assumed that this line force is suddenly applied and maintained thereafter (i.e., it is a Heaviside step function of time. Inertia effects are taken into consideration and the problem is treated exactly within the framework of elastodynamic theory. The approach is based on multiple Laplace transforms and on certain asymptotic arguments. In particular, the one-sided Laplace transform is applied to suppress time dependence and the two-sided Laplace transform to suppress the dependence upon a spatial variable (along the extent of the infinite strip. Exact inversions are then followed by invoking the asymptotic Tauber theorem and the Cagniard-deHoop technique. Various extensions of this basic analysis are also discussed.

  20. Measurement of peak impact loads differ between accelerometers - Effects of system operating range and sampling rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziebart, Christina; Giangregorio, Lora M; Gibbs, Jenna C; Levine, Iris C; Tung, James; Laing, Andrew C

    2017-06-14

    A wide variety of accelerometer systems, with differing sensor characteristics, are used to detect impact loading during physical activities. The study examined the effects of system characteristics on measured peak impact loading during a variety of activities by comparing outputs from three separate accelerometer systems, and by assessing the influence of simulated reductions in operating range and sampling rate. Twelve healthy young adults performed seven tasks (vertical jump, box drop, heel drop, and bilateral single leg and lateral jumps) while simultaneously wearing three tri-axial accelerometers including a criterion standard laboratory-grade unit (Endevco 7267A) and two systems primarily used for activity-monitoring (ActiGraph GT3X+, GCDC X6-2mini). Peak acceleration (gmax) was compared across accelerometers, and errors resulting from down-sampling (from 640 to 100Hz) and range-limiting (to ±6g) the criterion standard output were characterized. The Actigraph activity-monitoring accelerometer underestimated gmax by an average of 30.2%; underestimation by the X6-2mini was not significant. Underestimation error was greater for tasks with greater impact magnitudes. gmax was underestimated when the criterion standard signal was down-sampled (by an average of 11%), range limited (by 11%), and by combined down-sampling and range-limiting (by 18%). These effects explained 89% of the variance in gmax error for the Actigraph system. This study illustrates that both the type and intensity of activity should be considered when selecting an accelerometer for characterizing impact events. In addition, caution may be warranted when comparing impact magnitudes from studies that use different accelerometers, and when comparing accelerometer outputs to osteogenic impact thresholds proposed in literature. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Duration of load effects of solid wood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svensson, Staffan

    Test methods for studying the effect of long-term loading on the load carrying capacity of structural wood are discussed. The impact of sampling procedures on test results is investigated and is exemplified. It is concluded from this investigation that the sampling method has a significant impact...

  2. Application of a loading dose of colistin methanesulfonate in critically ill patients: population pharmacokinetics, protein binding, and prediction of bacterial kill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Ami F; Karaiskos, Ilias; Plachouras, Diamantis; Karvanen, Matti; Pontikis, Konstantinos; Jansson, Britt; Papadomichelakis, Evangelos; Antoniadou, Anastasia; Giamarellou, Helen; Armaganidis, Apostolos; Cars, Otto; Friberg, Lena E

    2012-08-01

    A previous pharmacokinetic study on dosing of colistin methanesulfonate (CMS) at 240 mg (3 million units [MU]) every 8 h indicated that colistin has a long half-life, resulting in insufficient concentrations for the first 12 to 48 h after initiation of treatment. A loading dose would therefore be beneficial. The aim of this study was to evaluate CMS and colistin pharmacokinetics following a 480-mg (6-MU) loading dose in critically ill patients and to explore the bacterial kill following the use of different dosing regimens obtained by predictions from a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model developed from an in vitro study on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The unbound fractions of colistin A and colistin B were determined using equilibrium dialysis and considered in the predictions. Ten critically ill patients (6 males; mean age, 54 years; mean creatinine clearance, 82 ml/min) with infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria were enrolled in the study. The pharmacokinetic data collected after the first and eighth doses were analyzed simultaneously with the data from the previous study (total, 28 patients) in the NONMEM program. For CMS, a two-compartment model best described the pharmacokinetics, and the half-lives of the two phases were estimated to be 0.026 and 2.2 h, respectively. For colistin, a one-compartment model was sufficient and the estimated half-life was 18.5 h. The unbound fractions of colistin in the patients were 26 to 41% at clinical concentrations. Colistin A, but not colistin B, had a concentration-dependent binding. The predictions suggested that the time to 3-log-unit bacterial kill for a 480-mg loading dose was reduced to half of that for the dose of 240 mg.

  3. Anthropogenic Reorganization of Critical Zone in Intensively Managed Landscapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, P.; Anders, A. M.; Bettis, E. A., III; Blair, N. E.; Filley, T. R.; Grimley, D. A.; Le, P. V.; Lin, H.; Lin, Y. F. F.; Keefer, D. A.; Keefer, L. L.; Muste, M.; Packman, A. I.; Papanicolaou, T.; Rhoads, B. L.; Richardson, M.; Schnoebelen, D. J.; Stumpf, A.; Ward, A. S.; Wilson, C. G.; Woo, D.; Yan, Q.; Goodwell, A. E.

    2016-12-01

    Intensification of industrial agricultural practices has resulted in some of the most profound global impacts in the Anthropocene. These include eutrophication of lakes, rivers, and oceans from nutrient loading, degradation of arable land from the loss of fertile organic soils through erosion, and loss and degradation of soil organic matter from mechanical impacts on the soil, among others. As we prepare to feed additional 2 billion people by 2050 along with the emerging practices of farming for bioenergy production, these practices will intensify further whose goal is to overcome bio-geo-physical rate limitations and rate limiting states to enhance agricultural productivity. These rate-enhancing efforts generally target the fast response production processes, creating an imbalance with the slower assimilative processes in the Critical Zone that cascade through complex inter-dependencies across carbon, soil, water, nutrient and ecological systems. These imbalances modify stores and create gradients for flux, which over time reorganize the landscape, both in structure and function. In this presentation we show how these reorganizations are occurring in the Critical Zone of intensively managed landscapes, and argue that an integrated understanding of such profound changes are necessary for developing sustainable solutions for maintaining agricultural productivity and mitigating agriculture based environmental impacts.

  4. Model Predictive Control for Load Frequency Control with Wind Turbines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Zhang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Reliable load frequency (LFC control is crucial to the operation and design of modern electric power systems. Considering the LFC problem of a four-area interconnected power system with wind turbines, this paper presents a distributed model predictive control (DMPC based on coordination scheme. The proposed algorithm solves a series of local optimization problems to minimize a performance objective for each control area. The scheme incorporates the two critical nonlinear constraints, for example, the generation rate constraint (GRC and the valve limit, into convex optimization problems. Furthermore, the algorithm reduces the impact on the randomness and intermittence of wind turbine effectively. A performance comparison between the proposed controller with and that without the participation of the wind turbines is carried out. Good performance is obtained in the presence of power system nonlinearities due to the governors and turbines constraints and load change disturbances.

  5. Dynamics of defect-loaded grain boundary under shear deformation in alpha iron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, L.; Zhou, H. L.; Liu, H.; Gao, F.; Zu, X. T.; Peng, S. M.; Long, X. G.; Zhou, X. S.

    2018-02-01

    Two symmetric tilt grain boundaries (GBs) (Σ3〈110〉{112} and Σ11〈110〉{332}) in alpha iron were performed to investigate the dynamics of defect-loaded GBs under shear deformation. The results show that the loaded self-interstitial atoms (SIAs) reduce the critical stress of the coupled GB motion in the Σ3 GB, but increase the critical stress in the Σ11 GB. The loaded SIAs in the Σ3 GB easily form 〈111〉 clusters and remain in the bulk when the GB moves away. However, the SIAs move along with the Σ11 GB and combine with the vacancies in the bulk, leading to the defect self-healing. The helium (He) atoms loaded into the GBs significantly affect the coupled GB motion. Once He clusters emit interstitials, the Σ11 GB carries those interstitials away but the Σ3 does not. The loaded He atoms reduce the critical stress of the Σ3 GB, but increase the critical stress of the Σ11 GB.

  6. Impact of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles on plant: A critical review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rastogi, Anshu; Zivcak, Marek; Sytar, Oksana; Kalaji, Hazem M.; He, Xiaolan; Mbarki, Sonia; Brestic, Marian

    2017-10-01

    An increasing need of nanotechnology in various industries may cause a huge environment dispersion of nanoparticles in coming years. A concern about nanoparticles interaction with flora and fauna is raised due to a growing load of it in the environment. In recent years, several investigators have shown impact of nanoparticles on plant growth and its accumulation in food source. This review examines the research performed in the last decade to show how metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are influencing the plant metabolisms. We addressed here, the impact of nanoparticle on plant in relation to its size, concentration, and exposure methodology. Based on the available reports, we proposed oxidative burst as a general mechanism through which the toxic effects of nanoparticles are spread in plants. This review summarises the current understanding and the future possibilities of plant-nanoparticle research.

  7. Properly Evaluating load-following products

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cavicchi, Joseph; Lemon, Andrew

    2009-01-15

    The authors briefly survey the jurisdictions where load-following products have been successfully used, examine the characteristics of the load-following products, and explain the shortcomings and inaccurate conclusions of previous analyses. A more thorough analysis reveals that the load-following products fulfill the public policy objectives for which they have been designed and do not adversely impact wholesale electricity markets.

  8. Role of Inelastic Transverse Compressive Behavior and Multiaxial Loading on the Transverse Impact of Kevlar KM2 Single Fiber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subramani Sockalingam

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available High-velocity transverse impact of ballistic fabrics and yarns by projectiles subject individual fibers to multi-axial dynamic loading. Single-fiber transverse impact experiments with the current state-of-the-art experimental capabilities are challenging due to the associated micron length-scale. Kevlar® KM2 fibers exhibit a nonlinear inelastic behavior in transverse compression with an elastic limit less than 1.5% strain. The effect of this transverse behavior on a single KM2 fiber subjected to a cylindrical and a fragment-simulating projectile (FSP transverse impact is studied with a 3D finite element model. The inelastic behavior results in a significant reduction of fiber bounce velocity and projectile-fiber contact forces up to 38% compared to an elastic impact response. The multiaxial stress states during impact including transverse compression, axial tension, axial compression and interlaminar shear are presented at the location of failure. In addition, the models show a strain concentration over a small length in the fiber under the projectile-fiber contact. A failure criterion, based on maximum axial tensile strain accounting for the gage length, strain rate and multiaxial loading degradation effects are applied to predict the single-fiber breaking speed. Results are compared to the elastic response to assess the importance of inelastic material behavior on failure during a transverse impact.

  9. Short- and long-term impact of critical illness on relatives: literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Fiona; Rattray, Janice

    2008-05-01

    This paper is a report of a literature review undertaken to identify the short- and long-term impact of critical illness on relatives. Patients in intensive care can experience physical and psychological consequences, and their relatives may also experience such effects. Although it is recognized that relatives have specific needs, it is not clear whether these needs are always met and whether further support is required, particularly after intensive care. The following databases were searched for the period 1950-2007: Medline, British Nursing Index and Archive, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EMB Reviews--Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials. Search terms focused on adult relatives of critically ill adult patients during and after intensive care. Recurrent topics were categorized to structure the review, i.e. 'relatives needs', 'meeting relatives' needs', 'interventions', 'satisfaction', 'psychological outcomes' and 'coping'. Studies have mainly identified relatives' immediate needs using the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. There are few studies of interventions to meet relatives' needs and the short- and long-term effects of critical illness on relatives. Despite widespread use of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory, factors such as local or cultural differences may influence relatives' needs. Relatives may also have unidentified needs, and these needs should be explored. Limited research has been carried out into interventions to meet relatives' needs and the effects of critical illness on their well-being, yet some relatives may experience negative psychological consequences far beyond the acute phase of the illness.

  10. Evaluation of nuclear characteristics of minor actinide loaded core. Analyses of BFS-69 and BFS-66-2 critical experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hazama, Taira; Sato, Wakaei

    2010-09-01

    Collaboration with Russian Institute of Physics and Power Engineering named 'Investigation of neutronic-physical characteristics and their change when introducing large quantity of neptunium (Np) at different BFS critical assemblies' has been accomplished. This is the second report of the collaboration to describe experimental information and analysis results on BFS-69 and BFS-66-2 critical experiments. In the experiments, various nuclear characteristics were measured in 2 kinds of cores with/without Np loading of about 8 kg. JAEA's standard analysis results were presented with four kinds of nuclear data (JENDL-3.2, JENDL-3.3, JENDL/AC-2008, and ENDF/BVII). Analytical results show: 1) An overestimation trend has been observed in BFS-69 criticality results, especially with JENDL-3.3 and JENDL/AC-2008. The difference from ENDF/B-II having better results mainly lies in the average cosine of the scattering angle around 1 MeV. 2) A small discrepancy exists in BFS-69 Na void reactivity results with the three JENDL nuclear data. The difference from ENDF/B-II mainly lies in scattering cross sections of sodium around 1 MeV and fission cross section of 239 Pu around 1 keV. 3) The analysis results simulate measured Np effects on nuclear characteristics within experimental errors. (author)

  11. Numerical Simulation of Output Response of PVDF Sensor Attached on a Cantilever Beam Subjected to Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cao Vu Dung

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Polyvinylidene Flouride (PVDF is a film-type polymer that has been used as sensors and actuators in various applications due to its mechanical toughness, flexibility, and low density. A PVDF sensor typically covers an area of the host structure over which mechanical stress/strain is averaged and converted to electrical energy. This study investigates the fundamental “stress-averaging” mechanism for dynamic strain sensing in the in-plane mode. A numerical simulation was conducted to simulate the “stress-averaging” mechanism of a PVDF sensor attached on a cantilever beam subjected to an impact loading, taking into account the contribution of piezoelectricity, the cantilever beam’s modal properties, and electronic signal conditioning. Impact tests and FEM analysis were also carried out to verify the numerical simulation results. The results of impact tests indicate the excellent capability of the attached PVDF sensor in capturing the fundamental natural frequencies of the cantilever beam. There is a good agreement between the PVDF sensor’s output voltage predicted by the numerical simulation and that obtained in the impact tests. Parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of sensor size and sensor position and it is shown that a larger sensor tends to generate higher output voltage than a smaller one at the same location. However, the effect of sensor location seems to be more significant for larger sensors due to the cancelling problem. Overall, PVDF sensors exhibit excellent sensing capability for in-plane dynamic strain induced by impact loading.

  12. Physical Modelling of Cyclic Laterally Loaded Pile in Cohesionless Soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Mette; Wolf, Torben K.; Rasmussen, Kristian L.

    Offshore wind turbines are normally founded with large diameter monopiles and placed in rough environments subjected to variable lateral loads from wind and waves. A long-term lateral loading may create rotation (tilt) of the pile by change in the pile-soil system which is critical in the service......Offshore wind turbines are normally founded with large diameter monopiles and placed in rough environments subjected to variable lateral loads from wind and waves. A long-term lateral loading may create rotation (tilt) of the pile by change in the pile-soil system which is critical...... in the serviceability limit state. In this paper small-scale testing of a pile subjected to cyclic, lateral loading is treated in order to investigate the effect of cyclic loading. The test setup, which is an improvement of a previous setup, is described and the first results of testing are compared with previous...

  13. Laboratory Testing of Cyclic Laterally Loaded Pile in Cohesionless Soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roesen, Hanne Ravn; Ibsen, Lars Bo; Hansen, Mette

    2013-01-01

    Offshore wind turbines are normally founded with large diameter monopiles and placed in rough environments subjected to variable lateral loads from wind and waves. A long-term lateral loading may create rotation (tilt) of the pile by change in the pile-soil system which is critical in the service......Offshore wind turbines are normally founded with large diameter monopiles and placed in rough environments subjected to variable lateral loads from wind and waves. A long-term lateral loading may create rotation (tilt) of the pile by change in the pile-soil system which is critical...... in the serviceability limit state. In this paper small-scale testing of a pile subjected to cyclic, lateral loading is treated in order to investigate the effect of cyclic loading. The test setup, which is an improvement of a previous setup, is described and the first results of testing are compared with previous...

  14. Identification and Ranking of Critical Assets within an Electrical Grid under Threat of Cyber Attack

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Blake R.

    This paper examines the ranking of critical assets within an electrical grid under threat of cyber attack.1 Critical to this analysis is the assumption of zero hour exploits namely, the threat of an immediate attack as soon as a vulnerability is discovered. Modeling shows that over time load fluctuations as well as other system variations will change the importance of each asset in the delivery of bulk power. As opposed to classic stability studies where risk can be shown to be greatest during high load periods, the zero hour exploit-cyber-risk assumes that vulnerabilities will be attacked as soon as they are discovered. The probability of attacks is made uniform over time to include any and all possible attacks. Examining the impact of an attack and how the grid reacts immediately following an attack will identify and determine the criticality of each asset. This work endeavors to fulfill the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Requirements CIP-001-1 through CIP-009-2, cyber security requirements for the reliable supply of bulk power to customers throughout North America. 1Critical assets will here refer to facilities, systems, and equipment, which, if destroyed, degraded, or otherwise rendered unavailable, would affect the reliability or operability of the Bulk Electric System, NERC Glossary of Terms Used in Reliability Standards, 2009

  15. Additional helmet and pack loading reduce situational awareness during the establishment of marksmanship posture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Jongil; Palmer, Christopher J; Busa, Michael A; Amado, Avelino; Rosado, Luis D; Ducharme, Scott W; Simon, Darnell; Van Emmerik, Richard E A

    2017-06-01

    The pickup of visual information is critical for controlling movement and maintaining situational awareness in dangerous situations. Altered coordination while wearing protective equipment may impact the likelihood of injury or death. This investigation examined the consequences of load magnitude and distribution on situational awareness, segmental coordination and head gaze in several protective equipment ensembles. Twelve soldiers stepped down onto force plates and were instructed to quickly and accurately identify visual information while establishing marksmanship posture in protective equipment. Time to discriminate visual information was extended when additional pack and helmet loads were added, with the small increase in helmet load having the largest effect. Greater head-leading and in-phase trunk-head coordination were found with lighter pack loads, while trunk-leading coordination increased and head gaze dynamics were more disrupted in heavier pack loads. Additional armour load in the vest had no consequences for Time to discriminate, coordination or head dynamics. This suggests that the addition of head borne load be carefully considered when integrating new technology and that up-armouring does not necessarily have negative consequences for marksmanship performance. Practitioner Summary: Understanding the trade-space between protection and reductions in task performance continue to challenge those developing personal protective equipment. These methods provide an approach that can help optimise equipment design and loading techniques by quantifying changes in task performance and the emergent coordination dynamics that underlie that performance.

  16. The impact of load shedding on gender relations in heterosexual households in Mkoba north, Gweru, Zimbabwe: Implications for sustainable development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuku Mukoni

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available This study explored the impact of load shedding on gender relations in heterosexual households. 20 couples were selected through judgmental sampling that was followed by network referencing; bringing the sample to 40 participants. Study was descriptive in nature. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Study reveals that load shedding have ripple effects in the social fabric of sustainable development through its impacts on gender relations. Load shedding is proving to be reproducing and maintaining gender relations of inequality, thus holding back sustainable development. Women are deprived control of areas that traditional belongs to them like the decision and control of energy use in the household giving men more power over women. Load shedding is increasing men’s time in the public sphere while women are tied more to the private sphere. For sustainable development to be achieved, household relationships should uphold the principles of sustainable development and gender equality is one of them. Empowerment of women and men in household energy uses will aid in opening up their ‘functioning space’. An understanding and appreciation of gender equality in the household will help men and women to be influential in the larger society leading to sustainable development.

  17. SU-E-T-615: Investigation of the Dosimetric Impact of Tandem Loading in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer for HDR Brachytherapy Procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esquivel, C; Patton, L; Nelson, K; Lin, B [Cancer Care Centers of South Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States)

    2014-06-01

    Purpose: To quantify the dosimetric impact of the tandem loading in the treatment of cervical cancer for HDR brachytherapy procedures. Methods: Ten patients were evaluated, each of whom received 5 fractions of treatment. Tandem and ovoid sets were inserted into the uterine cavity based on institutional protocols and procedures. Following insertion and stabilization, CT image sets of 1.5mm slice thickness were acquired and sent to the Oncentra V4.3 Treatment Planning System. Critical structures such as the CTV, bladder, rectum, sigmoid, and bowel were contoured and a fractional dose of 5.5Gy was prescribed to Point A for each patient. Six different treatment plans were created for each fraction using varying tandem weightings; from 0.5 to 1.4 times that of the ovoids. Surface dose evaluation of various ovoid diameters, 2.0-3.5cm, at the vaginal fornices was also investigated. Results: Critical structures were evaluated based on varying dose and volume constraints, in particular the 2.0 cc volume recommendation cited by the gynecological GEC-ESTRO working group. Based on dose volume histogram evaluation, a reduction of dose to the critical structures was most often discovered when the tandem weighting was increased. CTV coverage showed little change as the tandem weighting was varied. Ovoid surface dose decreased by 50-65% as the tandem weighting increased. Conclusion: The advantage of 3D planning with HDR brachytherapy is the dose optimization for each individual treatment plan. This investigation shows that by utilizing large tandem weightings, 1.4 times greater than the ovoid, one can still achieve adequate coverage of the CTV and relatively low doses to the critical structures. In some cases, one would still have to optimize further per individual case. In addition, the ovoid surface dose was greatly decreased when large tandem weighting was utilized; especially for small ovoid diameters.

  18. SU-E-T-615: Investigation of the Dosimetric Impact of Tandem Loading in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer for HDR Brachytherapy Procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esquivel, C; Patton, L; Nelson, K; Lin, B

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To quantify the dosimetric impact of the tandem loading in the treatment of cervical cancer for HDR brachytherapy procedures. Methods: Ten patients were evaluated, each of whom received 5 fractions of treatment. Tandem and ovoid sets were inserted into the uterine cavity based on institutional protocols and procedures. Following insertion and stabilization, CT image sets of 1.5mm slice thickness were acquired and sent to the Oncentra V4.3 Treatment Planning System. Critical structures such as the CTV, bladder, rectum, sigmoid, and bowel were contoured and a fractional dose of 5.5Gy was prescribed to Point A for each patient. Six different treatment plans were created for each fraction using varying tandem weightings; from 0.5 to 1.4 times that of the ovoids. Surface dose evaluation of various ovoid diameters, 2.0-3.5cm, at the vaginal fornices was also investigated. Results: Critical structures were evaluated based on varying dose and volume constraints, in particular the 2.0 cc volume recommendation cited by the gynecological GEC-ESTRO working group. Based on dose volume histogram evaluation, a reduction of dose to the critical structures was most often discovered when the tandem weighting was increased. CTV coverage showed little change as the tandem weighting was varied. Ovoid surface dose decreased by 50-65% as the tandem weighting increased. Conclusion: The advantage of 3D planning with HDR brachytherapy is the dose optimization for each individual treatment plan. This investigation shows that by utilizing large tandem weightings, 1.4 times greater than the ovoid, one can still achieve adequate coverage of the CTV and relatively low doses to the critical structures. In some cases, one would still have to optimize further per individual case. In addition, the ovoid surface dose was greatly decreased when large tandem weighting was utilized; especially for small ovoid diameters

  19. The Feasibility Study on Thermal Loading Control of Wind Power Converters with a Flexible Switching Frequency

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qin, Zian; Wang, Huai; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2015-01-01

    Thermal loading of wind power converters is critical to their reliability performance. Especially for IGBT modules applied in a converter, both of the mean value and variation of the junction temperature have significant impact on the lifetime. Besides other strategies to reduce the thermal loadi...... the temperature fluctuations due to wind speed variations. The trade-off between the reduced amplitude of temperature fluctuations and the additional power losses that may be introduced is quantitatively studied....

  20. Global seasonal strain and stress models derived from GRACE loading, and their impact on seismicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanard, K.; Fleitout, L.; Calais, E.; Craig, T. J.; Rebischung, P.; Avouac, J. P.

    2017-12-01

    Loading by continental water, atmosphere and oceans deforms the Earth at various spatio-temporal scales, inducing crustal and mantelic stress perturbations that may play a role in earthquake triggering.Deformation of the Earth by this surface loading is observed in GNSS position time series. While various models predict well vertical observations, explaining horizontal displacements remains challenging. We model the elastic deformation induced by loading derived from GRACE for coefficients 2 and higher. We estimate the degree-1 deformation field by comparison between predictions of our model and IGS-repro2 solutions at a globally distributed network of 700 GNSS sites, separating the horizontal and vertical components to avoid biases between components. The misfit between model and data is reduced compared to previous studies, particularly on the horizontal component. The associated geocenter motion time series are consistent with results derived from other datasets. We also discuss the impact on our results of systematic errors in GNSS geodetic products, in particular of the draconitic error.We then compute stress tensors time series induced by GRACE loads and discuss the potential link between large scale seasonal mass redistributions and seismicity. Within the crust, we estimate hydrologically induced stresses in the intraplate New Madrid Seismic Zone, where secular stressing rates are unmeasurably low. We show that a significant variation in the rate of micro-earthquakes at annual and multi-annual timescales coincides with stresses induced by hydrological loading in the upper Mississippi embayment, with no significant phase-lag, directly modulating regional seismicity. We also investigate pressure variations in the mantle transition zone and discuss potential correlations between the statistically significant observed seasonality of deep-focus earthquakes, most likely due to mineralogical transformations, and surface hydrological loading.

  1. The asymptotic variance of departures in critically loaded queues

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Al Hanbali, Ahmad; Mandjes, M.R.H.; Nazarathy, Y.; Whitt, W.

    2011-01-01

    We consider the asymptotic variance of the departure counting process D(t) of the GI/G/1 queue; D(t) denotes the number of departures up to time t. We focus on the case where the system load ϱ equals 1, and prove that the asymptotic variance rate satisfies limt→∞varD(t) / t = λ(1 - 2 / π)(ca2 +

  2. Impacts of reforestation upon sediment load and water outflow in the Lower Yazoo River Watershed, Mississippi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ying Ouyang; Theodor D. Leininger; Matt Moran

    2013-01-01

    Among the world’s largest coastal and river basins, the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMRAV)is one of the most disturbed by human activities. This study ascertained the impacts of reforestation on water outflow attenuation (i.e., water flow out of the watershed outlet) and sediment load reduction in the Lower Yazoo River Watershed (LYRW) within the LMRAV...

  3. Damage Behaviors and Compressive Strength of Toughened CFRP Laminates with Thin Plies Subjected to Transverse Impact Loadings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokozeki, Tomohiro; Aoki, Yuichiro; Ogasawara, Toshio

    It has been recognized that damage resistance and strength properties of CFRP laminates can be improved by using thin-ply prepregs. This study investigates the damage behaviors and compressive strength of CFRP laminates using thin-ply and standard prepregs subjected to out-of-plane impact loadings. CFRP laminates used for the evaluation are prepared using the standard prepregs, thin-ply prepregs, and combinations of the both. Weight-drop impact test and post-impact compression test of quasi-isotropic laminates are performed. It is shown that the damage behaviors are different between the thin-ply and the standard laminates, and the compression-after-impact strength is improved by using thin-ply prepregs. Effects of the use of thin-ply prepregs and the layout of thin-ply layers on the damage behaviors and compression-after-impact properties are discussed based on the experimental results.

  4. The Impact of Embedded Story Structures versus Sequential Story Structures on Critical Thinking of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Samadi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Confirming the constructive effects of reading comprehension on critical thinking, this paper attempted to investigate the impact of story structures on critical thinking of Iranian EFL learners. In doing so, the researcher utilized a quasi–experimental design with 60 intermediate students who were divided into two embedded story structures and sequential story structures groups (experimental groups. After taking PET, a critical thinking questionnaire was employed as a pre-test. The two groups received 16 sessions of treatment. All participants received similar amount of instruction but one group was given embedded short stories and the other group sequential short stories. To compare the two groups, they were received the parallel critical thinking questionnaire as a post-test. The two null hypotheses in this study were rejected due to different performance of the two groups. Statistical results did not support the superiority of neither structures. Therefore, the researcher was not able to suggest which structure caused a better or higher impact on critical thinking. However, the findings reveal that teaching story structures in EFL context can develop critical thinking of intermediate EFL learners. The study have some implications for test-designers, teachers, and students.

  5. Shock enhancement of cellular materials subjected to intensive pulse loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, J.; Fan, J.; Wang, Z.; Zhao, L.; Li, Z.

    2018-03-01

    Cellular materials can dissipate a large amount of energy due to their considerable stress plateau, which contributes to their extensive applications in structural design for crashworthiness. However, in some experiments with specimens subjected to intense impact loads, transmitted stress enhancement has been observed, leading to severe damage to the objects protected. Transmitted stress through two-dimensional Voronoi cellular materials as a protective device is qualitatively studied in this paper. Dimensionless parameters of material properties and loading parameters are defined to give critical conditions for shock enhancement and clarify the correlation between the deformations and stress enhancement. The effect of relative density on this amplifying phenomenon is investigated as well. In addition, local strain fields are calculated by using the optimal local deformation gradient, which gives a clear presentation of deformations and possible local non-uniformity in the crushing process. This research provides valuable insight into the reliability of cellular materials as protective structures.

  6. How to Secure UPS Operation And Supply of Safety Critical Load During Abnormal Conditions in Upstream Supply

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersen, Gert; Kissling, Silvan; Laaser, Joerg

    2015-01-01

    UPS system design margins are usually given by manufacturer, but the events in Forsmark showed that these margins are not sufficient to protect UPS equipment and secure supply to critical loads. To withstand such events, it is not enough just to define margins for particular equipment. The overall plant design including environmental influences must be taken into consideration. For extreme environmental conditions, a UPS must include protection which design is matching to the upstream plant equipment. Immunity against abnormal conditions can not be finally guaranteed by higher margins. A limitation that excludes such influences must be implemented into the design. This presentation discusses possibilities to specify design margins, for rectifiers and inverters based on GUTOR thyristor and IGBT technology. It shows protection features to resist and solutions to limit overvoltages. (authors)

  7. Pay for load demand - electricity pricing with load demand component

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyrko, Jurek; Sernhed, Kerstin; Abaravicius, Juozas

    2003-01-01

    This publication is part of a project called Direct and Indirect Load Control in Buildings. Peak load problems have attracted considerable attention in Sweden during last three winters, caused by a significant decrease in available reserve power, which is a consequence of political decisions and liberalisation of the electricity market. A possible way to lower peak loads, avoiding electricity shortages and reducing electricity costs both for users and utilities, is to make customers experience the price difference during peak load periods and, in this way, become more aware of their energy consumption pattern and load demand. As of January 1st 2001, one of the Swedish energy utilities - Sollentuna Energi - operating in the Stockholm area, introduced a new electricity tariff with differentiated grid fees based on a mean value of the peak load every month. This tariff was introduced for all residential customers in the service area. The objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which a Load Demand Component, included in electricity pricing, can influence energy use and load demand in residential buildings. What are the benefits and disadvantages for customers and utilities? This paper investigates the impact of the new tariff on the utility and different types of typical residential customers, making comparisons with previous tariff. Keywords Load demand, electricity pricing, tariff, residential customers, energy behaviour

  8. Modeling Low-Platinum-Loading Effects in Fuel-Cell Catalyst Layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Wonseok; Weber, Adam Z.

    2011-01-01

    The cathode catalyst layer within a proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell is the most complex and critical, yet least understood, layer within the cell. The exact method and equations for modeling this layer are still being revised and will be discussed in this paper, including a 0.8 reaction order, existence of Pt oxides, possible non-isopotential agglomerates, and the impact of a film resistance towards oxygen transport. While the former assumptions are relatively straightforward to understand and implement, the latter film resistance is shown to be critically important in explaining increased mass-transport limitations with low Pt-loading catalyst layers. Model results demonstrate agreement with experimental data that the increased oxygen flux and/or diffusion pathway through the film can substantially decrease performance. Also, some scale-up concepts from the agglomerate scale to the more macroscopic porous-electrode scale are discussed and the resulting optimization scenarios investigated.

  9. Impact of nuclear library difference on neutronic characteristics of thorium-loaded light water reactor fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Unesaki, H.; Isaka, S.; Nakagome, Y.

    2006-01-01

    Impact of nuclear library difference on neutronic characteristics of thorium-loaded light water reactor fuel is investigated through cell burnup calculations using SRAC code system. Comparison of k ∞ and nuclide composition was made between the results obtained by JENDL-3.3, ENDF/B-VI.8 and JEFF3.0 for (U, Th)O 2 fuels as well as UO 2 fuels, with special interest on the burnup dependence of the neutronic characteristics. The impact of nuclear data library difference on k ∞ of (U, Th)O 2 fuels was found to be significantly large compared to that of UO 2 fuels. Notable difference was also found in nuclide concentration of TRU nuclides. (authors)

  10. Procedures for Calculating Residential Dehumidification Loads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Winkler, Jon [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Booten, Chuck [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2016-06-01

    Residential building codes and voluntary labeling programs are continually increasing the energy efficiency requirements of residential buildings. Improving a building's thermal enclosure and installing energy-efficient appliances and lighting can result in significant reductions in sensible cooling loads leading to smaller air conditioners and shorter cooling seasons. However due to fresh air ventilation requirements and internal gains, latent cooling loads are not reduced by the same proportion. Thus, it's becoming more challenging for conventional cooling equipment to control indoor humidity at part-load cooling conditions and using conventional cooling equipment in a non-conventional building poses the potential risk of high indoor humidity. The objective of this project was to investigate the impact the chosen design condition has on the calculated part-load cooling moisture load, and compare calculated moisture loads and the required dehumidification capacity to whole-building simulations. Procedures for sizing whole-house supplemental dehumidification equipment have yet to be formalized; however minor modifications to current Air-Conditioner Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J load calculation procedures are appropriate for calculating residential part-load cooling moisture loads. Though ASHRAE 1% DP design conditions are commonly used to determine the dehumidification requirements for commercial buildings, an appropriate DP design condition for residential buildings has not been investigated. Two methods for sizing supplemental dehumidification equipment were developed and tested. The first method closely followed Manual J cooling load calculations; whereas the second method made more conservative assumptions impacting both sensible and latent loads.

  11. Behaviour of cellular structures with fluid fillers under impact loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matej Vesenjak

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper investigates the behaviour of closed- and open-cell cellular structures under uniaxial impact loading by means of computational simulations using the explicit nonlinear finite element code LS-DYNA. Simulations also consider the influence of pore fillers and the base material strain rate sensitivity. The behaviour of closed-cell cellular structure has been evaluated with use of the representative volume element, where the influence of residual gas inside the closed pores has been studied. Open- cell cellular structure was modelled as a whole to properly account for considered fluid flow through the cells, which significantly influences macroscopic behaviour of the cellular structure. The fluid has been modelled by applying a meshless Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH method. Parametric computational simulations provide grounds for optimization of cellular structures to satisfy different requirements, which makes them very attractive for use in general engineering applications.

  12. Outputs of shock-loaded small piezoceramic disks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charest, Jacques A.; Mace, Jonathan Lee

    2002-01-01

    Thin small-diameter polycrystalline Lead-Zirconate-Titanate piezoceramic disks were shock loaded in the D33 orientation over a stress range of 0.1-30 GPa. Their electrical outputs were discharged into 50 Ω viewing resistors, producing typically 0.15 μs quasi-triangular impulses ranging from 50-700 V. The gas gun flat plate impact approach and the high explosives (HE) plane wave lens approach were used to load piezoceramic elements. These piezoceramic elements consisted of 0.25 mm thick and 1.32 mm diameter disks that were ultrasonically machined from 25 mm piezocrystal disks of type APC 850, commercially produced by American Piezo Ceramic Inc. To facilitate our experiments, the piezoceramic elements were coaxially mounted at the tip of a 2.35 mm diameter brass tube, an arrangement that is commercialized by Dynasen, Inc. under the name Piezopin of model CA-1136. Simple calculations on the electrical outputs produced by these piezoceramic disks reveal electrical outputs in excess of 3000 W. Such short bursts of electrical energy have the potential for numerous applications where critical timing is needed to observe fast transient events

  13. Impact of load follow operation on the chemistry of the primary and secondary circuit of a pressurized water reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boettcher, F.; Riehm, S.; Bolz, M.; Speck, A.

    2012-09-01

    Germany decided to abandon nuclear energy and to switch to renewable energy forms. According the renewable energy act renewable energy forms have priority to be fed to the grid. The support of wind and solar energy demands more and more load follow operation of the remaining nuclear power plants to stabilize the grid. This report summarizes first experience with load follow operation in two pressurized water reactors (Philippsburg KKP2 and Neckarwestheim GKNI) with regard to chemistry and radiology. The most important mechanisms of dose rate built up on the primary side are described with Co-60 and Co-58 being the main contributors to dose rate. Goal of the primary side chemistry is to avoid or at least to delay the dose rate built-up as far as achievable. Both reactors are operated according to the modified coordinated B-Li-Chemistry with a pH300 of 7.4 as target value for optimised dose build up delay. By using B-10-enriched boric acid with a boron-10 abundance of 30 at-% (compared to ca. 19.9 at-% in natural boron) the pH 300 target value can be reached earlier in the cycle due to the lower concentration of boric acid required for neutron balancing. In GKNI Zn-injection was started 2005 as a mean of dose reduction. Since 2007 GKNI was operated with load follow operation. In KKP2 load reductions due to wind energy excess are more and more common since 2008. The results of dose rate measurements on the primary side are correlated to primary coolant chemistry and load follow operation. The use of enriched boric acid had a positive (i.e. reducing dose rate) impact on the activity build-up of Co-60 on the loop lines, thus proving the effectiveness of the VGB specifications. After 5 years (one half life time of Co-60) of Zn-injection a positive effect on surface occupancy with nuclides can be determined. The impact of short term deviations from optimal chemical conditions during load follow operation on the activity build up is assessed on the basis of the corrosion

  14. Impact of thermostatically controlled loads' demand response activation on aggregated power: A field experiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lakshmanan, Venkatachalam; Marinelli, Mattia; Kosek, Anna Magdalena

    2015-01-01

    activation. The outcome of this experimental study quantifies the actual flexibility of household TCLs and the consequence for the different parties with respect to power behaviour. Each DR activation method adopts different scenarios to meet the power reduction, and has different impacts on the parameters......This paper describes the impacts of different types of DR (demand response) activation on TCLs' (thermostatically controlled loads) aggregated power. The different parties: power system operators, DR service providers (or aggregators) and consumers, have different objectives in relation to DR....... The experiments are conducted with real domestic refrigerators representing TCL. Activating refrigerators for DR with a delay reduces the ISE (integral square error) in power limitation by 28.46%, overshoot by 7.69%. The delay in refrigerator activation causes reduction in power ramp down rate by 39.90%, ramp up...

  15. Nonlinear dynamic response of a 'flexible-and-heavy' printed circuit board (PCB) to an impact load applied to its support contour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suhir, E; Vujosevic, M; Reinikainen, T

    2009-01-01

    Based on the developed simple and physically meaningful analytical ('mathematical') stress model, we evaluate some major parameters (amplitude, frequency, maximum acceleration, stresses and strains) of the response of a 'flexible-and-heavy' square simply supported printed circuit board (PCB) to an impact drop load applied to its support contour. The analysis is restricted to the first mode of vibrations and is carried out in application to the PCB design employed in an advanced accelerated test setup (test vehicle). This setup is aimed at the assessment of the performance, in accelerated test conditions on the board level, of packaging materials (and, first of all, BGA solder joint interconnections) subjected to dynamic (drop or shock) loading. It is anticipated that heavy masses could be mounted on the PCB to accelerate its dynamic response to an impact load. These masses are expected to be small in size, so that while changing the total mass of the board and generating significant inertia forces, they do not affect the board's flexural rigidity or its stiffness with respect to the in-plane loading. The PCB's contour is considered non-deformable, which is indeed the case in many practical situations. This circumstance, if the drop height and/or the induced inertia forces are significant, leads to elevated in-plane ('membrane') stresses in the PCB and, as a result of that, to the nonlinear response of the board to the impact load: the relationship between the magnitude of the load (determined by the initial impact velocity) and the induced PCB deflections becomes geometrically nonlinear, with a rigid cubic characteristic of the restoring force. The carried out numerical example, although reflects the characteristics of the PCB and loading conditions in an actual experimental setup, is merely an illustration of the general concept and is intended to demonstrate the abilities of the suggested method. Predictions based on this method agree well with the finite element

  16. ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON THE REQUIRED COOLING LOAD OF THE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. AHMADZADEHTALATAPEH

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The impact of climate change on the energy performance of the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC systems was studied in this research. The present research employs the Transient System Simulation Software (TRNSYS to study the hour-by-hour influence of the climate change scenario on a HVAC system performance by modeling the system in the TRNSYS software as the base line model. To this end, a HVAC system operating in a hospital as a high energy demanding building was selected for data collection, analysis and simulation. Three sets of predicted Typical Meteorological Year (TMY data for the region are used for simulation in the TRNSYS to analyze the established indoor air conditions and yearly required cooling loads by the building. Based on the predictions and comparison of the findings with the year 2000, it can be estimated that the yearly required cooling load for 2020 and 2050 would be increased by 4.66% and 7.3%, respectively.

  17. Analysis of critical operating conditions for LV distribution networks with microgrids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zehir, M. A.; Batman, A.; Sonmez, M. A.; Font, A.; Tsiamitros, D.; Stimoniaris, D.; Kollatou, T.; Bagriyanik, M.; Ozdemir, A.; Dialynas, E.

    2016-11-01

    Increase in the penetration of Distributed Generation (DG) in distribution networks, raises the risk of voltage limit violations while contributing to line losses. Especially in low voltage (LV) distribution networks (secondary distribution networks), impacts of active power flows on the bus voltages and on the network losses are more dominant. As network operators must meet regulatory limitations, they have to take into account the most critical operating conditions in their systems. In this study, it is aimed to present the impact of the worst operation cases of LV distribution networks comprising microgrids. Simulation studies are performed on a field data-based virtual test-bed. The simulations are repeated for several cases consisting different microgrid points of connection with different network loading and microgrid supply/demand conditions.

  18. Asymmetric Spatial Processing Under Cognitive Load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naert, Lien; Bonato, Mario; Fias, Wim

    2018-01-01

    Spatial attention allows us to selectively process information within a certain location in space. Despite the vast literature on spatial attention, the effect of cognitive load on spatial processing is still not fully understood. In this study we added cognitive load to a spatial processing task, so as to see whether it would differentially impact upon the processing of visual information in the left versus the right hemispace. The main paradigm consisted of a detection task that was performed during the maintenance interval of a verbal working memory task. We found that increasing cognitive working memory load had a more negative impact on detecting targets presented on the left side compared to those on the right side. The strength of the load effect correlated with the strength of the interaction on an individual level. The implications of an asymmetric attentional bias with a relative disadvantage for the left (vs the right) hemispace under high verbal working memory (WM) load are discussed.

  19. Asymmetric Spatial Processing Under Cognitive Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lien Naert

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Spatial attention allows us to selectively process information within a certain location in space. Despite the vast literature on spatial attention, the effect of cognitive load on spatial processing is still not fully understood. In this study we added cognitive load to a spatial processing task, so as to see whether it would differentially impact upon the processing of visual information in the left versus the right hemispace. The main paradigm consisted of a detection task that was performed during the maintenance interval of a verbal working memory task. We found that increasing cognitive working memory load had a more negative impact on detecting targets presented on the left side compared to those on the right side. The strength of the load effect correlated with the strength of the interaction on an individual level. The implications of an asymmetric attentional bias with a relative disadvantage for the left (vs the right hemispace under high verbal working memory (WM load are discussed.

  20. A study of the importance of occupancy to building cooling load in prediction by intelligent approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwok, Simon S.K. [Department of Building and Construction, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong (Hong Kong); Lee, Eric W.M., E-mail: ericlee@cityu.edu.h [Department of Building and Construction, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong (Hong Kong)

    2011-07-15

    Research highlights: {yields} The building occupancy affecting the cooling load prediction is studied. {yields} PENN model is adopted in this study for predicting the building cooling load. {yields} Statistical approach is adopted to result a less prejudice prediction performance. {yields} Results show that occupancy data can significantly improve the prediction. -- Abstract: Building cooling load prediction is one of the key factors in the success of energy-saving measures. Many computational models available in the industry today have been developed from either forward or inverse modeling approaches. However, most of these models require extensive computer resources and involve lengthy computation. This paper discusses the use of data-driven intelligent approaches, a probabilistic entropy-based neural (PENN) model to predict the cooling load of a building. Although it is common knowledge that the presence and activity of building occupants have a significant impact on the required cooling load of buildings, practices currently adopted in modeling the presence and activity of people in buildings do not reflect the complexity of the impact occupants have on building cooling load. In contrast to previous artificial neural network (ANN) models, most of which employ a fixed schedule or historic load data to represent building occupancy in simulating building cooling load, this paper introduces two input parameters, dynamic occupancy area and rate and uses it to mimic building cooling load. The training samples used include weather data obtained from the Hong Kong Observatory and building-related data acquired from an existing grade A mega office buildings in Hong Kong with tenants including many multi-national financial companies that require 24-h air conditioning seven days a week. The dynamic changes that occur in the occupancy of these buildings therefore make it very difficult to forecast building cooling load by means of a fixed time schedule. The performance of

  1. A study of the importance of occupancy to building cooling load in prediction by intelligent approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwok, Simon S.K.; Lee, Eric W.M.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → The building occupancy affecting the cooling load prediction is studied. → PENN model is adopted in this study for predicting the building cooling load. → Statistical approach is adopted to result a less prejudice prediction performance. → Results show that occupancy data can significantly improve the prediction. -- Abstract: Building cooling load prediction is one of the key factors in the success of energy-saving measures. Many computational models available in the industry today have been developed from either forward or inverse modeling approaches. However, most of these models require extensive computer resources and involve lengthy computation. This paper discusses the use of data-driven intelligent approaches, a probabilistic entropy-based neural (PENN) model to predict the cooling load of a building. Although it is common knowledge that the presence and activity of building occupants have a significant impact on the required cooling load of buildings, practices currently adopted in modeling the presence and activity of people in buildings do not reflect the complexity of the impact occupants have on building cooling load. In contrast to previous artificial neural network (ANN) models, most of which employ a fixed schedule or historic load data to represent building occupancy in simulating building cooling load, this paper introduces two input parameters, dynamic occupancy area and rate and uses it to mimic building cooling load. The training samples used include weather data obtained from the Hong Kong Observatory and building-related data acquired from an existing grade A mega office buildings in Hong Kong with tenants including many multi-national financial companies that require 24-h air conditioning seven days a week. The dynamic changes that occur in the occupancy of these buildings therefore make it very difficult to forecast building cooling load by means of a fixed time schedule. The performance of simulation results

  2. Impact of Battery Energy Storage System Operation Strategy on Power System: An Urban Railway Load Case under a Time-of-Use Tariff

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyeongig Kim

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Customer-owned battery energy storage systems (BESS have been used to reduce electricity costs of energy storage owners (ESOs under a time-of-use (TOU tariff in Korea. However, the current TOU tariff can unintentionally induce customer’s electricity usage to have a negative impact on power systems. This paper verifies the impact of different BESS operation strategies on power systems under a TOU tariff by analyzing the TOU tariff structure and the customer’s load pattern. First, several BESS operation strategies of ESO are proposed to reduce the electricity cost. In addition, a degradation cost calculation method for lithium ion batteries is considered for the ESO to determine the optimal BESS operation strategy that maximizes both electricity cost and annual investment cost. The optimal BESS operation strategy that maximizes ESO’s net benefit is illustrated by simulation using an urban railway load data from Namgwangju Station, Korea. The results show that BESS connected to urban railway loads can negative impact power system operation. This is due to the high BESS degradation costs and lack of incentive of differential rates in TOU tariff that can effectively induce proper demand response.

  3. Impact analysis of the spacer grid assembly and shape optimization of the attached spring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, K. J.; Lee, Z. N. [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea)

    2002-04-01

    Spacer grids support fuel rods and maintain geometry from external impact loads. A simulation is performed for the strength of a spacer grid under the impact load. The critical impact load that leads to plastic deformation is identified by a free-fall test. A finite element model is established for the nonlinear simulation of the impact process. The simulation model is tuned based on the free-fall test. The model considers the aspects of welding and the contacts between components. Nonlinear finite element analysis is carried out using a software system called ABAQUS/EXPLICIT. The results are discussed from a design viewpoint. Design requirements are defined and a design process is established. The design process includes mathematical optimization as well as practical design method. The shape of the grid spring is designed to maintain its function during the lifetime of the fuel assembly. A structural optimization method is employed for the shape design. A good design is found. Commercial codes are utilized for structural analysis and optimization. 18 refs., 61 figs., 3 tabs. (Author)

  4. Failure in lithium-ion batteries under transverse indentation loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Seung Hyun; Tancogne-Dejean, Thomas; Zhu, Juner; Luo, Hailing; Wierzbicki, Tomasz

    2018-06-01

    Deformation and failure of constrained cells and modules in the battery pack under transverse loading is one of the most common conditions in batteries subjected to mechanical impacts. A combined experimental, numerical and analytical approach was undertaken to reveal the underlying mechanism and develop a new cell failure model. When large format pouch cells were subjected to local indentation all the way to failure, the post-mortem examination of the failure zones beneath the punches indicates a consistent slant fracture surface angle to the battery plane. This type of behavior can be described by the critical fracture plane theory in which fracture is caused by the shear stress modified by the normal stress. The Mohr-Coulomb fracture criterion is then postulated and it is shown how the two material constants can be determined from just one indentation test. The orientation of the fracture plane is invariant with respect to the type of loading and can be considered as a property of the cell stack. In addition, closed-form solutions are derived for the load-displacement relation for both plane-strain and axisymmetric cases. The results are in good agreement with the numerical simulation of the homogenized model and experimentally measured responses.

  5. Visual perceptual load induces inattentional deafness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, James S P; Lavie, Nilli

    2011-08-01

    In this article, we establish a new phenomenon of "inattentional deafness" and highlight the level of load on visual attention as a critical determinant of this phenomenon. In three experiments, we modified an inattentional blindness paradigm to assess inattentional deafness. Participants made either a low- or high-load visual discrimination concerning a cross shape (respectively, a discrimination of line color or of line length with a subtle length difference). A brief pure tone was presented simultaneously with the visual task display on a final trial. Failures to notice the presence of this tone (i.e., inattentional deafness) reached a rate of 79% in the high-visual-load condition, significantly more than in the low-load condition. These findings establish the phenomenon of inattentional deafness under visual load, thereby extending the load theory of attention (e.g., Lavie, Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance, 25, 596-616, 1995) to address the cross-modal effects of visual perceptual load.

  6. Impact of organic nutrient load on biomass accumulation, feed channel pressure drop increase and permeate flux decline in membrane systems

    KAUST Repository

    Bucs, Szilard

    2014-12-01

    The influence of organic nutrient load on biomass accumulation (biofouling) and pressure drop development in membrane filtration systems was investigated. Nutrient load is the product of nutrient concentration and linear flow velocity. Biofouling - excessive growth of microbial biomass in membrane systems - hampers membrane performance. The influence of biodegradable organic nutrient load on biofouling was investigated at varying (i) crossflow velocity, (ii) nutrient concentration, (iii) shear, and (iv) feed spacer thickness. Experimental studies were performed with membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) containing a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane and a 31 mil thick feed spacer, commonly applied in practice in RO and nanofiltration (NF) spiral-wound membrane modules. Numerical modeling studies were done with identical feed spacer geometry differing in thickness (28, 31 and 34 mil). Additionally, experiments were done applying a forward osmosis (FO) membrane with varying spacer thickness (28, 31 and 34 mil), addressing the permeate flux decline and biofilm development. Assessed were the development of feed channel pressure drop (MFS studies), permeate flux (FO studies) and accumulated biomass amount measured by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total organic carbon (TOC).Our studies showed that the organic nutrient load determined the accumulated amount of biomass. The same amount of accumulated biomass was found at constant nutrient load irrespective of linear flow velocity, shear, and/or feed spacer thickness. The impact of the same amount of accumulated biomass on feed channel pressure drop and permeate flux was influenced by membrane process design and operational conditions. Reducing the nutrient load by pretreatment slowed-down the biofilm formation. The impact of accumulated biomass on membrane performance was reduced by applying a lower crossflow velocity and/or a thicker and/or a modified geometry feed spacer. The results indicate that cleanings can be delayed

  7. A point-wise fiber Bragg grating displacement sensing system and its application for active vibration suppression of a smart cantilever beam subjected to multiple impact loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chuang, Kuo-Chih; Ma, Chien-Ching; Liao, Heng-Tseng

    2012-01-01

    In this work, active vibration suppression of a smart cantilever beam subjected to disturbances from multiple impact loadings is investigated with a point-wise fiber Bragg grating (FBG) displacement sensing system. An FBG demodulator is employed in the proposed fiber sensing system to dynamically demodulate the responses obtained by the FBG displacement sensor with high sensitivity. To investigate the ability of the proposed FBG displacement sensor as a feedback sensor, velocity feedback control and delay control are employed to suppress the vibrations of the first three bending modes of the smart cantilever beam. To improve the control performance for the first bending mode when the cantilever beam is subjected to an impact loading, we improve the conventional velocity feedback controller by tuning the control gain online with the aid of information from a higher vibration mode. Finally, active control of vibrations induced by multiple impact loadings due to a plastic ball is performed with the improved velocity feedback control. The experimental results show that active vibration control of smart structures subjected to disturbances such as impact loadings can be achieved by employing the proposed FBG sensing system to feed back out-of-plane point-wise displacement responses with high sensitivity. (paper)

  8. Short term load forecasting of anomalous load using hybrid soft computing methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasyid, S. A.; Abdullah, A. G.; Mulyadi, Y.

    2016-04-01

    Load forecast accuracy will have an impact on the generation cost is more economical. The use of electrical energy by consumers on holiday, show the tendency of the load patterns are not identical, it is different from the pattern of the load on a normal day. It is then defined as a anomalous load. In this paper, the method of hybrid ANN-Particle Swarm proposed to improve the accuracy of anomalous load forecasting that often occur on holidays. The proposed methodology has been used to forecast the half-hourly electricity demand for power systems in the Indonesia National Electricity Market in West Java region. Experiments were conducted by testing various of learning rate and learning data input. Performance of this methodology will be validated with real data from the national of electricity company. The result of observations show that the proposed formula is very effective to short-term load forecasting in the case of anomalous load. Hybrid ANN-Swarm Particle relatively simple and easy as a analysis tool by engineers.

  9. Safety impacts of bicycle infrastructure: A critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiGioia, Jonathan; Watkins, Kari Edison; Xu, Yanzhi; Rodgers, Michael; Guensler, Randall

    2017-06-01

    This paper takes a critical look at the present state of bicycle infrastructure treatment safety research, highlighting data needs. Safety literature relating to 22 bicycle treatments is examined, including findings, study methodologies, and data sources used in the studies. Some preliminary conclusions related to research efficacy are drawn from the available data and findings in the research. While the current body of bicycle safety literature points toward some defensible conclusions regarding the safety and effectiveness of certain bicycle treatments, such as bike lanes and removal of on-street parking, the vast majority treatments are still in need of rigorous research. Fundamental questions arise regarding appropriate exposure measures, crash measures, and crash data sources. This research will aid transportation departments with regard to decisions about bicycle infrastructure and guide future research efforts toward understanding safety impacts of bicycle infrastructure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  10. Testing of LWR fuel rods to support criticality safety analysis of transport accident conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Purcell, P.C. [BNFL International Transport, Spent Fuel Services (United Kingdom); Dallongeville, M. [COGEMA Logistics (AREVA Group) (France)

    2004-07-01

    For the transport of low enriched materials, criticality safety may be demonstrated by applying pessimistic modelling assumptions that bound any realistic case. Where Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel is being transported, enrichment levels are usually too high to permit this approach and more realistic data is needed. This requires a method by which the response of LWR fuel under impact accident conditions can be approximated or bounded. In 2000, BNFL and COGEMA LOGISTICS jointly commenced the Fuel Integrity Project (FIP) whose objective was to develop such methods. COGEMA LOGISTICS were well advanced with a method for determining the impact response of unirradiated fuel, but required further test data before acceptance by the Transport Regulators. The joint project team extensively discussed the required inputs to the FIP, from which it was agreed that BNFL would organise new tests on both unirradiated and irradiated fuel samples and COGEMA LOGISTICS would take major responsibility for evaluating the test results. Tests on unirradiated fuel rod samples involved both dynamic and quasi-static loading on fuel samples. PWR fuel rods loaded with uranium pellets were dropped vertically from 9m onto a rigid target and this was repeated on BWR fuel rods, similar tests on empty fuel rods were also conducted. Quasi-static tests were conducted on 530 mm long PWR and BWR fuel specimens under axial loading. Tests on irradiated fuel samples were conducted on high burn-up fuel rods of both PWR and BWR types. These were believed original to the FIP project and involved applying bending loads to simply supported pressurised rod specimens. In one test the fuel rod was heated to nearly 500oC during loading, all specimens were subject to axial impact before testing. Considerable experience of fuel rod testing and new data was gained from this test programme.

  11. Testing of LWR fuel rods to support criticality safety analysis of transport accident conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purcell, P.C.; Dallongeville, M.

    2004-01-01

    For the transport of low enriched materials, criticality safety may be demonstrated by applying pessimistic modelling assumptions that bound any realistic case. Where Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel is being transported, enrichment levels are usually too high to permit this approach and more realistic data is needed. This requires a method by which the response of LWR fuel under impact accident conditions can be approximated or bounded. In 2000, BNFL and COGEMA LOGISTICS jointly commenced the Fuel Integrity Project (FIP) whose objective was to develop such methods. COGEMA LOGISTICS were well advanced with a method for determining the impact response of unirradiated fuel, but required further test data before acceptance by the Transport Regulators. The joint project team extensively discussed the required inputs to the FIP, from which it was agreed that BNFL would organise new tests on both unirradiated and irradiated fuel samples and COGEMA LOGISTICS would take major responsibility for evaluating the test results. Tests on unirradiated fuel rod samples involved both dynamic and quasi-static loading on fuel samples. PWR fuel rods loaded with uranium pellets were dropped vertically from 9m onto a rigid target and this was repeated on BWR fuel rods, similar tests on empty fuel rods were also conducted. Quasi-static tests were conducted on 530 mm long PWR and BWR fuel specimens under axial loading. Tests on irradiated fuel samples were conducted on high burn-up fuel rods of both PWR and BWR types. These were believed original to the FIP project and involved applying bending loads to simply supported pressurised rod specimens. In one test the fuel rod was heated to nearly 500oC during loading, all specimens were subject to axial impact before testing. Considerable experience of fuel rod testing and new data was gained from this test programme

  12. Flexible pressure sensors for smart protective clothing against impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Fei; Zhu, Bo; Shu, Lin; Tao, Xiaoming

    2014-01-01

    The development of smart protective clothing will facilitate the quick detection of injuries from contact sports, traffic collisions and other accidents. To obtain real-time information like spatial and temporal pressure distributions on the clothing, flexible pressure sensor arrays are required. Based on a resistive fabric strain sensor we demonstrate all flexible, resistive pressure sensors with a large workable pressure range (0–8 MPa), a high sensitivity (1 MPa −1 ) and an excellent repeatability (lowest non-repeatability ±2.4% from 0.8 to 8 MPa) that can be inexpensively fabricated using fabric strain sensors and biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The pressure sensitivity is tunable by using elastomers with different elasticities or by the pre-strain control of fabric strain sensors. Finite element simulation further confirms the sensor design. The simple structure, large workable pressure range, high sensitivity, high flexibility, facile fabrication and low cost of these pressure sensors make them promising candidates for smart protective clothing against impact loading. (paper)

  13. Wrist loading patterns during pommel horse exercises.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markolf, K L; Shapiro, M S; Mandelbaum, B R; Teurlings, L

    1990-01-01

    Gymnastics is a sport which involves substantial periods of upper extremity support as well as frequent impacts to the wrist. Not surprisingly, wrist pain is a common finding in gymnasts. Of all events, the pommel horse is the most painful. In order to study the forces of wrist impact, a standard pommel horse was instrumented with a specially designed load cell to record the resultant force of the hand on the pommel during a series of basic skills performed by a group of seventeen elite male gymnasts. The highest mean peak forces were recorded during the front scissors and flair exercises (1.5 BW) with peaks of up to 2.0 BW for some gymnasts. The mean peak force for hip circles at the center or end of the horse was 1.1 BW. The mean overall loading rate (initial contact to first loading peak) ranged from 5.2 BWs-1 (hip circles) to 10.6 BW s-1 (flairs). However, many recordings displayed localized initial loading spikes which occurred during 'hard' landings on the pommel. When front scissors were performed in an aggressive manner, the initial loading spikes averaged 1.0 BW in magnitude (maximum 1.8 BW) with an average rise time of 8.2 ms; calculated localized loading rates averaged 129 BW s-1 (maximum 219 BW s-1). These loading parameters are comparable to those encountered at heel strike during running. These impact forces and loading rates are remarkably high for an upper extremity joint not normally exposed to weight-bearing loads, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of wrist injuries in gymnastics.

  14. Load Balancing of Parallel Monte Carlo Transport Calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Procassini, R J; O'Brien, M J; Taylor, J M

    2005-01-01

    The performance of parallel Monte Carlo transport calculations which use both spatial and particle parallelism is increased by dynamically assigning processors to the most worked domains. Since he particle work load varies over the course of the simulation, this algorithm determines each cycle if dynamic load balancing would speed up the calculation. If load balancing is required, a small number of particle communications are initiated in order to achieve load balance. This method has decreased the parallel run time by more than a factor of three for certain criticality calculations

  15. The Impact of Distributed Generation Systems in the Load Forecasting

    OpenAIRE

    Benedicto Llorens, Juan Manuel

    2009-01-01

    Projecte fet en col.laboració amb l'Instituto Superior Tecnico. Universidade Técnica de Lisboa Load forecasting is vitally important for the electric industry in the deregulated economy. It has many applications including energy purchasing and generation, load switching, contract evaluation and infrastructure development. Because of this, a large variety of mathematical methods have been developed for load forecasting. In addition, the large-scale integration of wind power, now...

  16. Perceptual load in different regions of the visual scene and its relevance for driving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marciano, Hadas; Yeshurun, Yaffa

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to better understand the role played by perceptual load, at both central and peripheral regions of the visual scene, in driving safety. Attention is a crucial factor in driving safety, and previous laboratory studies suggest that perceptual load is an important factor determining the efficiency of attentional selectivity. Yet, the effects of perceptual load on driving were never studied systematically. Using a driving simulator, we orthogonally manipulated the load levels at the road (central load) and its sides (peripheral load), while occasionally introducing critical events at one of these regions. Perceptual load affected driving performance at both regions of the visual scene. Critically, the effect was different for central versus peripheral load: Whereas load levels on the road mainly affected driving speed, load levels on its sides mainly affected the ability to detect critical events initiating from the roadsides. Moreover, higher levels of peripheral load impaired performance but mainly with low levels of central load, replicating findings with simple letter stimuli. Perceptual load has a considerable effect on driving, but the nature of this effect depends on the region of the visual scene at which the load is introduced. Given the observed importance of perceptual load, authors of future studies of driving safety should take it into account. Specifically, these findings suggest that our understanding of factors that may be relevant for driving safety would benefit from studying these factors under different levels of load at different regions of the visual scene. © 2014, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  17. The Impact of Cognitive Load Theory on Learning Astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Thomas M.

    2010-01-01

    Every student is different, which is the challenge of astronomy education research (AER) and teaching astronomy. This difference also provides the greatest goal for education researchers - our GUT - we need to be able to quantify these differences and provide explanatory and predictive theories to curriculum developers and teachers. One educational theory that holds promise is Cognitive Load Theory. Cognitive Load Theory begins with the well-established fact that everyone's working memory can hold 7 ± 2 unique items. This quirk of the human brain is why phone numbers are 7 digits long. This quirk is also why we forget peoples’ names after just meeting them, leave the iron on when we leave the house, and become overwhelmed as students of new material. Once the intricacies of Cognitive Load are understood, it becomes possible to design learning environments to marshal the resources students have and guide them to success. Lessons learned from Cognitive Load Theory can and should be applied to learning astronomy. Classroom-ready ideas will be presented.

  18. Low-glycemic-load diets: impact on obesity and chronic diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Stacey J; Sears, Barry

    2003-01-01

    Historically, carbohydrates have been thought to play only a minor role in promoting weight gain and in predicting the risk of development of chronic disease. Most of the focus had been on reducing total dietary fat. During the last 20 years, fat intake decreased, while the number of individuals who were overweight or developed a chronic conditions have dramatically increased. Simultaneously, the calories coming from carbohydrate have also increased. Carbohydrates can be classified by their post-prandial glycemic effect, called the glycemic index or glycemic load. Carbohydrates with high glycemic indexes and high glycemic loads produce substantial increases in blood glucose and insulin levels after ingestion. Within a few hours after their consumption, blood sugar levels begin to decline rapidly due to an exaggerated increase in insulin secretion. A profound state of hunger is created. The continued intake of high-glycemic load meals is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. In this review, the terms glycemic index and glycemic load are defined, coupled with an overview of short- and long-term changes that occur from eating diets of different glycemic indexes and glycemic loads. Finally, practical strategies for how to design low-glycemic-load diets consisting primarily of low-glycemic carbohydrates are provided.

  19. Relevance of aerodynamic modelling for load reduction control strategies of two-bladed wind turbines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luhmann, B.; Cheng, P. W.

    2014-06-01

    A new load reduction concept is being developed for the two-bladed prototype of the Skywind 3.5MW wind turbine. Due to transport and installation advantages both offshore and in complex terrain two-bladed turbine designs are potentially more cost-effective than comparable three-bladed configurations. A disadvantage of two-bladed wind turbines is the increased fatigue loading, which is a result of asymmetrically distributed rotor forces. The innovative load reduction concept of the Skywind prototype consists of a combination of cyclic pitch control and tumbling rotor kinematics to mitigate periodic structural loading. Aerodynamic design tools must be able to model correctly the advanced dynamics of the rotor. In this paper the impact of the aerodynamic modelling approach is investigated for critical operational modes of a two-bladed wind turbine. Using a lifting line free wake vortex code (FVM) the physical limitations of the classical blade element momentum theory (BEM) can be evaluated. During regular operation vertical shear and yawed inflow are the main contributors to periodic blade load asymmetry. It is shown that the near wake interaction of the blades under such conditions is not fully captured by the correction models of BEM approach. The differing prediction of local induction causes a high fatigue load uncertainty especially for two-bladed turbines. The implementation of both cyclic pitch control and a tumbling rotor can mitigate the fatigue loading by increasing the aerodynamic and structural damping. The influence of the time and space variant vorticity distribution in the near wake is evaluated in detail for different cyclic pitch control functions and tumble dynamics respectively. It is demonstrated that dynamic inflow as well as wake blade interaction have a significant impact on the calculated blade forces and need to be accounted for by the aerodynamic modelling approach. Aeroelastic simulations are carried out using the high fidelity multi body

  20. The effects of pressure dependent constitutive model to simulate concrete structures failure under impact loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokhatar, S. N.; Sonoda, Y.; Kamarudin, A. F.; Noh, M. S. Md; Tokumaru, S.

    2018-04-01

    The main objective of this paper is to explore the effect of confining pressure in the compression and tension zone by simulating the behaviour of reinforced concrete/mortar structures subjected to the impact load. The analysis comprises the numerical simulation of the influences of high mass low speed impact weight dropping on concrete structures, where the analyses are incorporated with meshless method namely as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The derivation of the plastic stiffness matrix of Drucker-Prager (DP) that extended from Von-Mises (VM) yield criteria to simulate the concrete behaviour were presented in this paper. In which, the displacements for concrete/mortar structures are assumed to be infinitesimal. Furthermore, the influence of the different material model of DP and VM that used numerically for concrete and mortar structures are also discussed. Validation upon existing experimental test results is carried out to investigate the effect of confining pressure, it is found that VM criterion causes unreal impact failure (flexural cracking) of concrete structures.

  1. The Impact of Instructional Design on College Students' Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in a Large Food Science and Human Nutrition Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade, Jeanette; Huang, Wen-Hao David; Bohn, Dawn M.

    2015-01-01

    The effective design of course materials is critical for student learning, especially for large lecture introductory courses. This quantitative study was designed to explore the effect multimedia and content difficulty has on students' cognitive load and learning outcomes. College students (n = 268) were randomized into 1 of 3 multimedia groups:…

  2. Impact of Paint Color on Rest Period Climate Control Loads in Long-Haul Trucks: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lustbader, J.; Kreutzer, C.; Jeffers, M.; Adelman, S.; Yeakel, S.; Brontz, P.; Olson, K.; Ohlinger, J.

    2014-02-01

    Cab climate conditioning is one of the primary reasons for operating the main engine in a long-haul truck during driver rest periods. In the United States, sleeper cab trucks use approximately 667 million gallons of fuel annually for rest period idling. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) CoolCab Project works closely with industry to design efficient thermal management systems for long-haul trucks that minimize engine idling and fuel use while maintaining occupant comfort. Heat transfer to the vehicle interior from opaque exterior surfaces is one of the major heat pathways that contribute to air conditioning loads during long-haul truck daytime rest period idling. To quantify the impact of paint color and the opportunity for advanced paints, NREL collaborated with Volvo Group North America, PPG Industries, and Dometic Environmental Corporation. Initial screening simulations using CoolCalc, NREL's rapid HVAC load estimation tool, showed promising air-conditioning load reductions due to paint color selection. Tests conducted at NREL's Vehicle Testing and Integration Facility using long-haul truck cab sections, 'test bucks,' showed a 31.1% of maximum possible reduction in rise over ambient temperature and a 20.8% reduction in daily electric air conditioning energy use by switching from black to white paint. Additionally, changing from blue to an advanced color-matched solar reflective blue paint resulted in a 7.3% reduction in daily electric air conditioning energy use for weather conditions tested in Colorado. National-level modeling results using weather data from major U.S. cities indicated that the increase in heating loads due to lighter paint colors is much smaller than the reduction in cooling loads.

  3. The Practices of Critical Thinking Component and Its Impact in Malaysian Nurses Health Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Abdul Ghani Kanesan; Alzaidiyeen, Naser Jamil; Yee, Ng Mooi

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to study the impact of the critical thinking component in the health education curriculum of nurses for patients with different health needs. Data for this research was gathered from mixed approaches, quantitative and qualitative approaches. For the quantitative approach 84 student nurses were selected randomly to…

  4. Critical stresses in pintle, weldment and top head of nuclear waste container

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ladkany, S.G.; Kniss, B.R.

    1992-01-01

    Critical stresses in the pintle, the weldment, and the top heads (flat and curved), of a high level nuclear waste container are evaluated under an annular loading. This loading is three times larger than the expected normal operating load. Results show that the shape and the thickness of the pintle and the top head, along with the thickness of the weldment, substantially affect the magnitude of the critical stresses and distortions in the various components (i.e. pintle, shell, and heads) when they are supporting a load. Stiffer top heads and pintles and larger weldment sizes reduce the critical stresses in all welded joints. Various shapes of curved top heads were investigated. In this paper an ASME flanged and dished top head, which has the same thickness as the canister, is analyzed

  5. Influence of the constant load sintering on the improvement of the transport critical current in Ag-(Bi,Pb)[sub 2]Sr[sub 2]Ca[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub x] tape form conductor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jackiewicz, J [IRC in Superconductivity, Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom); Glowacki, B A [IRC in Superconductivity, Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom) Dept. of Materials Science and Metallurgy, Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom)

    1993-05-10

    The effects of the short time, low value constant load pressing process of cold rolled silver clad wires conducted at temperatures close to the partial melting point of the ceramic core, from 800 C to 866 C on the microstructure and critical current anisotropy have been studied in detail. The strong influence of the constant load sintering at up to 2 MPa for 1 hour on the improvement of the alignment of the ceramic core in the tape form conductors was confirmred by microstructure investigations and also by the I[sub c] versus [mu][sub 0]H measurements. The magnetic field dependence of the transport critical current, for [mu][sub 0]H parallel to the surface of the tape and also for [mu][sub 0]H perpendicular to the surface of the tape, is very significantly reduced in the tapes sintered under constant load. The analysis of the mechanical creep of silver and ceramic core versus temperature allowed us to optimise the densification conditions of the investigated single core Ag-''2223'' tape form conductor for the load used. (orig.)

  6. Evaluation and management of the impact of land use change on the nitrogen and phosphorus load delivered to surface waters: the export coefficient modelling approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnes, P. J.

    1996-09-01

    A manageable, relatively inexpensive model was constructed to predict the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus from a complex catchment to its drainage system. The model used an export coefficient approach, calculating the total nitrogen (N) and total phosphorus (P) load delivered annually to a water body as the sum of the individual loads exported from each nutrient source in its catchment. The export coefficient modelling approach permits scaling up from plot-scale experiments to the catchment scale, allowing application of findings from field experimental studies at a suitable scale for catchment management. The catchment of the River Windrush, a tributary of the River Thames, UK, was selected as the initial study site. The Windrush model predicted nitrogen and phosphorus loading within 2% of observed total nitrogen load and 0.5% of observed total phosphorus load in 1989. The export coefficient modelling approach was then validated by application in a second research basin, the catchment of Slapton Ley, south Devon, which has markedly different catchment hydrology and land use. The Slapton model was calibrated within 2% of observed total nitrogen load and 2.5% of observed total phosphorus load in 1986. Both models proved sensitive to the impact of temporal changes in land use and management on water quality in both catchments, and were therefore used to evaluate the potential impact of proposed pollution control strategies on the nutrient loading delivered to the River Windrush and Slapton Ley.

  7. Recent developments on SMA actuators: predicting the actuation fatigue life for variable loading schemes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, Robert W.; Lagoudas, Dimitris C.

    2017-04-01

    Shape memory alloys (SMAs), due to their ability to repeatably recover substantial deformations under applied mechanical loading, have the potential to impact the aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and energy industries as weight and volume saving replacements for conventional actuators. While numerous applications of SMA actuators have been flight tested and can be found in industrial applications, these actuators are generally limited to non-critical components, are not widely implemented and frequently one-off designs, and are generally overdesigned due to a lack of understanding of the effect of the loading path on the fatigue life and the lack of an accurate method for predicting actuator lifetimes. In recent years, multiple research efforts have increased our understanding of the actuation fatigue process of SMAs. These advances can be utilized to predict the fatigue lives and failure loads in SMA actuators. Additionally, these prediction methods can be implemented in order to intelligently design actuators in accordance with their fatigue and failure limits. In the following paper, both simple and complex thermomechanical loading paths have been considered. Experimental data was utilized from two material systems: equiatomic Nickel-Titanium and Nickelrich Nickel-Titanium.

  8. Impact of fill-level in twin-screw granulation on critical quality attributes of granules and tablets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Robin; Moll, Klaus-Peter; Krumme, Markus; Kleinebudde, Peter

    2017-06-01

    In a previous study a change of the fill-level in the barrel exerted a huge influence on the twin-screw granulation (TSG) process of a high drug loaded, simplified formulation. The present work investigated this influence systematically. The specific feed load (SFL) indicating the mass per revolution as surrogate parameter for the fill-level was applied and the correlation to the real volumetric fill level of an extruder could be demonstrated by a newly developed method. A design of experiments was conducted to examine the combined influence of SFL and screw speed on the process and on critical quality attributes of granules and tablets. The same formulation was granulated at constant liquid level with the same screw configuration and led to distinctively different results by only changing the fill-level and the screw speed. The power consumption of the extruder increased at higher SFLs with hardly any influence of screw speed. At low SFL the median residence time was mainly fill-level dependent and at higher SFL mainly screw speed dependent. Optimal values for the product characteristics were found at medium values for the SFL. Granule size distributions shifted from mono-modal and narrow shape to broader and even bimodal distributions of larger median granule sizes, when exceeding or falling below a certain fill-level. Deviating from the optimum fill-level, tensile strength of tablets decreased by about 25% and disintegration times of tablets increased for more than one third. At low fill-levels, material accumulation in front of the kneading zone was detected by pressure measurements and was assumed to be responsible for the unfavored product performance. At high fill-levels, granule consolidation due to higher propensity of contact with the result of higher material temperature was accounted for inferior product performance. The fill-level was found to be an important factor in assessment and development of twin-screw granulation processes as it impacted

  9. Buckling of Flat Thin Plates under Combined Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ion DIMA

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to provide a quick methodology to determine the critical values of the forces applied to the central plane of a flat isotropic plate at which a change to the stable configuration of equilibrium occurs. Considering the variety of shapes, boundary conditions and loading combinations, the article does not intend to make an exhaustive presentation of the plate buckling. As an alternative, there will be presented only the most used configurations such as: rectangular flat thin plates, boundary conditions with simply supported (hinged or clamped (fixed edges, combined loadings with single compression or single shear or combination between them, compression and shear, with or without transverse loading, encountered at wings and control surfaces shell of fin and rudder or stabilizer and elevator. The reserve factor and the critical stresses will be calculated using comparatively two methods, namely the methodology proposed by the present article and ASSIST 6.6.2.0 – AIRBUS France software, a dedicated software to local calculations, for a simply supported plate under combined loading, compression on the both sides and shear.

  10. Disruptions, loads, and dynamic response of ITER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, B.; Riemer, B.; Sayer, R.; Strickler, D.; Barabaschi, P.; Ioki, K.; Johnson, G.; Shimizu, K.; Williamson, D.

    1995-01-01

    Plasma disruptions and the resulting electromagnetic loads are critical to the design of the vacuum vessel and in-vessel components of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). This paper describes the status of plasma disruption simulations and related analysis, including the dynamic response of the vacuum vessel and in-vessel components, stresses and deflections in the vacuum vessel, and reaction loads in the support structures

  11. Behaviour of eggshell membranes at tensile loading

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Strnková, M.J.; Nedomová, Š.; Trnka, Jan; Buchar, J.; Kumbár, V.

    46 B, December (2014), s. 44-48 ISSN 0324-1130 Institutional support: RVO:61388998 Keywords : eggshell membrane * tensile loading * loading rate * stress * strain strength Subject RIV: GM - Food Processing Impact factor: 0.201, year: 2014

  12. Impact of Bulldozer's Engine Load Factor on Fuel Consumption, CO2 Emission and Cost

    OpenAIRE

    V. Kecojevic; D. Komljenovic

    2011-01-01

    Problem statement: Bulldozers consume a large amount of diesel fuel and consequently produce a significant quantity of CO2. Environmental and economic cost issues related to fuel consumption and CO2 emission represent a substantial challenge to the mining industry. Approach: Impact of engine load conditions on fuel consumption and the subsequent CO2 emission and cost was analyzed for Caterpillar bulldozers. Results were compared with the data on bulldozers' fuel consu...

  13. Seasonal player wellness and its longitudinal association with internal training load: study in elite volleyball.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente, Filipe M; Mendes, Bruno; Palao, José M; Silvério, André; Carriço, Sandro; Calvete, Francisco; Nakamura, Fábio Y

    2018-04-04

    Monitoring training load is critical to minimize the risk of overreaching, injury or illness. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships and variance between perceived internal load and wellness status of elite male volleyball. Thirteen elite volleyball players were studied during a full competitive season (nine months, 237 training sessions and 37 official matches). Perceived exertion, muscle soreness, stress, fatigue and sleep quality levels were daily measured using session RPE and the Hopper Questionnaire. Moderate-to-large correlations were found between weekly training load and perceived status of muscle soreness, fatigue and stress. Stronger correlations were found between weekly training loads than daily training load. Significant greater stress levels in match days than in training were found. No correlations between load and wellness were not found in the last month when players perceived higher levels of stress due to the competition. The analysis of the weekly training load had a higher relationship with players' wellness status in pre-season and middle of the season. In the last part of the season (final matches for the title), despite of a decrease in perceived load of last month of the season, there was an increase stress and fatigue levels. These results suggest the importance of including the impact on the competition when elite athletes are monitored. The results show the monitoring tools used may help in to characterize the training process of teams and the player's acute and chronic responses.

  14. Comparison of Deterministic and Probabilistic Radial Distribution Systems Load Flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Atma Ram; Kumar, Ashwani

    2017-12-01

    Distribution system network today is facing the challenge of meeting increased load demands from the industrial, commercial and residential sectors. The pattern of load is highly dependent on consumer behavior and temporal factors such as season of the year, day of the week or time of the day. For deterministic radial distribution load flow studies load is taken as constant. But, load varies continually with a high degree of uncertainty. So, there is a need to model probable realistic load. Monte-Carlo Simulation is used to model the probable realistic load by generating random values of active and reactive power load from the mean and standard deviation of the load and for solving a Deterministic Radial Load Flow with these values. The probabilistic solution is reconstructed from deterministic data obtained for each simulation. The main contribution of the work is: Finding impact of probable realistic ZIP load modeling on balanced radial distribution load flow. Finding impact of probable realistic ZIP load modeling on unbalanced radial distribution load flow. Compare the voltage profile and losses with probable realistic ZIP load modeling for balanced and unbalanced radial distribution load flow.

  15. Effect of hoof angle on joint contact area in the equine metacarpophalangeal joint following simulated impact loading ex vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarty, C A; Thomason, J J; Gordon, K; Hurtig, M; Bignell, W

    2015-11-01

    To add to the existing data on impact loading of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint as a precursor to assessing the potential role of impact in joint disease. To examine the effect of impact loading on contact areas of the first phalanx (P1) and proximal sesamoids (PS) with the third metacarpal (McIII) under 3 hoof-strike conditions (toe-first, flat, heel-first). Randomised, repeated controlled experiment using cadaver material. Eight cadaver limbs were subjected to randomised, repeated controlled trials where the hoof was struck by a pendulum impact machine (impact velocity 3.55 m/s) under 3 strike conditions. Data from pressure sensitive film placed over medial and lateral McIII condyles and lateromedially across the dorsal aspect of McIII were quantified: total areas of P1 and PS contact (cm(2) ) at maximum recorded pressure; centroid locations of contact areas relative to the sagittal ridge (cm) and transverse ridge (cm) and dispersion of pixels (cm(4) ) for each McIII condyle (medial/lateral). The effect of the strike conditions on each variable were statistically tested using repeated-measures ANOVA (α = 0.05). Contact area between P1 and McIII condyles fell in well-defined areas bounded by the sagittal and transverse ridge, contact areas from PS were smaller and widely dispersed across McIII palmar border. Ratio of contact area of P1 to PS was 2.83 (Pcontact area (P>0.54) CONCLUSIONS: Contact at impact (primarily from P1 and distally situated on McIII), contrasts with contact areas at midstance from both P1 and PS, symmetrically placed. Under impact, the greatest contact area was on the dorsal aspect of the medial condyle and coincides with the area subjected to the greatest increase in subchondral bone stiffening in joint disease. © 2014 EVJ Ltd.

  16. THE STRENGTH OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM ELEMENTS UNDER CYCLIC ALTERNATING LOADING AND LOW CYCLE LOAD OF CONSTANT SIGN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Semina Yuliya Anatol'evna

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The behavior of reinforced concrete elements under some types of cyclic loads is described in the paper. The main aim of the investigations is research of the stress-strain state and strength of the inclined sections of reinforced concrete beam elements in conditions of systemic impact of constructive factors and the factor of external influence. To spotlight the problem of cyclic loadings three series of tests were conducted by the author. Firstly, the analysis of the tests showed that especially cyclic alternating loading reduces the bearing capacity of reinforced concrete beams and their crack resistance by 20 % due to the fatigue of concrete and reinforcement. Thus the change of load sign creates serious changes of stress-strain state of reinforced concrete beam elements. Low cycle loads of constant sign effect the behavior of the constructions not so adversely. Secondly, based on the experimental data mathematical models of elements’ strength were obtained. These models allow evaluating the impact of each factor on the output parameter not only separately, but also in interaction with each other. Furthermore, the material spotlighted by the author describes stress-strain state of the investigated elements, cracking mechanism, changes of deflection values, the influence of mode cyclic loading during the tests. Since the data on the subject are useful and important to building practice, the ultimate aim of the tests will be working out for improvement of nonlinear calculation models of span reinforced concrete constructions taking into account the impact of these loads, and also there will be the development of engineering calculation techniques of their strength, crack resistance and deformability.

  17. Distracted and confused?: selective attention under load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavie, Nilli

    2005-02-01

    The ability to remain focused on goal-relevant stimuli in the presence of potentially interfering distractors is crucial for any coherent cognitive function. However, simply instructing people to ignore goal-irrelevant stimuli is not sufficient for preventing their processing. Recent research reveals that distractor processing depends critically on the level and type of load involved in the processing of goal-relevant information. Whereas high perceptual load can eliminate distractor processing, high load on "frontal" cognitive control processes increases distractor processing. These findings provide a resolution to the long-standing early and late selection debate within a load theory of attention that accommodates behavioural and neuroimaging data within a framework that integrates attention research with executive function.

  18. Identification of exponent from load-deformation relation for soft materials from impact tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciornei, F. C.; Alaci, S.; Romanu, I. C.; Ciornei, M. C.; Sopon, G.

    2018-01-01

    When two bodies are brought into contact, the magnitude of occurring reaction forces increase together with the amplitude of deformations. The load-deformation dependency of two contacting bodies is described by a function having the form F = Cxα . An accurate illustration of this relationship assumes finding the precise coefficient C and exponent α. This representation proved to be very useful in hardness tests, in dynamic systems modelling or in considerations upon the elastic-plastic ratio concerning a Hertzian contact. The classical method for identification of the exponent consists in finding it from quasi-static tests. The drawback of the method is the fact that the accurate estimation of the exponent supposes precise identification of the instant of contact initiation. To overcome this aspect, the following observation is exploited: during an impact process, the dissipated energy is converted into heat released by internal friction in the materials and energy for plastic deformations. The paper is based on the remark that for soft materials the hysteresis curves obtained for a static case are similar to the ones obtained for medium velocities. Furthermore, utilizing the fact that for the restitution phase the load-deformation dependency is elastic, a method for finding the α exponent for compression phase is proposed. The maximum depth of the plastic deformations obtained for a series of collisions, by launching, from different heights, a steel ball in free falling on an immobile prism made of soft material, is evaluated by laser profilometry method. The condition that the area of the hysteresis loop equals the variation of kinetical energy of the ball is imposed and two tests are required for finding the exponent. Five collisions from different launching heights of the ball were taken into account. For all the possible impact-pair cases, the values of the exponent were found and close values were obtained.

  19. Resident Load Influence Analysis Method for Price Based on Non-intrusive Load Monitoring and Decomposition Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wenqian; Zeng, Bo; Yang, Zhou; Li, Gang

    2018-01-01

    In the non-invasive load monitoring mode, the load decomposition can reflect the running state of each load, which will help the user reduce unnecessary energy costs. With the demand side management measures of time of using price, a resident load influence analysis method for time of using price (TOU) based on non-intrusive load monitoring data are proposed in the paper. Relying on the current signal of the resident load classification, the user equipment type, and different time series of self-elasticity and cross-elasticity of the situation could be obtained. Through the actual household load data test with the impact of TOU, part of the equipment will be transferred to the working hours, and users in the peak price of electricity has been reduced, and in the electricity at the time of the increase Electrical equipment, with a certain regularity.

  20. Finite element analysis of the dynamic behavior of pear under impact loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Salarikia

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Pear fruit is susceptible to bruising from mechanical impact during field harvesting operations and at all stages of postharvest handling. The postharvest shelf life of bruised fruits were shorter, and they softened rapidly under cold storage compared with non-bruised samples. Developing strategies for reducing bruising during the supply chain requires an understanding of fruit dynamic behavior to different enforced loadings. Finite Element Method (FEM is among the best techniques, in terms of accuracy and cost-efficiency, for studying the factors effective in impact-induced bruising. In this research, the drop test of pear sample was simulated using FEM. The simulation was conducted on a 3D solid model of the pear that was created by using non-contact optical scanning technology. This computer-based study aimed to assess the stress and strain distribution patterns within pear generated by collision of the fruit with a flat surface made of different materials. The contact force between two colliding surfaces is also investigated. The simulations were conducted at two different drop orientations and four different impact surfaces. Results showed that, in both drop orientations, the largest and smallest stresses, strains and contact forces were developed in collision with the steel and rubber surfaces, respectively. In general, these parameters were smaller when fruit collided with the surfaces along its horizontal axis than when collided along its vertical axis. Finally, analyses of stress and strain magnitudes showed that simulation stress and strain values were compatible with experiments data.

  1. Final Project Report Load Modeling Transmission Research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lesieutre, Bernard [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Bravo, Richard [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Yinger, Robert [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Chassin, Dave [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Huang, Henry [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Lu, Ning [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Hiskens, Ian [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Venkataramanan, Giri [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2012-03-31

    The research presented in this report primarily focuses on improving power system load models to better represent their impact on system behavior. The previous standard load model fails to capture the delayed voltage recovery events that are observed in the Southwest and elsewhere. These events are attributed to stalled air conditioner units after a fault. To gain a better understanding of their role in these events and to guide modeling efforts, typical air conditioner units were testing in laboratories. Using data obtained from these extensive tests, new load models were developed to match air conditioner behavior. An air conditioner model is incorporated in the new WECC composite load model. These models are used in dynamic studies of the West and can impact power transfer limits for California. Unit-level and systemlevel solutions are proposed as potential solutions to the delayed voltage recovery problem.

  2. Probabilistic model for multi-axial load combinations for wind turbines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dimitrov, Nikolay Krasimirov

    2016-01-01

    into a periodic part and a perturbation term, where each part has a known probability distribution. The proposed model shows good agreement with simulated data under stationary conditions, and a design load envelope based on this model is comparable to the load envelope estimated using the standard procedure...... for determining contemporaneous loads. Using examples with simulated loads on a 10 MW wind turbine,the behavior of the bending moments acting on a blade section is illustrated under different conditions.The loading direction most critical for material failure is determined using a finite-element model...

  3. Research on Mechanical Behaviors of Micro-crystal Muscovite/UHMWPE Composites to Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hu Huarong

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available UHMWPE composites were prepared by hot pressing process with micro-crystal muscovite as reinforced particulates. The mechanical behaviors of composites to impact loading was evaluated by split Hopkinson bar. The results demonstrated that dynamic yield stress and failure stress of UHMWPE composites were gradually increased when the filling amount was less than 20%; when the filling content of muscovite was around 15%, the energy absorption efficiency of the composite reaches maximum value. It was also found that when strain rate within 3200/s, the dynamic yield stress, failure stress and energy absorption efficiency of UHMWPE composites increased with the increase of strain rate and display strain rate enhancement effect.

  4. Scenario analysis of the impacts of socioeconomic development on phosphorous export and loading from the Dongting Lake watershed, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Ying; Chen, Weiping; Liao, Yuehua; Luo, Yueping

    2017-12-01

    Socioeconomic development in lake watersheds is closely related with lake nutrient pollution. As the second largest freshwater lake in China, the Dongting Lake has been experiencing an increase in nutrient loading and a growing risk of eutrophication. This study aimed to reveal the likely impacts of the socioeconomic development of the Dongting Lake watershed on the phosphorous pollution in the lake. We estimated the contributions from different sources and sub-watersheds to the total phosphorous (TP) export and loading from the Dongting Lake watershed under two most likely socioeconomic development scenarios. Moreover, we predicted the likely permissible and actual TP loadings to the Dongting Lake. Under both two scenarios, three secondary sub-watersheds-the upper and lower reaches of the Xiang River watershed and the Dongting Lake Area-are expected to dominate the contribution to the TP export from the Dongting Lake watershed in 2020. Three primary sub-watersheds-the Dongting Lake Area, the Xiang River, and the Yuan River watersheds-are predicted to be the major contributors to the TP loading from the entire watershed. The two scenarios are expected to have a slight difference in TP export and lake TP loading. Livestock husbandry is expected to be the predominant anthropogenic TP source in each of the sub-watersheds under both scenarios. Compared to 2010, permissible TP loading is not expected to increase but actual TP loading is predicted to grow significantly in 2020. Our study provides methodologies to identify the key sources and regions of lake nutrient loading from watersheds with complex socioeconomic context, and to reveal the potential influences of socioeconomic development on nutrient pollution in lake watersheds.

  5. Puget Sound Area Electric Reliability Plan. Appendix D, Conservation, Load Management and Fuel Switching Analysis : Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

    1991-09-01

    Various conservation, load management, and fuel switching programs were considered as ways to reduce or shift system peak load. These programs operate at the end-use level, such as residential water heat. Figure D-1a shows what electricity consumption for water heat looks like on normal and extreme peak days. Load management programs, such as water heat control, are designed to reduce electricity consumption at the time of system peak. On the coldest day in average winter, system load peaks near 8:00 a.m. In a winter with extremely cold weather, electricity consumption increases fr all hours, and the system peak shifts to later in the morning. System load shapes in the Puget Sound area are shown in Figure D-1b for a normal winter peak day (February 2, 1988) and extreme peak day (February 3, 1989). Peak savings from any program are calculated to be the reduction in loads on the entire system at the hour of system peak. Peak savings for all programs are measured at 8:00 a.m. on a normal peak day and 9:00 a.m. on an extreme peak day. On extremely cold day, some water heat load shifts to much later in the morning, with less load available for shedding at the time of system peak. Models of hourly end-use consumption were constructed to simulate the impact of conservation, land management, and fuel switching programs on electricity consumption. Javelin, a time-series simulating package for personal computers, was chosen for the hourly analysis. Both a base case and a program case were simulated. 15 figs., 7 tabs.

  6. Dynamic Load Balancing of Parallel Monte Carlo Transport Calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Brien, M; Taylor, J; Procassini, R

    2004-01-01

    The performance of parallel Monte Carlo transport calculations which use both spatial and particle parallelism is increased by dynamically assigning processors to the most worked domains. Since the particle work load varies over the course of the simulation, this algorithm determines each cycle if dynamic load balancing would speed up the calculation. If load balancing is required, a small number of particle communications are initiated in order to achieve load balance. This method has decreased the parallel run time by more than a factor of three for certain criticality calculations

  7. Static resistance function for steel-plate composite (SC) walls subject to impactive loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruhl, Jakob C.; Varma, Amit H.; Kim, Joo Min

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • An idealized static resistance function for SC walls is proposed. • The influence of design parameters on static resistance is explained. • SDOF models can accurately estimate global response of SC walls to missile impact. - Abstract: Steel-plate composite (SC) walls consist of a plain concrete core reinforced with two steel faceplates on the surfaces. Modules (consisting of steel faceplates, shear connectors and tie-bars) can be shop-fabricated and shipped to the site for erection and concrete casting, which expedites construction schedule and thus economy. SC structures have recently been used in nuclear power plant designs and are being considered for the next generation of small modular reactors. Design for impactive and impulsive loading is an important consideration for SC walls in safety-related nuclear facilities. The authors have previously developed design methods to prevent local failure (perforation) of SC walls due to missile impact. This paper presents the development of static resistance functions for use in single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analyses to predict the maximum displacement response of SC walls subjected to missile impact and designed to resist local failure (perforation). The static resistance function for SC walls is developed using results of numerical analyses and parametric studies conducted using benchmarked 3D finite element (FE) models. The influence of various design parameters are discussed and used to develop idealized bilinear resistance functions for SC walls with fixed edges and simply supported edges. Results from dynamic non-linear FE analysis of SC panels subjected to rigid missile impact are compared with the maximum displacements predicted by SDOF analyses using the bilinear resistance function.

  8. Static resistance function for steel-plate composite (SC) walls subject to impactive loading

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruhl, Jakob C., E-mail: jbruhl@purdue.edu; Varma, Amit H., E-mail: ahvarma@purdue.edu; Kim, Joo Min, E-mail: kim1493@purdue.edu

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • An idealized static resistance function for SC walls is proposed. • The influence of design parameters on static resistance is explained. • SDOF models can accurately estimate global response of SC walls to missile impact. - Abstract: Steel-plate composite (SC) walls consist of a plain concrete core reinforced with two steel faceplates on the surfaces. Modules (consisting of steel faceplates, shear connectors and tie-bars) can be shop-fabricated and shipped to the site for erection and concrete casting, which expedites construction schedule and thus economy. SC structures have recently been used in nuclear power plant designs and are being considered for the next generation of small modular reactors. Design for impactive and impulsive loading is an important consideration for SC walls in safety-related nuclear facilities. The authors have previously developed design methods to prevent local failure (perforation) of SC walls due to missile impact. This paper presents the development of static resistance functions for use in single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analyses to predict the maximum displacement response of SC walls subjected to missile impact and designed to resist local failure (perforation). The static resistance function for SC walls is developed using results of numerical analyses and parametric studies conducted using benchmarked 3D finite element (FE) models. The influence of various design parameters are discussed and used to develop idealized bilinear resistance functions for SC walls with fixed edges and simply supported edges. Results from dynamic non-linear FE analysis of SC panels subjected to rigid missile impact are compared with the maximum displacements predicted by SDOF analyses using the bilinear resistance function.

  9. Structural design for aircraft impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, R.; Heckhausen, H.; Chen, C.; Rieck, P.J.; Lemons, G.W.

    1977-01-01

    The Soft Shell-Hardcore approach to nuclear power plant auxiliary structure design was developed to attenuate the crash effects of impacting aircraft. This report is an initial investigation into defining the important structural features involved that would allow the Soft Shell-Hardcore design to successfully sustain the postulated aircraft impact. Also specified for purposes of this study are aircraft impact locations and the type and velocity of impacting aircraft. The purpose of this initial investigation is to determine the feasibility of the two 0.5 m thick walls of the Soft Shell with the simplest possible mathematical model

  10. The Impact of the nuclear critics on the development of the regulating process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roser, Thomas.

    1978-01-01

    The impact of nuclear critics on the regulating process is difficult to analyse as the question is to identify them and to define their aim. In the United States it is generally considered that such critics are the new class of liberal intellectuals who have been politically jolted by Vietnam and Watergate. On this side of the Atlantic, the anti-nuclear movement seems different, less coherent and more complex: the local opposition, the environmentalists and the militant radicals. All these opponents can intervene at three levels: technically they attack the technical standards applied and propose other energy sources. At regulatory level they can influence decision-making provided they are in a majority; politically they take action on behalf of the basic respect of democracy for minorities and individual rights. (NEA) [fr

  11. Recovery Act. Advanced Load Identification and Management for Buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yi [Eaton Corporation, Menomonee Falls, WI (United States); Casey, Patrick [Eaton Corporation, Menomonee Falls, WI (United States); Du, Liang [Eaton Corporation, Menomonee Falls, WI (United States); He, Dawei [Eaton Corporation, Menomonee Falls, WI (United States)

    2014-02-12

    In response to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)’s goal of achieving market ready, net-zero energy residential and commercial buildings by 2020 and 2025, Eaton partnered with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Georgia Institute of Technology to develop an intelligent load identification and management technology enabled by a novel “smart power strip” to provide critical intelligence and information to improve the capability and functionality of building load analysis and building power management systems. Buildings account for 41% of the energy consumption in the United States, significantly more than either transportation or industrial. Within the building sector, plug loads account for a significant portion of energy consumption. Plug load consumes 15-20% of building energy on average. As building managers implement aggressive energy conservation measures, the proportion of plug load energy can increase to as much as 50% of building energy leaving plug loads as the largest remaining single source of energy consumption. This project focused on addressing plug-in load control and management to further improve building energy efficiency accomplished through effective load identification. The execution of the project falls into the following three major aspects; An intelligent load modeling, identification and prediction technology was developed to automatically determine the type, energy consumption, power quality, operation status and performance status of plug-in loads, using electric waveforms at a power outlet level. This project demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed technology through a large set of plug-in loads measurements and testing; A novel “Smart Power Strip (SPS) / Receptacle” prototype was developed to act as a vehicle to demonstrate the feasibility of load identification technology as a low-cost, embedded solution; and Market environment for plug-in load control and management solutions

  12. THE EFFECTS OF RACKET INERTIA TENSOR ON ELBOW LOADINGS AND RACKET BEHAVIOR FOR CENTRAL AND ECCENTRIC IMPACTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven M. Nesbit

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the inertia tensors of tennis rackets and their influence on the elbow swing torques in a forehand motion, the loadings transmitted to the elbow from central and eccentric impacts, and the racket acceleration responses from central and eccentric impacts. Inertia tensors of various rackets with similar mass and mass center location were determined by an inertia pendulum and were found to vary considerably in all three orthogonal directions. Tennis swing mechanics and impact analyses were performed using a computer model comprised of a full-body model of a human, a parametric model of the racket, and an impact function. The swing mechanics analysis of a forehand motion determined that inertia values had a moderate linear effect on the pronation-supination elbow torques required to twist the racket, and a minor effect on the flexion-extension and valgus-varus torques. The impact analysis found that mass center inertia values had a considerable effect on the transmitted torques for both longitudinal and latitudinal eccentric impacts and significantly affected all elbow torque components. Racket acceleration responses to central and eccentric impacts were measured experimentally and found to be notably sensitive to impact location and mass center inertia values

  13. Solar Heating And Cooling Of Buildings (SHACOB): Requirements definition and impact analysis-2. Volume 3: Customer load management systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cretcher, C. K.; Rountredd, R. C.

    1980-11-01

    Customer Load Management Systems, using off-peak storage and control at the residences, are analyzed to determine their potential for capacity and energy savings by the electric utility. Areas broadly representative of utilities in the regions around Washington, DC and Albuquerque, NM were of interest. Near optimum tank volumes were determined for both service areas, and charging duration/off-time were identified as having the greatest influence on tank performance. The impacts on utility operations and corresponding utility/customer economics were determined in terms of delta demands used to estimate the utilities' generating capacity differences between the conventional load management, (CLM) direct solar with load management (DSLM), and electric resistive systems. Energy differences are also determined. These capacity and energy deltas are translated into changes in utility costs due to penetration of the CLM or DSLM systems into electric resistive markets in the snapshot years of 1990 and 2000.

  14. Toward a critical anthropology on the impact of global warming on health and human societies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baer, Hans A

    2008-01-01

    This op-ed essay urges medical anthropologists to join a growing number of public health scholars to examine the impact of global warming on health. Adopting a critical medical anthropology perspective, I argue that global warming is yet another manifestation of the contradictions of the capitalist world system. Ultimately, an serious effort to mitigate the impact of global warming not only on health but also settlement patterns and subsistence will require the creation of a new global political economy based upon social parity, democratic processes, and environmental sustainability.

  15. Cognitive Load and Self-Determination Theories Applied to E-Learning: Impact on Students' Participation and Academic Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araujo Guerra Grangeia, Tiago; de Jorge, Bruno; Franci, Daniel; Martins Santos, Thiago; Vellutini Setubal, Maria Silvia; Schweller, Marcelo; de Carvalho-Filho, Marco Antonio

    2016-01-01

    Emergency clerkships expose students to a stressful environment that require multiple tasks, which may have a direct impact on cognitive load and motivation for learning. To address this challenge, Cognitive Load Theory and Self Determination Theory provided the conceptual frameworks to the development of a Moodle-based online Emergency Medicine course, inspired by real clinical cases. Three consecutive classes (2013-2015) of sixth-year medical students (n = 304) participated in the course, during a curricular and essentially practical emergency rotation. "Virtual Rounds" provided weekly virtual patients in narrative format and meaningful schemata to chief complaints, in order to simulate real rounds at Emergency Unit. Additional activities such as Extreme Decisions, Emergency Quiz and Electrocardiographic challenge offered different views of emergency care. Authors assessed student´s participation and its correlation with their academic performance. A survey evaluated students´ opinions. Students graduating in 2015 answered an online questionnaire to investigate cognitive load and motivation. Each student produced 1965 pageviews and spent 72 hours logged on. Although Clinical Emergency rotation has two months long, students accessed the online course during an average of 5.3 months. Virtual Rounds was the most accessed activity, and there was positive correlations between the number of hours logged on the platform and final grades on Emergency Medicine. Over 90% of students felt an improvement in their clinical reasoning and considered themselves better prepared for rendering Emergency care. Considering a Likert scale from 1 (minimum load) to 7 (maximum load), the scores for total cognitive load were 4.79±2.2 for Virtual Rounds and 5.56±1.96 for real medical rounds(pcognitive and motivational conceptual frameworks, seems to be a strong tool to engage students in learning. It may support them to manage the cognitive challenges involved in clinical care and

  16. Critical success factors for TQM implementation and their impact on performance of SMEs

    OpenAIRE

    Salaheldin, S.I.

    2009-01-01

    Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors of TQM implementation, to evaluate their impact on the primary measures as expressed by the operational performance and the secondary measures as expressed by the organizational performance, and to find out the effect of the operational performance on the organizational performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Qatari industrial sector using the structured equation modeling (SEM) ap...

  17. Investigating the Impact of Maternal Residential Mobility on Identifying Critical Windows of Susceptibility to Ambient Air Pollution During Pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Joshua L; Son, Ji-Young; Pereira, Gavin; Leaderer, Brian P; Bell, Michelle L

    2018-05-01

    Identifying periods of increased vulnerability to air pollution during pregnancy with respect to the development of adverse birth outcomes can improve understanding of possible mechanisms of disease development and provide guidelines for protection of the child. Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is typically based on the mother's residence at delivery, potentially resulting in exposure misclassification and biasing the estimation of critical windows of pregnancy. In this study, we determined the impact of maternal residential mobility during pregnancy on defining weekly exposure to particulate matter less than or equal to 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and estimating windows of susceptibility to term low birth weight. We utilized data sets from 4 Connecticut birth cohorts (1988-2008) that included information on all residential addresses between conception and delivery for each woman. We designed a simulation study to investigate the impact of increasing levels of mobility on identification of critical windows. Increased PM10 exposure during pregnancy weeks 16-18 was associated with an increased probability of term low birth weight. Ignoring residential mobility when defining weekly exposure had only a minor impact on the identification of critical windows for PM10 and term low birth weight in the data application and simulation study. Identification of critical pregnancy windows was robust to exposure misclassification caused by ignoring residential mobility in these Connecticut birth cohorts.

  18. Impact of habitual cranial loading on the vertebral column of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In addition to completing the questionnaire subjects underwent a postural analysis in an unloaded and loaded state. During the unloaded and loaded phases EMG measures were recorded of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. The unloaded phase was when subjects stood without the 20 kg pot placed onto ...

  19. Gearbox Reliability Collaborative Investigation of Gearbox Motion and High-Speed-Shaft Loads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keller, Jon [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Guo, Yi [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sethuraman, Latha [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2016-03-18

    This paper extends a model-to-test validation effort to examine the effect of different constant rotor torque and moment conditions and intentional generator misalignment on the gearbox motion and high-speed-shaft loads. Fully validating gearbox motion and high-speed-shaft loads across a range of test conditions is a critical precursor to examining the bearing loads, as the gearbox motion and high-speed-shaft loads are the drivers of these bearing loads.

  20. Study on Dynamic Response of Downhole Tools under Perforation Impact Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Jun

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A model of a multibody system is established to investigate the dynamic response of an oil tube-shock absorber-perforating gun system in downhole perforation-test joint operation. In the model, the oil tube and perforating gun are modeled as elastic rods and the shock absorber is modeled as single particle system with damping and a spring. Two force continuity conditions are used to simulate the interactions among the three components. The perforation impact load is determined by an experiment of underwater explosion of perforating bullets. Using the model, the effects of charge quantity of perforating bullet, the number of shock absorbers, and the length of oil tube on the dynamic response of oil tube and packer are investigated. On this basis, a basic principle of the combination design of shock absorber and oil tube is proposed to improve the mechanical state of downhole tools. The study results can provide theoretical support for the design of downhole perforation-test joint operation.

  1. Angry Apps: The Impact of Network Timer Selection on Power Consumption, Signalling Load, and Web QoE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Schwartz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The popularity of smartphones and mobile applications has experienced a considerable growth during the recent years, and this growth is expected to continue in the future. Since smartphones have only very limited energy resources, battery efficiency is one of the determining factors for a good user experience. Therefore, some smartphones tear down connectionsto the mobile network soon after a completed data transmission to reduce the power consumption of their transmission unit. However, frequent connection reestablishments caused by apps which send or receive small amounts of data often lead to a heavy signalling load within the mobile network. One of the major contributions of this paper is the investigation of the resulting tradeoff between energy consumption at the smartphone and the generated signalling traffic in the mobile network. We explain that this tradeoff can be controlled by the connection release timeout and study the impact of this parameter for a number of popular apps that cover a wide range of traffic characteristics in terms of bandwidth requirements and resulting signalling traffic. Finally, we study the impact of the timer settings on Quality of Experience (QoE for web traffic. This is an important aspect since connection establishments not only lead to signalling traffic but also increase the load time of web pages.

  2. Consequences of Fuel Failure on Criticality Safety of Used Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marshall, William J.; Wagner, John C.

    2012-09-01

    configuration categories was developed and specific configurations were evaluated. The various configurations were not developed to represent the results of specific reconfiguration progressions; rather, they were designed to be bounding of any reconfiguration progressions that could occur. loaded in representative cask systems were considered in this report. The two fuel assembly designs selected for this analysis represent a large portion of the current inventory of discharged UNF and/or a significant portion of the fuel designs currently in use. The cask systems selected for this analysis are high-capacity 32-PWR-assembly general burnup credit cask (GBC-32) and 68-BWR-assembly multipurpose canister (MPC-68) cask designs based on the Holtec International HI-STAR 100 system. The depletion conditions used in this analysis are considered representative of those used in a burnup credit criticality safety evaluation. The analysis focuses on typical discharge fuel conditions (e.g., fuel initial enrichment, discharge burnup, and post-irradiation decay time) that could be loaded into storage and transportation casks. Additional burnup and extended post-irradiation cooling times are considered in this analysis for both PWR and BWR fuel to establish the sensitivity of reconfiguration impacts to these parameters. Although the results indicate that the potential impacts on subcriticality can be rather significant for certain configurations, it can be concluded that the consequences of credible fuel failure configurations from ES or transportation following ES are manageable. Some examples for how to address the potential increases in keff in a criticality safety evaluation were provided. Future work to further inform decisionmaking relative to which configurations are credible, and therefore need to be considered in a safety evaluation, is recommended.

  3. Reducing the power load by means of seasonal tariffs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-01-01

    It has been found that, on a typical winter day, a network tariff that depends on the season may lead to a 5 per cent reduction in the power load of a row house. This is one of the results of a project which investigated the effect of season-dependent tariffs with 108 customers in Trondheim, Norway. For flats in blocks, the impact was insignificant and evidently other instruments were required. Results from this project and other projects in the 'End-user market' have been important for the proposed new seasonally differentiated tariffs. The effect of time variable network tariffs has been tested with 20 commercial customers in Trondheim over a period of three years and 13 of these customers adapted themselves actively to the new tariff and achieved a reduction of the peak load of from five to three per cent. In the summer, the price was about half that of a winter day. It is critical for the intended effect to occur that the arrangement is long-lasting and predictable for the customer. This contributes to increased adaptation and investment in the necessary equipment

  4. The Impact of Problem-Based Learning Approach to Senior High School Students’ Mathematics Critical Thinking Ability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reviandari Widyatiningtyas

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The study was report the findings of an only post-test control group research design and aims to analyze the influence of problem-based learning approach, school level, and students’ prior mathematical ability to student’s mathematics critical thinking ability. The research subjects were 140 grade ten senior high school students coming from excellent and moderate school level. The research instruments a set of mathematical critical thinking ability test, and the data were analyzed by using two ways ANOVA and t-test. The research found that the problem based learning approach has significant impact to the ability of students’ mathematics critical thinking in terms of school level and students’ prior mathematical abilities. Furthermore. This research also found that there is no interaction between learning approach and school level, and learning approach and students’ prior mathematics ability to students’ mathematics critical thinking ability.

  5. Pebble bed test reactor in peu-a-peu load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kranz, L.

    1988-03-01

    The presented work deals with a new type of load model for high temperature reactors with spherical fuels: the peu-a-peu load system. Using this load system the reactor core is only filled partially in the beginning of the power operation. But it has to be a critical base core. With proceeding burn-off the reactor is filled up with further fuel elements the way that it stays always just critically. When the reactor is filled up completely with fuel elements, the reactor operation has to be interrupted and the reactor has to be discharged. Afterwards a new cycle can start like the one just described. A reference reactor with 100 MW thermal power is investigated in this work in detail and should make clear the way of function of the load system and the base idea of 'simplicity and safety'. The improvement proposal to use again a part of the fuel elements of a cycle for the next cycle minimizes the higher specific uranium need of a peu-a-peu reactor decisively. (orig.) [de

  6. Determining the impact of wind on system costs via the temporal patterns of load and wind generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, Clay D.; Gotham, Douglas J.; Preckel, Paul V.; Liu, Andrew L.

    2013-01-01

    Ambitious targets have been set for expanding electricity generation from renewable sources, including wind. Expanding wind power impacts needs for other electricity generating resources. As states plan for increasing levels of wind generation in their portfolio of generation resources it is important to consider how this intermittent resource impacts the need for other generation resources. A case study for Indiana estimates the value of wind capacity and demonstrates how to optimize its level and the levels of other generation resources. Changes are driven by temporal patterns of wind power output and load. System wide impacts are calculated for energy, capacity, and costs under multiple wind expansion scenarios which highlight the geographic characteristics of a systems portfolio of wind generation. The impacts of carbon prices, as proposed in the Bingaman Bill, are considered. Finally, calculations showing the effect increasing levels of wind generation will have on end use Indiana retail rates are included. - Highlights: • We estimate the value of wind capacity. • We determine wind generation's impact on the optimal mix of non-wind generation. • Optimal levels of wind and non-wind generation are determined. • We consider the impact of a carbon price on the optimal mix of resources. • The impact of additional wind capacity on Indiana residential rates is calculated

  7. Cognitive load effects on early visual perceptual processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ping; Forte, Jason; Sewell, David; Carter, Olivia

    2018-05-01

    Contrast-based early visual processing has largely been considered to involve autonomous processes that do not need the support of cognitive resources. However, as spatial attention is known to modulate early visual perceptual processing, we explored whether cognitive load could similarly impact contrast-based perception. We used a dual-task paradigm to assess the impact of a concurrent working memory task on the performance of three different early visual tasks. The results from Experiment 1 suggest that cognitive load can modulate early visual processing. No effects of cognitive load were seen in Experiments 2 or 3. Together, the findings provide evidence that under some circumstances cognitive load effects can penetrate the early stages of visual processing and that higher cognitive function and early perceptual processing may not be as independent as was once thought.

  8. On the validity of Ksub(Id)-measurements in instrumented impact tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalthoff, J.F.; Winkler, S.; Klemm, W.; Beinert, J.

    1979-01-01

    The influence of inertia effects in determining the dynamic fracture toughness Ksub(Id) by instrumented impact testing is investigated. Model experiments in the brittle fracture regime are carried out with precracked bend specimens machined from the epoxy resin Araldite B. As is usual in these tests, the loads at the tup of the impinging striker are recorded as a function of time during the impact process. For reference purposes, the dynamic fracture toughness value Ksub(Id)sup(m1) is derived from the measured maximum load utilizing static stress intensity factor formulas. In addition to this conventional procedure, the actual stress intensity factors are measured directly at the tip of the crack by means of the shadow optical method of caustics applied in combination with high speed photography. The critical value of these optically measured stress intensity factors (for onset of crack propagation), Ksub(Id)sup(opt), is the true dynamic fracture toughness. In the experiments, the specimen size and the impact velocity were varied. In accordance with expectations, it is found that the hammer load signal is not correlated with the actual crack tip stress intensity factor values by a simple proportionality. The conventionally determined Ksub(Id)sup(m1)-value overestimates the true dynamic fracture toughness Ksub(Id)sup(opt). This overestimation becomes larger for larger specimen sizes and larger impact velocities. The results demonstrate the dominating influence inertia effects can have on hammer load measurements and emphasize the importance of eliminating these effects in order to determine non-erroneous dynamic fracture toughness values. (orig.)

  9. Measuring the Impact of Online Evidence Retrieval Systems using Critical Incidents & Journey Mapping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westbrook, Johanna I; Coiera, Enrico W; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

    2005-01-01

    Online evidence retrieval systems are one potential tool in supporting evidence-based practice. We have undertaken a program of research to investigate how hospital-based clinicians (doctors, nurses and allied health professionals) use these systems, factors influencing use and their impact on decision-making and health care delivery. A central component of this work has been the development and testing of a broad range of evaluation techniques. This paper provides an overview of the results obtained from three stages of this evaluation and details the results derived from the final stage which sought to test two methods for assessing the integration of an online evidence system and its impact on decision making and patient care. The critical incident and journey mapping techniques were applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 clinicians who were experienced users of the online evidence system. Clinicians were asked to described recent instances in which the information obtained using the online evidence system was especially helpful with their work. A grounded approach to data analysis was taken producing three categories of impact. The journey mapping technique was adapted as a method to describe and quantify clinicians' integration of CIAP into their practice and the impact of this on patient care. The analogy of a journey is used to capture the many stages in this integration process, from introduction to the system to full integration into everyday clinical practice with measurable outcomes. Transcribed interview accounts of system use were mapped against the journey stages and scored. Clinicians generated 85 critical incidents and one quarter of these provided specific examples of system use leading to improvements in patient care. The journey mapping technique proved to be a useful method for providing a quantification of the ways and extent to which clincians had integrated system use into practice, and insights into how information

  10. Estimation of Hydrodynamic Impact Loads and Pressure Distributions on Bodies Approximating Elliptical Cylinders with Special Reference to Water Landings of Helicopters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnitzer, Emanuel; Hathaway, Melvin E

    1953-01-01

    An approximate method for computing water loads and pressure distributions on lightly loaded elliptical cylinders during oblique water impacts is presented. The method is of special interest for the case of emergency water landings of helicopters. This method makes use of theory developed and checked for landing impacts of seaplanes having bottom cross sections of V and scalloped contours. An illustrative example is given to show typical results obtained from the use of the proposed method of computation. The accuracy of the approximate method was evaluated through comparison with limited experimental data for two-dimensional drops of a rigid circular cylinder at a trim of 0 degrees and a flight -path angle of 90 degrees. The applicability of the proposed formulas to the design of rigid hulls is indicated by the rough agreement obtained between the computed and experimental results. A detailed computational procedure is included as an appendix.

  11. Quasi-static structural optimization under the seismic loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, W. S.; Lee, K. M.; Kim, T. W.

    2001-01-01

    For preliminaries to optimization of SMART under the seismic loads, a quasi-static structural optimization for elastic structures under dynamic loads is presented. An equivalent static load (ESL) set is defined as a static load set, which generates the same displacement field as that from a dynamic load at a certain time. Multiple ESL sets calculated at all the time intervals are employed to represent the various states of the structure under the dynamic load. They can cover all the critical states that might happen at arbitrary times. The continuous characteristics of a dynamic load are considered by multiple static load sets. The calculated sets of ESLs are utilized as a multiple loading condition in the optimization process. A design cycle is defined as a circulated process between an analysis domain and a design domain. The analysis domain gives the loading condition needed in the design domain. The design domain gives a new updated design to be verified by the analysis domain in the next design cycle. The design cycles are iterated until the design converges. Structural optimization with dynamic loads is tangible by the proposed method. Standard example problems are solved to verify the validity of the method

  12. Terricolous alpine lichens are sensitive to both load and concentration of applied nitrogen and have potential as bioindicators of nitrogen deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Britton, Andrea J.; Fisher, Julia M.

    2010-01-01

    The influence of applied nitrogen (N) concentration and load on thallus chemistry and growth of five terricolous alpine lichen species was investigated in a three-month N addition study. Thallus N content was influenced by both concentration and load; but the relative importance of these parameters varied between species. Growth was most affected by concentration. Thresholds for effects observed in this study support a low critical load for terricolous lichen communities ( -1 y -1 ) and suggest that concentrations of N currently encountered in UK cloudwater may have detrimental effects on the growth of sensitive species. The significance of N concentration effects on sensitive species also highlights the need to avoid artificially high concentrations when designing N addition experiments. Given the sensitivity of some species to extremely low loads and concentrations of N we suggest that terricolous lichens have potential as indicators of deposition and impact in northern and alpine ecosystems. - Terricolous lichen species' N content responds to both applied N concentration and load while applied N concentration has greatest effects on growth.

  13. Terricolous alpine lichens are sensitive to both load and concentration of applied nitrogen and have potential as bioindicators of nitrogen deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Britton, Andrea J., E-mail: a.britton@macaulay.ac.u [Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH (United Kingdom); Fisher, Julia M. [Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH (United Kingdom)

    2010-05-15

    The influence of applied nitrogen (N) concentration and load on thallus chemistry and growth of five terricolous alpine lichen species was investigated in a three-month N addition study. Thallus N content was influenced by both concentration and load; but the relative importance of these parameters varied between species. Growth was most affected by concentration. Thresholds for effects observed in this study support a low critical load for terricolous lichen communities (<7.5 kg N ha{sup -1} y{sup -1}) and suggest that concentrations of N currently encountered in UK cloudwater may have detrimental effects on the growth of sensitive species. The significance of N concentration effects on sensitive species also highlights the need to avoid artificially high concentrations when designing N addition experiments. Given the sensitivity of some species to extremely low loads and concentrations of N we suggest that terricolous lichens have potential as indicators of deposition and impact in northern and alpine ecosystems. - Terricolous lichen species' N content responds to both applied N concentration and load while applied N concentration has greatest effects on growth.

  14. 1.5 MW RF Load for ITER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ives, Robert Lawrence; Marsden, David; Collins, George; Karimov, Rasul; Mizuhara, Max; Neilson, Jeffrey

    2016-01-01

    Calabazas Creek Research, Inc. developed a 1.5 MW RF load for the ITER fusion research facility currently under construction in France. This program leveraged technology developed in two previous SBIR programs that successfully developed high power RF loads for fusion research applications. This program specifically focused on modifications required by revised technical performance, materials, and assembly specification for ITER. This program implemented an innovative approach to actively distribute the RF power inside the load to avoid excessive heating or arcing associated with constructive interference. The new design implemented materials and assembly changes required to meet specifications. Critical components were built and successfully tested during the program.

  15. 1.5 MW RF Load for ITER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ives, Robert Lawrence [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Marsden, David [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Collins, George [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Karimov, Rasul [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Mizuhara, Max [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Neilson, Jeffrey [Lexam Research, Redwood City, CA (United States)

    2016-09-01

    Calabazas Creek Research, Inc. developed a 1.5 MW RF load for the ITER fusion research facility currently under construction in France. This program leveraged technology developed in two previous SBIR programs that successfully developed high power RF loads for fusion research applications. This program specifically focused on modifications required by revised technical performance, materials, and assembly specification for ITER. This program implemented an innovative approach to actively distribute the RF power inside the load to avoid excessive heating or arcing associated with constructive interference. The new design implemented materials and assembly changes required to meet specifications. Critical components were built and successfully tested during the program.

  16. Impact of critical illness news on the family: hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendes, Anabela Pereira

    2018-01-01

    Understand the impact of critical-illness news on the experience of family members at an Intensive Care Unit. Phenomenological approach according to Van Manen's method. Open interviews were held with 21 family members. From analysis and interpretation of the data, three essential themes were identified: the unexpected; the pronouncement of death; and the impact on self-caring within the family. The study complied with the ethical principles inherent to research involving humans. The unexpected news and death of the sick person influence the well-being and self-care of family members, affecting their ability for analysis and decision making. It was observed that the family experiences the news with suffering, mainly due to the anticipation arising from the events. The humanity of nurses was revealed in response to the needs of the family. In view of the requirements for information, it was verified that the information transmitted allowed them to become aware of themselves, to become empowered in their daily lives and to alleviate the emotional burden experienced.

  17. Impact of critical illness news on the family: hermeneutic phenomenological study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anabela Pereira Mendes

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: Understand the impact of critical-illness news on the experience of family members at an Intensive Care Unit. Method: Phenomenological approach according to Van Manen's method. Open interviews were held with 21 family members. From analysis and interpretation of the data, three essential themes were identified: the unexpected; the pronouncement of death; and the impact on self-caring within the family. The study complied with the ethical principles inherent to research involving humans. Results: The unexpected news and death of the sick person influence the well-being and self-care of family members, affecting their ability for analysis and decision making. It was observed that the family experiences the news with suffering, mainly due to the anticipation arising from the events. Final considerations: The humanity of nurses was revealed in response to the needs of the family. In view of the requirements for information, it was verified that the information transmitted allowed them to become aware of themselves, to become empowered in their daily lives and to alleviate the emotional burden experienced.

  18. Real-Time Unsteady Loads Measurements Using Hot-Film Sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mangalam, Arun S.; Moes, Timothy R.

    2004-01-01

    Several flight-critical aerodynamic problems such as buffet, flutter, stall, and wing rock are strongly affected or caused by abrupt changes in unsteady aerodynamic loads and moments. Advanced sensing and flow diagnostic techniques have made possible simultaneous identification and tracking, in realtime, of the critical surface, viscosity-related aerodynamic phenomena under both steady and unsteady flight conditions. The wind tunnel study reported here correlates surface hot-film measurements of leading edge stagnation point and separation point, with unsteady aerodynamic loads on a NACA 0015 airfoil. Lift predicted from the correlation model matches lift obtained from pressure sensors for an airfoil undergoing harmonic pitchup and pitchdown motions. An analytical model was developed that demonstrates expected stall trends for pitchup and pitchdown motions. This report demonstrates an ability to obtain unsteady aerodynamic loads in real time, which could lead to advances in air vehicle safety, performance, ride-quality, control, and health management.

  19. E-learning, dual-task, and cognitive load: The anatomy of a failed experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Nuland, Sonya E; Rogers, Kem A

    2016-01-01

    The rising popularity of commercial anatomy e-learning tools has been sustained, in part, due to increased annual enrollment and a reduction in laboratory hours across educational institutions. While e-learning tools continue to gain popularity, the research methodologies used to investigate their impact on learning remain imprecise. As new user interfaces are introduced, it is critical to understand how functionality can influence the load placed on a student's memory resources, also known as cognitive load. To study cognitive load, a dual-task paradigm wherein a learner performs two tasks simultaneously is often used, however, its application within educational research remains uncommon. Using previous paradigms as a guide, a dual-task methodology was developed to assess the cognitive load imposed by two commercial anatomical e-learning tools. Results indicate that the standard dual-task paradigm, as described in the literature, is insensitive to the cognitive load disparities across e-learning tool interfaces. Confounding variables included automation of responses, task performance tradeoff, and poor understanding of primary task cognitive load requirements, leading to unreliable quantitative results. By modifying the secondary task from a basic visual response to a more cognitively demanding task, such as a modified Stroop test, the automation of secondary task responses can be reduced. Furthermore, by recording baseline measures for the primary task as well as the secondary task, it is possible for task performance tradeoff to be detected. Lastly, it is imperative that the cognitive load of the primary task be designed such that it does not overwhelm the individual's ability to learn new material. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

  20. Impact of a 2-Day Critical Care Ultrasound Course during Fellowship Training: A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vi Am Dinh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. Despite the increasing utilization of point-of-care critical care ultrasonography (CCUS, standards establishing competency for its use are lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-day CCUS course implementation on ultrasound-naïve critical care medicine (CCM fellows. Methods. Prospective evaluation of the impact of a two-day CCUS course on eight CCM fellows’ attitudes, proficiency, and use of CCUS. Ultrasound competency on multiple organ systems was assessed including abdominal, pulmonary, vascular, and cardiac systems. Subjects served as self-controls and were assessed just prior to, within 1 week after, and 3 months after the course. Results. There was a significant improvement in CCM fellows’ written test scores, image acquisition ability, and pathologic image interpretation 1 week after the course and it was retained 3 months after the course. Fellows also had self-reported increased confidence and usage of CCUS applications after the course. Conclusions. Implementation of a 2-day critical care ultrasound course covering general CCUS and basic critical care echocardiography using a combination of didactics, live models, and ultrasound simulators is effective in improving critical care fellows’ proficiency and confidence with ultrasound use in both the short- and long-term settings.