Application of Fiber Reinforcement Concrete Technique in Civil ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

modulus of elasticity, high tensile strength, improved fatigue and impact resistance. Reinforcing the concrete structures with fibers such as polyester is one of the possible ways to provide all the criteria of the durable repair material. This type of reinforcement is called Fiber Reinforcement of Concrete Structures. There is an ...

Line impedance estimation using model based identification technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ciobotaru, Mihai; Agelidis, Vassilios; Teodorescu, Remus

2011-01-01

The estimation of the line impedance can be used by the control of numerous grid-connected systems, such as active filters, islanding detection techniques, non-linear current controllers, detection of the on/off grid operation mode. Therefore, estimating the line impedance can add extra functions...... into the operation of the grid-connected power converters. This paper describes a quasi passive method for estimating the line impedance of the distribution electricity network. The method uses the model based identification technique to obtain the resistive and inductive parts of the line impedance. The quasi...

Difficulty with cuff deflation of reinforced tracheal tube caused by inflation line occlusion with silk thread ligation and fixation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gotoh, Sayoko; Sugiyama, Daisuke; Imai, Eriko; Kawamata, Mikito

2015-03-05

A reinforced tracheal tube, ligated with silk threads, was inserted into a tracheostomy orifice and fixed to the skin. The cuff inflation line of the reinforced tracheal tube became occluded. Reinforced 'armoured' tracheal tubes have a spiral of wire embedded into the wall of the tube to give strength and flexibility, and may be sharply bent without compromising the tube lumen. The tracheal cuff attached to the tube is inflated by injecting air through a narrow-diameter tube welded to the outside of the tracheal tube. When a reinforced tracheal tube is ligated and fixed with silk threads, it should be confirmed whether the tracheal tube cuff can be deflated and inflated after fixation. Moreover, because occlusion can be eliminated by removing all silk threads used to ligate a tracheal tube, they should be removed before extubation. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Glass fiber -reinforced plastic tapered poles for transmission and distribution lines: development and experimental study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, S.; Burachysnsky, V.; Polyzois, D.

1999-01-01

A research project to develop lightweight poles for use in power transmission and distribution lines and involving the use of glass fiber-reinforced plastic using the filament winding process is described. Twelve full scale specimen poles were designed, fabricated and subjected to cantilever bending to test failure modes. The test parameters included fiber orientation, ratio of longitudinal-to-circumferential fiber, and the number of layers. Results showed that local buckling was the most dominant failure mode, attributable to the high radius-to-thickness ratio of the specimen poles. Overall, however, these fiber-reinforced plastic poles compared favourably to wooden poles in carrying capacity with significant weight reduction. Lateral displacement at ultimate loads did not exceed the acceptable limit of 10 per cent of the specimen free length. 7 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs

Staple Line Reinforcement During Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: Absorbable Monofilament, Barbed Suture, Fibrin Glue, or Nothing? Results of a Prospective Randomized Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carandina, S; Tabbara, M; Bossi, M; Valenti, A; Polliand, C; Genser, L; Barrat, Christophe

2016-02-01

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is associated with serious complications, such as staple line (SL) leaks and bleeding. In order to prevent the occurrence of these complications, surgeons have advocated the need to strengthen the staple line. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to compare the efficacy of three different ways of strengthening of the SL in LSG in preventing surgical post-operative complications. Between April 2012 and December 2014, 600 patients (pts) scheduled for LSG were prospectively randomized into groups without SL reinforcement (group A) or with SL reinforcement including fibrin glue coverage (group B), or oversewn SL with imbricating absorbable (Monocryl™; group C) or barbed (V lock®) running suture (group D). Primary endpoints were post-operative leaks, bleeding, and stenosis, while secondary outcomes consisted of the time to perform the staple line reinforcement (SLR) and total operative time. Mean SLR operative time was lower for group B (3.4 ± 1.3 min) compared with that for groups C (26.8 ± 8.5 min) and D (21.1 ± 8.4 min) (p running suture or with fibrin glue, is an unrewarding surgical act with the sole effect of prolonging the operative time.

A study on non-contact ultrasonic technique for on-line inspection of CFRP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung-Joon; Park, Won-Su; Lee, Joon-Hyun; Byun, Joon-Hyung

2007-01-01

The advantages of carbon fiber reinforced plastic materials (CFRP) are: they are light structure materials, they have corrosion resistance, and higher specific strength and elasticity. The recently developed 3-dimentional fiber placement system is able to produce a more complex and various shaped structures due to less limitations of a product shape according to the problem in conventional fabrication process. This fiber placement system stacks the narrow prepreg tape on the mold according to the designed sequence and thickness. Non-destructive evaluation was rquired for these composites to evaluate changes in strength caused by defects such as delamination and porosity. Additionally, the expectent quality should be satisfied for the high cost fabrication process using the fiber placement system. Therefore, an on line non-destructive evaluation system is required and real-time complement is needed when the defects are detected [1]. Defect imaging by the ultrasonic C-scan method is a useful technique for defect detection in CFRP. However, the conventional ultrasonic C-scan technique cannot be applied during the fabrication process because the test piece should be immersed into the water. Therefore, non-contact ultrasonic techniques should be applied during the fabricating process. For the development of non-contact ultrasonic techniques available in non-destructive evaluation of CFRP, a recent laser-generated ultrasonic technique and an air-coupled transducer that transmit and receive ultrasounds in the air are studied [2-3]. In this study, generating and receiving techniques of laser-generated ultrasound and the characteristics of received signals upon the internal defects of CFRO were studied for non-contact inspection

Buttressing staples with cholecyst-derived extracellular matrix (CEM) reinforces staple lines in an ex vivo peristaltic inflation model.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Burugapalli, Krishna

2008-11-01

Staple line leakage and bleeding are the most common problems associated with the use of surgical staplers for gastrointestinal resection and anastomotic procedures. These complications can be reduced by reinforcing the staple lines with buttressing materials. The current study reports the potential use of cholecyst-derived extracellular matrix (CEM) in non-crosslinked (NCEM) and crosslinked (XCEM) forms, and compares their mechanical performance with clinically available buttress materials [small intestinal submucosa (SIS) and bovine pericardium (BP)] in an ex vivo small intestine model.

Reinforcement of the pelvic diaphragm using a purse-string suture in dogs: description of technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.C. Moraes

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Recurrence of perineal hernias is frequent, and is associated to poor identification of anatomical structures during surgery, inadequate suture placement, and failure of physical support of the pelvic diaphragm after surgical reconstruction. The objective of this work is to describe a novel surgical technique for reinforcement of the pelvic diaphragm after performing the internal obturator transposition technique in dogs with perineal hernia.

Line-Scan Hyperspectral Imaging Techniques for Food Safety and Quality Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianwei Qin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Hyperspectral imaging technologies in the food and agricultural area have been evolving rapidly over the past 15 years owing to tremendous interest from both academic and industrial fields. Line-scan hyperspectral imaging is a major method that has been intensively researched and developed using different physical principles (e.g., reflectance, transmittance, fluorescence, Raman, and spatially resolved spectroscopy and wavelength regions (e.g., visible (VIS, near infrared (NIR, and short-wavelength infrared (SWIR. Line-scan hyperspectral imaging systems are mainly developed and used for surface inspection of food and agricultural products using area or line light sources. Some of these systems can also be configured to conduct spatially resolved spectroscopy measurements for internal or subsurface food inspection using point light sources. This paper reviews line-scan hyperspectral imaging techniques, with introduction, demonstration, and summarization of existing and emerging techniques for food and agricultural applications. The main topics include related spectroscopy techniques, line-scan measurement methods, hardware components and systems, system calibration methods, and spectral and image analysis techniques. Applications in food safety and quality are also presented to reveal current practices and future trends of line-scan hyperspectral imaging techniques.

Reinforced concrete tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariscotti, M.A.J.; Morixe, M.; Tarela, P.A.; Thieberger, P.

1997-01-01

In this paper we describe the technique of reinforced concrete tomography, its historical background, recent technological developments and main applications. Gamma radiation sensitive plates are imprinted with radiation going through the concrete sample under study, and then processed to reveal the presence of reinforcement and defects in the material density. The three dimensional reconstruction, or tomography, of the reinforcement out of a single gammagraphy is an original development alternative to conventional methods. Re-bar diameters and positions may be determined with an accuracy of ± 1 mm 0.5-1 cm, respectively. The non-destructive character of this technique makes it particularly attractive in cases of inhabited buildings and diagnoses of balconies. (author) [es

Application of on-line analytical processing technique in accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Dong; Li Weimin; He Duohui; Liu Gongfa; Xuan Ke

2005-01-01

A method of application of the on-line analytical processing technique in accelerator is described, which includes data pre-processing, the process of constructing of data warehouse and on-line analytical processing. (authors)

Research on corrosion detection for steel reinforced concrete structures using the fiber optical white light interferometer sensing technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xuefeng; Cui, Yanjun; Kong, Xianglong; Wei, Heming; Zhang, Pinglei; Sun, Changsen

2013-01-01

In this paper, a novel kind of steel rebar corrosion monitoring technique for steel reinforced concrete structures is proposed, designed, and tested. The technique is based on the fiber optical white light interferometer (WLI) sensing technique. Firstly, a feasibility test was carried out using an equal-strength beam for comparison of strain sensing ability between the WLI and a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The comparison results showed that the sensitivity of the WLI is sufficient for corrosion expansion strain monitoring. Then, two WLI corrosion sensors (WLI-CSs) were designed, fabricated, and embedded into concrete specimens to monitor expansion strain caused by steel rebar corrosion. Their performance was studied in an accelerated electrochemical corrosion test. Experimental results show that expansion strain along the fiber optical coil winding area can be detected and measured accurately by the proposed sensor. The advantages of the proposed monitoring technique allow for quantitative corrosion expansion monitoring to be executed in real time for reinforced concrete structures and with low cost. (paper)

An Investigation of Students' Views about Enzymes by Fortune Lines Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Özarslan, Murat; Çetin, Gülcan

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate ninth grade students' views about enzymes using fortune lines technique and to obtain the students' views about fortune lines technique. Participants were 38 ninth grade students in a Technique Vocational Girls High School in the city of Kocaeli, Turkey. After instruction of subject of enzymes, the participants were…

Fatigue damage monitoring for basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites using acoustic emission technique

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wentao; Li, Hui; Qu, Zhi

2012-04-01

Basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) is a structural material with superior mechanical properties. In this study, unidirectional BFRP laminates with 14 layers are made with the hand lay-up method. Then, the acoustic emission technique (AE) combined with the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) technique is employed to monitor the fatigue damage evolution of the BFRP plates in the fatigue loading tests. Time-frequency analysis using the wavelet transform technique is proposed to analyze the received AE signal instead of the peak frequency method. A comparison between AE signals and SEM images indicates that the multi-frequency peaks picked from the time-frequency curves of AE signals reflect the accumulated fatigue damage evolution and fatigue damage patterns. Furthermore, seven damage patterns, that is, matrix cracking, delamination, fiber fracture and their combinations, are identified from the time-frequency curves of the AE signals.

Application status of on-line nuclear techniques in analysis of coal quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Shaohui

1993-01-01

Nuclear techniques are favourable for continuous on-line analysis, because they are fast, non-intrusive. They can be used in the adverse circumstances in coal industry. The paper reviews the application status of on-line nuclear techniques in analysis of coal quality and economic benefits derived from such techniques in developed countries

Considerations in applying on-line IC techniques to BWR's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaleda, R.J.

1992-01-01

Ion-Chromatography (IC) has moved from its traditional role as a laboratory analytical tool to a real time, dynamic, on-line measurement device to follow ppb and sub-ppb concentrations of deleterious impurities in nuclear power plants. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), individual utilities, and industry all have played significant roles in effecting the transition. This paper highlights considerations and the evolution in current on-line Ion Chromatography systems. The first applications of on-line techniques were demonstrated by General Electric (GE) under EPRI sponsorship at Rancho Seco (1980), Calvert Cliffs, and McGuire nuclear units. The primary use was for diagnostic purposes. Today the on-line IC applications have been expanded to include process control and routine plant monitoring. Current on-line IC's are innovative in design, promote operational simplicity, are modular for simplified maintenance and repair, and use field-proven components which enhance reliability. Conductivity detection with electronic or chemical suppression and spectrometric detection techniques are intermixed in applications. Remote multi-point sample systems have addressed memory effects. Early applications measured ionic species in the part per billion range. Today reliable part per trillion measurements are common for on-line systems. Current systems are meeting the challenge of EPRI guideline requirements. Today's on-line IC's, with programmed sampling systems, monitor fluid streams throughout a power plant, supplying data that can be trended, stored and retrieved easily. The on-line IC has come of age. Many technical challenges were overcome to achieve today's IC

A simple stir casting technique for the preparation of in situ Fe-aluminides reinforced Al-matrix composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanta K. Pradhan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This article presents a simple stir casting technique for the development of Fe-aluminides particulate reinforced Al-matrix composites. It has been demonstrated that stirring of super-heated Al-melt by a mild steel plate followed by conventional casting and hot rolled results in uniform dispersion of in situ Al13Fe4 particles in the Al matrix; the amount of reinforcement is found to increase with increasing melt temperature. With reference to base alloy, the developed composite exhibits higher hardness and improved tensile strength without much loss of ductility; since, composite like base alloy undergoes ductile mode of fracture.

Simulation of wind turbine wakes using the actuator line technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jens Nørkær; Mikkelsen, Robert Flemming; Henningson, Dan S.

2015-01-01

The actuator line technique was introduced as a numerical tool to be employed in combination with large eddy simulations to enable the study of wakes and wake interaction in wind farms. The technique is today largely used for studying basic features of wakes as well as for making performance...... predictions of wind farms. In this paper, we give a short introduction to the wake problem and the actuator line methodology and present a study in which the technique is employed to determine the near-wake properties of wind turbines. The presented results include a comparison of experimental results...

Differential reinforcement and resistance to change of divided-attention performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Podlesnik, Christopher A; Thrailkill, Eric; Shahan, Timothy A

2012-06-01

Behavioral momentum theory provides a framework for understanding how conditions of reinforcement influence instrumental response strength under conditions of disruption (i.e., resistance to change). The present experiment examined resistance to change of divided-attention performance when different overall probabilities of reinforcement were arranged across two components of a multiple schedule. Pigeons responded in a delayed-matching-to-sample procedure with compound samples (color + line orientation) and element comparisons (two colors or two line orientations). Reinforcement ratios of 1:9, 1:1, and 9:1 for accurate matches on the two types of comparison trials were examined across conditions using reinforcement probabilities (color/lines) of .9/.1, .5/.5, and .1/.9 in the rich component and .18/.02, .1/.1, and .02/.18 in the lean component. Relative accuracy with color and line comparisons was an orderly function of relative reinforcement, but this relation did not depend on the overall rate of reinforcement between components. The resistance to change of divided-attention performance was greater for both trial types in the rich component with presession feeding and extinction, but not with decreases in sample duration. These findings suggest promise for the applicability of quantitative models of operant behavior to divided-attention performance, but they highlight the need to further explore conditions impacting the resistance to change of attending.

Nanosilver conductive lines made by spray coating and aerosol jet printing technique

Science.gov (United States)

Krzeminski, Jakub; Wroblewski, Grzegorz; Dybowska-Sarapuk, Lucja; Lepak, Sandra; Jakubowska, Malgorzata

2017-08-01

Printing electronics even though the printing techniques are known for a long time, are gaining in importance. The possibility of making the electronic circuits on flexible, big-area substrates with efficient and cheap technology make it attractive for the electronic industry. Spray coating, as a one of printing methods, additionally provide the chance to print on the non-flat, complicated shaped substrates. Despite the spray coating is mostly used to print a big pads, it is reachable to spray the separate conductive lines both as a quickly-produced prototype and as a fully manufactured circuit. Our work presents the directly printed lines with spray coating technique. For the printing process self-made ink was used. We tested three different approaches to line formation and compare them in the terms of line edge, resistivity and thickness. Line profiles provide the information about the roughness and the line size. In the end we showed the aerosol jet printed meander to give an overview of this similar to spray coating but more sophisticated technique.

Arthroscopic Double-Row Transosseous Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair with a Knotless Self-Reinforcing Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Mook, William R; Greenspoon, Joshua A; Millett, Peter J

2016-01-01

Rotator cuff tears are a significant cause of shoulder morbidity. Surgical techniques for repair have evolved to optimize the biologic and mechanical variables critical to tendon healing. Double-row repairs have demonstrated superior biomechanical advantages to a single-row. The preferred technique for rotator cuff repair of the senior author was reviewed and described in a step by step fashion. The final construct is a knotless double row transosseous equivalent construct. The described technique includes the advantages of a double-row construct while also offering self reinforcement, decreased risk of suture cut through, decreased risk of medial row overtensioning and tissue strangulation, improved vascularity, the efficiency of a knotless system, and no increased risk for subacromial impingement from the burden of suture knots. Arthroscopic knotless double row rotator cuff repair is a safe and effective method to repair rotator cuff tears.

Void detection beneath reinforced concrete sections: The practical application of ground-penetrating radar and ultrasonic techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, Nigel J.; Eddies, Rod; Dods, Sam

2011-08-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and ultrasonic 'pulse echo' techniques are well-established methods for the imaging, investigation and analysis of steel reinforced concrete structures and are important civil engineering survey tools. GPR is, arguably, the more widely-used technique as it is suitable for a greater range of problem scenarios (i.e., from rebar mapping to moisture content determination). Ultrasonic techniques are traditionally associated with the engineering-based, non-destructive testing of concrete structures and their integrity analyses (e.g., flaw detection, shear/longitudinal velocity determination, etc). However, when used in an appropriate manner, both techniques can be considered complementary and provide a unique way of imaging the sub-surface that is suited to a range of geotechnical problems. In this paper, we present a comparative study between mid-to-high frequency GPR (450 MHz and 900 MHz) and array-based, shear wave, pulse-echo ultrasonic surveys using proprietary instruments and conventional GPR data processing and visualisation techniques. Our focus is the practical detection of sub-metre scale voids located under steel reinforced concrete sections in realistic survey conditions (e.g., a capped, relict mine shaft or vent). Representative two-dimensional (2D) sections are presented for both methods illustrating the similarities/differences in signal response and the temporal-spatial target resolutions achieved with each technique. The use of three-dimensional data volumes and time slices (or 'C-scans') for advanced interpretation is also demonstrated, which although common in GPR applications is under-utilised as a technique in general ultrasonic surveys. The results show that ultrasonic methods can perform as well as GPR for this specific investigation scenario and that they have the potential of overcoming some of the inherent limitations of GPR investigations (i.e., the need for careful antenna frequency selection and survey design in

On-line Monitoring and Calibration Techniques in Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashemian, H.M.

2011-01-01

Years of research, testing and experience in the field of sensor diagnostics have yielded many technologies which offer financial as well as operational benefits to the nuclear industry. Among these technologies are On-Line Monitoring (OLM) and On-Line Calibration of critical process monitoring sensors such as resistance temperature detectors (RTD), thermocouples, and pressure transmitters to name a few. The remote access and verification of these sensors have been shown to limit the exposure of maintenance personnel to harsh environments while at the same time effectively and efficiently diagnosing the health and performance of these sensors. In addition to sensors, technologies exist in determining not only the health of instrumentation and control (I and C) cabling that carries the signals from these sensors, but also these same cable testing techniques can be used in the remote evaluation of many end devices used in safety related operations as well. Given these advances in sensor system monitoring techniques it would seem to follow that nuclear utilities from around the world would be applying these tried and true techniques to optimize up time and to provide additional confidence in the output of processing sensors. However, although several of the world's regulatory bodies have approved of the concept of these techniques, few utilities have undertaken to fully embrace on-line monitoring and on-line calibration of nuclear process sensors. In the United States efforts are now underway, with representatives of the U.S. nuclear industry and nuclear power plant vendors to obtain generic NRC licensing for the use of OLM in nuclear power plants. If approved, generic licensing will help pave the way toward greater implementation of OLM and its related calibration techniques. (author)

Effectiveness of an educational video as an instrument to refresh and reinforce the learning of a nursing technique: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Salina, Loris; Ruffinengo, Carlo; Garrino, Lorenza; Massariello, Patrizia; Charrier, Lorena; Martin, Barbara; Favale, Maria Santina; Dimonte, Valerio

2012-05-01

The Undergraduate Nursing Course has been using videos for the past year or so. Videos are used for many different purposes such as during lessons, nurse refresher courses, reinforcement, and sharing and comparison of knowledge with the professional and scientific community. The purpose of this study was to estimate the efficacy of the video (moving an uncooperative patient from the supine to the lateral position) as an instrument to refresh and reinforce nursing techniques. A two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was chosen: both groups attended lessons in the classroom as well as in the laboratory; a month later while one group received written information as a refresher, the other group watched the video. Both groups were evaluated in a blinded fashion. A total of 223 students agreed to take part in the study. The difference observed between those who had seen the video and those who had read up on the technique turned out to be an average of 6.19 points in favour of the first (P video were better able to apply the technique, resulting in a better performance. The video, therefore, represents an important tool to refresh and reinforce previous learning.

Discussion on construction project of lining arch reinforcing stone arch bridge%内衬拱加固石拱桥施工方案探讨

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

乔钧

2012-01-01

分析了石拱桥的常见病害及其原因，总结了石拱桥的加固技术，结合一个工程实例，对内衬拱加固石拱桥的有效施工方案进行了详细阐述，并证明了该加固方案的有效性。%This paper analysed the common diseases and its reasons of stone arch bridge, summed up the reinforcement technology of stone arch bridge, combining with an engineering example, elaborated in detail the effective construction scheme of lining arch reinforcing stone arch bridge, and proved the effectiveness of this reinforcement scheme.

Anatomic deltoid ligament repair with anchor-to-post suture reinforcement: technique tip.

Science.gov (United States)

Lack, William; Phisitkul, Phinit; Femino, John E

2012-01-01

The deltoid ligament is the primary ligamentous stabilizer of the ankle joint. Both superficial and deep components of the ligament can be disrupted with a rotational ankle fracture, chronic ankle instability, or in late stage adult acquired flatfoot deformity. The role of deltoid ligament repair in these conditions has been limited and its contribution to arthritis is largely unknown. Neglect of the deltoid ligament in the treatment of ankle injuries may be due to difficulties in diagnosis and lack of an effective method for repair. Most acute repair techniques address the superficial deltoid ligament with direct end-to-end repair, fixation through bone tunnels, or suture anchor repair of avulsion injuries. Deep deltoid ligament repair has been described using direct end-to-end repair with sutures, as well as by autograft and allograft tendon reconstruction utilizing various techniques. Newer tenodesis techniques have been described for late reconstruction of both deep and superficial components in patients with stage 4 adult acquired flatfoot deformity. We describe a technique that provides anatomic ligament-to-bone repair of the superficial and deep bundles of the deltoid ligament while reducing the talus toward the medial malleolar facet of the tibiotalar joint with anchor-to-post reinforcement of the ligamentous repair. This technique may protect and allow the horizontally oriented fibers of the deep deltoid ligament to heal with the appropriate resting length while providing immediate stability of the construct.

Shear strength of non-shear reinforced concrete elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoang, Cao linh

1997-01-01

is based upon the hypothesis that cracks can be transformed into yield lines, which have lower sliding resistance than yield lines formed in uncracked concrete.Proposals have been made on how the derived standard solutions may be applied to more complicated cases, such as continuous beams, beams......The report deals with the shear strength of statically indeterminate reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement. Solutions for a number of beams with different load and support conditions have been derived by means of the crack sliding model developed by Jin- Ping Zhang.This model...

Nuclear techniques for on-line analysis in the mineral and energy industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sowerby, B.D.; Watt, J.S.

1994-01-01

Nuclear techniques are the basis of many on-line analysis systems which are now widely used in the mineral and energy industries. Some of the systems developed by the CSIRO depend entirely on nuclear techniques; others use a combination of nuclear techniques and microwave, capacitance, or ultrasonic techniques. The continuous analysis and rapid response of these CSIRO systems has led to improved control of mining, processing and blending operations, with increased productivity valued at A$50 million per year to Australia, and $90 million per year world wide. This paper reviews developments in nuclear on-line analysis systems by the On-Line Analysis Group in CSIRO at Lucas Heights. Commercialised systems based on this work analyse mineral and coal slurries and determine the ash and moisture contents of coal and coke on conveyors. This paper also reviews two on-line nuclear analysis systems recently developed and licensed to industry, firstly for the determination of the mass flow rates of oil/water/gas mixtures in pipelines, and secondly for determination of the moisture, specific energy, ash and fouling index in low rank coals. 8 refs., 3 tabs., 4 figs

Reinforcement of Conducting Silver-based Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heike JUNG

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Silver is a well-known material in the field of contact materials because of its high electrical and thermal conductivity. However, due to its bad mechanical and switching properties, silver alloys or reinforcements of the ductile silver matrix are required. Different reinforcements, e. g. tungsten, tungsten carbide, nickel, cadmium oxide or tin oxide, are used in different sectors of switches. To reach an optimal distribution of these reinforcements, various manufacturing techniques (e. g. powder blending, preform infiltration, wet-chemical methods, internal oxidation are being used for the production of these contact materials. Each of these manufacturing routes offers different advantages and disadvantages. The mechanical alloying process displays a successful and efficient method to produce particle-reinforced metal-matrix composite powders. This contribution presents the obtained fine disperse microstructure of tungsten-particle-reinforced silver composite powders produced by the mechanical alloying process and displays this technique as possible route to provide feedstock powders for subsequent consolidation processes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.3.4889

Partial discharge location technique for covered-conductor overhead distribution lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isa, M.

2013-02-01

In Finland, covered-conductor (CC) overhead lines are commonly used in medium voltage (MV) networks because the loads are widely distributed in the forested terrain. Such parts of the network are exposed to leaning trees which produce partial discharges (PDs) in CC lines. This thesis presents a technique to locate the PD source on CC overhead distribution line networks. The algorithm is developed and tested using a simulated study and experimental measurements. The Electromagnetic Transient Program-Alternative Transient Program (EMTP-ATP) is used to simulate and analyze a three-phase PD monitoring system, while MATLAB is used for post-processing of the high frequency signals which were measured. A Rogowski coil is used as the measuring sensor. A multi-end correlation-based technique for PD location is implemented using the theory of maximum correlation factor in order to find the time difference of arrival (TDOA) between signal arrivals at three synchronized measuring points. The three stages of signal analysis used are: (1) denoising by applying discrete wavelet transform (DWT); (2) extracting the PD features using the absolute or windowed standard deviation (STD) and; (3) locating the PD point. The advantage of this technique is the ability to locate the PD source without the need to know the first arrival time and the propagation velocity of the signals. In addition, the faulty section of the CC line between three measuring points can also be identified based on the degrees of correlation. An experimental analysis is performed to evaluate the PD measurement system performance for PD location on CC overhead lines. The measuring set-up is arranged in a high voltage (HV) laboratory. A multi-end measuring method is chosen as a technique to locate the PD source point on the line. A power transformer 110/20 kV was used to energize the AC voltage up to 11.5 kV/phase (20 kV system). The tests were designed to cover different conditions such as offline and online

Aeroacoustic Calculations of Wind Turbine Noise with the Actuator Line/ Navier-Stokes Technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Debertshäuser, Harald; Shen, Wen Zhong; Zhu, Wei Jun

2016-01-01

technique where the wind turbine flow is calculated by using the in-house actuator line/LES/Navier-Stokes technique and the acoustics is obtained by solving the acoustic perturbation equations. In the flow solver, the wind turbine blades are modelled by rotating lines with body forces determined according...

Nondestructive Determination of Reinforcement Volume Fractions in Particulate Composites : Ultrasonic Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Hyun Jo

1998-01-01

A nondestructive ultrasonic technique is presented for estimating the reinforcement volume fractions of particulate composites. The proposed technique employs a theoretical model which accounts for composite microstructures, together with a measurement of ultrasonic velocity to determine the reinforcement volume fractions. The approach is used for a wide range of SiC particulate reinforced Al matrix (SiC p /AI) composites. The method is considered to be reliable in determining the reinforcement volume fractions. The technique could be adopted in a production unit for the quality assessment of the metal matrix particulate composite extrusions

Performance of Hydrophobisation Techniques in Case of Reinforced Concrete Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Błaszczyński, Tomasz; Osesek, Mateusz; Gwozdowski, Błażej; Ilski, Mirosław

2017-10-01

Concrete is, unchangeably, one of the most frequently applied building materials, also in the case of bridges, overpasses or viaducts. Along with the aging of such structures, the degradation of concrete, which may accelerate the corrosion of reinforcing steel and drastically decrease the load-bearing capacity of the structure, becomes an important issue. The paper analyzes the possibilities of using deep hydrophobisation in repairing reinforced concrete engineering structures. The benefits of properly securing reinforced concrete structures from the damaging effects of UV radiation, the influence of harmful gases, or progression of chlorine induced corrosion have been presented, especially in regards to bridge structures. The need to calculate the costs of carrying out investments along with the expected costs of maintaining such structures, as well as the high share of costs connected with logistics, has also been indicated in the total costs of repair works.

Shape and Reinforcement Optimization of Underground Tunnels

Science.gov (United States)

Ghabraie, Kazem; Xie, Yi Min; Huang, Xiaodong; Ren, Gang

Design of support system and selecting an optimum shape for the opening are two important steps in designing excavations in rock masses. Currently selecting the shape and support design are mainly based on designer's judgment and experience. Both of these problems can be viewed as material distribution problems where one needs to find the optimum distribution of a material in a domain. Topology optimization techniques have proved to be useful in solving these kinds of problems in structural design. Recently the application of topology optimization techniques in reinforcement design around underground excavations has been studied by some researchers. In this paper a three-phase material model will be introduced changing between normal rock, reinforced rock, and void. Using such a material model both problems of shape and reinforcement design can be solved together. A well-known topology optimization technique used in structural design is bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO). In this paper the BESO technique has been extended to simultaneously optimize the shape of the opening and the distribution of reinforcements. Validity and capability of the proposed approach have been investigated through some examples.

On-line monitoring of water amount in fresh concrete by radioactive-wave method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemi, T.; Arai, M.; Enomoto, S.; Suzki, K.; Kumahara, Y.

2003-01-01

The committee on nondestructive inspection for steel reinforced concrete structures in the Federation of Construction Materials Industries, Japan has published a proposed standard for on-line monitoring of water amount in fresh concrete by the radioactive wave method. By applying a neutron technique, water amount in fresh concrete is estimated continuously from the energy consumption of neutron due to hydrogen. A standard is discussed along with results of verification tests. Thus, on-line monitoring for water amount is proposed

Artificial lateral-line system for imaging dipole sources using Beamforming techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dagamseh, A.M.K.; Wiegerink, Remco J.; Lammerink, Theodorus S.J.; Krijnen, Gijsbertus J.M.

In nature, fish have the ability to localize prey, school, navigate, etc. using the lateral-line organ [1]. Here we present the use of biomimetic artificial hair-based flow-sensors arranged as lateral-line system in combination with beamforming techniques for dipole source localization in air.

Autonomous reinforcement learning with experience replay.

Science.gov (United States)

Wawrzyński, Paweł; Tanwani, Ajay Kumar

2013-05-01

This paper considers the issues of efficiency and autonomy that are required to make reinforcement learning suitable for real-life control tasks. A real-time reinforcement learning algorithm is presented that repeatedly adjusts the control policy with the use of previously collected samples, and autonomously estimates the appropriate step-sizes for the learning updates. The algorithm is based on the actor-critic with experience replay whose step-sizes are determined on-line by an enhanced fixed point algorithm for on-line neural network training. An experimental study with simulated octopus arm and half-cheetah demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed algorithm to solve difficult learning control problems in an autonomous way within reasonably short time. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vibration characteristics of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite rectangular plates on Pasternak foundation with arbitrary boundary conditions and internal line supports

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Rui; Wang, Qingshan; Tang, Jinyuan; Shuai, Cijun; Liang, Qian

2018-02-01

This paper presents the first known vibration characteristics of moderately thick functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite rectangular plates on Pasternak foundation with arbitrary boundary conditions and internal line supports on the basis of the firstorder shear deformation theory. Different distributions of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) along the thickness are considered. Uniform and other three kinds of functionally graded distributions of carbon nanotubes along the thickness direction of plates are studied. The solutions carried out using an enhanced Ritz method mainly include the following three points: Firstly, create the Lagrange energy function by the energy principle; Secondly, as the main innovation point, the modified Fourier series are chosen as the basic functions of the admissible functions of the plates to eliminate all the relevant discontinuities of the displacements and their derivatives at the edges; Lastly, solve the natural frequencies as well as the associated mode shapes by means of the Ritz-variational energy method. In this study, the influences of the volume fraction of CNTs, distribution type of CNTs, boundary restrain parameters, location of the internal line supports, foundation coefficients on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the FG-CNT reinforced composite rectangular plates are presented.

Review of techniques for on-line monitoring and inspection of laser welding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, J; Yan, Y

2005-01-01

Laser welding has been applied to various industries, in particular, automotive, aerospace and microelectronics. However, traditional off-line testing of the welds is costly and inefficient. Therefore, on-line inspection systems with low cost have being developed to increase productivity and maintain high welding quality. This paper presents the applications of acoustic, optical, visual, thermal and ultrasonic techniques and latest development of laser welding monitoring. The advantages and limitations of these techniques are also discussed

Raising of geo ecological safety of engineering collectors: the new method of assessment of water tightness of reinforced concrete blocks with basalt plastic lining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyapidevskaya Olga

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents analytics ways to estimation and assessment of water tightness of reinforced concrete blocks with basalt plastic lining for increasing geo ecological safety of engineering collectors. It is proved the advisability of application basalt plastic lining instead secondary protection of concrete with hydraulic seal. The results of estimation filtration coefficient and assessment of water tightness of basalt plastic lining of engineering collectors are represented. It is carried out comparative analysis of filtration coefficient and water tightness data of basalt plastic lining and secondary protection. The geo ecological effect is proved at the expense of application of new materials and reducing breakdown events with collectors that may lead pollution of ground and subsoil water with sewage.

Analysis of tribological behaviour of zirconia reinforced Al-SiC hybrid composites using statistical and artificial neural network technique

Science.gov (United States)

Arif, Sajjad; Tanwir Alam, Md; Ansari, Akhter H.; Bilal Naim Shaikh, Mohd; Arif Siddiqui, M.

2018-05-01

The tribological performance of aluminium hybrid composites reinforced with micro SiC (5 wt%) and nano zirconia (0, 3, 6 and 9 wt%) fabricated through powder metallurgy technique were investigated using statistical and artificial neural network (ANN) approach. The influence of zirconia reinforcement, sliding distance and applied load were analyzed with test based on full factorial design of experiments. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the percentage contribution of each process parameters on wear loss. ANOVA approach suggested that wear loss be mainly influenced by sliding distance followed by zirconia reinforcement and applied load. Further, a feed forward back propagation neural network was applied on input/output date for predicting and analyzing the wear behaviour of fabricated composite. A very close correlation between experimental and ANN output were achieved by implementing the model. Finally, ANN model was effectively used to find the influence of various control factors on wear behaviour of hybrid composites.

Simulation of wind turbine wakes using the actuator line technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, Jens N; Mikkelsen, Robert F; Henningson, Dan S; Ivanell, Stefan; Sarmast, Sasan; Andersen, Søren J

2015-02-28

The actuator line technique was introduced as a numerical tool to be employed in combination with large eddy simulations to enable the study of wakes and wake interaction in wind farms. The technique is today largely used for studying basic features of wakes as well as for making performance predictions of wind farms. In this paper, we give a short introduction to the wake problem and the actuator line methodology and present a study in which the technique is employed to determine the near-wake properties of wind turbines. The presented results include a comparison of experimental results of the wake characteristics of the flow around a three-bladed model wind turbine, the development of a simple analytical formula for determining the near-wake length behind a wind turbine and a detailed investigation of wake structures based on proper orthogonal decomposition analysis of numerically generated snapshots of the wake. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Prescribed wind shear modelling with the actuator line technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Robert Flemming; Sørensen, Jens Nørkær; Troldborg, Niels

2007-01-01

A method for prescribing arbitrary steady atmospheric wind shear profiles combined with CFD is presented. The method is furthermore combined with the actuator line technique governing the aerodynamic loads on a wind turbine. Computation are carried out on a wind turbine exposed to a representative...

Fracture resistance of metal-free composite crowns-effects of fiber reinforcement, thermal cycling, and cementation technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, Franziska; Eickemeyer, Grit; Rammelsberg, Peter

2004-09-01

The improved mechanical properties of contemporary composites have resulted in their extensive use for the restoration of posterior teeth. However, the influence of fiber reinforcement, cementation technique, and physical stress on the fracture resistance of metal-free crowns is unknown. This in vitro study evaluated the effect of fiber reinforcement, physical stress, and cementation methods on the fracture resistance of posterior metal-free Sinfony crowns. Ninety-six extracted human third molars received a standardized tooth preparation: 0.5-mm chamfer preparation and occlusal reduction of 1.3 to 1.5 mm. Sinfony (nonreinforced crowns, n=48) and Sinfony-Vectris (reinforced crowns, n=48) crowns restoring original tooth contour were prepared. Twenty-four specimens of each crown type were cemented, using either glass ionomer cement (GIC) or resin cement. Thirty-two crowns (one third) were stored in humidity for 48 hours. Another third was exposed to 10,000 thermal cycles (TC) between 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C. The remaining third was treated with thermal cycling and mechanical loading (TCML), consisting of 1.2 million axial loads of 50 N. The artificial crowns were then vertically loaded with a steel sphere until failure occurred. Significant differences in fracture resistance (N) between experimental groups were assessed by nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test (alpha=.05). Fifty percent of the Sinfony and Sinfony-Vectris crowns cemented with glass ionomer cement loosened after thermal cycling. Thermal cycling resulted in a significant reduction in the mean fracture resistance for Sinfony crowns cemented with GIC, from 2037 N to 1282 N (P=.004). Additional fatigue produced no further effects. Fiber reinforcement significantly increased fracture resistance, from 1555 N to 2326 N (P=.001). The minimal fracture resistance was above 600 N for all combinations of material, cement and loading. Fracture resistance of metal-free Sinfony crowns was significantly increased by

Line identification studies using traditional techniques and wavelength coincidence statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowley, C.R.; Adelman, S.J.

1990-01-01

Traditional line identification techniques result in the assignment of individual lines to an atomic or ionic species. These methods may be supplemented by wavelength coincidence statistics (WCS). The strength and weakness of these methods are discussed using spectra of a number of normal and peculiar B and A stars that have been studied independently by both methods. The present results support the overall findings of some earlier studies. WCS would be most useful in a first survey, before traditional methods have been applied. WCS can quickly make a global search for all species and in this way may enable identifications of an unexpected spectrum that could easily be omitted entirely from a traditional study. This is illustrated by O I. WCS is a subject to well known weakness of any statistical technique, for example, a predictable number of spurious results are to be expected. The danger of small number statistics are illustrated. WCS is at its best relative to traditional methods in finding a line-rich atomic species that is only weakly present in a complicated stellar spectrum

Diagnostics of glass fiber reinforced polymers and comparative analysis of their fabrication techniques with the use of acoustic emission

Science.gov (United States)

Bashkov, O. V.; Bryansky, A. A.; Panin, S. V.; Zaikov, V. I.

2016-11-01

Strength properties of the glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP) fabricated by vacuum and vacuum autoclave molding techniques were analyzed. Measurements of porosity of the GFRP parts manufactured by various molding techniques were conducted with the help of optical microscopy. On the basis of experimental data obtained by means of acoustic emission hardware/software setup, the technique for running diagnostics and forecasting the bearing capacity of polymeric composite materials based on the result of three-point bending tests has been developed. The operation principle of the technique is underlined by the evaluation of the power function index change which takes place on the dependence of the total acoustic emission counts versus the loading stress.

Tough ceramic coatings: Carbon nanotube reinforced silica sol-gel

Science.gov (United States)

López, A. J.; Rico, A.; Rodríguez, J.; Rams, J.

2010-08-01

Silica coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes were produced via sol-gel route using two mixing techniques of the sol-gel precursors, mechanical and ultrasonic mixing, and dip-coating as deposition process on magnesium alloy substrates. Effective incorporation and distribution of 0.1 wt.% of carbon nanotubes in the amorphous silica matrix of the coatings were achieved using both techniques. Fabrication procedure determines the morphological aspects of the coating. Only mechanical mixing process produced coatings dense and free of defects. Nanoindentation technique was used to examine the influence of the fabrication process in the mechanical features of the final coatings, i.e. indentation fracture toughness, Young's modulus and hardness. A maximum toughening effect of about 24% was achieved in silica coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes produced by the mechanical mixing route. Scanning electron microscopy investigation revealed that the toughening of these reinforced coatings was mainly due to bridging effect of the reinforcement.

Size characterization of airborne SiO2 nanoparticles with on-line and off-line measurement techniques: an interlaboratory comparison study

Science.gov (United States)

Motzkus, C.; Macé, T.; Gaie-Levrel, F.; Ducourtieux, S.; Delvallee, A.; Dirscherl, K.; Hodoroaba, V.-D.; Popov, I.; Popov, O.; Kuselman, I.; Takahata, K.; Ehara, K.; Ausset, P.; Maillé, M.; Michielsen, N.; Bondiguel, S.; Gensdarmes, F.; Morawska, L.; Johnson, G. R.; Faghihi, E. M.; Kim, C. S.; Kim, Y. H.; Chu, M. C.; Guardado, J. A.; Salas, A.; Capannelli, G.; Costa, C.; Bostrom, T.; Jämting, Å. K.; Lawn, M. A.; Adlem, L.; Vaslin-Reimann, S.

2013-10-01

Results of an interlaboratory comparison on size characterization of SiO2 airborne nanoparticles using on-line and off-line measurement techniques are discussed. This study was performed in the framework of Technical Working Area (TWA) 34—"Properties of Nanoparticle Populations" of the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) in the project no. 3 "Techniques for characterizing size distribution of airborne nanoparticles". Two types of nano-aerosols, consisting of (1) one population of nanoparticles with a mean diameter between 30.3 and 39.0 nm and (2) two populations of non-agglomerated nanoparticles with mean diameters between, respectively, 36.2-46.6 nm and 80.2-89.8 nm, were generated for characterization measurements. Scanning mobility particle size spectrometers (SMPS) were used for on-line measurements of size distributions of the produced nano-aerosols. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used as off-line measurement techniques for nanoparticles characterization. Samples were deposited on appropriate supports such as grids, filters, and mica plates by electrostatic precipitation and a filtration technique using SMPS controlled generation upstream. The results of the main size distribution parameters (mean and mode diameters), obtained from several laboratories, were compared based on metrological approaches including metrological traceability, calibration, and evaluation of the measurement uncertainty. Internationally harmonized measurement procedures for airborne SiO2 nanoparticles characterization are proposed.

Size characterization of airborne SiO2 nanoparticles with on-line and off-line measurement techniques: an interlaboratory comparison study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motzkus, C.; Macé, T.; Gaie-Levrel, F.; Ducourtieux, S.; Delvallee, A.; Dirscherl, K.; Hodoroaba, V.-D.; Popov, I.; Popov, O.; Kuselman, I.; Takahata, K.; Ehara, K.; Ausset, P.; Maillé, M.; Michielsen, N.; Bondiguel, S.; Gensdarmes, F.; Morawska, L.; Johnson, G. R.; Faghihi, E. M.

2013-01-01

Results of an interlaboratory comparison on size characterization of SiO 2 airborne nanoparticles using on-line and off-line measurement techniques are discussed. This study was performed in the framework of Technical Working Area (TWA) 34—“Properties of Nanoparticle Populations” of the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) in the project no. 3 “Techniques for characterizing size distribution of airborne nanoparticles”. Two types of nano-aerosols, consisting of (1) one population of nanoparticles with a mean diameter between 30.3 and 39.0 nm and (2) two populations of non-agglomerated nanoparticles with mean diameters between, respectively, 36.2–46.6 nm and 80.2–89.8 nm, were generated for characterization measurements. Scanning mobility particle size spectrometers (SMPS) were used for on-line measurements of size distributions of the produced nano-aerosols. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used as off-line measurement techniques for nanoparticles characterization. Samples were deposited on appropriate supports such as grids, filters, and mica plates by electrostatic precipitation and a filtration technique using SMPS controlled generation upstream. The results of the main size distribution parameters (mean and mode diameters), obtained from several laboratories, were compared based on metrological approaches including metrological traceability, calibration, and evaluation of the measurement uncertainty. Internationally harmonized measurement procedures for airborne SiO 2 nanoparticles characterization are proposed

[Impact on the gait time cycle of ischemic stroke in the treatment with yin-yang respiratory reinforcing and reducing needling technique].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qi; Tian, Fu-Ling; Liu, Guo-Rong; Zheng, De-Song; Chen, Jin-Ming; Ma, Shu-Riang; Cui, Jian-Mei; Wang, Hong-Bin; Li, Xue-Qing

2014-03-01

To compare the difference in the efficacy on gait time cycle of ischemic stroke between yin-yang respiratory reinforcing and reducing needling technique (yin-yang needling) and the conventional acupuncture. Sixty cases of ischemic stroke were randomized into a conventional acupuncture group and a yin-yang needling group, 30 cases in each one. The basic treatment (the control of blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipid, the intravenous drops of ginkgo leaf extract and dipyridamole injection and vinpocetine injection) were applied in the two groups. Additionally, in the conventional acupuncture group, the acupoints of the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming [Biguan (ST 31), Liangqiu (ST 34), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Xiajuxu (ST 39), etc.] were selected and stimulated with the even needling technique. In the yin-yang needling group, the acupoints of yin meridians such as Zuwuli (LR 10), Xuehai (SP 10), Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. and the acupoints of yang meridians such as Biguan (ST 31), Liangqiu (ST 34) and Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc. were selected. The reducing manipulation of respiratory reinforcing and reducing technique was applied to the acupoints of yin meridians and the reinforcing manipulation was applied to the acupoints of yang meridians. The kinematics time parameters were determined and compared before and 4 weeks after treatment. After treatment, the differences in the gait cycle, the phase time of standing (%), the phase time of single support (%), the phase time of unilateral sway (%) on the affected (healthy) foot and phase time of double support (%) were significant as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (all P yin-yang needling group were improved much obviously after treatment as compared with those in the conventional acupuncture group. The differences in support phase time (%), single support phase time (%) and sway phase time (%) were significant between the affected limb and

A line-based vegetation sampling technique and its application in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

percentage cover, density and intercept frequency) and also provides plant size distributions, yet requires no more sampling effort than the line-intercept method.. A field test of the three techniques in succulent karoo, showed that the discriminating ...

An Analysis of Stochastic Game Theory for Multiagent Reinforcement Learning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bowling, Michael

2000-01-01

.... In this paper we contribute a comprehensive presentation of the relevant techniques for solving stochastic games from both the game theory community and reinforcement learning communities. We examine the assumptions and limitations of these algorithms, and identify similarities between these algorithms, single agent reinforcement learners, and basic game theory techniques.

Fretting Wear Behaviors of Aluminum Cable Steel Reinforced (ACSR Conductors in High-Voltage Transmission Line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingchi Ma

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This work reports the fretting wear behavior of aluminum cable steel reinforced (ACSR conductors for use in high-voltage transmission line. Fretting wear tests of Al wires were conducted on a servo-controlled fatigue testing machine with self-made assistant apparatus, and their fretting process characteristics, friction force, wear damage, and wear surface morphology were detailed analyzed. The results show that the running regime of Al wires changes from a gross slip regime to a mixed regime more quickly as increasing contact load. With increasing amplitudes, gross slip regimes are more dominant under contact loads of lower than 30 N. The maximum friction force is relatively smaller in the NaCl solution than in a dry friction environment. The primary wear mechanisms in dry friction environments are abrasive wear and adhesive wear whereas abrasive wear and fatigue damage are dominant in NaCl solution.

Numerical modelling of the reinforced concrete influence on a combined system of tunnel support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grujić Bojana

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the experimental, laboratory determined rheological-dynamic analysis of the properties of fiber reinforced concrete, which was then utilized to show nonlinear analysis of combined system of tunnel support structure. According to the performed experiments and calculations, different processes of destructive behavior of tunnel lining were simulated in combination with elastic and elastic-plastic behavior of materials taking into account the tunnel loading, the interaction between the fiber reinforced concrete and soil, as well as the interaction between the fiber reinforced concrete and the inner lining of the tunnel.

Numerical modelling of the reinforced concrete influence on a combined system of tunnel support

Science.gov (United States)

Grujić, Bojana; Jokanović, Igor; Grujić, Žarko; Zeljić, Dragana

2017-12-01

The paper presents the experimental, laboratory determined rheological-dynamic analysis of the properties of fiber reinforced concrete, which was then utilized to show nonlinear analysis of combined system of tunnel support structure. According to the performed experiments and calculations, different processes of destructive behavior of tunnel lining were simulated in combination with elastic and elastic-plastic behavior of materials taking into account the tunnel loading, the interaction between the fiber reinforced concrete and soil, as well as the interaction between the fiber reinforced concrete and the inner lining of the tunnel.

Internal inspection of reinforced concrete for nuclear structures using shear wave tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, David B.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Aging of reinforced concrete used for worldwide nuclear structures is increasing and necessitating evaluation. • Nondestructive evaluation is a tool for assessing the condition of reinforced concrete of nuclear structures. • Ultrasonic shear wave tomography as a stress wave technique has begun to be utilized for investigation of concrete material. • A study using ultrasonic shear wave tomography indicates anomalies vital to the long-term operation of the structure. • The use of this technique has shown to successfully evaluate the internal state of reinforced concrete members. - Abstract: Reinforced concrete is important for nuclear related structures. Therefore, the integrity of structural members consisting of reinforced concrete is germane to the safe operation and longevity of these facilities. Many issues that reduce the likelihood of safe operation and longevity are not visible on the surface of reinforced concrete material. Therefore, an investigation of reinforced concrete material should include techniques which will allow peering into the concrete member and determining its internal state. The performance of nondestructive evaluations is pursuant to this goal. Some of the categories of nondestructive evaluations are electrochemical, magnetism, ground penetrating radar, and ultrasonic testing. A specific ultrasonic testing technique, namely ultrasonic shear wave tomography, is used to determine presence and extent of voids, honeycombs, cracks perpendicular to the surface, and/or delamination. This technique, and others similar to it, has been utilized in the nuclear industry to determine structural conditions

Analytical techniques for in-line/on-line monitoring of uranium and plutonium in process solutions : a brief literature survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marathe, S.G.; Sood, D.D.

1991-01-01

In-line/on-line monitoring of various parameters such as uranium-plutonium-fission product concentration, acidity, density etc. plays an important role in quickly understanding the efficiency of processes in a reprocessing plant. Efforts in studying and installation of such analytical instruments are going on since more than three decades with adaptation of newer methods and technologies. A review on the developement of in-line analytical instrumentation was carried out in this laboratory about two decades ago. This report presents a very short literature survey of the work in the last two decades. The report includes an outline of principles of the main techniques employed in the in-line/on-line monitoring. (author). 77 refs., 6 tabs

South Oregon Coast Reinforcement.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

1998-05-01

The Bonneville Power Administration is proposing to build a transmission line to reinforce electrical service to the southern coast of Oregon. This FYI outlines the proposal, tells how one can learn more, and how one can share ideas and opinions. The project will reinforce Oregon`s south coast area and provide the necessary transmission for Nucor Corporation to build a new steel mill in the Coos Bay/North Bend area. The proposed plant, which would use mostly recycled scrap metal, would produce rolled steel products. The plant would require a large amount of electrical power to run the furnace used in its steel-making process. In addition to the potential steel mill, electrical loads in the south Oregon coast area are expected to continue to grow.

Seismic Retrofitting: Reinforced Concrete (RC shear wall versus Reinforcement of RC element by Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP using PUSHOVER analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yahya RIYAD

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Seismic retrofitting of constructions vulnerable to earthquakes is a current problem of great political and social relevance. During the last sixty years, moderate to severe earthquakes have occurred in Morocco (specifically in Agadir 1960 and Hoceima 2004. Such events have clearly shown the vulnerability of the building stock in particular and of the built environment in general. Hence, it is very much essential to retrofit the vulnerable building to cope up for the next damaging earthquake. In this paper, the focus will be on a comparative study between two techniques of seismic retrofitting, the first one is a reinforcement using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP applied to RC elements by bonding , and the second one is a reinforcement with a shear wall. For this study, we will use a non-linear static analysis -also known as Pushover analysis - on a reinforced concrete structure consisting of beams and columns, and composed from eight storey with a gross area of 240 m², designed conforming to the Moroccan Seismic code[1].

Man-made vitreous fiber produced from incinerator ash using the thermal plasma technique and application as reinforcement in concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Sheng-Fu; Wang, To-Mai; Lee, Wen-Cheng; Sun, Kin-Seng; Tzeng, Chin-Ching

2010-10-15

This study proposes using thermal plasma technology to treat municipal solid waste incinerator ashes. A feasible fiberization method was developed and applied to produce man-made vitreous fiber (MMVF) from plasma vitrified slag. MMVF were obtained through directly blending the oxide melt stream with high velocity compressed air. The basic technological characteristics of MMVF, including morphology, diameter, shot content, length and chemical resistance, are described in this work. Laboratory experiments were conducted on the fiber-reinforced concrete. The effects of fibrous content on compressive strength and flexural strength are presented. The experimental results showed the proper additive of MMVF in concrete can enhance its mechanical properties. MMVF products produced from incinerator ashes treated with the thermal plasma technique have great potential for reinforcement in concrete. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reinforced soil structures. Volume I, Design and construction guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

1990-11-01

This report presents comprehensive guidelines for evaluating and using soil reinforcement techniques in the construction of retaining walls, embankment slopes, and natural or cut slopes. A variety of available systems for reinforced soil including in...

Designing on-line analyzer for coal on belt conveyor using neutron activation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rony Djokorayono; Agus Cahyono

2014-01-01

Basic design of on-line analyzer for coal on belt conveyor using neutron activation technique has been carried out. Compared with sampling technique, this neutron activation technique has some advantages in term of analysis accuracy and time. The design activities performed include the establishment of design requirements, functional requirements, technical requirements, technical specification, detection sub-system design, data acquisition subsystem design, and operator computer console design. This program will use Nal(Tl) scintillation detector to detect gamma-rays emitted by elements in coal due to neutron activation of a neutron source, "2"5"2Cf (Californium-252). This basic design of on-line analyzer for coal on belt conveyor using neutron activation technique should be followed up with the development of detailed design, prototype construction, and field testing. (author)

Improved monolithic reinforced concrete construction for nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenther, P.; Fischer, K.

1983-01-01

Experience has shown that in applying monolithic reinforced concrete in nuclear power plant construction the following auxiliary means are useful: measuring sheets in assembling, welding gauges for reaching high tolerance accuracies of prefabricated reinforced concrete members, suitable lining materials, formwork anchorage and formwork release agents, concrete workability agents, mechanized procedures for finishing and assembling. These means were successfully tested in constructing the Greifswald nuclear power station

Toughened microstructures for ductile phase reinforced molybdenum disilicide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickard, S.M.; Ghosh, A.K.

1995-01-01

Various morphologies of ductile Nb refractory metal reinforcement are incorporated into a MoSi 2 matrix using powder metallurgy, including single-ply laminates, continuous metal ribbons and sections of 2-dimensional wire mesh. Hot forging techniques are used to redistribute the reinforcement and change the dimensions and the aspect ratio of the reinforcing metal ligaments. Work-of-rupture measurements are conducted on bend test specimens and precracked tensile specimens of the composite so that the toughness contribution from the various ductile metal morphologies can be assessed according to its effectiveness. Accompanying microstructural examination of crack bridging interaction with the reinforcement is conducted

Size characterization of airborne SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with on-line and off-line measurement techniques: an interlaboratory comparison study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motzkus, C., E-mail: charles.motzkus@lne.fr; Mace, T.; Gaie-Levrel, F.; Ducourtieux, S.; Delvallee, A. [Laboratoire National de Metrologie et d' Essais (LNE) (France); Dirscherl, K. [Danish Fundamental Metrology (DFM) (Denmark); Hodoroaba, V.-D. [BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (Germany); Popov, I. [The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Unit for Nanocharacterization (Israel); Popov, O.; Kuselman, I. [National Physical Laboratory of Israel (INPL) (Israel); Takahata, K.; Ehara, K. [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) (Japan); Ausset, P.; Maille, M. [Universite Paris-Est Creteil et Universite Paris-Diderot, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systemes Atmospheriques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583 (France); Michielsen, N.; Bondiguel, S.; Gensdarmes, F. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN), PSN-RES, SCA, LPMA (France); Morawska, L.; Johnson, G. R.; Faghihi, E. M. [Queensland University of Technology (QUT), International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH) (Australia); and others

2013-10-15

Results of an interlaboratory comparison on size characterization of SiO{sub 2} airborne nanoparticles using on-line and off-line measurement techniques are discussed. This study was performed in the framework of Technical Working Area (TWA) 34-'Properties of Nanoparticle Populations' of the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) in the project no. 3 'Techniques for characterizing size distribution of airborne nanoparticles'. Two types of nano-aerosols, consisting of (1) one population of nanoparticles with a mean diameter between 30.3 and 39.0 nm and (2) two populations of non-agglomerated nanoparticles with mean diameters between, respectively, 36.2-46.6 nm and 80.2-89.8 nm, were generated for characterization measurements. Scanning mobility particle size spectrometers (SMPS) were used for on-line measurements of size distributions of the produced nano-aerosols. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used as off-line measurement techniques for nanoparticles characterization. Samples were deposited on appropriate supports such as grids, filters, and mica plates by electrostatic precipitation and a filtration technique using SMPS controlled generation upstream. The results of the main size distribution parameters (mean and mode diameters), obtained from several laboratories, were compared based on metrological approaches including metrological traceability, calibration, and evaluation of the measurement uncertainty. Internationally harmonized measurement procedures for airborne SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles characterization are proposed.

Acoustic emission techniques applied to conventionally reinforced concrete bridge girders.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-01

Reinforced concrete (RC) bridges generally operate at service-level loads except during discrete overload events that can reduce the integrity of the structure by initiating concrete cracks, widening or extending of existing concrete cracks, as well ...

MICROARRAY IMAGE GRIDDING USING GRID LINE REFINEMENT TECHNIQUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.G. Biju

2015-05-01

Full Text Available An important stage in microarray image analysis is gridding. Microarray image gridding is done to locate sub arrays in a microarray image and find co-ordinates of spots within each sub array. For accurate identification of spots, most of the proposed gridding methods require human intervention. In this paper a fully automatic gridding method which enhances spot intensity in the preprocessing step as per a histogram based threshold method is used. The gridding step finds co-ordinates of spots from horizontal and vertical profile of the image. To correct errors due to the grid line placement, a grid line refinement technique is proposed. The algorithm is applied on different image databases and results are compared based on spot detection accuracy and time. An average spot detection accuracy of 95.06% depicts the proposed method’s flexibility and accuracy in finding the spot co-ordinates for different database images.

A method for three-dimensional structural analysis of reinforced concrete containment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulak, R.F.; Fiala, C.

1989-01-01

A finite element method designed to assist reactor safety analysts in the three-dimensional numerical simulation of reinforced concrete containments to normal and off-normal mechanical loadings is presented. The development of a lined reinforced concrete plate element is described in detail, and the implementation of an empirical transverse shear failure criteria is discussed. The method is applied to the analysis of a 1/6th scale reinforced concrete containment model subjected to static internal pressurization. 11 refs., 14 figs., 1 tab

Investigation on reinforced concrete slabs subjeted to impact loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freiman, M.; Krutzik, N.J.; Tropp, R.; Zorn, N.F.

1984-01-01

A comparison of experimental and computational results for tests of reinforced concrete slabs subjected to soft missile impact is presented. Numerical simulation techniques were employed to predict the target response. The objective of the calculations was to validate the material model for reinforced concrete implemented in a finite difference code. The computational results regarding displacements or strains in the reinforcement conform satisfactorily with the experimental values. (Author) [pt

Corrosion Measurements in Reinforced Fly Ash Concrete Containing Steel Fibres Using Strain Gauge Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Sounthararajan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Corrosion of steel bars in concrete is a serious problem leading to phenomenal volume expansion and thereby leading to cover concrete spalling. It is well known that the reinforced concrete structures subjected to chloride attack during its service life cause these detrimental effects. The early detection of this damage potential can extend the service life of concrete. This study reports the comprehensive experimental studies conducted on the identification of corrosion mechanism in different types of reinforced concrete containing class-F fly ash and hooked steel fibres. Fly ash replaced concrete mixes were prepared with 25% and 50% fly ash containing steel fibres at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% by volume fraction. Corrosion process was investigated in an embedded steel bar (8 mm diameter reinforced in concrete by passing an impressed current in sodium chloride solution. Strain gauge attached to the rebars was monitored for electrical measurements using strain conditioner. Strain gauge readings observed during the corrosion process exhibited the volume changes of the reinforcement embedded inside the concrete. The corrosion potential of different steel fibre reinforced concrete mixes with fly ash addition showed higher resistance towards the corrosion initiation.

A State-of-the-Art Review on Soil Reinforcement Technology Using Natural Plant Fiber Materials: Past Findings, Present Trends and Future Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gowthaman, Sivakumar; Nakashima, Kazunori; Kawasaki, Satoru

2018-04-04

Incorporating sustainable materials into geotechnical applications increases day by day due to the consideration of impacts on healthy geo-environment and future generations. The environmental issues associated with conventional synthetic materials such as cement, plastic-composites, steel and ashes necessitate alternative approaches in geotechnical engineering. Recently, natural fiber materials in place of synthetic material have gained momentum as an emulating soil-reinforcement technique in sustainable geotechnics. However, the natural fibers are innately different from such synthetic material whereas behavior of fiber-reinforced soil is influenced not only by physical-mechanical properties but also by biochemical properties. In the present review, the applicability of natural plant fibers as oriented distributed fiber-reinforced soil (ODFS) and randomly distributed fiber-reinforced soil (RDFS) are extensively discussed and emphasized the inspiration of RDFS based on the emerging trend. Review also attempts to explore the importance of biochemical composition of natural-fibers on the performance in subsoil reinforced conditions. The treatment methods which enhances the behavior and lifetime of fibers, are also presented. While outlining the current potential of fiber reinforcement technology, some key research gaps have been highlighted at their importance. Finally, the review briefly documents the future direction of the fiber reinforcement technology by associating bio-mediated technological line.

A State-of-the-Art Review on Soil Reinforcement Technology Using Natural Plant Fiber Materials: Past Findings, Present Trends and Future Directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sivakumar Gowthaman

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Incorporating sustainable materials into geotechnical applications increases day by day due to the consideration of impacts on healthy geo-environment and future generations. The environmental issues associated with conventional synthetic materials such as cement, plastic-composites, steel and ashes necessitate alternative approaches in geotechnical engineering. Recently, natural fiber materials in place of synthetic material have gained momentum as an emulating soil-reinforcement technique in sustainable geotechnics. However, the natural fibers are innately different from such synthetic material whereas behavior of fiber-reinforced soil is influenced not only by physical-mechanical properties but also by biochemical properties. In the present review, the applicability of natural plant fibers as oriented distributed fiber-reinforced soil (ODFS and randomly distributed fiber-reinforced soil (RDFS are extensively discussed and emphasized the inspiration of RDFS based on the emerging trend. Review also attempts to explore the importance of biochemical composition of natural-fibers on the performance in subsoil reinforced conditions. The treatment methods which enhances the behavior and lifetime of fibers, are also presented. While outlining the current potential of fiber reinforcement technology, some key research gaps have been highlighted at their importance. Finally, the review briefly documents the future direction of the fiber reinforcement technology by associating bio-mediated technological line.

An analysis model of the secondary tunnel lining considering ground-primary support-secondary lining interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Seong-Ho; Chang, Seok-Bue [Yooshin Engineering Corporation, Seoul(Korea); Lee, Sang-Duk [Ajou University, Suwon(Korea)

2002-06-30

It is the common practice to over design the reinforcement for the secondary tunnel lining due to the lack of rational insight into the ground loosening loads, and due to the conservative application of the empirical design methods. The main loads of the secondary lining are the ground loosening loads and the ground water pressure, and the ground load is critical in the reinforcement design of the secondary lining in the case of drained tunnel. If the external load is absent around a tunnel. the reasons of the load for secondary tunnel lining are the deterioration of the primary supports such as shotcrete, steel rib, and rock bolts. Accordingly, the analysis method considering the ground-primary supports-secondary lining interaction should be required for the rational design of the secondary tunnel lining. In this paper, the interaction was conceptually described by the simple mass-spring model and the load transfer from the ground and primary supports to the secondary lining is showed by the ground-primary supports-secondary lining reaction curves for the theoretical solution of a circular tunnel, And also, the application of this proposed model to numerical analysis is verified in order to check the potential for the tunnel with the complex analysis conditions. (author). 8 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs.

Soil reinforcement with geosynthetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bessaim Mohammed Mustapha

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The proportionality of existence of land with good bearing to erect any building or building is very small, to remedy this deficiency it is necessary to resort to techniques of reinforcement of the soils which can constitute a very important development. Among these methods of remediation, there is reinforcement by the geosynthetics which constitute an effective solution to these constraints. This process tends to stabilize the soil in question with increased load bearing capacity in civil engineering and geotechnical works such as embankments, slopes, embankments and hydraulic structures, with an inestimable gain in time, economy and durability while preserving the natural and environmental aspect.

Neural mechanisms of negative reinforcement in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

OpenAIRE

Damiano, Cara R; Cockrell, Dillon C; Dunlap, Kaitlyn; Hanna, Eleanor K; Miller, Stephanie; Bizzell, Joshua; Kovac, Megan; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Sideris, John; Kinard, Jessica; Dichter, Gabriel S

2015-01-01

Background Previous research has found accumulating evidence for atypical reward processing in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), particularly in the context of social rewards. Yet, this line of research has focused largely on positive social reinforcement, while little is known about the processing of negative reinforcement in individuals with ASD. Methods The present study examined neural responses to social negative reinforcement (a face displaying negative affect) and non-social negative re...

Application of a Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete Jacket in Damaged Reinforced Concrete Beams under Monotonic and Repeated Loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin E. Chalioris

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the findings of an experimental study on the application of a reinforced self-compacting concrete jacketing technique in damaged reinforced concrete beams. Test results of 12 specimens subjected to monotonic loading up to failure or under repeated loading steps prior to total failure are included. First, 6 beams were designed to be shear dominated, constructed by commonly used concrete, were initially tested, damaged, and failed in a brittle manner. Afterwards, the shear-damaged beams were retrofitted using a self-compacting concrete U-formed jacket that consisted of small diameter steel bars and U-formed stirrups in order to increase their shear resistance and potentially to alter their initially observed shear response to a more ductile one. The jacketed beams were retested under the same loading. Test results indicated that the application of reinforced self-compacting concrete jacketing in damaged reinforced concrete beams is a promising rehabilitation technique. All the jacketed beams showed enhanced overall structural response and 35% to 50% increased load bearing capacities. The ultimate shear load of the jacketed beams varied from 39.7 to 42.0 kN, whereas the capacity of the original beams was approximately 30% lower. Further, all the retrofitted specimens exhibited typical flexural response with high values of deflection ductility.

Investigation of deformation of elements of three-dimensional reinforced concrete structures located in the soil, interacting with each other through rubber gaskets

Science.gov (United States)

Berezhnoi, D. V.; Balafendieva, I. S.; Sachenkov, A. A.; Sekaeva, L. R.

2017-06-01

In work the technique of calculation of elements of three-dimensional reinforced concrete substructures located in a soil, interacting with each other through rubber linings is realized. To describe the interaction of deformable structures with the ground, special “semi-infinite” finite elements are used. A technique has been implemented that allows one to describe the contact interaction of three-dimensional structures by means of a special contact finite element with specific properties. The obtained numerical results are compared with the experimental data, their good agreement is noted.

A study of the growth for the microalga Chlorella vulgaris by photo-bio-calorimetry and other on-line and off-line techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patino, R.; Janssen, M.G.J.; Stockar, von U.

2007-01-01

Calorimetry and other on-line techniques are used for the first time as complement to the traditional off-line methods in order to follow the growth of the green Chlorella vulgaris microalgae. A 2-L photo-bio-reactor was adapted from a commercial calorimeter used previously to study heterotrophic

In-plane shear test of fibre reinforced concrete panels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solgaard, Anders Ole Stubbe; Stang, Henrik; Goltermann, Per

2008-01-01

The present paper concerns the investigation of polymer Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) panels subjected to in-plane shear. The use of fibers as primary reinforcement in panels is a new application of fiber reinforcement, hence test methods, design bases and models are lacking. This paper...... contributes to the investigation of fibers as reinforcement in panels with experimental results and a consistent approach to material characterization and modeling. The proposed model draws on elements from the classical yield line theory of rigid, perfectly plastic materials and the theory of fracture...... mechanics. Model panels have been cast to investigate the correlation between the load bearing capacity and the amount of fibers (vol. %) in the mixture. The type of fibers in the mixture was Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) fibers, length 8 mm, diameter 0.04 mm. The mechanical properties of the FRC have been...

Electron temperature measurements by the plasma line technique at the French incoherent scatter radar facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kofman, W.; Lejeune, G.; Hagfors, T.; Bauer, P.

1981-01-01

The results of experiments aimed at the determination of the electron temperature by a plasma line technique are presented. Using the multistatic capabilities of the French incoherent scatter radar, the plasma line frequencies were simultaneously measured at two receiving stations (Mende and Nancay) at the altitude corresponding to the maximum of the F layer. Different plasma line frequencies are measued because of different effective k vectors that appear in the thermal term of the plasma dispersion relation. We derive and apply two data analysis procedures that enable us to determine this frequency difference. Comparison of this measured frequency difference to that calculated using the ion component electron temperature demonstrates that the plasma lines could indeed be used to determine the electron temperature. A strong dependence of the power in the plasma line as a function of the angle between k vector and magnetic field is observed in agreement with the theory. The future developments of this technique with the EISCAT radar facilities are discussed

Comparison of process estimation techniques for on-line calibration monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shumaker, B. D.; Hashemian, H. M.; Morton, G. W.

2006-01-01

The goal of on-line calibration monitoring is to reduce the number of unnecessary calibrations performed each refueling cycle on pressure, level, and flow transmitters in nuclear power plants. The effort requires a baseline for determining calibration drift and thereby the need for a calibration. There are two ways to establish the baseline: averaging and modeling. Averaging techniques have proven to be highly successful in the applications when there are a large number of redundant transmitters; but, for systems with little or no redundancy, averaging methods are not always reliable. That is, for non-redundant transmitters, more sophisticated process estimation techniques are needed to augment or replace the averaging techniques. This paper explores three well-known process estimation techniques; namely Independent Component Analysis (ICA), Auto-Associative Neural Networks (AANN), and Auto-Associative Kernel Regression (AAKR). Using experience and data from an operating nuclear plant, the paper will present an evaluation of the effectiveness of these methods in detecting transmitter drift in actual plant conditions. (authors)

Behavior of reinforced concrete beams reinforced with GFRP bars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. H. Tavares

Full Text Available The use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP bars is one of the alternatives presented in recent studies to prevent the drawbacks related to the steel reinforcement in specific reinforced concrete members. In this work, six reinforced concrete beams were submitted to four point bending tests. One beam was reinforced with CA-50 steel bars and five with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP bars. The tests were carried out in the Department of Structural Engineering in São Carlos Engineering School, São Paulo University. The objective of the test program was to compare strength, reinforcement deformation, displacement, and some anchorage aspects between the GFRP-reinforced concrete beams and the steel-reinforced concrete beam. The results show that, even though four GFRP-reinforced concrete beams were designed with the same internal tension force as that with steel reinforcement, their capacity was lower than that of the steel-reinforced beam. The results also show that similar flexural capacity can be achieved for the steel- and for the GFRP-reinforced concrete beams by controlling the stiffness (reinforcement modulus of elasticity multiplied by the bar cross-sectional area - EA and the tension force of the GFRP bars.

Automatic design of the flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using fiber reinforced polymers (FRP - doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v34i2.8318

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Alves de Souza

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Changing the functions of a building, the presence of some design or construction errors, the incidence of seismic actions and even the updating of design codes may demand the strengthening of certain structures. In the specific case of reinforced concrete structures it is desirable the application of a technique of strengthening which is fast, economic and efficient, in order to provide advantages when an intervention is necessary. The technique of strengthening chosen must provide less disorder as possible as well as the guaranty of safety. Taking into account this scenery, fiber reinforced polymers have been working as a very attractive alternative for rehabilitating in-service structures. In that way, the present study aims at presenting the main properties of this new material as well as the design routines for flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams. Finally, a package-software developed into the MATLAB platform is presented, intending to generate a simple tool for the automatic design using fiber reinforced polymers.

Structural damage diagnosis based on on-line recursive stochastic subspace identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loh, Chin-Hsiung; Weng, Jian-Huang; Liu, Yi-Cheng; Lin, Pei-Yang; Huang, Shieh-Kung

2011-01-01

This paper presents a recursive stochastic subspace identification (RSSI) technique for on-line and almost real-time structural damage diagnosis using output-only measurements. Through RSSI the time-varying natural frequencies of a system can be identified. To reduce the computation time in conducting LQ decomposition in RSSI, the Givens rotation as well as the matrix operation appending a new data set are derived. The relationship between the size of the Hankel matrix and the data length in each shifting moving window is examined so as to extract the time-varying features of the system without loss of generality and to establish on-line and almost real-time system identification. The result from the RSSI technique can also be applied to structural damage diagnosis. Off-line data-driven stochastic subspace identification was used first to establish the system matrix from the measurements of an undamaged (reference) case. Then the RSSI technique incorporating a Kalman estimator is used to extract the dynamic characteristics of the system through continuous monitoring data. The predicted residual error is defined as a damage feature and through the outlier statistics provides an indicator of damage. Verification of the proposed identification algorithm by using the bridge scouring test data and white noise response data of a reinforced concrete frame structure is conducted

Technique for reinforcing development working in lower strata of thick coal seams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andranovich, V A; Gromov, Yu V; Kurglikov, V P

1981-01-15

This device is to be used by mining industry, specifically for reinforcing development work in bottom strata of thick coal seams having a layer depression. Reinforcing consists of drilling a hole, or making cutting slits and lowering support props for the stratum below through them, as well as lowering the roof timber on the ground. To cut back expenditures on installation and removal of equipment, drilling or making cutting slits is done to a depth equal to the total height of the substrata, and the support props are laid for all of the substrata. Only the roof timber is lowered on the ground during work on the layers.

Construction of prototype of on-line analyzer detection system for coal on belt conveyor using neutron activation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rony Djokorayono; Agus Cahyono; MP Indarzah; SG Usep; Sukandar

2015-01-01

The use of on-line neutron activation technique for coal analysis is proposed as an alternative method for analysis based on sampling technique. Compared to this conventional technique, the on-line neutron activation technique has much shorter time of analysis and more accurate results. The construction of detection system prototype for the on-line analyzer is described in this paper. This on-line analyzer consists of detection system, data acquisition system, and computer console. This detection system comprises several modules, i.e. NaI(Tl) scintillation detector completed with a photomultiplier tube (PMT), pre-amplifier, single channel analyzer (SCA), and analog signal transmitter and pulse counter processor. The construction processes of these four modules include the development of configuration block, lay out, and selection of electronic components. The modules have been integrated and tested. This detection system was tested using radioactive element Zn-65 having energy of 1115.5 keV and activity of 1 μCi. The test results show that the prototype of the on-line analyzer detection system has functioned as expected. (author)

Calculating the strength of a gas pipeline with a reinforced coating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al' shanov, A P; Abdullaev, G T; Ali-Zade, A N

1981-10-01

Reinforcing the coatings of gas pipelines allows an increase in their operating pressure and thus their throughput; combined with strong insulation, such reinforcing materials as metal screens and fiberglass also protect the pipeline. Soviet analysts have mathematically derived the limiting internal pressure in a line with a reinforced coating as a function of the coating's thickness and mechanical properties. The method assumes that the pipe material is isotropic and elastic. The calculations help in determining (1) the dependence of the relative limiting pressure on the relative coating thickness and (2) the effect of the ratio of the Young's modulus of the reinforcing material to that of the pipe material upon the dependence of the relative limiting pressure on coating thickness. The analysis awaits experimental confirmation.

Basic design of on-line analyzer for sheet paper using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rony Djokorayono; Ahmad Suntoro; Ikhsan Shobari; Usep Setia Gunawan

2016-01-01

Basic design of on-line analyzer for sheet paper using X-ray fluorescence technique has been carried out. Compared with sampling technique, this X-ray fluorescence technique has some advantages in term of analysis accuracy and time. The design activities performed including the establishment of design requirements, functional requirements, technical requirements, technical specification, detection sub-system design, data acquisition sub-system design, and operator computer console design. This program will use silicon drift or CdTe X-ray detector to detect X-ray fluorescence emitted by elements in sheet paper due to X-ray interaction of a X-ray source, 55 Fe (Ferro-55).This basic design of on-line analyzer for sheet paper using X-ray fluorescence technique should be followed up with the development of detailed design, prototype construction, and field testing. (author)

On-line nuclear ash gauge for coal based on gamma-ray transmission techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizk, R.A.M.; El-Kateb, A.H.; Abdul-Kader, A.M.

1999-01-01

Developments and applications of on-line nuclear gauges in the coal industry are highly requested. A nuclear ash gauge for coal, based on γ-ray transmission techniques is developed. Single and dual energy γ-ray beams are used to determine the ash content of coal. The percentage ash content as a function of the γ-ray intensities transmitted through coal samples is measured and sensitivity curves are obtained. An empirical formulation relating the ash content values to the γ-ray intensities is derived. Preliminary results show that both single and dual energy γ-ray transmission techniques can be used to give a rapid on-line estimation of the ash concentration values in coal with low cost and reasonable accuracy, but the dual one is much preferable. (author)

40 CFR Table 10 to Subpart Wwww of... - Data Requirements for New and Existing Continuous Lamination Lines and Continuous Casting Lines...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Continuous Lamination Lines and Continuous Casting Lines Complying With a Percent Reduction Limit on a Per... SOURCE CATEGORIES National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Reinforced Plastic... Reduction Limit on a Per Line Basis As required in § 63.5865(a), in order to comply with a percent reduction...

Soft soils reinforced by rigid vertical inclusions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iulia-Victoria NEAGOE

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Reinforcement of soft soils by rigid vertical inclusions is an increasingly used technique over the last few years. The system consists of rigid or semi-rigid vertical inclusions and a granular platform for the loads transfer from the structure to the inclusions. This technique aims to reduce the differential settlements both at ground level as below the structure. Reinforcement by rigid inclusions is mainly used for foundation works for large commercial and industrial platforms, storage tanks, wastewater treatment plants, wind farms, bridges, roads, railway embankments. The subject is one of interest as it proves the recently concerns at international level in research and design; however, most studies deal more with the static behavior and less with the dynamic one.

MONTI as continent catheterized stoma using serosal-lined trough "Ghoneim Abolenin" technique in ileocystoplasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed T Sammour

2011-01-01

Full Text Available It is a great challenge to select and perform continent mechanism in a stoma for urinary reservoir. A new technique by combining MONTI ileal conduit with the serosal lined trough in order to achieve continent catheterizable stoma to the umbilicus as a part of augmentation ileocystoplasty. We applied serosal-lined trough as a continent mechanism with MONTI ileal tube in 12 years smart girl underwent ileocystoplasty for neuropathic bladder due to meylomeningocele in whom continence failed to be achieved by using Mitrofanoff with submucosal tunnel of the bladder as continent mechanism before, also the previous operation included left to right transuretero-ureterostomy, ureterocystoplasty and reimplantation of the right ureter. The patient became completely continent; she was able to do self-catheterization easily through the umbilical stoma using 16-French catheter and was able to wash the mucous easily. The capacity of the augmented bladder was 300ccs. She became independent from her mother and stopped using diapers, anticholinergic and antibiotics. Combining MONTI conduit with serosal-lined extramural valve trough (The Ghoneim technique is an effective continent technique and gives wider channel for catheterization and washing out the mucous.

Numerical analysis of pipe impact on reinforced concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prinja, N.K.

1990-01-01

This paper presents the methodology and the results of numerical analyses carried out by using the computer code DYNA3D to analyse pipe impacts on a reinforced concrete slab, a floor beam and a column. Modelling techniques employed to represent various features of typical reinforced concrete (RC) structures and the details of a soil and crushable foam type of material model used to represent concrete material behaviour are described. The results show that a reasonable prediction of global behaviour of reinforced concrete structures under impact loading can be obtained by this numerical method. (author)

Monitoring Corrosion of Steel Bars in Reinforced Concrete Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Sanjeev Kumar; Bhadauria, Sudhir Singh; Akhtar, Saleem

2014-01-01

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP) method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion. PMID:24558346

Monitoring corrosion of steel bars in reinforced concrete structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Sanjeev Kumar; Bhadauria, Sudhir Singh; Akhtar, Saleem

2014-01-01

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP) method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion.

Monitoring Corrosion of Steel Bars in Reinforced Concrete Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjeev Kumar Verma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion.

Application of non-destructive liner thickness measurement technique for manufacturing and inspection process of zirconium lined cladding tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakazawa, Norio; Fukuda, Akihiro; Fujii, Noritsugu; Inoue, Koichi

1986-01-01

Recently, in order to meet the difference of electric power demand owing to electric power situation, large scale load following operation has become necessary. Therefore, the development of the cladding tubes which withstand power variation has been carried out, as the result, zirconium-lined zircaloy 2 cladding tubes have been developed. In order to reduce the sensitivity to stress corrosion cracking, these zirconium-lined cladding tubes require uniform liner thickness over the whole surface and whole length. Kobe Steel Ltd. developed the nondestructive liner thickness measuring technique based on ultrasonic flaw detection technique and eddy current flaw detection technique. These equipments were applied to the manufacturing and inspection processes of the zirconium-lined cladding tubes, and have demonstrated superiority in the control and assurance of the liner thickness of products. Zirconium-lined cladding tubes, the development of the measuring technique for guaranteeing the uniform liner thickness and the liner thickness control in the manufacturing and inspection processes are described. (Kako, I.)

Surface Heave Behaviour of Coir Geotextile Reinforced Sand Beds

Science.gov (United States)

Lal, Dharmesh; Sankar, N.; Chandrakaran, S.

2017-06-01

Soil reinforcement by natural fibers is one of the cheapest and attractive ground improvement techniques. Coir is the most abundant natural fiber available in India and due to its high lignin content; it has a larger life span than other natural fibers. It is widely used in India for erosion control purposes, but its use as a reinforcement material is rather limited. This study focuses on the use of coir geotextile as a reinforcement material to reduce surface heave phenomena occurring in shallow foundations. This paper presents the results of laboratory model tests carried out on square footings supported on coir geotextile reinforced sand beds. The influence of various parameters such as depth of reinforcement, length, and number of layers of reinforcement was studied. It was observed that surface heave is considerably reduced with the provision of geotextile. Heave reduction up to 98.7% can be obtained by the proposed method. Heave reduction is quantified by a non-dimensional parameter called heave reduction factor.

Framework for robot skill learning using reinforcement learning

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Yingzi; Zhao, Mingyang

2003-09-01

Robot acquiring skill is a process similar to human skill learning. Reinforcement learning (RL) is an on-line actor critic method for a robot to develop its skill. The reinforcement function has become the critical component for its effect of evaluating the action and guiding the learning process. We present an augmented reward function that provides a new way for RL controller to incorporate prior knowledge and experience into the RL controller. Also, the difference form of augmented reward function is considered carefully. The additional reward beyond conventional reward will provide more heuristic information for RL. In this paper, we present a strategy for the task of complex skill learning. Automatic robot shaping policy is to dissolve the complex skill into a hierarchical learning process. The new form of value function is introduced to attain smooth motion switching swiftly. We present a formal, but practical, framework for robot skill learning and also illustrate with an example the utility of method for learning skilled robot control on line.

Braided reinforced composite rods for the internal reinforcement of concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Gonilho Pereira, C.; Fangueiro, R.; Jalali, S.; Araujo, M.; Marques, P.

2008-05-01

This paper reports on the development of braided reinforced composite rods as a substitute for the steel reinforcement in concrete. The research work aims at understanding the mechanical behaviour of core-reinforced braided fabrics and braided reinforced composite rods, namely concerning the influence of the braiding angle, the type of core reinforcement fibre, and preloading and postloading conditions. The core-reinforced braided fabrics were made from polyester fibres for producing braided structures, and E-glass, carbon, HT polyethylene, and sisal fibres were used for the core reinforcement. The braided reinforced composite rods were obtained by impregnating the core-reinforced braided fabric with a vinyl ester resin. The preloading of the core-reinforced braided fabrics and the postloading of the braided reinforced composite rods were performed in three and two stages, respectively. The results of tensile tests carried out on different samples of core-reinforced braided fabrics are presented and discussed. The tensile and bending properties of the braided reinforced composite rods have been evaluated, and the results obtained are presented, discussed, and compared with those of conventional materials, such as steel.

Flexural reinforced concrete member with FRP reinforcement

OpenAIRE

Putzolu, Mariana

2017-01-01

One of the most problematic point in construction is the durability of the concrete especially related to corrosion of the steel reinforcement. Due to this problem the construction sector, introduced the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer, the main fibers used in construction are Glass, Carbon and Aramid. In this study, the author aim to analyse the flexural behaviour of concrete beams reinforced with FRP. This aim is achieved by the analysis of specimens reinforced with GFRP bars, with theoreti...

An improved model for considering strain rate effects on reinforced concrete elements behavior under dynamic loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sim, J.; Soroushian, P.

1989-01-01

An improved model for predicting the reinforced concrete element behavior under dynamic strain rates was developed using the layer modeling technique. The developed strain rate sensitive model for axial/flexural analysis of reinforced concrete elements was used to predict the test results, performed at different loading rates, and the predictions were reasonable. The developed analysis technique was used to study the loading rate sensitivity of reinforced concrete beams and columns with different geometry and material properties. Two design formulas for computing the loading rate dependent axial and flexural strengths of reinforced concrete sections are suggested

Reinforcement Learning for Online Control of Evolutionary Algorithms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eiben, A.; Horvath, Mark; Kowalczyk, Wojtek; Schut, Martijn

2007-01-01

The research reported in this paper is concerned with assessing the usefulness of reinforcment learning (RL) for on-line calibration of parameters in evolutionary algorithms (EA). We are running an RL procedure and the EA simultaneously and the RL is changing the EA parameters on-the-fly. We

On-line diagnostic techniques for air-operated control valves based on time series analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Kenji; Matsuoka, Yoshinori; Minamikawa, Shigeru; Komatsu, Yasuki; Satoh, Takeshi.

1996-01-01

The objective of this research is to study the feasibility of applying on-line diagnostic techniques based on time series analysis to air-operated control valves - numerous valves of the type which are used in PWR plants. Generally the techniques can detect anomalies by failures in the initial stages for which detection is difficult by conventional surveillance of process parameters measured directly. However, the effectiveness of these techniques depends on the system being diagnosed. The difficulties in applying diagnostic techniques to air-operated control valves seem to come from the reduced sensitivity of their response as compared with hydraulic control systems, as well as the need to identify anomalies in low level signals that fluctuate only slightly but continuously. In this research, simulation tests were performed by setting various kinds of failure modes for a test valve with the same specifications as of a valve actually used in the plants. Actual control signals recorded from an operating plant were then used as input signals for simulation. The results of the tests confirmed the feasibility of applying on-line diagnostic techniques based on time series analysis to air-operated control valves. (author)

Pressurized capillary electrochromatographic analysis of water-soluble vitamins by combining with on-line concentration technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Li; Liu, Yaling; Du, Yanyan; Xing, Da

2007-06-22

A pressurized capillary electrochromatography (pCEC) system was developed for the separation of water-soluble vitamins, in which UV absorbance was used as the detection method and a monolithic silica-ODS column as the separation column. The parameters (type and content of organic solvent in the mobile phase, type and concentration of electrolyte, pH of the electrolyte buffer, applied voltage and flow rate) affecting the separation resolution were evaluated. The combination of two on-line concentration techniques, namely, solvent gradient zone sharpening effect and field-enhanced sample stacking, was utilized to improve detection sensitivity, which proved to be beneficial to enhance the detection sensitivity by enabling the injection of large volumes of samples. Coupling electrokinetic injection with the on-line concentration techniques was much more beneficial for the concentration of positively charged vitamins. Comparing with the conventional injection mode, the enhancement in the detection sensitivities of water-soluble vitamins using the on-line concentration technique is in the range of 3 to 35-fold. The developed pCEC method was applied to evaluate water-soluble vitamins in corns.

Neural mechanisms of negative reinforcement in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Damiano, Cara R; Cockrell, Dillon C; Dunlap, Kaitlyn; Hanna, Eleanor K; Miller, Stephanie; Bizzell, Joshua; Kovac, Megan; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Sideris, John; Kinard, Jessica; Dichter, Gabriel S

2015-01-01

Previous research has found accumulating evidence for atypical reward processing in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), particularly in the context of social rewards. Yet, this line of research has focused largely on positive social reinforcement, while little is known about the processing of negative reinforcement in individuals with ASD. The present study examined neural responses to social negative reinforcement (a face displaying negative affect) and non-social negative reinforcement (monetary loss) in children with ASD relative to typically developing children, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found that children with ASD demonstrated hypoactivation of the right caudate nucleus while anticipating non-social negative reinforcement and hypoactivation of a network of frontostriatal regions (including the nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, and putamen) while anticipating social negative reinforcement. In addition, activation of the right caudate nucleus during non-social negative reinforcement was associated with individual differences in social motivation. These results suggest that atypical responding to negative reinforcement in children with ASD may contribute to social motivational deficits in this population.

Aluminum alloy production for the reinforcement of the CMS conductor

CERN Document Server

Sequeira-Lopes-Tavares, S; Campi, D; Curé, B; Horváth, I L; Riboni, P; Sgobba, Stefano; Smith, R P

2002-01-01

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) is one of the general-purpose detectors to be provided for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project at CERN. The design field of the CMS superconducting magnet is 4 T, the magnetic length is 12.5 m and the free bore is 6 m. To reinforce the high-purity (99.998%) Al-stabilized conductor of the magnet against the magnetic loadings experienced during operation at 4.2 K, two continuous sections of Al-alloy (AA) reinforcement are Electron Beam (EB) welded to it. The reinforcements have a section of 24*18 mm and are produced in continuous 2.55 km lengths. The alloy EN AW-6082 has been selected for the reinforcement due to its excellent extrudability, high strength in the precipitation hardened states, high toughness and strength at cryogenic temperature and good EB weldability. Each of the continuous lengths of the reinforcement is extruded billet on billet and press quenched on-line from the extrusion temperature in an industrial extrusion plant. In order to insure the ready EB welda...

Non-destructive elecrochemical monitoring of reinforcement corrosion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Peter Vagn

been widely accepted as a non-destructive ”state of the art” technique for detection of corrosion in concrete structures. And, over the last decade, the trend in corrosion monitoring has moved towards quantitative non-destructive monitoring of the corrosion rate of the steel reinforcement. A few...... corrosion rate measurement instruments have been developed and are commercially available. The main features of these instruments are the combined use of an electrochemical technique for determining the corrosion rate and a so-called ”confinement technique”, which in principle controls the polarised surface...... area of the reinforcement, i.e. the measurement area. Both on-site investigations and laboratory studies have shown that varying corrosion rates are obtained when the various commercially available instruments are used. And in the published studies, conflicting explanations are given illustrating...

Calcium Stabilized And Geogrid Reinforced Soil Structures In Seismic Areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rimoldi, Pietro; Intra, Edoardo

2008-01-01

In many areas of Italy, and particularly in high seismic areas, there is no or very little availability of granular soils: hence embankments and retaining structures are often built using the locally available fine soil. For improving the geotechnical characteristics of such soils and/or for building steep faced structures, there are three possible techniques: calcium stabilization, geogrid reinforcement, and the combination of both ones, that is calcium stabilized and reinforced soil. The present paper aims to evaluate these three techniques in terms of performance, design and construction, by carrying out FEM modeling and stability analyses of the same reference embankments, made up of soil improved with each one of the three techniques, both in static and dynamic conditions. Finally two case histories are illustrated, showing the practical application of the above outlined techniques

Modification of glass fibers to improve reinforcement: a plasma polymerization technique

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Çökeliler, D.; Erkut, S.; Zemek, Josef; Biederman, H.; Mutlu, M.

2007-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 3 (2007), s. 335-342 ISSN 0109-5641 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : plasma polymerization * glos-discharge * E-glass fibros * ethylendiamine * 2-hydroxyethyl methacrystalate * triethyleneglycoldimethylether * fibre-reinforced composite ( FRC) Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.990, year: 2007

The Efficiency of Basalt Fibres in Strengthening the Reinforced Concrete Beams

OpenAIRE

Şerbescu, Andreea; Kypros, Pilakoutas; Ţăranu, N.

2006-01-01

The technique of externally bonding fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite laminates on the tension side of reinforced concrete (RC) beams is already widely accepted as an easy to apply, corrosion resistant and effective solution due to the high strength as well as the low weight of the composite material. The basalt fibres are produced from volcano rocks by a simple process; their applicability as reinforcing material composites utilized for plate bonding of RC beams was not enough researc...

Study on reinforced concrete beams with helical transverse reinforcement

Science.gov (United States)

Kaarthik Krishna, N.; Sandeep, S.; Mini, K. M.

2018-02-01

In a Reinforced Concrete (R.C) structure, major reinforcement is used for taking up tensile stresses acting on the structure due to applied loading. The present paper reports the behavior of reinforced concrete beams with helical reinforcement (transverse reinforcement) subjected to monotonous loading by 3-point flexure test. The results were compared with identically similar reinforced concrete beams with rectangular stirrups. During the test crack evolution, load carrying capacity and deflection of the beams were monitored, analyzed and compared. Test results indicate that the use of helical reinforcement provides enhanced load carrying capacity and a lower deflection proving to be more ductile, clearly indicating the advantage in carrying horizontal loads. An analysis was also carried out using ANSYS software in order to compare the test results of both the beams.

Acoustic emission techniques applied to conventionally reinforced concrete bridge girders : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-01

Reinforced concrete (RC) bridges generally operate at service-level loads except during discrete overload events that can reduce the integrity of the structure by initiating concrete cracks, widening or extending of existing concrete cracks, as well ...

Measurement of reinforcement corrosion in marine structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammad Ismail; Nordin Yahaya

1999-01-01

The marine environment is known to be aggressive. Structures constructed on this belt need to undergo periodic assessment in order to ensure no defects or signs of deterioration had occurred. One of the most common deterioration that occurs on marine structures is corrosion of the reinforcement. Corrosion is an electrochemical process. The product of corrosion can increase the reinforcement volume, hence causing cracking on concrete cover. If no action is taken, delamination and spalling of concrete will follow and this will affect the structures integrity. It is therefore important to know the state of the structures condition by monitoring them periodically. NDT techniques that can detect the occurrence of corrosion of reinforcement in concrete uses half cell and resistivity meter. The method of application and interpretation of results are discussed. (author)

Continuous Natural Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites by Fiber Surface Modification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patcharat Wongsriraksa

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Continuous natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic materials are expected to replace inorganic fiber reinforced thermosetting materials. However, in the process of fabricating the composite, it is difficult to impregnate the thermoplastic resin into reinforcement fiber because of the high melt viscosity. Therefore, intermediate material, which allows high impregnation during molding, has been investigated for fabricating continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite by aligning resin fiber alongside reinforcing fiber with braiding technique. This intermediate material has been called “microbraid yarn (MBY.” Moreover, it is well known that the interfacial properties between natural fiber and resin are low; therefore, surface treatment on continuous natural fiber was performed by using polyurethane (PU and flexible epoxy (FLEX to improve the interfacial properties. The effect of surface treatment on the mechanical properties of continuous natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites was examined. From these results, it was suggested that surface treatment by PU with low content could produce composites with better mechanical properties.

Reinforced magnesium composites by metallic particles for biomedical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vahid, Alireza; Hodgson, Peter [Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3217 (Australia); Li, Yuncang, E-mail: yuncang.li@rmit.edu.au [Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3217 (Australia); School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001 (Australia)

2017-02-08

Pure magnesium (Mg) implants have unsatisfactory mechanical properties, particularly in loadbearing applications. Particulate-reinforced Mg composites are known as promising materials to provide higher strength implants compared to unreinforced metals. In the current work biocompatible niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta) particles are selected as reinforcement, and Mg-Nb and Mg-Ta composites fabricated via a powder metallurgy process associated with the ball milling technique. The effect of Nb and Ta contents on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg matrix was investigated. There was a uniform distribution of reinforcements in the Mg matrix with reasonable integrity and no intermetallic formation. The compressive mechanical properties of composites vary with reinforcement contents. The optimal parameters to fabricate biocompatible Mg composites and the optimal composition with appropriate strength, hardness and ductility are recommended.

Versatile Ion-polarized Techniques On-line (VITO) experiment at ISOLDE-CERN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stachura, M., E-mail: monika.stachura@cern.ch [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Gottberg, A. [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Johnston, K. [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Universität des Saarlandes, Experimentalphysik, 66123 Saabrucken (Germany); Bissell, M.L.; Garcia Ruiz, R.F. [Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Martins Correia, J.; Granadeiro Costa, A.R. [Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares - C" 2TN, Instituto Superior Técnico, Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10 (km 139,7), 2695-066 Bobadela LRS (Portugal); Dehn, M. [Technische Universität München, Physics Department, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching (Germany); Deicher, M. [Universität des Saarlandes, Experimentalphysik, 66123 Saabrucken (Germany); Fenta, A. [CICECO, Complexo de Laboratórios Tecnológicos, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Hemmingsen, L. [Kemisk Institut, Københavns Universitet, Universtetsparken 5, 2100 København (Denmark); Mølholt, T.E. [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Munch, M. [Institut for Fysik og Astronomi, Aarhus Universitet, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); Neyens, G. [Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); and others

2016-06-01

The VITO (Versatile Ion-polarized Techniques Online) project is a new experimental setup at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. VITO is a dedicated beam line for producing laser-induced spin-polarized beams of both, atoms and ions, and it has been commissioned in response to the continuously growing demand for the use of spin-polarized beams. The new VITO beam line is a modification of the formerly existing ultra-high vacuum beam line, connecting ASPIC (Apparatus for Surface Physics and Interfaces at CERN), and it has been under construction since the beginning of 2014. Once fully commissioned, VITO will open up numerous possibilities for carrying out multidisciplinary experiments in the areas of nuclear and solid state physics, fundamental interaction physics and biophysics. In its final stage the VITO beam line will provide three fully independent experimental stations: UHV chamber for material science applications, a β-asymmetry station where highly-polarized ions will be available, and a central open-end station suitable for travelling experiments. The VITO beam line will operate in two different modes providing either beams of spin-polarized atoms or ions, or non-polarized ion beams to all three end stations operating from 10{sup −10} mbar to 50 mbar. Recent experimental campaigns with stable and radioactive beams have allowed for testing VITO’s constituent parts and have demonstrated 96% of ion beam transmission to the collection chamber installed on the central station. The first experimental results obtained with on-line Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using {sup 68m}Cu ion-beams will be briefly discussed.

REINFORCED COMPOSITE PANEL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2003-01-01

A composite panel having front and back faces, the panel comprising facing reinforcement, backing reinforcement and matrix material binding to the facing and backing reinforcements, the facing and backing reinforcements each independently comprising one or more reinforcing sheets, the facing rein...... by matrix material, the facing and backing reinforcements being interconnected to resist out-of-plane relative movement. The reinforced composite panel is useful as a barrier element for shielding structures, equipment and personnel from blast and/or ballistic impact damage....

Diagonal Cracking and Shear Strength of Reinforced Concrete Beams

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Jin-Ping

1997-01-01

The shear failure of non-shear-reinforced concrete beams with normal shear span ratios is observed to be governed in general by the formation of a critical diagonal crack. Under the hypothesis that the cracking of concrete introduces potential yield lines which may be more dangerous than the ones...

Graphene-Reinforced Metal and Polymer Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Kasar, Ashish K.; Xiong, Guoping; Menezes, Pradeep L.

2018-06-01

Composites have tremendous applicability due to their excellent capabilities. The performance of composites mainly depends on the reinforcing material applied. Graphene is successful as an efficient reinforcing material due to its versatile as well as superior properties. Even at very low content, graphene can dramatically improve the properties of polymer and metal matrix composites. This article reviews the fabrication followed by mechanical and tribological properties of metal and polymer matrix composites filled with different kinds of graphene, including single-layer, multilayer, and functionalized graphene. Results reported to date in literature indicate that functionalized graphene or graphene oxide-polymer composites are promising materials offering significantly improved strength and frictional properties. A similar trend of improved properties has been observed in case of graphene-metal matrix composites. However, achieving higher graphene loading with uniform dispersion in metal matrix composites remains a challenge. Although graphene-reinforced composites face some challenges, such as understanding the graphene-matrix interaction or fabrication techniques, graphene-reinforced polymer and metal matrix composites have great potential for application in various fields due to their outstanding properties.

Design of on-line steam generator leak monitoring system based on Cherenkov counting technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dileep, B.N.; D'Cruz, S.J.; Biju, P.; Jashi, K.B.; Prabhakaran, V.; Venkataramana, K.; Managanvi, S.S.

2006-01-01

The methodology developed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. for identification of leaky Steam Generator (SG) by monitoring 134 I activity in the blow down water is a very high sensitive method. However, this technique can not be put into use as an on-line system. A new method of on-line detection of SG leak and identify the offending SG based on Cherenkov counting technique is explained in this paper. It identifies the leak by detecting Cherenkov radiation produced by the hard beta emitting radio nuclides escaped into feed water during leak in an operating reactor. A simulated system shows that a leak rate of 2 kg/h can be detected by the proposed system, while coolant 134 I activity is 3.7 MBq/l (100μCi/l). (author)

PARCS - A pre-stressed and reinforced concrete shell element for analysis of containment structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buragohain, D.N.; Mukherjee, A.

1993-01-01

Containment structures are designed as pressure vessels against a huge internal pressure build up in the event of a postulated LOCA. In such situations the containment structures experience predominantly in-plane stress in tension. Therefore, pre-stressed concrete has been very frequently used for the construction of containment. For larger plants a dual containment with a pre-stressed concrete inner containment and a reinforced concrete outer containment has been adopted. These structures are required to perform within very stringent safety requirements under extremely severe loading. Naturally, their design has attracted a lot of investigators and a huge volume of literature has been published in previous SMiRT conferences. However, it seems that the structural modeling of the containment has not developed accordingly. It is a common practice to consider the concrete section only in the model and the effects of pre-stress and reinforcements are usually neglected. This is due to the difficulty in including these effects without generating an unduly large model. To include these effects using the existing software, the concrete can be modeled with 3D elements. The reinforcements can be included in the model as bar or cable elements. However, that would require a nodal line along every reinforcement. Therefore, this method would generate a huge model unmanageable even with modern computing facilities. Alternatively, the reinforcements can be assumed to be smeared uniformly within the structure and an average property can be included. This model is acceptable when the reinforcements are very closely spaced. However, for sparsely spaced reinforcements it would result in loss of accuracy, especially in important areas like the vicinity of large openings. In this paper a shell element for the analysis of pre-stressed and reinforced concrete structures has been proposed which alleviates this difficulty. This element can accommodate the reinforcing bars or cables anywhere

Rotation capacity of self-compacting steel fiber reinforced concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schumacher, P.

2006-01-01

Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) has been used in segmental tunnel linings in the past years. In order to investigate the effect of steel fibers on the rotation capacity of plastic hinges in self-compacting concrete (SCC) the effect of the addition of fibers to SCC in compression, tension and

Modelling root reinforcement in shallow forest soils

Science.gov (United States)

Skaugset, Arne E.

1997-01-01

A hypothesis used to explain the relationship between timber harvesting and landslides is that tree roots add mechanical support to soil, thus increasing soil strength. Upon harvest, the tree roots decay which reduces soil strength and increases the risk of management -induced landslides. The technical literature does not adequately support this hypothesis. Soil strength values attributed to root reinforcement that are in the technical literature are such that forested sites can't fail and all high risk, harvested sites must fail. Both unstable forested sites and stable harvested sites exist, in abundance, in the real world thus, the literature does not adequately describe the real world. An analytical model was developed to calculate soil strength increase due to root reinforcement. Conceptually, the model is composed of a reinforcing element with high tensile strength, i.e. a conifer root, embedded in a material with little tensile strength, i.e. a soil. As the soil fails and deforms, the reinforcing element also deforms and stretches. The lateral deformation of the reinforcing element is treated analytically as a laterally loaded pile in a flexible foundation and the axial deformation is treated as an axially loaded pile. The governing differential equations are solved using finite-difference approximation techniques. The root reinforcement model was tested by comparing the final shape of steel and aluminum rods, parachute cord, wooden dowels, and pine roots in direct shear with predicted shapes from the output of the root reinforcement model. The comparisons were generally satisfactory, were best for parachute cord and wooden dowels, and were poorest for steel and aluminum rods. A parameter study was performed on the root reinforcement model which showed reinforced soil strength increased with increasing root diameter and soil depth. Output from the root reinforcement model showed a strain incompatibility between large and small diameter roots. The peak

Reinforcement Magnitude: An Evaluation of Preference and Reinforcer Efficacy

OpenAIRE

Trosclair-Lasserre, Nicole M; Lerman, Dorothea C; Call, Nathan A; Addison, Laura R; Kodak, Tiffany

2008-01-01

Consideration of reinforcer magnitude may be important for maximizing the efficacy of treatment for problem behavior. Nonetheless, relatively little is known about children's preferences for different magnitudes of social reinforcement or the extent to which preference is related to differences in reinforcer efficacy. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the relations among reinforcer magnitude, preference, and efficacy by drawing on the procedures and results of basic experimenta...

Sprayed concrete linings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hindle, D.

1999-12-01

Sprayed concrete, or shotcrete, was invented in the 1920s for preserving dinosaur skeletons and was used underground initially in coalmines for the preservation and fine proofing of timber supports. Its use as a support lining in rock tunnelling was developed in the 1950s and 60s. The article surveys equipment available from major manufacturers and suppliers of concrete spraying equipment (Aliva, Cifa, GIA, Industri, Ingersoll Rand, etc.), specialist cement and additive manufacturers (Castle, Cement, Moria Carbotech). manufacturers of lattice girders and fibre reinforcement, and manufacturers of instrumentation for tunnel linings. 5 tabs., 9 photos.

Mechanical Performance versus Corrosion Damage Indicators for Corroded Steel Reinforcing Bars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Caprili

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The experimental results of a testing campaign including tensile and low-cycle fatigue tests on different reinforcing steel bar types in the as-delivered and corroded condition are presented. Experimental data were statistically analyzed adopting ANOVA technique; Performance Indicators (PIs, describing the mechanical performance characteristics of reinforcements, and Corrosion Damage Indicators (CDIs, describing the detrimental effects of corrosion phenomena, were determined and correlated in order to evaluate the influence of corrosion on the behaviour of reinforcing steels, providing useful information for designers in addition to what is presented in current standards.

A technique for transferring a patient's smile line to a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) image.

Science.gov (United States)

Bidra, Avinash S

2014-08-01

Fixed implant-supported prosthodontic treatment for patients requiring a gingival prosthesis often demands that bone and implant levels be apical to the patient's maximum smile line. This is to avoid the display of the prosthesis-tissue junction (the junction between the gingival prosthesis and natural soft tissues) and prevent esthetic failures. Recording a patient's lip position during maximum smile is invaluable for the treatment planning process. This article presents a simple technique for clinically recording and transferring the patient's maximum smile line to cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images for analysis. The technique can help clinicians accurately determine the need for and amount of bone reduction required with respect to the maximum smile line and place implants in optimal positions. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural reinforcement of a {theta}16 inches tee made during operation with composite material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beim, Andre [Tresca Engenharia Ltda., Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Vilani, Eduardo Cesar [Rust Engenharia Ltda., Diadema, SP (Brazil)

2009-07-01

An industrial installation went through a turnaround to increase capacity. A tie-in line had to be made for this, and a 16 inches diameter branch was required to be made on an existing 16 inches pipe. The joining of these elements resulted in a 'tee' that was supposed to receive a reinforcement plate. This reinforcement plate was not installed before the plant start-up. Code calculations and a finite element stress analysis showed that reinforcement was necessary. The only viable solution was the application of a composite material reinforcement, designed to substitute the missing reinforcement plate, and reduce the stresses to allowable levels. A new finite element stress analysis was made to determine the required thickness of this reinforcement. The first part of this work shows the results of the finite element stress analysis. Figures with stress contours of the analyses show the results. The second part shows the details of the installation of the reinforcement, which was made during normal operation of the plant. Pictures illustrate the main steps of the installation procedure. (author)

Validation of the actuator line and disc techniques using the New MEXICO measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sarmast, Sasan; Shen, Wen Z.; Zhu, Wei Jun

2016-01-01

Actuator line and disc techniques are employed to analyse the wake obtained in the New MEXICO wind turbine experiment. The New MEXICO measurement campaign done in 2014 is a follow-up to the MEXICO campaign, which was completed in 2006. Three flow configurations in axial flow condition are simulated...

Techniques for obtaining velocity distributions of atoms or ions from Doppler-broadened spectral line profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moran, T.G.

1986-12-01

Analysis of the doppler-broadened profiles of spectral lines radiated by atoms or ions in plasmas yields information about their velocity distributions. Researchers have analysed profiles of lines radiated by atoms in isotropic velocity distributions in several ways, one being the inversion of the integral equation which relates the velocity distribution to the line profile. This inversion formula was derived for a separate application and was given to within an arbitrary multiplicative constant. This paper presents a new derivation which obtains the inversion exactly, using a method which is easily generalized for determination of anisotropic velocity distribution functions. The technique to obtain an anisotropic velocity distribution function from line profiles measured at different angles is outlined

Reinforced sulphur concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2014-01-01

Reinforced sulphur concrete wherein one or more metal reinforcing members are in contact with sulphur concrete is disclosed. The reinforced sulphur concrete comprises an adhesion promoter that enhances the interaction between the sulphur and the one or more metal reinforcing members.

Fraser Valley System Reinforcement Project: Environmental planning and assessment report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-06-01

Transmission facilities in the south central Fraser Valley, British Columbia, need reinforcement in order to meet anticipated growth in power demand. This objective could be met by reinforcing substation facilities (adding 500-kV equipment and connection to transmission line 5L41) at the McLellan Substation in Surrey, at the Clayburn Substation in Matsqui, or at the Atchelitz Substation in Chilliwack. An assessment is provided of the environmental evaluation criteria applied to these potential sites for substation reinforcement and the rationale for selection of the Clayburn site as the environmentally most effective alternative. The Clayburn site is already cleared and managed for a 230-kV substation; environmental, land use, and socioeconomic impacts are considered manageable. The existing right-of-way for the 500-kV loop in to the substation can be utilized. In addition, the results of an environmental assessment and mitigation plan for the Clayburn substation reinforcement are described. The most significant factors that will require possible mitigative measures include fisheries, water quality, floodplain management, visual and recreational aspects, and heritage resources. 16 figs., 5 tabs

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CANNABIS INDICA FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amar Singh Singha

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on the synthesis of Cannabis indica fiber-reinforced composites using Urea-Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (URF as a novel matrix through compression molding technique. The polycondensation between urea, resorcinol, and formaldehyde in different molar ratios was applied to the synthesis of the URF polymer matrix. A thermosetting matrix based composite, reinforced with lignocellulose from Cannabis indica with different fiber loadings 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% by weight, was obtained. The mechanical properties of randomly oriented intimately mixed fiber particle reinforced composites were determined. Effects of fiber loadings on mechanical properties such as tensile, compressive, flexural strength, and wear resistance were evaluated. Results showed that mechanical properties of URF resin matrix increased considerably when reinforced with particles of Cannabis indica fiber. Thermal (TGA/DTA/DTG and morphological studies (SEM of the resin, fiber and polymer composite thus synthesized were carried out.

Production and properties of micro-cellulose reinforced thermoplastic starch

Science.gov (United States)

Kmetty, Á.; Karger-Kocsis, J.; Czigány, T.

2015-02-01

Thermoplastic starch (TPS)/micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) composites were prepared from maize starch with different amount of distilled water, glycerol and cellulose reinforcement. The components were homogenized by kneader and twin roll technique. The produced TPS and TPS-based polymer composites were qualified by static and dynamic mechanical tests and their morphology was analysed by microscopic techniques. The results showed that the amount of water and the order of the production steps control the properties of both the TPS and its MFC reinforced version. With increasing content of MFC the stiffness and strength of the TPS matrix increased, as expected. Microscopic inspection revealed that the TPS has a homogenous structure and the MFC is well dispersed therein when suitable preparation conditions were selected.

Evaluation of nitrate quantification techniques for in-line analysis in drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez Alpizar, Laura; Coy Herrera, Ricardo

2015-01-01

The results of a study are presented to determine the potential use of four techniques for the quantification of nitrates in continuous sampling: ion chromatography, ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometry; one table equipment and two mini-spectrophotometers with continuous flow sample injection are used, one for measurements in the field of visible radiation and the other optimized for measurements of ultraviolet radiation absorption. Variables that are considered: reagent and accessory consumption, waste toxicity, analyte response, detection limit (LD), quantification limit (LC), linearity in the field of interest and sensitivity. Ultraviolet absorption detection spectro photometry with continuous flow sample injection is the best of the techniques for line analysis. The response has been between 0-10 mg / L linear, data recommended by WHO for the concentration of nitrates in drinking water. Low consumption of reagents and accessories is shown. This spectrophotometry without hazardous waste generated, has had LD 0.002 mg / L and LC 0.006 mg / L and an adequate sensitivity to respond rapidly to the concentration of the analyte without signal saturation. The desirable characteristics are fulfilled for an on-line analysis system. (author) [es

Regional seismic lines reprocessed using post-stack processing techniques; National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, John J.; Agena, W.F.; Lee, M.W.; Zihlman, F.N.; Grow, J.A.; Taylor, D.J.; Killgore, Michele; Oliver, H.L.

2000-01-01

This CD-ROM contains stacked, migrated, 2-Dimensional seismic reflection data and associated support information for 22 regional seismic lines (3,470 line-miles) recorded in the National Petroleum Reserve ? Alaska (NPRA) from 1974 through 1981. Together, these lines constitute about one-quarter of the seismic data collected as part of the Federal Government?s program to evaluate the petroleum potential of the Reserve. The regional lines, which form a grid covering the entire NPRA, were created by combining various individual lines recorded in different years using different recording parameters. These data were reprocessed by the USGS using modern, post-stack processing techniques, to create a data set suitable for interpretation on interactive seismic interpretation computer workstations. Reprocessing was done in support of ongoing petroleum resource studies by the USGS Energy Program. The CD-ROM contains the following files: 1) 22 files containing the digital seismic data in standard, SEG-Y format; 2) 1 file containing navigation data for the 22 lines in standard SEG-P1 format; 3) 22 small scale graphic images of each seismic line in Adobe Acrobat? PDF format; 4) a graphic image of the location map, generated from the navigation file, with hyperlinks to the graphic images of the seismic lines; 5) an ASCII text file with cross-reference information for relating the sequential trace numbers on each regional line to the line number and shotpoint number of the original component lines; and 6) an explanation of the processing used to create the final seismic sections (this document). The SEG-Y format seismic files and SEG-P1 format navigation file contain all the information necessary for loading the data onto a seismic interpretation workstation.

Microstructural and mechanical behaviors of nano-SiC-reinforced AA7075-O FSW joints prepared through two passes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahrami, Mohsen, E-mail: Mohsen.bahrami@aut.ac.ir [Faculty of Mining and Materials Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT), Hafez Aveenue, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Farahmand Nikoo, Mohsen [Faculty of Mining and Materials Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT), Hafez Aveenue, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Besharati Givi, Mohammad Kazem [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-02-25

In this paper, a threaded tapered pin tool was employed to fabricate a 2-pass friction stir welded (FSWed) joint. To investigate the benefits of nano-sized SiC particles on microstructural and mechanical properties of the joint, the experiment was repeated while SiC particles had been inserted along the joint line. In another joint, a square pin tool was applied in the second pass to evaluate the effectiveness of switching pin geometry between passes on the aforementioned properties. Microstructural features including grain size, second phase particles and reinforcement distribution were examined via optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. In addition to satisfactory connections between SiC particles and the matrix, the most homogenous particles distribution was observed in the specimen FSWed with both pin tools. This observation was further supported by atomic force microscopy (AFM) examination. Additionally, the foregoing joint demonstrated the maximum tensile strength which was synonymous with its smallest grain size. During tensile testing, SiC-free joint and SiC-reinforced ones fractured from stir zone (SZ) and base metal, respectively. Moreover, SiC-free joint showed necking phenomenon. SEM results showed that the SiC-reinforced specimens possessed ductile fracture morphologies. On the other hand, SiC-free specimen showed a quasi-cleavage fracture mode confirming its moderate percent elongation. In the meantime, SiC-reinforced specimens exhibited superior hardness level to SiC-free specimen.

Reinforcement Magnitude: An Evaluation of Preference and Reinforcer Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Trosclair-Lasserre, Nicole M.; Lerman, Dorothea C.; Call, Nathan A.; Addison, Laura R.; Kodak, Tiffany

2008-01-01

Consideration of reinforcer magnitude may be important for maximizing the efficacy of treatment for problem behavior. Nonetheless, relatively little is known about children's preferences for different magnitudes of social reinforcement or the extent to which preference is related to differences in reinforcer efficacy. The purpose of the current…

Autoshaping Chicks with Heat Reinforcement: The Role of Stimulus-Reinforcer and Response-Reinforcer Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Wasserman, Edward A.; And Others

1975-01-01

The present series of experiments attempted to analyze more fully the contributions of stimulus-reinforcer and response-reinforcer relations to autoshaping within a single conditioning situation. (Author)

Protection of Reinforced Concrete Structures of Waste Water Treatment Reservoirs with Stainless Steel Coating Using Arc Thermal Spraying Technique in Acidified Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Han-Seung Lee

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Waste water treatment reservoirs are contaminated with many hazardous chemicals and acids. Reservoirs typically comprise concrete and reinforcement steel bars, and the main elements responsible for their deterioration are hazardous chemicals, acids, and ozone. Currently, a variety of techniques are being used to protect reservoirs from exposure to these elements. The most widely used techniques are stainless steel plating and polymeric coating. In this study, a technique known as arc thermal spraying was used. It is a more convenient and economical method for protecting both concrete and reinforcement steel bar from deterioration in waste water treatment reservoirs. In this study, 316L stainless steel coating was applied to a concrete surface, and different electrochemical experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of coatings in different acidic pH solutions. The coating generated from the arc thermal spraying process significantly protected the concrete surface from corrosion in acidic pH solutions, owing to the formation of a double layer capacitance—a mixture of Cr3+ enriched with Cr2O3 and Cr-hydroxide in inner and Fe3+ oxide on the outer layer of the coating. The formation of this passive film is defective owing to the non-homogeneous 316L stainless steel coating surface. In the pH 5 solution, the growth of a passive film is adequate due to the presence of un-dissociated water molecules in the aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The coated surface is sealed with alkyl epoxide, which acts as a barrier against the penetration of acidic solutions. This coating exhibits higher impedance values among the three studied acidic pH solutions.

Stripping demolition of concrete by applying electric current through reinforcing bars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagawa, Wahei; Kumegawa, Sadatsune

1995-01-01

The presence of reinforcing bars in reinforced concrete structures is an obstruction hindering the smooth progress of demolition works. The electric heating method is, on the other hand, a demolition technique of unique concept since it adopts the bars to help the demolition of reinforced concrete structures. This technique has the following advantages for demolition: 1) the more densely a structure is reinforced with bars, the greater is the effect of the electric heating, 2) demolition after heating produces little dust, and 3) electric heating of reinforcing bars causes no damage to the portions of concrete not subjected to electric current. The present paper describes the procedures and results of a series of experiments we conducted to verify the efficiency of the electric heating method. In this method, a low-voltage high-current is run through reinforcing bars existing in a concrete structure, inducing intense heat in the bars which in its turn brings about cracks in the surrounding concrete mass, facilitating secondary demolition by hammer picks or other means. The experiments were performed on full-scale biological shield wall mock-ups of a BWR and a small nuclear reactor. The experiments revealed that these excellent features of the electric heating method are worth utilizing in stripping demolition of radioactivated regions of biological shield walls in nuclear power plants. The electric heating method is currently being adopted and shows effective results in partial demolition works in diaphragm wall shafts where starting/arriving holes are to be fixed for shield machines without damaging surrounding portions. (author)

Development of a relationship between external measurements and reinforcement stress

Science.gov (United States)

Brault, Andre; Hoult, Neil A.; Lees, Janet M.

2015-03-01

As many countries around the world face an aging infrastructure crisis, there is an increasing need to develop more accurate monitoring and assessment techniques for reinforced concrete structures. One of the challenges associated with assessing existing infrastructure is correlating externally measured parameters such as crack widths and surface strains with reinforcement stresses as this is dependent on a number of variables. The current research investigates how the use of distributed fiber optic sensors to measure reinforcement strain can be correlated with digital image correlation measurements of crack widths to relate external crack width measurements to reinforcement stresses. An initial set of experiments was undertaken involving a series of small-scale beam specimens tested in three-point bending with variable reinforcement properties. Relationships between crack widths and internal reinforcement strains were observed including that both the diameter and number of bars affected the measured maximum strain and crack width. A model that uses measured crack width to estimate reinforcement strain was presented and compared to the experimental results. The model was found to provide accurate estimates of load carrying capacity for a given crack width, however, the model was potentially less accurate when crack widths were used to estimate the experimental reinforcement strains. The need for more experimental data to validate the conclusions of this research was also highlighted.

Safe Exploration of State and Action Spaces in Reinforcement Learning

OpenAIRE

Garcia, Javier; Fernandez, Fernando

2014-01-01

In this paper, we consider the important problem of safe exploration in reinforcement learning. While reinforcement learning is well-suited to domains with complex transition dynamics and high-dimensional state-action spaces, an additional challenge is posed by the need for safe and efficient exploration. Traditional exploration techniques are not particularly useful for solving dangerous tasks, where the trial and error process may lead to the selection of actions whose execution in some sta...

Traffic light control by multiagent reinforcement learning systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, B.; Whiteson, S.; Kester, L.; Groen, F.C.A.; Babuška, R.; Groen, F.C.A.

2010-01-01

Traffic light control is one of the main means of controlling road traffic. Improving traffic control is important because it can lead to higher traffic throughput and reduced traffic congestion. This chapter describes multiagent reinforcement learning techniques for automatic optimization of

Traffic Light Control by Multiagent Reinforcement Learning Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, B.; Whiteson, S.; Kester, L.J.H.M.; Groen, F.C.A.

2010-01-01

Traffic light control is one of the main means of controlling road traffic. Improving traffic control is important because it can lead to higher traffic throughput and reduced traffic congestion. This chapter describes multiagent reinforcement learning techniques for automatic optimization of

Gamma-radiography techniques applied to quality control of welds in water pipe lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, W.; Oki, H.

1974-01-01

Non-destructive testing of welds may be done by the gamma-radiography technique, in order to detect the presence or absence of discontinuities and defects in the bulk of deposited metal and near the base metal. Gamma-radiography allows the documentation of the test with a complete inspection record, which is a fact not common in other non-destructive testing methods. In the quality control of longitudinal or transversal welds in water pipe lines, two exposition techniques are used: double wall and panoramic exposition. Three different water pipe lines systems have analysed for weld defects, giving a total of 16,000 gamma-radiographies. The tests were made according to the criteria established by the ASME standard. The principal metallic discontinuites found in the weld were: porosity (32%), lack of penetration (29%), lack of fusion (20%), and slag inclusion (19%). The percentage of gamma-radiographies showing welds without defects was 39% (6168 gamma-radiographies). On the other hand, 53% (8502 gamma-radiographies) showed the presence of acceptable discontinuities and 8% (1330 gamma-radiographies) were rejected according to the ASME standards [pt

Pointwise probability reinforcements for robust statistical inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Frénay, Benoît; Verleysen, Michel

2014-02-01

Statistical inference using machine learning techniques may be difficult with small datasets because of abnormally frequent data (AFDs). AFDs are observations that are much more frequent in the training sample that they should be, with respect to their theoretical probability, and include e.g. outliers. Estimates of parameters tend to be biased towards models which support such data. This paper proposes to introduce pointwise probability reinforcements (PPRs): the probability of each observation is reinforced by a PPR and a regularisation allows controlling the amount of reinforcement which compensates for AFDs. The proposed solution is very generic, since it can be used to robustify any statistical inference method which can be formulated as a likelihood maximisation. Experiments show that PPRs can be easily used to tackle regression, classification and projection: models are freed from the influence of outliers. Moreover, outliers can be filtered manually since an abnormality degree is obtained for each observation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Details from dignity to decay: facial expression lines in visual arts.

Science.gov (United States)

Heckmann, Marc

2003-10-01

A number of dermatologic procedures are intended to reduce facial wrinkles. This article is about wrinkles as a statement of art. This article explores how frown lines and other facial wrinkles are used in visual art to feature personal peculiarities and accentuate specific feelings or moods. Facial lines as an artistic element emerged with advanced painting techniques evolving during the Renaissance and following periods. The skill to paint fine details, the use of light and shadow, and the understanding of space that allowed for a three-dimensional presentation of the human face were essential prerequisites. Painters used facial lines to emphasize respected values such as dignity, determination, diligence, and experience. Facial lines, however, were often accentuated to portrait negative features such as anger, fear, aggression, sadness, exhaustion, and decay. This has reinforced a cultural stigma of facial wrinkles expressing not only age but also misfortune, dismay, or even tragedy. Removing wrinkles by dermatologic procedures may not only aim to make people look younger but also to liberate them from unwelcome negative connotations. On the other hand, consideration and care must be taken-especially when interfering with facial muscles-to preserve a natural balance of emotional facial expressions.

[Profound meaning of acupuncture taboos in Internal Classic based on the fault of reinforcing and reducing technique by mind conduction of acupuncture therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Yuge; Wang, Feng; Qin, Yuheng; Li, Li; Li, Mei

2016-05-01

By analyzing the acupuncture taboos in Neijing (Internal Classic) on clinical application of mind conduction of acupuncture therapy in going against the actual situation, astronomy and others, it is found that the relevant acupuncture taboo implies many subtle mysteries of human body, qi, mind and astronomy, which have not been discovered yet in modern science and are very significant in qi protection. In Neijing, the acupuncture physicians have been highly required in the mind treatment, in which, accurately regulating qi circulation is the target in the treatment. The mind conduction is used for qi circulation to accomplish accurately the reinforcing or reducing in the deficiency or excess condition. All of the taboos are provided to normalize the accuracy of reinforcing and reducing technique of acupuncture therapy and avoid the damage of qi in human body. Hence, those taboos must be obeyed so as to prevent from serious consequence and ensure the safety of this acupuncture therapy.

Detection of underground mined voids using line electrode resistivity technique - case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, S.S.; Ziaie, F. (West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (USA))

1991-06-01

A new resistivity method was developed and tested in three phases; simulated model, similitude model, and field survey. This resistivity method was a combination of the Bristow arrangement and line electrode method. Three line electrodes were chosen so that the sinkhole electrode was emplaced at a far distance from the other two electrodes. Any of the two electrodes and the sinkhole electrode were activated and several resistivity profiles perpendicular to the line electrode prepared for different electrodes activation. Subsurface cavities caused resistivity anomalies which were interpreted to locate their sources (cavities) and estimate the depths and dimension of the cavities. A coal mine site employing the room and pillar mining system was selected to confirm the results of the laboratory. The results of the interpretation indicated that the entry with a dimension of 135 cm high and 5.40 m wide at a depth of 25.50 m can be detected by this method. The resolution of the detectability of this method proved a great success when compared to other resistivity techniques. 6 refs., 6 figs.

Genomic Signatures of Reinforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Austin G. Garner

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Reinforcement is the process by which selection against hybridization increases reproductive isolation between taxa. Much research has focused on demonstrating the existence of reinforcement, yet relatively little is known about the genetic basis of reinforcement or the evolutionary conditions under which reinforcement can occur. Inspired by reinforcement’s characteristic phenotypic pattern of reproductive trait divergence in sympatry but not in allopatry, we discuss whether reinforcement also leaves a distinct genomic pattern. First, we describe three patterns of genetic variation we expect as a consequence of reinforcement. Then, we discuss a set of alternative processes and complicating factors that may make the identification of reinforcement at the genomic level difficult. Finally, we consider how genomic analyses can be leveraged to inform if and to what extent reinforcement evolved in the face of gene flow between sympatric lineages and between allopatric and sympatric populations of the same lineage. Our major goals are to understand if genome scans for particular patterns of genetic variation could identify reinforcement, isolate the genetic basis of reinforcement, or infer the conditions under which reinforcement evolved.

Genomic Signatures of Reinforcement

Science.gov (United States)

Goulet, Benjamin E.

2018-01-01

Reinforcement is the process by which selection against hybridization increases reproductive isolation between taxa. Much research has focused on demonstrating the existence of reinforcement, yet relatively little is known about the genetic basis of reinforcement or the evolutionary conditions under which reinforcement can occur. Inspired by reinforcement’s characteristic phenotypic pattern of reproductive trait divergence in sympatry but not in allopatry, we discuss whether reinforcement also leaves a distinct genomic pattern. First, we describe three patterns of genetic variation we expect as a consequence of reinforcement. Then, we discuss a set of alternative processes and complicating factors that may make the identification of reinforcement at the genomic level difficult. Finally, we consider how genomic analyses can be leveraged to inform if and to what extent reinforcement evolved in the face of gene flow between sympatric lineages and between allopatric and sympatric populations of the same lineage. Our major goals are to understand if genome scans for particular patterns of genetic variation could identify reinforcement, isolate the genetic basis of reinforcement, or infer the conditions under which reinforcement evolved. PMID:29614048

Polarization Induced Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete with CFRP Anode.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Ji-Hua; Wei, Liangliang; Zhu, Miaochang; Sun, Hongfang; Tang, Luping; Xing, Feng

2015-07-15

This paper investigates the deterioration of reinforced concrete with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) anode after polarization. The steel in the concrete was first subjected to accelerated corrosion to various extents. Then, a polarization test was performed with the external attached CFRP as the anode and the steel reinforcement as the cathode. Carbon fiber reinforced mortar and conductive carbon paste as contact materials were used to adhere the CFRP anode to the concrete. Two current densities of 1244 and 2488 mA/m², corresponding to the steel reinforcements were applied for 25 days. Electrochemical parameters were monitored during the test period. The deterioration mechanism that occurred at the CFRP/contact material interface was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The increase of feeding voltage and the failure of bonding was observed during polarization process, which might have resulted from the deterioration of the interface between the contact material and CFRP. The formation and accumulation of NaCl crystals at the contact material/CFRP interface were inferred to be the main causes of the failure at the interface.

Habituation of reinforcer effectiveness

OpenAIRE

David R Lloyd; David R Lloyd; Douglas J Medina; Larry W Hawk; Whitney D Fosco; Jerry B Richards

2014-01-01

In this paper we propose an integrative model of habituation of reinforcer effectiveness (HRE) that links behavioral and neural based explanations of reinforcement. We argue that habituation of reinforcer effectiveness (HRE) is a fundamental property of reinforcing stimuli. Most reinforcement models implicitly suggest that the effectiveness of a reinforcer is stable across repeated presentations. In contrast, an HRE approach predicts decreased effectiveness due to repeated presentation. We ar...

Structural Behavior of Concrete Beams Reinforced with Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) Bars

Science.gov (United States)

Ovitigala, Thilan

The main challenge for civil engineers is to provide sustainable, environmentally friendly and financially feasible structures to the society. Finding new materials such as fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) material that can fulfill the above requirements is a must. FRP material was expensive and it was limited to niche markets such as space shuttles and air industry in the 1960s. Over the time, it became cheaper and spread to other industries such as sporting goods in the 1980-1990, and then towards the infrastructure industry. Design and construction guidelines are available for carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and they are currently used in structural applications. Since FRP is linear elastic brittle material, design guidelines for the steel reinforcement are not valid for FRP materials. Corrosion of steel reinforcement affects the durability of the concrete structures. FRP reinforcement is identified as an alternative to steel reinforcement in corrosive environments. Although basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) has many advantages over other FRP materials, but limited studies have been done. These studies didn't include larger BFRP bar diameters that are mostly used in practice. Therefore, larger beam sizes with larger BFRP reinforcement bar diameters are needed to investigate the flexural and shear behavior of BFRP reinforced concrete beams. Also, shear behavior of BFRP reinforced concrete beams was not yet studied. Experimental testing of mechanical properties and bond strength of BFRP bars and flexural and shear behavior of BFRP reinforced concrete beams are needed to include BFRP reinforcement bars in the design codes. This study mainly focuses on the use of BFRP bars as internal reinforcement. The test results of the mechanical properties of BFRP reinforcement bars, the bond strength of BFRP reinforcement bars, and the flexural and shear behavior of concrete beams

Characterization and modeling of fiber reinforced concrete for structural applications in beams and plates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paegle, Ieva

(i.e., stirrups) is investigated in detail using digital image correlation (DIC) measurement technique. The use of steel fibers to replace traditional shear reinforcement is not without precedent in current reinforced concrete design codes. However, more detailed information is provided......Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) with discrete, short and randomly distributed fibers can be specified and designed for structural applications in flexural members. In certain cases, fibers are used as the only reinforcement, while in other cases fibers are used in combination with a reduced amount...... are considered in structural design, the work presented in this thesis analyzes in detail many commonly used test methods on three types of FRC, including Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete (PP-FRC), Polyvinyl Alcohol Fiber Reinforced Concrete called Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) and Steel Fiber...

Adapting without reinforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kheifets, Aaron; Gallistel, C Randy

2012-11-01

Our data rule out a broad class of behavioral models in which behavioral change is guided by differential reinforcement. To demonstrate this, we showed that the number of reinforcers missed before the subject shifted its behavior was not sufficient to drive behavioral change. What's more, many subjects shifted their behavior to a more optimal strategy even when they had not yet missed a single reinforcer. Naturally, differential reinforcement cannot be said to drive a process that shifts to accommodate to new conditions so adeptly that it doesn't miss a single reinforcer: it would have no input on which to base this shift.

Mechanical characterization of PVA hydrogel to be used as artificial joint cartilage reinforced by irradiation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bavaresco, Vanessa Petrilli; Zavaglia, Cecilia A.C.; Reis, Marcelo de Carvalho

2002-01-01

Crosslinked networks of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) produced from PVA aqueous solution and induced by radiation has been recently developed, and their mechanical properties have been studied. These materials are too fragile to be useful for artificial joint cartilage applications, unless reinforced in some way. In this work, the mechanical resistance of PVA hydrogel produced by irradiation techniques was studied. Polyvinyl alcohol films from 15 and 20% w/w aqueous solutions were acetalized by immersing it in an acetalization bath containing aqueous formaldehyde, sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate anhydrous (60:50:300 g) at 60 deg C. The acetalized samples were irradiated (Dynamitron (E = 1,5 MeV)) with 25, 50, 75, 100 kGy doses. Hydrogel samples were characterized by indentation creep test and water swelling. The results obtained in this study suggest the improving of the mechanical properties of the hydrogel by the combination of acetalization and electron beam irradiation, without decreasing in the swelling properties. (author)

Experiment and calculation of reinforced concrete at elevated temperatures

CERN Document Server

Guo, Zhenhai

2011-01-01

Concrete as a construction material goes through both physical and chemical changes under extreme elevated temperatures. As one of the most widely used building materials, it is important that both engineers and architects are able to understand and predict its behavior in under extreme heat conditions. Brief and readable, this book provides the tools and techniques to properly analysis the effects of high temperature of reinforced concrete which will lead to more stable, safer structures. Based on years of the author's research, Reinforced Concrete at Elevated Temperatures four par

Comparison Of Several Metrology Techniques For In-line Process Monitoring Of Porous SiOCH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fossati, D.; Imbert, G.; Beitia, C.; Yu, L.; Plantier, L.; Volpi, F.; Royer, J.-C.

2007-01-01

As porous SiOCH is a widely used inter-metal dielectric for 65 nm nodes and below, the control of its elaboration process by in-line monitoring is necessary to guarantee successful integration of the material. In this paper, the sensitivities of several non-destructive metrology techniques towards the film elaboration process drifts are investigated. It appears that the two steps of the process should be monitored separately and that corona charge method is the most sensitive technique of the review for this application

Hydrogel-based reinforcement of 3D bioprinted constructs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Melchels, FPW; Blokzijl, M M; Levato, R; Peiffer, Q C; de Ruijter, M; Hennink, Wim E.; Vermonden, T.; Malda, J

2016-01-01

Progress within the field of biofabrication is hindered by a lack of suitable hydrogel formulations. Here, we present a novel approach based on a hybrid printing technique to create cellularized 3D printed constructs. The hybrid bioprinting strategy combines a reinforcing gel for mechanical support

Investigations of timing during the schedule and reinforcement intervals with wheel-running reinforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Christie-Fougere, Melissa M

2006-11-01

Across two experiments, a peak procedure was used to assess the timing of the onset and offset of an opportunity to run as a reinforcer. The first experiment investigated the effect of reinforcer duration on temporal discrimination of the onset of the reinforcement interval. Three male Wistar rats were exposed to fixed-interval (FI) 30-s schedules of wheel-running reinforcement and the duration of the opportunity to run was varied across values of 15, 30, and 60s. Each session consisted of 50 reinforcers and 10 probe trials. Results showed that as reinforcer duration increased, the percentage of postreinforcement pauses longer than the 30-s schedule interval increased. On probe trials, peak response rates occurred near the time of reinforcer delivery and peak times varied with reinforcer duration. In a second experiment, seven female Long-Evans rats were exposed to FI 30-s schedules leading to 30-s opportunities to run. Timing of the onset and offset of the reinforcement period was assessed by probe trials during the schedule interval and during the reinforcement interval in separate conditions. The results provided evidence of timing of the onset, but not the offset of the wheel-running reinforcement period. Further research is required to assess if timing occurs during a wheel-running reinforcement period.

FRP reinforcement of timber structures

OpenAIRE

Schober, Kay-Uwe; Harte, Annette M.; Kliger, Robert; Jockwer, Robert; Xu, Qingfeng; Chen, Jian-Fei

2015-01-01

Timber engineering has advanced over recent decades to offer an alternative to traditional materials and methods. The bonding of fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) with adhesives to timber structures for repair and strengthening has many advantages. However, the lack of established design rules has strongly restrained the use of FRP strengthening in many situations, where these could be a preferable option to most traditional techniques. A significant body of research has been carried out in rec...

Habituation of reinforcer effectiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David R Lloyd

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we propose an integrative model of habituation of reinforcer effectiveness (HRE that links behavioral and neural based explanations of reinforcement. We argue that habituation of reinforcer effectiveness (HRE is a fundamental property of reinforcing stimuli. Most reinforcement models implicitly suggest that the effectiveness of a reinforcer is stable across repeated presentations. In contrast, an HRE approach predicts decreased effectiveness due to repeated presentation. We argue that repeated presentation of reinforcing stimuli decreases their effectiveness and that these decreases are described by the behavioral characteristics of habituation (McSweeney and Murphy, 2009;Rankin et al., 2009. We describe a neural model that postulates a positive association between dopamine neurotransmission and HRE. We present evidence that stimulant drugs, which artificially increase dopamine neurotransmission, disrupt (slow normally occurring HRE and also provide evidence that stimulant drugs have differential effects on operant responding maintained by reinforcers with rapid vs. slow HRE rates. We hypothesize that abnormal HRE due to genetic and/or environmental factors may underlie some behavioral disorders. For example, recent research indicates that slow-HRE is predictive of obesity. In contrast ADHD may reflect ‘accelerated-HRE’. Consideration of HRE is important for the development of effective reinforcement based treatments. Finally, we point out that most of the reinforcing stimuli that regulate daily behavior are non-consumable environmental/social reinforcers which have rapid-HRE. The almost exclusive use of consumable reinforcers with slow-HRE in pre-clinical studies with animals may have caused the importance of HRE to be overlooked. Further study of reinforcing stimuli with rapid-HRE is needed in order to understand how habituation and reinforcement interact and regulate behavior.

Enhancing corrosion resistance of reinforced concrete structures with hybrid fiber reinforced concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blunt, J.; Jen, G.; Ostertag, C.P.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Reinforced concrete beams were subjected to cyclic flexural loading. • Hybrid fiber reinforced composites were effective in reducing corrosion rates. • Crack resistance due to fibers increased corrosion resistance of steel rebar. • Galvanic corrosion measurements underestimated corrosion rates. • Polarization resistance measurements predicted mass loss more accurately. - Abstract: Service loads well below the yield strength of steel reinforcing bars lead to cracking of reinforced concrete. This paper investigates whether the crack resistance of Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete (HyFRC) reduces the corrosion rate of steel reinforcing bars in concrete after cyclic flexural loading. The reinforcing bars were extracted to examine their surface for corrosion and compare microcell and macrocell corrosion mass loss estimates against direct gravimetric measurements. A delay in corrosion initiation and lower active corrosion rates were observed in the HyFRC beam specimens when compared to reinforced specimens containing plain concrete matrices cycled at the same flexural load

Asbestos free friction composition for brake linings

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

An asbestos free friction material composite for brake linings is synthesized containing fibrous reinforcing constituents, friction imparting and controlling additives, elastomeric additives, fire retarding components and a thermosetting resin. The composite shows exemplary friction characteristics and has great resistance to ...

Behaviour of reinforced columns with E_Glass fiber and carbon fiber

OpenAIRE

BOUCHELAGHEM Hafida; BEZAZI Abederrezak; Benzanache Naziha; SCARPA Fabrizio

2018-01-01

Externally bonded reinforcement using Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is a good response to the concern represented by the need for rehabilitation of concrete structures. These techniques are more and more attractive because of their fast and low labour costs, very good strength to weight ratio, good fatigue properties, and non-corrosive characteristics of FRP. The present work is an experimental study investigating the mechanical behaviour under a uni-axial loading of short concrete columns r...

Active load sharing technique for on-line efficiency optimization in DC microgrids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sanseverino, E. Riva; Zizzo, G.; Boscaino, V.

2017-01-01

Recently, DC power distribution is gaining more and more importance over its AC counterpart achieving increased efficiency, greater flexibility, reduced volumes and capital cost. In this paper, a 24-120-325V two-level DC distribution system for home appliances, each including three parallel DC......-DC converters, is modeled. An active load sharing technique is proposed for the on-line optimization of the global efficiency of the DC distribution network. The algorithm aims at the instantaneous efficiency optimization of the whole DC network, based on the on-line load current sampling. A Look Up Table......, is created to store the real efficiencies of the converters taking into account components tolerances. A MATLAB/Simulink model of the DC distribution network has been set up and a Genetic Algorithm has been employed for the global efficiency optimization. Simulation results are shown to validate the proposed...

Corrosion detection of steel reinforced concrete using combined carbon fiber and fiber Bragg grating active thermal probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Weijie; Ho, Siu Chun Michael; Song, Gangbing

2016-01-01

Steel reinforcement corrosion is one of the dominant causes for structural deterioration for reinforced concrete structures. This paper presents a novel corrosion detection technique using an active thermal probe. The technique takes advantage of the fact that corrosion products have poor thermal conductivity, which will impede heat propagation generated from the active thermal probe. At the same time, the active thermal probe records the temperature response. The presence of corrosion products can thus be detected by analyzing the temperature response after the injection of heat at the reinforcement-concrete interface. The feasibility of the proposed technique was firstly analyzed through analytical modeling and finite element simulation. The active thermal probe consisted of carbon fiber strands to generate heat and a fiber optic Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensor. Carbon fiber strands are used due to their corrosion resistance. Wet-dry cycle accelerated corrosion experiments were performed to study the effect of corrosion products on the temperature response of the reinforced concrete sample. Results suggest a high correlation between corrosion severity and magnitude of the temperature response. The technique has the merits of high accuracy, high efficiency in measurement and excellent embeddability. (paper)

Machining and characterization of self-reinforced polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Deepa, A.; Padmanabhan, K.; Kuppan, P.

2017-11-01

This Paper focuses on obtaining the mechanical properties and the effect of the different machining techniques on self-reinforced composites sample and to derive the best machining method with remarkable properties. Each sample was tested by the Tensile and Flexural tests, fabricated using hot compaction test and those loads were calculated. These composites are machined using conventional methods because of lack of advanced machinery in most of the industries. The advanced non-conventional methods like Abrasive water jet machining were used. These machining techniques are used to get the better output for the composite materials with good mechanical properties compared to conventional methods. But the use of non-conventional methods causes the changes in the work piece, tool properties and more economical compared to the conventional methods. Finding out the best method ideal for the designing of these Self Reinforced Composites with and without defects and the use of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis for the comparing the microstructure of the PP and PE samples concludes our process.

Efficacy of Thermally Conditioned Sisal FRP Composite on the Shear Characteristics of Reinforced Concrete Beams

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Tara Sen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The development of commercially viable composites based on natural resources for a wide range of applications is on the rise. Efforts include new methods of production and the utilization of natural reinforcements to make biodegradable composites with lignocellulosic fibers, for various engineering applications. In this work, thermal conditioning of woven sisal fibre was carried out, followed by the development of woven sisal fibre reinforced polymer composite system, and its tensile and flexural behaviour was characterized. It was observed that thermal conditioning improved the tensile strength and the flexural strength of the woven sisal fibre composites, which were observed to bear superior values than those in the untreated ones. Then, the efficacy of woven sisal fibre reinforced polymer composite for shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams was evaluated using two types of techniques: full and strip wrapping techniques. Detailed analysis of the load deflection behaviour and fracture study of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with woven sisal under shearing load were carried out, and it was concluded that woven sisal FRP strengthened beams, underwent very ductile nature of failure, without any delamination or debonding of sisal FRP, and also increased the shear strength and the first crack load of the reinforced concrete beams.

Theoretical and numerical analysis of reinforced concrete beams with confinement reinforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. G. Delalibera

Full Text Available This paper discusses the use of confinement in over-reinforced concrete beams. This reinforcement consists of square stirrups, placed in the compression zone of the beam cross-section, in order to improve its ductility. A parametric numerical study is initially performed, using a finite element computational program that considers the material nonlinearities and the confinement effect. To investigate the influence of the transverse reinforcing ratio on the beam ductility, an experimental program was also conducted. Four over-reinforced beams were tested; three beam specimens with additional transverse reinforcement to confine the beams, and one without it. All specimens were fabricated with a concrete designed for a compressive strength of 25 MPa. The experimental results show that the post-peak ductility factor is proportional to the confining reinforcement ratio, however the same is not observed for the pre-peak ductility factor, which varied randomly with changes in the confining reinforcement ratio. It was also observed from the experiments that the confinement effect tends to be smaller close to the beam neutral axis.

What matters after sleeve gastrectomy: patient characteristics or surgical technique?

Science.gov (United States)

Dhar, Vikrom K; Hanseman, Dennis J; Watkins, Brad M; Paquette, Ian M; Shah, Shimul A; Thompson, Jonathan R

2018-03-01

The impact of operative technique on outcomes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has been explored previously; however, the relative importance of patient characteristics remains unknown. Our aim was to characterize national variability in operative technique for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and determine whether patient-specific factors are more critical to predicting outcomes. We queried the database of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program for laparoscopic sleeve gastrostomies performed in 2015 (n = 88,845). Logistic regression models were used to determine predictors of postoperative outcomes. In 2015, >460 variations of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were performed based on combinations of bougie size, distance from the pylorus, use of staple line reinforcement, and oversewing of the staple line. Despite such substantial variability, technique variants were not predictive of outcomes, including perioperative morbidity, leak, or bleeding (all P ≥ .05). Instead, preoperative patient characteristics were found to be more predictive of these outcomes after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Only history of gastroesophageal disease (odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.08-1.91, P < .01) was associated with leak. Considerable variability exists in technique among surgeons nationally, but patient characteristics are more predictive of adverse outcomes after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Bundled payments and reimbursement policies should account for patient-specific factors in addition to current accreditation and volume thresholds when deciding risk-adjustment strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Habituation of reinforcer effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, David R; Medina, Douglas J; Hawk, Larry W; Fosco, Whitney D; Richards, Jerry B

2014-01-09

In this paper we propose an integrative model of habituation of reinforcer effectiveness (HRE) that links behavioral- and neural-based explanations of reinforcement. We argue that HRE is a fundamental property of reinforcing stimuli. Most reinforcement models implicitly suggest that the effectiveness of a reinforcer is stable across repeated presentations. In contrast, an HRE approach predicts decreased effectiveness due to repeated presentation. We argue that repeated presentation of reinforcing stimuli decreases their effectiveness and that these decreases are described by the behavioral characteristics of habituation (McSweeney and Murphy, 2009; Rankin etal., 2009). We describe a neural model that postulates a positive association between dopamine neurotransmission and HRE. We present evidence that stimulant drugs, which artificially increase dopamine neurotransmission, disrupt (slow) normally occurring HRE and also provide evidence that stimulant drugs have differential effects on operant responding maintained by reinforcers with rapid vs. slow HRE rates. We hypothesize that abnormal HRE due to genetic and/or environmental factors may underlie some behavioral disorders. For example, recent research indicates that slow-HRE is predictive of obesity. In contrast ADHD may reflect "accelerated-HRE." Consideration of HRE is important for the development of effective reinforcement-based treatments. Finally, we point out that most of the reinforcing stimuli that regulate daily behavior are non-consumable environmental/social reinforcers which have rapid-HRE. The almost exclusive use of consumable reinforcers with slow-HRE in pre-clinical studies with animals may have caused the importance of HRE to be overlooked. Further study of reinforcing stimuli with rapid-HRE is needed in order to understand how habituation and reinforcement interact and regulate behavior.

Reinforcement of poly (vinyl alcohol films with alpha-chitin nanowhiskers

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Hugo Lisboa

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Composites Films were produced using Poly (Vinyl Alcohol as the soft material and reinforced with Chitin Nanowhiskers(NWCH as the rigid material. The present work studies the reinforcing mechanisms of NWCH in PVA films, made through a solvent casting technique and characterized for their calorimetric, swelling and mechanical properties. DSC tests revealed a sharp increase of 45 °C in glass transition temperatures with only 1.5% NWCH, while melting temperature had a small increases suggesting an anti-plasticizing effect. Swelling tests revealed decreasing hygoscopy when NWCH volume fraction increases. Estimates for elastic tensile modulus using a model that predicts the formation of a percolating network were not consistent with the experimental data of tensile tests suggesting that contrary to the reinforcement with cellulose nanowhiskers the percolating network is not primarily responsible for the reinforcement of the films. By adjusting the Halpin-Tsai equations, modified by Nielsen it was found that the mechanical properties were mainly influenced by the packing of the NWCH.

A Preliminary Study on Cathodic Prevention in Reinforced Mortar

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koleva, D.A.; Van Breugel, K.; Mol, J.M.C.; De Wit, J.H.W.

2010-01-01

This work presents the preliminary tests on the performance of cathodic prevention (CPre) in reinforced mortar, subjected to aggressive (10% NaCl environment). Cathodic prevention is an electrochemical technique for minimizing, actually "preventing" any eventual corrosion of the steel bars in

Mechanical properties of nanodiamond-reinforced hydroxyapatite composite coatings deposited by suspension plasma spraying

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiuyong; Zhang, Botao; Gong, Yongfeng; Zhou, Ping; Li, Hua

2018-05-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings suffer from poor mechanical properties, which can be enhanced via incorporation of secondary bioinert reinforcement material. Nanodiamond (ND) possesses excellent mechanical properties to play the role as reinforcement for improving the mechanical properties of brittle HA bioceramic coatings. The major persistent challenge yet is the development of proper deposition techniques for fabricating the ND reinforced HA coatings. In this study, we present a novel deposition approach by plasma spraying the mixtures of ND suspension and micron-sized HA powder feedstock. The effect of ND reinforcement on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the coatings such as hardness, adhesive strength and friction coefficient were examined. The results showed that the ND-reinforced HA coatings display lower porosity, fewer unmelted particles and uniform microstructure, in turn leading to significantly enhanced mechanical properties. The study presented a promising approach to fabricate ND-reinforced HA composite coatings on metal-based medical implants for potential clinical application.

Investigation of Corrosion and Cathodic Protection in Reinforced Concrete. I : Application of Electrochemical Techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koleva, D.A.; De Wit, J.H.W.; Van Breugel, K.; Lodhi, Z.F.; Van Westing, E.

2007-01-01

The electrochemical behavior of steel reinforcement in conditions of corrosion and cathodic protection was studied, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and compared to reference (noncorroding) conditions. Polarization resistance (PR) method and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) were

Digital lock-in techniques for adaptive power-line interference extraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobrev, Dobromir; Neycheva, Tatyana; Mudrov, Nikolay

2008-07-01

This paper presents a simple digital approach for adaptive power-line (PL) or other periodic interference extraction. By means of two digital square (or sine) wave mixers, the real and imaginary parts of the interference are found, and the interference waveform is synthesized and finally subtracted. The described technique can be implemented in an open-loop architecture where the interference is synthesized as a complex sinusoid or in a closed-loop architecture for automatic phase and gain control. The same approach can be used for removal of the fundamental frequency of the PL interference as well as its higher harmonics. It is suitable for real-time operation with popular low-cost microcontrollers.

Carbon fiber reinforced asphalt concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahromi, Saeed G.

2008-01-01

Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. For many years, they have been utilized extensively in numerous applications in civil engineering. Fiber-reinforcement refers to incorporating materials with desired properties within some other materials lacking those properties. Use of fibers is not a new phenomenon, as the technique of fiber-reinforced bitumen began early as 1950. In all industrialized countries today, nearly all concretes used in construction are reinforced. A multitude of fibers and fiber materials are being introduced in the market regularly. The present paper presents characteristics and properties of carbon fiber-reinforced asphalt mixtures, which improve the performance of pavements. To evaluate the effect of fiber contents on bituminous mixtures, laboratory investigations were carried out on the samples with and without fibers. During the course of this study, various tests were undertaken, applying Marshall Test indirect tensile test, creep test and resistance to fatigue cracking by using repeated load indirect tensile test. Carbon fiber exhibited consistency in results and as such it was observed that the addition of fiber does affect the properties of bituminous mixtures, i.e. an increase in its stability and decrease in the flow value as well as an increase in voids in the mix. Results indicate that fibers have the potential to resist structural distress in pavement, in the wake of growing traffic loads and thus improve fatigue by increasing resistance to cracks or permanent deformation. On the whole, the results show that the addition of carbon fiber will improve some of the mechanical properties like fatigue and deformation in the flexible pavement. (author)

Axial Compression Tests on Corroded Reinforced Concrete Columns Consolidated with Fibre Reinforced Polymers

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Bin Ding

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Reinforced concrete structure featured by strong bearing capacity, high rigidity, good integrity, good fire resistance, and extensive applicability occupies a mainstream position in contemporary architecture. However, with the development of social economy, people need higher requirements on architectural structure; durability, especially, has been extensively researched. Because of the higher requirement on building material, ordinary reinforced concrete structure has not been able to satisfy the demand. As a result, some new materials and structures have emerged, for example, fibre reinforced polymers. Compared to steel reinforcement, fibre reinforced polymers have many advantages, such as high tensile strength, good durability, good shock absorption, low weight, and simple construction. The application of fibre reinforced polymers in architectural structure can effectively improve the durability of the concrete structure and lower the maintenance, reinforcement, and construction costs in severe environments. Based on the concepts of steel tube concrete, fibre reinforced composite material confined concrete, and fibre reinforced composite material tubed concrete, this study proposes a novel composite structure, i.e., fibre reinforced composite material and steel tube concrete composite structure. The structure was developed by pasting fibre around steel tube concrete and restraining core concrete using fibre reinforced composite material and steel tubes. The bearing capacity and ultimate deformation capacity of the structure was tested using column axial compression test.

Drifter technique: a new method to obtain metaphases in Hep-2 cell line cultures

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Eleonidas Moura Lima

2005-07-01

Full Text Available The Hep-2 cell line is derived from laryngeal carcinoma cells and is often utilized as a model in carcinogenesis and mutagenesis tests. To evaluate the proliferative potential of this line, we developed a cytogenetic methodology (drifter technique to obtain metaphases from cells that loose cellular adhesion when they underwent mitosis in culture. By this procedure, 2000 cells were counted, resulting in a mitotic index (MI of 22.2%. Although this MI was not statistically different from the one obtained using either a classical cytogenetic method or a cell synchronization technique, the drifter technique has the advantage of not requiring the use of some reagents for the obtention of metaphases and also of diminishing the consumption of maintenance reagents for this cell line.A linhagem celular Hep-2 é formada por células de carcinoma da laringe e é muito utilizada em modelos de carcinogênese e mutagenêse. Para avaliar o potencial proliferativo desta linhagem, desenvolvemos uma metodologia citogenética (técnica do sobrenadante para obtenção de metáfases a partir de células que, ao entrarem em mitose, perdem adesão celular, ficando em suspensão no meio de cultura. Através deste procedimento, foram contadas 2000 células, correspondendo a um índice mitótico (IM de 22.2% . Apesar de o IM obtido por esta técnica não ter sido estatisticamente diferente do IM obtido por outras metodologias citogenéticas clássicas, a técnica do sobrenadante é vantajosa porque elimina o uso de alguns reagentes utilizados na obtenção de metáfases e também diminui o consumo de reagentes de manutenção desta linhagem.

Evaluation of the thermal properties of polypropylene reinforced with palm fibers composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capri, M.R.; Santana, L.C.; Mulinari, D.R.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize polypropylene reinforced with palm composites. Of this form, it was studied physical and chemical modifications of the in nature fibers, washed with hot water and mercerized. The composites of polypropylene reinforced with 5%, 10% and 20% (wt /wt) in nature fibers and mercerized were evaluated thermally. The fibers were characterized by SEM XRD and TGA / DSC techniques. Results revealed that the mercerized fibers presented higher crystallinity when compared to others, as well as increased roughness, facilitating interlacing with the reinforcement matrix. Thermal studies of the fibers showed that the mercerization caused displacement curves paragraph higher temperatures. The composites reinforced with treated fibers presented largest temperatures and enthalpies of degradation. The content of fiber influenced in enthalpy degradation and reduction in fusion temperature. (author)

A line array based near field imaging technique for characterising acoustical properties of elongated targets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driessen, F.P.G.

1995-01-01

With near field imaging techniques the acoustical pressure waves at distances other than the recorded can be calculated. Normally, acquisition on a two dimensional plane is necessary and extrapolation is performed by a Rayleigh integral. A near field single line instead of two dimensional plane

The effect of reinforcement percentages on properties of copper matrix composites reinforced with TiC particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagheri, GH.A., E-mail: Gh.a.bagheri65@gmail.com

2016-08-15

In this research, copper matrix composites reinforced with different amounts of titanium carbide particles were produced by mechanical milling and in-situ formation of reinforcements. Morphology and size of milled powders were inspected by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) several times during milling process. Changes in lattice parameter, crystallite size, lattice strain, dislocation density and Gibbs free energy changes (due to increasing in dislocation densities and grain boundaries) in different samples (with different TiC particles contents) were studied by X-Ray Diffraction technique with Cu-kα radiation and using Nelson–Riley method and Williamson–Hall equation. Microstructure of samples after sintering was investigated by FESEM. Finally, densitometry, hardness, determination of electrical resistance and pin on disk wear test were performed and effect of reinforcement percentages on the physical and mechanical properties of composites was studied. Results show incredible improvement in mechanical properties with increasing in TiC value, even though, electrical conductivity dropped off considerably. - Highlights: • Microstructures, mechanical and physical properties of composites have been studied. • Stored Gibbs free energy of dislocations and grain boundaries has been calculated. • Gibbs free energy increased with increasing in titanium percent. • Higher TiC percentage led to better mechanical and unfavorable physical properties.

Hemodiafiltration using pre-dilutional on-line citrate dialysate: A new technique for regional citrate anticoagulation: A feasibility study

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Radhouane Bousselmi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A prospective, observational, feasibility study was carried out on four patients with end-stage renal failure undergoing bicarbonate hemodialysis to study the feasibility of an on-line hemodiafiltration technique using a citrate dialysate with pre-dilutional infusion of citrate as a technique for regional citrate anticoagulation. All patients had contraindication to systemic heparin anticoagulation. The dialysis technique consisted of an on-line hemodiafiltration with a citrate dialysate without calcium using a Fresenius 4008S dialysis machine and Fresenius Polysulfone F60 dialyzers. The infusion solution was procured directly from the dialysate and was infused into the arterial line. To avoid the risk of hypocalcemia, calcium gluconate was infused to the venous return line. The study was carried out in two stages. During the first stage, the citrate infusion rate was 80 mL/min and the calcium infusion rate was 9 mmol/h. At the second stage, the rates were 100 mL/min and 11 mmol/h, respectively. The primary endpoint of this study was the incidence of thrombosis in the extracorporeal blood circuit and/or the dialyzer. A total of 78 sessions were conducted. All the sessions were well tolerated clinically and there were no major incidents in any of the four patients. At the first stage of the study, there were five incidences of small clots in the venous blood chamber, an incidence of extracorporeal blood circuit thrombosis of 12.5%. At the second stage of the study, no cases of extracorporeal blood circuit or dialyzer thrombosis were noted. Hemodiafiltration with on-line citrate dialysate infusion to the arterial line is safe and allows an effective regional anticoagulation of the extracorporeal blood circuit without the need for systemic anticoagulation.

A simple highly accurate field-line mapping technique for three-dimensional Monte Carlo modeling of plasma edge transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Y.; Sardei, F.; Kisslinger, J.

2005-01-01

The paper presents a new simple and accurate numerical field-line mapping technique providing a high-quality representation of field lines as required by a Monte Carlo modeling of plasma edge transport in the complex magnetic boundaries of three-dimensional (3D) toroidal fusion devices. Using a toroidal sequence of precomputed 3D finite flux-tube meshes, the method advances field lines through a simple bilinear, forward/backward symmetric interpolation at the interfaces between two adjacent flux tubes. It is a reversible field-line mapping (RFLM) algorithm ensuring a continuous and unique reconstruction of field lines at any point of the 3D boundary. The reversibility property has a strong impact on the efficiency of modeling the highly anisotropic plasma edge transport in general closed or open configurations of arbitrary ergodicity as it avoids artificial cross-field diffusion of the fast parallel transport. For stellarator-symmetric magnetic configurations, which are the standard case for stellarators, the reversibility additionally provides an average cancellation of the radial interpolation errors of field lines circulating around closed magnetic flux surfaces. The RFLM technique has been implemented in the 3D edge transport code EMC3-EIRENE and is used routinely for plasma transport modeling in the boundaries of several low-shear and high-shear stellarators as well as in the boundary of a tokamak with 3D magnetic edge perturbations

Flexural strength using Steel Plate, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) on reinforced concrete beam in building technology

Science.gov (United States)

Tarigan, Johannes; Patra, Fadel Muhammad; Sitorus, Torang

2018-03-01

Reinforced concrete structures are very commonly used in buildings because they are cheaper than the steel structures. But in reality, many concrete structures are damaged, so there are several ways to overcome this problem, by providing reinforcement with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) and reinforcement with steel plates. Each type of reinforcements has its advantages and disadvantages. In this study, researchers discuss the comparison between flexural strength of reinforced concrete beam using steel plates and Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP). In this case, the researchers use Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) as external reinforcements. The dimension of the beams is 15 x 25 cm with the length of 320 cm. Based on the analytical results, the strength of the beam with CFRP is 1.991 times its initial, GFRP is 1.877 times while with the steel plate is 1.646 times. Based on test results, the strength of the beam with CFRP is 1.444 times its initial, GFRP is 1.333 times while the steel plate is 1.167 times. Based on these test results, the authors conclude that beam with CFRP is the best choice for external reinforcement in building technology than the others.

Assessment of the toughness of fibre-reinforced concrete using the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Stefie J Stephen

2018-03-28

Mar 28, 2018 ... ments, slab-on-grade, tunnel linings, bridge decks, etc. As the fibre ... are obtained based on simple elastic bending theory at the crack plane [3–7]. ... (d) ¼ 150 mm, notch length (a0) ¼ 25 mm and span. (l) ¼ 500 mm (figure .... [5] RILEM TC 162-TDF 2002 Test and design methods for steel fibre reinforced ...

Reinforced concrete tomography; Tomografia de hormigon armado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mariscotti, M A.J.; Morixe, M; Tarela, P A; Thieberger, P [Tomografia de Hormigon Armado S.A., Boulogne (Argentina)

1998-12-31

In this paper we describe the technique of reinforced concrete tomography, its historical background, recent technological developments and main applications. Gamma radiation sensitive plates are imprinted with radiation going through the concrete sample under study, and then processed to reveal the presence of reinforcement and defects in the material density. The three dimensional reconstruction, or tomography, of the reinforcement out of a single gammagraphy is an original development alternative to conventional methods. Re-bar diameters and positions may be determined with an accuracy of {+-} 1 mm 0.5-1 cm, respectively. The non-destructive character of this technique makes it particularly attractive in cases of inhabited buildings and diagnoses of balconies. (author) 8 refs., 12 figs. [Espanol] En este trabajo se describe la tecnica de tomografia de hormigon armado, sus antededentes, recientes desarrollos y aplicaciones mas importantes. Esta tecnica se basa en el uso de radiacion gamma para penetrar piezas de hormigon. Placas gammagraficas son sensibilizadas con la radiacion que atraviesa la pieza bajo estudio y luego procesadas para revelar la presencia de armadura e inhomogeneidades en la densidad del concreto. La reconstruccion tridimensional o tomografia, de la armadura a partir de una sola gammagrafia es un desarrollo original alternativo a los metodos convencionales. Diametros y posiciones de los hierros existentes en el interior de columnas, vigas y losas pueden ser determinados con precisiones de {+-} 1 mm y 0.5-1 cm, respectivamente. La condicion de no destructiva hace que esta tecnica sea particularmente apreciada en los casos de edificios habitados y sea insustituible para el diagnostico de balcones. (autor)

"Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles" Multiobjective Reinforcement Learning: A Comprehensive Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunming; Xu, Xin; Hu, Dewen

2013-04-29

Reinforcement learning is a powerful mechanism for enabling agents to learn in an unknown environment, and most reinforcement learning algorithms aim to maximize some numerical value, which represents only one long-term objective. However, multiple long-term objectives are exhibited in many real-world decision and control problems; therefore, recently, there has been growing interest in solving multiobjective reinforcement learning (MORL) problems with multiple conflicting objectives. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive overview of MORL. In this paper, the basic architecture, research topics, and naive solutions of MORL are introduced at first. Then, several representative MORL approaches and some important directions of recent research are reviewed. The relationships between MORL and other related research are also discussed, which include multiobjective optimization, hierarchical reinforcement learning, and multi-agent reinforcement learning. Finally, research challenges and open problems of MORL techniques are highlighted.

Prediction of punching shear capacities of two-way concrete slabs reinforced with FRP bars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim M. Metwally

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Where corrosion of steel reinforcement is a concern, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP reinforcing bar or grid reinforcement provides an alternative reinforcement for concrete flat slabs. The existing provisions for punching of slabs in most international design standards for reinforced concrete are based on tests of steel reinforced slabs. The elastic stiffness and bonding characteristics of FRP reinforcement are sufficiently different from those of steel to affect punching strength [1]. This paper evaluates the punching shear strength of concrete flat slabs reinforced with different types of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP. A total of 59 full-size slabs were constructed and tested collected from the literature of FRP bars reinforced concrete slabs. The test parameters were the amount of FRP reinforcing bars, Young’s modulus of FRP bars, slab thickness, loaded areas and concrete compressive strength. The experimental punching shear strengths were compared with the available theoretical predictions, including the ACI 318 Code, BS 8110 Code, ACI 440 design guidelines, and a number of models proposed by some researchers in the literature. Two approaches for predicting the punching strength of FRP-reinforced slabs are examined. The first is an empirical new model which is considered as a modification of El-Gamal et al. [2] model. The second is a Neural Networks Technique; which has been developed to predict the punching shear capacity of FRP reinforced concrete slabs. The accuracies of both methods were evaluated against the experimental test data. They attained excellent agreement with available test results compared to the existing design formulas.

Strength of normal sections of NPP composite monolithic constructions with ribbed reinforced panels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klyashitskij, V.I.; Kirillov, A.P.

1980-01-01

Strength characteristics and recommendations on designing composite-monolytic structures of NPP with ribbed reinforced panels are considered. Ribbed reinforced panel consists of a system of cross ribs joined with a comparatively thin (25 mm thick) plate. The investigations were carried on using models representing columns symmetrically reinforced with reinforced panels with a low percent of reinforcing. The monolithic structures consisting of ribbed reinforced panels and cast concrete for making monoliths as well as monolithic having analogous strength characteristics of extended and compressed zones have similar strengths. It is shown that calculation of supporting power of composite-monolithic structures is performed according to techniques developed for monolithic structures. Necessity of structural transverse fittings no longer arises in case of corresponding calculational substitution of stability of compressed parts of fittings. Supporting power of a structure decreases not more than by 10% in the presence of cracks in the reinforced panels of the compressed zone. Application of composite-monolithic structures during the construction of the Kursk, Smolensk and Chernobylskaya NPPs permitted to decrease labour content and reduce periods of accomplishment of these works which saves over 6 million roubles

Mathematical modeling for corrosion environment estimation based on concrete resistivity measurement directly above reinforcement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Young-Chul; Lee, Han-Seung; Noguchi, Takafumi

2009-01-01

This study aims to formulate a resistivity model whereby the concrete resistivity expressing the environment of steel reinforcement can be directly estimated and evaluated based on measurement immediately above reinforcement as a method of evaluating corrosion deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. It also aims to provide a theoretical ground for the feasibility of durability evaluation by electric non-destructive techniques with no need for chipping of cover concrete. This Resistivity Estimation Model (REM), which is a mathematical model using the mirror method, combines conventional four-electrode measurement of resistivity with geometric parameters including cover depth, bar diameter, and electrode intervals. This model was verified by estimation using this model at areas directly above reinforcement and resistivity measurement at areas unaffected by reinforcement in regard to the assessment of the concrete resistivity. Both results strongly correlated, proving the validity of this model. It is expected to be applicable to laboratory study and field diagnosis regarding reinforcement corrosion. (author)

ASCE application guide for recommended practice for fiber-reinforced polymer products for overhead utility line structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gnandt, E. [T and D High Voltage Consulting, Vancouver, BC (Canada)

2002-07-01

The participants to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) prepared an application guide to provide guidelines to utilities and manufacturers on topics ranging from design to manufacture, testing and installation of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) products. The intent was also to help utilities with a possible replacement material for wood, steel and pre-stressed concrete. FRP products are constructed from fiber and resin and offer several advantages such as light weight and high strength-to-weight ratio, low maintenance, dimensional stability, resistance to rot, corrosion, chemicals and pest damage. FRP products can be used for lighting poles, ladders and grating, transformer pads, pole line hardware and crossarms, and other applications. There are five structural configurations: (1) cantilevered structures (single pole), (2) guyed structures, framed structures (H-Frame), (4) a combination of (1), (2), and (3), and (5) lattice structures (transmission class). The author listed some of the initial considerations: physical characteristics, guying and grounding, deflection and load testing, attached items, and durability to name only a few. The materials and manufacturing processes were briefly explained, namely the pultrusion method, the filament winding method, and the centrifugal casting method. Design loads considerations are discussed, as are performance-based criteria such as mechanical, coating durability and electrical. Quality control, assembly erection and storage, and in-service considerations are also discussed. The author concluded the presentation with a section dealing with field inspections. figs.

Feasibility of externally activated self-repairing concrete with epoxy injection network and Cu-Al-Mn superelastic alloy reinforcing bars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareek, Sanjay; Shrestha, Kshitij C; Araki, Yoshikazu; Suzuki, Yusuke; Omori, Toshihiro; Kainuma, Ryosuke

2014-01-01

This paper studies the effectiveness of an externally activated self-repairing technique for concrete members with epoxy injection network and Cu-Al-Mn superelastic alloy (SEA) reinforcing bars (rebars). Compared to existing crack self-repairing and self-healing techniques, the epoxy injection network has the following strengths: (1) Different from the self-repairing methods using brittle containers or tubes for adhesives, the proposed self-repair process can be performed repeatedly and is feasible for onsite concrete casting. (2) Different from the autogenic self-healing techniques, full strength recovery can be achieved in a shorter time period without the necessity of water. This paper attempts to enhance the self-repairing capability of the epoxy injection network by reducing residual cracks by using cost-effective Cu-based SEA bars. The effectiveness of the present technique is examined using concrete beam specimens reinforced by 3 types of bars. The first specimen is reinforced by steel deformed bars, the second by steel threaded bars, and finally by SEA threaded rebars. The tests were performed with a 3 point cyclic loading with increasing amplitude. From the test results, effective self-repairing was confirmed for small deformation levels irrespective of the reinforcement types. Effective self-repairing was observed in the SEA reinforced specimen even under much larger deformations. Nonlinear finite element analysis was performed to confirm the experimental findings. (paper)

A novel approach for craniofacial symmetry evaluation: Using the midsagittal Reference line drawn from “Crista Gali” with NHP technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Ordobazari

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Please cite this article as: Ordobazari M, Naqavi Al-Hosseini AA, Zafarmand H. A novel approach for craniofacial symmetry evaluation: Using the midsagittal Reference line drawn from “Crista Gali” with NHP technique. Novel Biomed 2013;1(2:48-53.Background and objective: The purpose of this study was the determination of midsagittal reference line (MSL for craniofacial asymmetry assessment by drawing a line from Crista gali parallel to the true vertical line in PA cephalometry, using Natural Head Position (NHP technique.Method and Materials: 60 Iranian subjects within the age range of 9-13 years old were selected for this prospective study. Patients referred for orthodontic treatment and ghad no supernumerary or missing teeth, no skeletal anomaly, or any history of orthodontic and jaw surgery with normal occlusion. Posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs (PA Ceph were taken of all subjects with NHP technique. The midsagittal line was also traced parallel to the hanging chain from Crista gali. True horizontal line (THL and true vertical line (TVL were also traced from Crista gali (Cg. Using Cartesian system based upon Cg point (0~0, the craniofacial symmetry was assessed with linear, angular and proportional measurements in PA cephalogam, related to TVL and THL lines, for 10 bilateral (R&L anatomical landmarks. The mean differences of the above measurements in left and right sides were analyzed by T- test.Results: The proportional ratios for all left and right measurements were not statistically significant. This was true for both vertical and horizontal distances. The significant level for MSL drawn from Cg as referred to ANS (0±0.255 and Me points (0.007±0.527 was 0.002 and 0.004, respectively.Conclusion: In posteroanterior cephalometry radiographs taken with NHP method, the MSL drawn from Crista gali is reproducible and reliable up to 96% of the times for facial symmetry diagnosis.

A study on the fatigue strength behavior of reinforced concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, D.; Chae, W.K.; Kwak, K.H.

1989-01-01

Design methods for shear have been developed in these days.However, these are mainly based on the test results under static loading, and there are few information concerning the shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams under repeated dynamic loading. From this point of view, this study was performed to investigate the shear behavior of four reinforced concrete beams with web reinforcement under repeated dynamic loading. From these test results, the changes in strain of stirrups and the crack propagation procedures are found as functions of the number of repeated loading cycles. These results are compared with the existing experimental formula for predicting strain of stirrups under repeated loading and also used to find the coefficients in the empirical formula using the regression technique

Metal Matrix Composites Reinforced by Nano-Particles—A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riccardo Casati

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Metal matrix composites reinforced by nano-particles are very promising materials, suitable for a large number of applications. These composites consist of a metal matrix filled with nano-particles featuring physical and mechanical properties very different from those of the matrix. The nano-particles can improve the base material in terms of wear resistance, damping properties and mechanical strength. Different kinds of metals, predominantly Al, Mg and Cu, have been employed for the production of composites reinforced by nano-ceramic particles such as carbides, nitrides, oxides as well as carbon nanotubes. The main issue of concern for the synthesis of these materials consists in the low wettability of the reinforcement phase by the molten metal, which does not allow the synthesis by conventional casting methods. Several alternative routes have been presented in literature for the production of nano-composites. This work is aimed at reviewing the most important manufacturing techniques used for the synthesis of bulk metal matrix nanocomposites. Moreover, the strengthening mechanisms responsible for the improvement of mechanical properties of nano-reinforced metal matrix composites have been reviewed and the main potential applications of this new class of materials are envisaged.

A novel microbond bundle pullout technique to evaluate the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... pullout technique to evaluate the interfacial properties of fibre-reinforced plastic composites ... https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/boms/040/04/0737-0744. Keywords. Microbond bundle pullout test; carbon/epoxy; fibre-reinforced composites; ...

Experimental analysis of reinforced concrete beams strengthened in bending with carbon fiber reinforced polymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. M. VIEIRA

Full Text Available The use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP has been widely used for the reinforcement of concrete structures due to its practicality and versatility in application, low weight, high tensile strength and corrosion resistance. Some construction companies use CFRP in flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams, but without anchor systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is analyze, through an experimental program, the structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams flexural strengthened by CFRP without anchor fibers, varying steel reinforcement and the amount of carbon fibers reinforcement layers. Thus, two groups of reinforced concrete beams were produced with the same geometric feature but with different steel reinforcement. Each group had five beams: one that is not reinforced with CFRP (reference and other reinforced with two, three, four and five layers of carbon fibers. Beams were designed using a computational routine developed in MAPLE software and subsequently tested in 4-point points flexural test up to collapse. Experimental tests have confirmed the effectiveness of the reinforcement, ratifying that beams collapse at higher loads and lower deformation as the amount of fibers in the reinforcing layers increased. However, the increase in the number of layers did not provide a significant increase in the performance of strengthened beams, indicating that it was not possible to take full advantage of strengthening applied due to the occurrence of premature failure mode in the strengthened beams for pullout of the cover that could have been avoided through the use of a suitable anchoring system for CFRP.

Reinforcement Schedules in a Verbal Reinforcement Combination and Renection-Impulsivity

OpenAIRE

TAMASE, Koji; UEDA, Masako

1986-01-01

It was predicted that higher proportion of the negative reinforcement "Wrong" than that of the positive reinforcement "Right" in a reinforcement combination will produce higher proportion of the correct response and this trend will be greater in reflective children than in impulsive children. From 140 kindergarten children 30 reflective and 30 impulsive children were selected and they were given a two-hole marble-dropping task. The best performance in the ratio of correct responses was obtain...

Development of Composite Made of HDPE and Fiber Reinforced Polymer Dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhamad Noor Izwan Ishak; Ismail Mustapha; Mohd Reusmazran Yusof; Yusof Abdullah; Nor Pai'za Mohamad Hasan; Mohamad Ridzuan Ahamad; Md Fakarudin Ab Rahman; Hafizal Yazid; Ainul Mardhiah Terry; Airwan Affandi Mahmood; Nurliyana Abdullah

2016-01-01

Full text: Composite of High Density Polyethylene and Fiber Reinforced Polymer Dust (HDPE/ FRPD) were prepared by melt mixing technique. The blend was mixed and compression molded by hydraulic press at 150 degree Celsius. Effect of blend ratio on mechanical properties of the developed composite was determined. Tensile properties of the blends found to show decreasing trend with addition of FRPD. While impact strength and hardness properties showed promising result. Reuse of ' Fiber Reinforced Polymer ' dust can be improved by the present invention. (author)

Infrared processed Cu composites reinforced with WC particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deshpande, P.K.; Li, J.H.; Lin, R.Y.

2006-01-01

Copper matrix composites with WC particle reinforcements have been prepared with an innovative infrared infiltration technique. The volume content of the reinforcement particles in the composite is about 53%. The relative composite density of as high as 99.9% has been obtained with this process. The electric conductivity of composites prepared in this study as determined by a four-point probe method, is similar to commercially available Cu/W composites containing 52 vol% tungsten. Microhardness, microstructure and wear resistance of the composites were also determined. The microstructure of Cu/WC composite reveals excellent wetting between the two constituent phases, WC and copper. The microhardness values of all completely infiltrated Cu/WC composites were in the range of 360-370 HV which is significantly higher than the microhardness of pure copper, 65 HV. Wear resistance of the composites was determined with a pin on disk wear test technique. The wear test results show that composites prepared in this study performed much better than those commercially available Cu/W composites by more than two-fold against silicon carbide abrasive disks

Acoustic emission of fire damaged fiber reinforced concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Mpalaskas, A. C.; Matikas, T. E.; Aggelis, D. G.

2016-04-01

The mechanical behavior of a fiber-reinforced concrete after extensive thermal damage is studied in this paper. Undulated steel fibers have been used for reinforcement. After being exposed to direct fire action at the temperature of 850°C, specimens were subjected to bending and compression in order to determine the loss of strength and stiffness in comparison to intact specimens and between the two types. The fire damage was assessed using nondestructive evaluation techniques, specifically ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and acoustic emission (AE). Apart from the strong, well known, correlation of UPV to strength (both bending and compressive), AE parameters based mainly on the frequency and duration of the emitted signals after cracking events showed a similar or, in certain cases, better correlation with the mechanical parameters and temperature. This demonstrates the sensitivity of AE to the fracture incidents which eventually lead to failure of the material and it is encouraging for potential in-situ use of the technique, where it could provide indices with additional characterization capability concerning the mechanical performance of concrete after it subjected to fire.

Studies on mechanical, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of untreated (raw) and treated coconut sheath fiber reinforced epoxy composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suresh Kumar, S.M.; Duraibabu, D.; Subramanian, K.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • UTCSE and TCSE composites have been fabricated by compression molding technique. • The prepared specimens were characterized by FTIR, DMA, TGA and SEM techniques. • TCSE composite showed higher mechanical properties compared to UTCSE composite. • DMA showed that TCSE composite exhibited higher storage modulus than UTCSE composite. • TCSE composite showed higher thermal stability than UTCSE composite. - Abstract: The untreated (raw) coconut sheath fiber reinforced epoxy (UTCSE) composite and treated coconut sheath fiber reinforced epoxy (TCSE) composite have been fabricated using hand layup followed by compression molding technique. The prepared specimens were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The prepared specimens are cut as per ASTM Standards to measure tensile, flexural and impact strengths by using universal testing machine and izod impact tester respectively. The treated coconut sheath fiber reinforced epoxy composite (TCSE) posses higher mechanical strength and thermal stability compared to untreated (raw) coconut sheath fiber reinforced epoxy composite (UTCSE). In the SEM fracture analysis, TCSE composite showed better fiber–matrix bonding and absence of voids compared to UTCSE composite

Learning to Play in a Day: Faster Deep Reinforcement Learning by Optimality Tightening

OpenAIRE

He, Frank S.; Liu, Yang; Schwing, Alexander G.; Peng, Jian

2016-01-01

We propose a novel training algorithm for reinforcement learning which combines the strength of deep Q-learning with a constrained optimization approach to tighten optimality and encourage faster reward propagation. Our novel technique makes deep reinforcement learning more practical by drastically reducing the training time. We evaluate the performance of our approach on the 49 games of the challenging Arcade Learning Environment, and report significant improvements in both training time and...

Incremental dynamic analysis of concrete moment resisting frames reinforced with shape memory composite bars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, Adeel; Andrawes, Bassem

2012-01-01

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars have been used in concrete structures as an alternative to conventional steel reinforcement, in order to overcome corrosion problems. However, due to the linear behavior of the commonly used reinforcing fibers, they are not considered in structures which require ductility and damping characteristics. The use of superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) fibers with their nonlinear elastic behavior as reinforcement in the composite could potentially provide a solution for this problem. Small diameter SMA wires are coupled with polymer matrix to produce SMA–FRP composite, which is sought in this research as reinforcing bars. SMA–FRP bars are sought in this study to enhance the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) moment resisting frames (MRFs) in terms of reducing their residual inter-story drifts while still maintaining the elastic characteristics associated with conventional FRP. Three story one bay and six story two bay RC MRF prototype structures are designed with steel, SMA–FRP and glass–FRP reinforcement. The incremental dynamic analysis technique is used to investigate the behaviors of the two frames with the three different reinforcement types under a suite of ground motion records. It is found that the frames with SMA–FRP composite reinforcement exhibit higher performance levels including lower residual inter-story drifts, high energy dissipation and thus lower damage, which are important for structures in highly seismic zones. (paper)

Suture-free and mesh reinforced small intestinal anstomoses: a feasibility study in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulmer, T F; Stumpf, M; Rosch, R; Junge, K; Binnebösel, M; von Trotha, K T; Oettinger, A P; Neumann, U

2013-08-01

Anastomotic leakage still remains a major complication in general surgery. Beside general risk factors, the ideal method of anastomotic technique has not been found until now. The aim of the present study was to analyze wound healing in suture-free small intestine anastomoses using fibrin glue with and without mesh-reinforcement. Laparotomy and four different types of small bowel anastomoses were performed in 32 chinchilla rabbits. Standard hand-sewn anastomoses (CG), suture-free glued anastomoses (FG) with and without mesh reinforcement using two different types of meshes [Vicryl-mesh (VM) and Surgisis (SM)]. Animals were sacrificed after 5 and 21 days. Bursting pressure, collagen type I/III ratio, and matrix-metalloproteinase 2, 9, and 13 were analyzed. None of the animals died due to an anastomotic leakage. All animals in the long term group with Surgisis mesh died due to a mechanical bowel obstruction based on a distinctive stenosis of the anastomosis. The bursting pressures did significantly differed in animals with fibrin glue alone compared to animals with Vicryl-mesh reinforcement (p < 0.05). Histological examination revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the values for MMP-2 (VM < SM), MMP-9 (VM < CG), and MMP-13 (CG < SM, VM < FG, and VM < SM). However, collagen type I/III ratios were not significantly different between groups. Our results suggest that a mesh reinforced glued anastomosis is technically feasible. Furthermore, mesh-reinforcement using VM increased the integrity and simplified the technique of suture-free anastomoses.

Relationships among the slopes of lines derived from various data analysis techniques and the associated correlation coefficient

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, S. C.

1980-01-01

A technique for fitting a straight line to a collection of data points is given. The relationships between the slopes and correlation coefficients, and between the corresponding standard deviations and correlation coefficient are given.

Design of reinforced areas of concrete column using quadratic polynomials

Science.gov (United States)

Arif Gunadi, Tjiang; Parung, Herman; Rachman Djamaluddin, Abd; Arwin Amiruddin, A.

2017-11-01

Designing of reinforced concrete columns mostly carried out by a simple planning method which uses column interaction diagram. However, the application of this method is limited because it valids only for certain compressive strenght of the concrete and yield strength of the reinforcement. Thus, a more applicable method is still in need. Another method is the use of quadratic polynomials as a basis for the approach in designing reinforced concrete columns, where the ratio of neutral lines to the effective height of a cross section (ξ) if associated with ξ in the same cross-section with different reinforcement ratios is assumed to form a quadratic polynomial. This is identical to the basic principle used in the Simpson rule for numerical integral using quadratic polynomials and had a sufficiently accurate level of accuracy. The basis of this approach to be used both the normal force equilibrium and the moment equilibrium. The abscissa of the intersection of the two curves is the ratio that had been mentioned, since it fulfill both of the equilibrium. The application of this method is relatively more complicated than the existing method but provided with tables and graphs (N vs ξN ) and (M vs ξM ) so that its used could be simplified. The uniqueness of these tables are only distinguished based on the compresssive strength of the concrete, so in application it could be combined with various yield strenght of the reinforcement available in the market. This method could be solved by using programming languages such as Fortran.

Alternative method of manufacture and assembly of concrete reinforcement for cylindrical part of containment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chalus, Z.

1982-01-01

The problems are discussed of the reinforcement for the cylindrical part of the containment of the standard WWER 1000 nuclear power plant in the Temelin locality. Soviet 25 G 2 S bars 40 mm in diameter and Czechoslovak bars 39 mm in diameter of steels 10 216 and 10 425 are to be used. The possible technologies of laying are presented and as an alternative solution the concept of reinforcing cages is discussed. The production of cages is considered as an on-site project. The cages would be manufactured using horizontal or vertical fixtures and stored vertically close together in special stands. Labour consumption for the production of both types of reinforcing cages is discussed and a survey presented of the necessary equipment when using the alternative technologies. Labour consumption for the assembly of the cages is also given, this for the variant when the reinforcement is fixed to the assembled steel lining, i.e., either cages 12 by 12 m in dimension (inner, outer, including transverse reinforcement) or as spatial components, baskets, with regard to the possibility of transporting elements 3 by 12 m in dimension. (B.S.)

Real-time pulse deinterleaving using digital delay line techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Lentz, L. F.; Palermo, T. J.

This paper describes an implementation of a tracking pulse sorter based on predictive gating techniques. Real-time pulse sorters or pulse train gating devices have been utilized by the ELINT signal analyst for many years. The more elementary of these devices employed a retriggerable delay interval and an acceptance gate, which were used in predictive fashion to track pulse trains whose PRIs fall within the limits of the programmed delay interval. This design utilizes the pulse hit/miss history of individual track files in a variation of a sequential observer detection algorithm. Use of a digital delay line with pulse history allows multiple pulse trains to be tracked simultaneously and independently without interference. The design also provides flexibility in lock-on and track criteria to allow maintenance of acquisition probability and false alarm rate in dense signal environments and with low SNRs. The hardware provides time interval resolution to 12.5 nsec and covers a PRI range of 50 microsec to 50 msec.

Effect of resin-modified glass-ionomer cement lining and composite layering technique on the adhesive interface of lateral wall

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larissa Marinho AZEVEDO

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Interface integrity can be maintained by setting the composite in a layering technique and using liners. Objective The aim of this in vitro study was to verify the effect of resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (RMGIC lining and composite layering technique on the bond strength of the dentin/resin adhesive interface of lateral walls of occlusal restorations. Material and Methods Occlusal cavities were prepared in 52 extracted sound human molars, randomly assigned into 4 groups: Group 2H (control – no lining + two horizontal layers; Group 4O: no lining + four oblique layers; Group V-2H: RMGIC lining (Vitrebond + two horizontal layers; and Group V-4O: RMGIC lining (Vitrebond + four oblique layers. Resin composite (Filtek Z250, 3M ESPE was placed after application of an adhesive system (Adper™ Single Bond 2, 3M ESPE dyed with a fluorescent reagent (Rhodamine B to allow confocal microscopy analysis. The teeth were stored in deionized water at 37oC for 24 hours before being sectioned into 0.8 mm slices. One slice of each tooth was randomly selected for Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM analysis. The other slices were sectioned into 0.8 mm x 0.8 mm sticks to microtensile bond strength test (MPa. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Fisher's test. Results There was no statistical difference on bond strength among groups (p>0.05. CLSM analysis showed no significant statistical difference regarding the presence of gap at the interface dentin/resin among groups. Conclusions RMGIC lining and composite layering techniques showed no effect on the microtensile bond strength and gap formation at the adhesive interface of lateral walls of high C-factor occlusal restorations.

Acoustic emission from fiber reinforced plastic damaged hoop wrapped cylinders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akhtar, A.; Kung, D.; Westbrook, D.R.

2000-03-01

Metal lined continuous fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) hoop wrapped cylinders with axial cuts to the FRP were modeled mathematically and tested experimentally. Steel lined and aluminum alloy lined glass FRP vessels were subjected to acoustic emission tests (AE) and hydraulic burst tests. The burst pressure decreased monotonically with the length of the axial cut. Acoustic emission increased initially with a decrease in burst pressure, and attained a maximum at an intermediate level of damage to the FRP. However, acoustic emission decreased when the level of damage was higher and the burst pressure was lower. Implications of the findings are discussed in the context of the search for an acoustic emission test method to inspect periodically the vessels used for the storage of compressed gaseous fuels on natural gas vehicles (NGV) and hydrogen vehicles.

Management of Reinforcement Corrosion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Küter, André; Geiker, Mette Rica; Møller, Per

Reinforcement corrosion is the most important cause for deterioration of reinforced concrete structures, both with regard to costs and consequences. Thermodynamically consistent descriptions of corrosion mechanisms are expected to allow the development of innovative concepts for the management...... of reinforcement corrosion....

Effect Of Age And Concrete Cover Thickness On Steel Reinforcement Corrosion At Splash Zone In Reinforced Concrete Hydraulic Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nada M. Al- Galawi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Corrosion of reinforcing steel bars in reinforced concrete is considered as one of the biggest problems that face countries overlooking to the Arabian Gulf including Iraq. The research aims to study the effect of the corrosion of steel bars in concrete structures that are exposed to wetting and drying via waves. Reinforced concrete samples were exposed to marine simulated environment for 90 days using prepared system for this purpose. At the end of exposure period polarization test was implemented to measure the actual corrosion rate in each sample. After that the corrosion process was accelerated using impressed current technique by applying a constant electric current DC to the reinforcing bars. Depending on the corrosion current in natural conditions which was measured in polarization test periods of exposing samples to accelerated corrosion current so as to maintain virtual exposure ages of 5 and 25 years of exposure to natural corrosion were calculated. The results showed a remarkable increase in the corrosion current of steel bars in samples that had lower concrete cover thickness. The increase in the cover thickness from 20mm to 40 and 65 mm had a significant effect on reducing the corrosion current at the age of 90 days to about 70 of its original value in both cases. At the virtual exposure age of 5 years the reduction percentage in the corrosion current resulted from increasing cover thickness from 20mm to 40 and 65 mm were 43 and 79 respectively.

Evaluation of an improved technique for automated center lumen line definition in cardiovascular image data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gratama van Andel, Hugo A.F.; Meijering, Erik; Vrooman, Henri A.; Stokking, Rik; Lugt, Aad van der; Monye, Cecile de

2006-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate a new method for automated definition of a center lumen line in vessels in cardiovascular image data. This method, called VAMPIRE, is based on improved detection of vessel-like structures. A multiobserver evaluation study was conducted involving 40 tracings in clinical CTA data of carotid arteries to compare VAMPIRE with an established technique. This comparison showed that VAMPIRE yields considerably more successful tracings and improved handling of stenosis, calcifications, multiple vessels, and nearby bone structures. We conclude that VAMPIRE is highly suitable for automated definition of center lumen lines in vessels in cardiovascular image data. (orig.)

Flexural behaviour and punching shear of selfcompacting concrete ribbed slab reinforced with steel fibres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Hazrina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the effects of steel fibres as a replacement to the conventional reinforcement under flexural behaviour and punching shear in self-compacting (SCC ribbed slab reinforced with steel fibres. Four ribbed slabs with similar dimensions of 2.8 m length × 1.2 m width and 0.2m thickness were constructed. Two of the samples were considered as control samples (conventionally reinforced with reinforcement bars and welded mesh while another two samples were fully reinforced with 1% (80 kg/m3 volume of steel fibres incorporated to the SCC mix. For the flexural behaviour study, the ribbed slab samples were subjected to two line loads under four point bending. Meanwhile, for the punching shear analysis, the ribbed slab samples were subjected to a point load to simulate loading from the column. The analysis of the experimental results displayed that steel fibres incorporation had been found to effectively delay the first crack occurrence under both flexural and punching shear. The steel fibre replacement has been proven to be able to sustain up to 80% and 73% of the ultimate load resistance for flexural and punching shear, respectively, in comparison to conventionally reinforced ribbed slab structure. The visual observation carried out during the experiment exhibited similar failure mode for both steel fibre reinforced and control samples. This was observed for both flexural and punching shear samples. Overall, it can be concluded that the steel fibres had displayed a promising potential to effectively replace the conventional reinforcements.

An ultrafast line-by-line algorithm for calculating spectral transmittance and radiance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, X.

2013-01-01

An ultrafast line-by-line algorithm for calculating spectral transmittance and radiance of gases is presented. The algorithm is based on fast convolution of the Voigt line profile using Fourier transform and a binning technique. The algorithm breaks a radiative transfer calculation into two steps: a one-time pre-computation step in which a set of pressure independent coefficients are computed using the spectral line information; a normal calculation step in which the Fourier transform coefficients of the optical depth are calculated using the line of sight information and the coefficients pre-computed in the first step, the optical depth is then calculated using an inverse Fourier transform and the spectral transmittance and radiance are calculated. The algorithm is significantly faster than line-by-line algorithms that do not employ special speedup techniques by a factor of 10 3 –10 6 . A case study of the 2.7 μm band of H 2 O vapor is presented. -- Highlights: •An ultrafast line-by-line model based on FFT and a binning technique is presented. •Computationally expensive calculations are factored out into a pre-computation step. •It is 10 3 –10 8 times faster than LBL algorithms that do not employ speedup techniques. •Good agreement with experimental data for the 2.7 μm band of H 2 O

Gaudi and reinforced concrete in construction

OpenAIRE

Grima Lopez, Rosa; Aguado de Cea, Antonio; Gómez Serrano, José

2013-01-01

The first two decades of the 20th century witnessed the introduction and expansion of reinforced concrete as a building material in Spain. Few years passed between the introduction of the first patents in the most industrialized areas of the Iberian Peninsula and the subsequent generalization of the technique through scientific knowledge obtained in universities. This period coincides almost completely with the professional career of Antoni Gaudí, one of the most famous Catalan architects. Th...

Reinforced concrete behavior due to missile impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alderson, M.A.H.G.; Bartley, R.; O'Brien, T.P.

1977-01-01

The assessment of the safety of nuclear reactors has necessitated the study of the effect of missiles on reinforced concrete containment structures. Two simple theoretical calculational methods have been developed to provide basic information. The first is based on a crude energy balance approach in which that part of the kinetic energy of the missile which is transferred into the containment structure, is absorbed only as bending strain energy. To determine the energy transferred into the structure it is assumed that during the loading the target does not respond. The energy input to the structure is thus equal to the kinetic energy it will possess immediately the impulse has been removed. The boundary of the responding zone is defined by the distance travelled by the shear stress wave during the time in which the impact force increases to the load at which the shear capacity reaches the ultimate shear resistance. The second method is based on the equation of motion for an equivalent one-degree-of-freedom system assuming that only the peak value of deflection is important and that damping can be ignored. The spring stiffness of the equivalent system has been based upon the stiffness of the actual disc configuration responding in the flexural mode only. The boundaries of the disc have been defined by using the elastic plate formulae and equating those positive and negative moments which will produce a specified yield line pattern which may be inferred from plastic plate formulae. The equation of motion is solved to indicate how the quantity of reinforcement included in the structure may modify the peak deflection. By limiting the ductility ratio of the reinforcement to some prescribed level it is possible to indicate the quantity of reinforcement w

Development of technique on the induction and selection of in vitro mutant lines (Potato, Solanum tuberosum L.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Jang Ryoel; Lee, Yeong Il; Song, Hee Seop; Kim, Jae Seong; Sin, In Cheol; Lee, Sang Jae; Lee, Ki Un; Lim, Yong Taek [Korea Atomic Energy Res. Inst., Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1993-09-01

For the development of the technique on the plant tissue culture and application of nuclear technique in the in vitro mutation breeding, present research laid emphasis on the development of techniques of potato tissue culture, and on the induction and selection of radiation mutation. Another culture for haploid induction, optimum radiation dosage for cybrid formation of potato and mutation induction from in vitro cultured microtuber and plantlets were investigated for modelling the technique on the induction and selection of in vitro mutant lines. Inheritance stability of the selected mutants were also studied in field condition. In vitro system of micropropagation and selection of mutation was summarized.

Development of technique on the induction and selection of in vitro mutant lines (Potato, Solanum tuberosum L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Jang Ryoel; Lee, Yeong Il; Song, Hee Seop; Kim, Jae Seong; Sin, In Cheol; Lee, Sang Jae; Lee, Ki Un; Lim, Yong Taek

1993-09-01

For the development of the technique on the plant tissue culture and application of nuclear technique in the in vitro mutation breeding, present research laid emphasis on the development of techniques of potato tissue culture, and on the induction and selection of radiation mutation. Another culture for haploid induction, optimum radiation dosage for cybrid formation of potato and mutation induction from in vitro cultured microtuber and plantlets were investigated for modelling the technique on the induction and selection of in vitro mutant lines. Inheritance stability of the selected mutants were also studied in field condition. In vitro system of micropropagation and selection of mutation was summarized

Sampling and sample preparation development for analytical and on-line measurement techniques of process liquids; Naeytteenoton ja kaesittelyn kehittaeminen prosessinesteiden analytiikan ja on-line mittaustekniikan tarpeisiin - MPKT 11

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karttunen, K. [Oulu Univ. (Finland)

1998-12-31

Main goal of the research project is to develop sampling and sample handling methods and techniques for pulp and paper industry to be used for analysis and on-line purposes. The research focus specially on the research and development of the classification and separation methods and techniques needed for liquid and colloidal substances as well as in ion analysis. (orig.)

Sampling and sample preparation development for analytical and on-line measurement techniques of process liquids; Naeytteenoton ja kaesittelyn kehittaeminen prosessinesteiden analytiikan ja on-line mittaustekniikan tarpeisiin - MPKT 11

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karttunen, K [Oulu Univ. (Finland)

1999-12-31

Main goal of the research project is to develop sampling and sample handling methods and techniques for pulp and paper industry to be used for analysis and on-line purposes. The research focus specially on the research and development of the classification and separation methods and techniques needed for liquid and colloidal substances as well as in ion analysis. (orig.)

A simple approach to hollow maxillary complete denture fabrication: An innovative technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen Manuela D'souza

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A severely atrophic maxillary arch exhibits reduced denture bearing area and increased inter-ridge distance, thus, affecting retention of the complete denture. Such clinical situations necessitate the fabrication of a hollow complete denture to reduce the weight of the prosthesis and increase retention. This article describes a simple technique to fabricate a hollow maxillary complete denture using salt and thermoplastic poly (methyl methacrylate sheet. The vacuum-formed thermoplastic matrix regulates the quantity of salt and determines its placement in the unpolymerized denture base material during the denture packing stage. The matrix lining the hollow cavity also aids to reinforce the hollow denture base.

Design, construction and conditions of the application of unreinforced concrete final lining in conventionally driven tunnels

Science.gov (United States)

Faltýnek, Jan; Hořejší, Jiří; Mařík, Libor; Růžička, Pavel

2017-09-01

The way to an economic design in the final lining in conventionally driven tunnels lies in structural analysing based on the actually encountered geotechnical conditions. Regarding reinforced concrete structures, many standards and regulations applicable to designing and building structures and taking them over by the client before their commissioning and before the end of the warranty period respectively exist in the Czech Republic. If the local conditions allow it, it is possible to design the final lining as an unreinforced concrete structure. In such a case it is necessary to take the differences into consideration in the structural design and in the possibilities of the lining behaviour and to set criteria for taking over the lining allowing for its use. Setting too stringent criteria for cracking can lead to an increase in the contract price, either because of the necessity for reinforcing the lining or because of the fact that the contractor reduces the risk by incorporating the assumed cost of repairs into the total cost. The paper describes basic differences in the approach to reinforced concrete and unreinforced concrete linings, the possibilities of limiting formation of cracks by means of the concrete mix design, by selection of the technological procedure of the work and the method of curing after stripping. The text contains a comparison of criteria for assessing the surface of an unreinforced concrete lining with criteria in foreign regulations.

Numerical Limit Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Kasper Paaske

For more than half a century, limit state analysis based on the extremum principles have been used to assess the load bearing capacity of reinforced concrete structures. Extensi- ve research within the field has lead to several techniques for performing such analysis manually. While these manual...... methods provide engineers with valuable tools for limit sta- te analysis, their application becomes difficult with increased structural complexity. The main challenge is to solve the optimization problem posed by the extremum principles. This thesis is a study of how numerical methods can be used to solve...... limit state analysis problems. The work focuses on determination of the load bearing capacity of reinforced concrete structures by employing the lower bound theorem and a finite element method using equilibrium elements is developed. The recent year’s development within the field of convex optimization...

Effects of carbon nanotube content and annealing temperature on the hardness of CNT reinforced aluminum nanocomposites processed by the high pressure torsion technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phuong, Doan Dinh, E-mail: phuongdd@ims.vast.ac.vn [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Str., Cau Giay Distr., Hanoi (Viet Nam); Trinh, Pham Van; An, Nguyen Van; Luan, Nguyen Van; Minh, Phan Ngoc [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Str., Cau Giay Distr., Hanoi (Viet Nam); Khisamov, Rinat Kh.; Nazarov, Konstantin S.; Zubairov, Linar R.; Mulyukov, Radik R.; Nazarov, Ayrat A. [Institute for Metals Superplasticity Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences 39, Stepan Khalturin Str., Ufa 450001 (Russian Federation)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • CNT/Al nanocomposites were consolidated by HIP and subsequently processed by the high pressure torsion technique. • High pressure torsion processing was unable to break apart or disperse the CNT agglomerates persisted in powder preparation. • HPT-processed CNT/Al nanocomposites exhibited secondary hardening during annealing at temperatures below 150 °C. - Abstract: In this paper, the microstructure and hardness of CNT reinforced aluminium (CNT/Al) nanocomposites prepared by the advanced powder metallurgy method and subsequently processed by the high pressure torsion (HPT) technique are studied. The effects of CNT content and annealing temperature on the hardness of the nanocomposites are investigated. The results show that annealing materials at temperatures below 150 °C leads to secondary hardening, while annealing at higher temperatures soften the nanocomposites. HPT-processed CNT/Al nanocomposites with 1.5 wt.% of CNTs are shown to have the highest hardness in comparison with other composites containing CNTs from 0 up to 2 wt.%. Microstructures, CNT distribution and the phase composition of CNT/Al nanocomposites are investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques.

Application of micro blasting technique to demolition of biological shield wall of reactor building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kontani, Osamu

2016-01-01

Although heavily reinforced concrete structures in nuclear facilities could be dismantled effectively with the controlled blasting technique, the noises and vibrations caused by blasting were matters of concern. Recently, in the building replacement at urban areas, there are increasing cases of demolition of large reinforced concrete members below ground. Instead of applying heavy weight breakers, the micro blasting technique that enables to lower noises and vibrations has developed and applied to demolition work of large reinforced concrete members in urban areas. In this report, the features of the micro blasting technique is reviewed by comparing with existing controlled blasting technique and its applicability to demolition work of nuclear facilities is investigated. The results of those study find that it is confirmed that the micro blasting technique could be applicable to large reinforced concrete structures in nuclear facilities because of the low levels of noises and vibrations. However, it is recommended to perform mock-up tests to confirm the demolition efficiency and levels of the noises and vibrations since the rebar used in nuclear facilities is larger in diameters and in rebar ratio compared with ordinary reinforced concrete structures. (author)

Nano-Aramid Fiber Reinforced Polyurethane Foam

Science.gov (United States)

Semmes, Edmund B.; Frances, Arnold

2008-01-01

Closed cell polyurethane and, particularly, polyisocyanurate foams are a large family of flexible and rigid products the result of a reactive two part process wherein a urethane based polyol is combined with a foaming or "blowing" agent to create a cellular solid at room temperature. The ratio of reactive components, the constituency of the base materials, temperature, humidity, molding, pouring, spraying and many other processing techniques vary greatly. However, there is no known process for incorporating reinforcing fibers small enough to be integrally dispersed within the cell walls resulting in superior final products. The key differentiating aspect from the current state of art resides in the many processing technologies to be fully developed from the novel concept of milled nano pulp aramid fibers and their enabling entanglement capability fully enclosed within the cell walls of these closed cell urethane foams. The authors present the results of research and development of reinforced foam processing, equipment development, strength characteristics and the evolution of its many applications.

Thermographic inspection of bond defects in Fiber Reinforced Polymer applied to masonry structures

Science.gov (United States)

Masini, N.; Aiello, M. A.; Capozzoli, L.; Vasanelli, E.

2012-04-01

Nowadays, externally bonded Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) are extensively used for strengthening and repairing masonry and reinforced concrete existing structures; they have had a rapid spread in the area of rehabilitation for their many advantages over other conventional repair systems, such as lightweight, excellent corrosion and fatigue resistance, high strength, etc. FRP systems applied to masonry or concrete structures are typically installed using a wet-layup technique.The method is susceptible to cause flaws or defects in the bond between the FRP system and the substrate, which may reduce the effectiveness of the reinforcing systems and the correct transfer of load from the structure to the composite. Thus it is of primary importance to detect the presence of defects and to quantify their extension in order to eventually provide correct repair measurements. The IR thermography has been cited by the several guidelines as a good mean to qualitatively evaluate the presence of installation defects and to monitor the reinforcing system with time.The method is non-destructive and does not require contact with the composite or other means except air to detect the reinforcement. Some works in the literature have been published on this topic. Most of the researches aim at using the IR thermography technique to characterize quantitatively the defects in terms of depth, extension and type in order to have an experimental database on defect typology to evaluate the long term performances of the reinforcing system. Nevertheless, most of the works in the literature concerns with FRP applied to concrete structures without considering the case of masonry structures. In the present research artificial bond defects between FRP and the masonry substrate have been reproduced in laboratory and the IR multi temporal thermography technique has been used to detect them. Thermographic analysis has been carried out on two wall samples having limited dimensions (100 x 70 cm) both

Effects of partial reinforcement and time between reinforced trials on terminal response rate in pigeon autoshaping.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottlieb, Daniel A

2006-03-01

Partial reinforcement often leads to asymptotically higher rates of responding and number of trials with a response than does continuous reinforcement in pigeon autoshaping. However, comparisons typically involve a partial reinforcement schedule that differs from the continuous reinforcement schedule in both time between reinforced trials and probability of reinforcement. Two experiments examined the relative contributions of these two manipulations to asymptotic response rate. Results suggest that the greater responding previously seen with partial reinforcement is primarily due to differential probability of reinforcement and not differential time between reinforced trials. Further, once established, differences in responding are resistant to a change in stimulus and contingency. Secondary response theories of autoshaped responding (theories that posit additional response-augmenting or response-attenuating mechanisms specific to partial or continuous reinforcement) cannot fully accommodate the current body of data. It is suggested that researchers who study pigeon autoshaping train animals on a common task prior to training them under different conditions.

Influence of transverse reinforcement on perforation resistance of reinforced concrete slabs under hard missile impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orbovic, Nebojsa; Sagals, Genadijs; Blahoianu, Andrei

2015-01-01

This paper describes the work conducted by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) related to the influence of transverse reinforcement on perforation capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs under “hard” missile impact (impact with negligible missile deformations). The paper presents the results of three tests on reinforced concrete slabs conducted at VTT Technical Research Centre (Finland), along with the numerical simulations as well as a discussion of the current code provisions related to impactive loading. Transverse reinforcement is widely used for improving the shear and punching strength of concrete structures. However, the effect of this reinforcement on the perforation resistance under localized missile impact is still unclear. The goal of this paper is to fill the gap in the current literature related to this topic. Based on similar tests designed by the authors with missile velocity below perforation velocity, it was expected that transverse reinforcement would improve the perforation resistance. Three slabs were tested under almost identical conditions with the only difference being the transverse reinforcement. One slab was designed without transverse reinforcement, the second one with the transverse reinforcement in form of conventional stirrups with hooks and the third one with the transverse reinforcement in form of T-headed bars. Although the transverse reinforcement reduced the overall damage of the slabs (the rear face scabbing), the conclusion from the tests is that the transverse reinforcement does not have important influence on perforation capacity of concrete slabs under rigid missile impact. The slab with T-headed bars presented a slight improvement compared to the baseline specimen without transverse reinforcement. The slab with conventional stirrups presented slightly lower perforation capacity (higher residual missile velocity) than the slab without transverse reinforcement. In conclusion, the performed tests show slightly

Effect of nanocellulose isolation techniques on the formation of reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol nanocomposite films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Y. Zhan

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Three techniques including acid hydrolysis (AH, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO-mediated oxidation (TMO and ultrasonication (US were introduced to isolate nanocellulose from microcrystalline cellulose, in order to reinforce poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA films. Important differences were noticed in fiber quality of nanocellulose and film properties of PVA nanocomposite films. The TMO treatment was more efficient in nanocellulose isolation with higher aspect ratio, surface charge (–47 mV and yields (37%. While AH treatment resulted in higher crystallinity index (88.1% and better size dispersion. The fracture surface, thermal behavior and mechanical properties of the PVA nanocomposite films were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and tensile testing. The results showed that both the TMO-derived and AH-derived nanocellulose could be dispersed homogeneously in the PVA matrices. AH/PVA films had higher elongation at break (51.59% at 6 wt% nanocellulose loading as compared with TMO/PVA, while TMO/PVA films shown superior tensile modulus and strength with increments of 21.5% and 10.2% at 6wt% nanocellulose loading. The thermal behavior of the PVA nanocomposite films was higher improved with TMO-derived nanofibrils addition.

Finite element modelling of concrete beams reinforced with hybrid fiber reinforced bars

Science.gov (United States)

Smring, Santa binti; Salleh, Norhafizah; Hamid, NoorAzlina Abdul; Majid, Masni A.

2017-11-01

Concrete is a heterogeneous composite material made up of cement, sand, coarse aggregate and water mixed in a desired proportion to obtain the required strength. Plain concrete does not with stand tension as compared to compression. In order to compensate this drawback steel reinforcement are provided in concrete. Now a day, for improving the properties of concrete and also to take up tension combination of steel and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars promises favourable strength, serviceability, and durability. To verify its promise and support design concrete structures with hybrid type of reinforcement, this study have investigated the load-deflection behaviour of concrete beams reinforced with hybrid GFRP and steel bars by using ATENA software. Fourteen beams, including six control beams reinforced with only steel or only GFRP bars, were analysed. The ratio and the ordinate of GFRP to steel were the main parameters investigated. The behaviour of these beams was investigated via the load-deflection characteristics, cracking behaviour and mode of failure. Hybrid GFRP-Steel reinforced concrete beam showed the improvement in both ultimate capacity and deflection concomitant to the steel reinforced concrete beam. On the other hand, finite element (FE) modelling which is ATENA were validated with previous experiment and promising the good result to be used for further analyses and development in the field of present study.

Preparation of Ti-aluminide reinforced in situ aluminium matrix composites by reactive hot pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, D.; Ghosh, S.; Basumallick, A.; Basu, B.

2007-01-01

Aluminium based metal matrix composites reinforced with in situ Ti-aluminide and alumina particles were prepared by reactive hot pressing a powder mix of aluminium and nanosized TiO 2 powders. The reinforcements were formed in situ by exothermal reaction between the TiO 2 nano crystalline powder and aluminium. The thermal characteristics of the in situ reaction were studied with the aid of Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were employed to study the microstructural architecture of the composites as a function of hot pressing temperature and volume percent reinforcement. Microhardness measurements on the as prepared in situ aluminium matrix composites exhibit significant increase in hardness with increase in hot pressing temperature and volume fraction of reinforcement

Development of textile-reinforced carbon fibre aluminium composites manufactured with gas pressure infiltration methods

OpenAIRE

W. Hufenbach; M. Gude; A. Czulak; J. Śleziona; A. Dolata-Grosz; M. Dyzia

2009-01-01

Purpose: The aim of his paper is to show potential of textile-reinforced carbon fibre aluminium composite with advantage of the lightweight construction of structural components subjected to thermo-mechanical stress.Design/methodology/approach: The manufacture of specimens of the carbon fibre-reinforced aluminium was realised with the aid of an advanced differential gas pressure infiltration technique, which was developed at ILK, TU Dresden.Findings: The gas pressure infiltration technology e...

Fabrication and mechanical properties of self-reinforced poly(ethylene terephthalate composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Self-reinforced poly(ethylene terephthalate (PET composites prepared by using a modified film-stacking technique were examined in this study. The starting materials included a high tenacity PET yarn (reinforcement and a low melting temperature biodegradable polyester resin (matrix, both of which differ in their melting temperatures with a value of 56°C. This experiment produced composite sheets at three consolidation temperatures (Tc: 215, 225, and 235°C at a constant holding time (th: 6.5 min, and three holding times (3, 6.5 and 10 min at a constant consolidation temperature of 225°C. This study observed a significant improvement in the mechanical properties obtained in self-reinforced PET composites compared to the pure polyester resin. The results of tensile, flexural, and Izod impact tests proved that optimal conditions are low consolidation temperature and short holding time. The absorbed impact energy of the best self-reinforced PET composite material was 854.0 J/m, which is 63 times that of pure polyester resin.

Tensile Mechanical Property of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazilan, A. L. Ahmad; Mokhtar, H.; Shaik Dawood, M. S. I.; Aminanda, Y.; Ali, J. S. Mohamed

2017-03-01

Natural, short, untreated and randomly oriented oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced epoxy composites were manufactured using vacuum bagging technique with 20% fiber volume composition. The performance of the composite was evaluated as an alternative to synthetic or conventional reinforced composites. Tensile properties such as tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio were compared to the tensile properties of pure epoxy obtained via tensile tests as per ASTM D 638 specifications using Universal Testing Machine INSTRON 5582. The tensile properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced epoxy composites were lower compared to plain epoxy structure with the decrement in performances of 38% for modulus of elasticity and 61% for tensile strength.

Applying reinforcement learning to the weapon assignment problem in air defence

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mouton, H

2011-12-01

Full Text Available . The techniques investigated in this article were two methods from the machine-learning subfield of reinforcement learning (RL), namely a Monte Carlo (MC) control algorithm with exploring starts (MCES), and an off-policy temporal-difference (TD) learning...

Demonstration test on manufacturing steel bars for concrete reinforcement for recycling of reactor decommissioning metal scrap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurai, D.; Anabuki, Y.

1993-01-01

To prove the possibility of recycling the steel scrap resulting from decommissioning of a nuclear power plant, this salvaged steel would be formed into steel bars for concrete reinforcement, as the restricted use and limited use at nuclear plants. The shifting behavior of radioactive isotopes (RI) in the melting process was confirmed through the laboratory hot test using the RI. Then, the demonstration cold test for steel bars for reinforcement using the nonradioactive isotope was conducted in on-line production facilities. In this test the quality of steel bars and uniform distribution of RI were proven and material balance and operational data were obtained. These data show the recycling to steel bars for concrete reinforcement is applicable from economical and safety aspects

Potential of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Cement Composites as Concrete Repair Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanvir Manzur

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Carbon nanotubes (CNTs are a virtually ideal reinforcing agent due to extremely high aspect ratios and ultra high strengths. It is evident from contemporary research that utilization of CNT in producing new cement-based composite materials has a great potential. Consequently, possible practical application of CNT reinforced cementitious composites has immense prospect in the field of applied nanotechnology within construction industry. Several repair, retrofit, and strengthening techniques are currently available to enhance the integrity and durability of concrete structures with cracks and spalling, but applicability and/or reliability is/are often limited. Therefore, there is always a need for innovative high performing concrete repair materials with good mechanical, rheological, and durability properties. Considering the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs and the test results of CNT reinforced cement composites, it is apparent that such composites could be used conveniently as concrete repair material. With this end in view, the applicability of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT reinforced cement composites as concrete repair material has been evaluated in this study in terms of setting time, bleeding, and bonding strength (slant shear tests. It has been found that MWNT reinforced cement mortar has good prospective as concrete repair material since such composites exhibited desirable behavior in setting time, bleeding, and slant shear.

Experiments with Online Reinforcement Learning in Real-Time Strategy Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toftgaard Andersen, Kresten; Zeng, Yifeng; Dahl Christensen, Dennis

2009-01-01

Real-time strategy (RTS) games provide a challenging platform to implement online reinforcement learning (RL) techniques in a real application. Computer, as one game player, monitors opponents' (human or other computers) strategies and then updates its own policy using RL methods. In this article......, we first examine the suitability of applying the online RL in various computer games. Reinforcement learning application depends on both RL complexity and the game features. We then propose a multi-layer framework for implementing online RL in an RTS game. The framework significantly reduces RL...... the effectiveness of our proposed framework and shed light on relevant issues in using online RL in RTS games....

Computational modelling of fibre-reinforced cementitious composites : An analysis of discrete and mesh-independent techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Radtke, F.K.F.

2012-01-01

Failure patterns and mechanical behaviour of high performance fibre-reinforced cementitious composites depend to a large extent on the distribution of fibres within a specimen. A discrete treatment of fibres enables us to study the influence of various fibre distributions on the mechanical

Technology and Development of Self-Reinforced Polymer Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Alcock, Ben; Peijs, Ton

In recent years there has been an increasing amount of interest, both commercially and scientifically, in the emerging field of "self-reinforced polymer composites". These materials, which are sometimes also referred to as "single polymer composites", or "all-polymer composites", were first conceived in the 1970s, and are now beginning to appear in a range of commercial products. While high mechanical performance polymer fibres or tapes are an obvious precursor for composite development, various different technologies have been developed to consolidate these into two- or three-dimensional structures. This paper presents a review of the various processing techniques that have been reported in the literature for the manufacture of self-reinforced polymer composites from fibres or tapes of different polymers, and so exploit the fibre or tape performance in a commercial material or product.

Methods for producing reinforced carbon nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhifen [Newton, MA; Wen, Jian Guo [Newton, MA; Lao, Jing Y [Chestnut Hill, MA; Li, Wenzhi [Brookline, MA

2008-10-28

Methods for producing reinforced carbon nanotubes having a plurality of microparticulate carbide or oxide materials formed substantially on the surface of such reinforced carbon nanotubes composite materials are disclosed. In particular, the present invention provides reinforced carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having a plurality of boron carbide nanolumps formed substantially on a surface of the reinforced CNTs that provide a reinforcing effect on CNTs, enabling their use as effective reinforcing fillers for matrix materials to give high-strength composites. The present invention also provides methods for producing such carbide reinforced CNTs.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Grids for Shear and End Zone Reinforcement in Bridge Beams

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Corrosion of reinforcing steel reduces life spans of bridges throughout the United States; therefore, using non-corroding carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcement is seen as a way to increase service life. The use of CFRP as the flexural ...

Use of Fiber-Reinforced Cements in Masonry Construction and Structural Rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ece Erdogmus

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The use of fiber reinforcement in traditional concrete mixes has been extensively studied and has been slowly finding its regular use in practice. In contrast, opportunities for the use of fibers in masonry applications and structural rehabilitation projects (masonry and concrete structures have not been as deeply investigated, where the base matrix may be a weaker cementitious mixture. This paper will summarize the findings of the author’s research over the past 10 years in these particular applications of fiber reinforced cements (FRC. For masonry, considering both mortar and mortar-unit bond characteristics, a 0.5% volume fraction of micro fibers in type N Portland cement lime mortar appear to be a viable recipe for most masonry joint applications both for clay and concrete units. In general, clay units perform better with high water content fiber reinforced mortar (FRM while concrete masonry units (CMUs perform better with drier mixtures, so 130% and 110% flow rates should be targeted, respectively. For earth block masonry applications, fibers’ benefits are observed in improving local damage and water pressure resistance. The FRC retrofit technique proposed for the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete two-way slabs has exceeded expectations in terms of capacity increase for a relatively low cost in comparison to the common but expensive fiber reinforced polymer applications. For all of these applications of fiber-reinforced cements, further research with larger data pools would lead to further optimization of fiber type, size, and amount.

Mechanical improvement of metal reinforcement rings for a finite ring-shaped superconducting bulk

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chen-Guang; Zhou, You-He

2018-03-01

As a key technique, reinforcement of type-II superconducting bulks with metal rings can efficiently improve their mechanical properties to enhance the maximum trapped field. In this paper, we study the magnetostrictive and fracture behaviors of a finite superconducting ring bulk reinforced by three typical reinforcing structures composed of metal rings during the magnetizing process by means of the minimization of magnetic energy and the finite element method. After a field-dependent critical current density is adopted, the magnetostriction, pinning-induced stress, and crack tip stress intensity factor are calculated considering the demagnetization effects. The results show that the mechanical properties of the ring bulk are strongly dependent on the reinforcing structure and the material and geometrical parameters of the metal rings. Introducing the metal ring can significantly reduce the hoop stress, and the reduction effect by internal reinforcement is much improved relative to external reinforcement. By comparison, bilateral reinforcement seems to be the best candidate structure. Only when the metal rings have particular Young's modulus and radial thickness will they contribute to improve the mechanical properties the most. In addition, if an edge crack is pre-existing in the ring bulk, the presence of metal rings can effectively avoid crack propagation since it reduces the crack tip stress intensity factor by nearly one order of magnitude.

Adaptive Load Balancing of Parallel Applications with Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning on Heterogeneous Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johan Parent

2004-01-01

Full Text Available We report on the improvements that can be achieved by applying machine learning techniques, in particular reinforcement learning, for the dynamic load balancing of parallel applications. The applications being considered in this paper are coarse grain data intensive applications. Such applications put high pressure on the interconnect of the hardware. Synchronization and load balancing in complex, heterogeneous networks need fast, flexible, adaptive load balancing algorithms. Viewing a parallel application as a one-state coordination game in the framework of multi-agent reinforcement learning, and by using a recently introduced multi-agent exploration technique, we are able to improve upon the classic job farming approach. The improvements are achieved with limited computation and communication overhead.

Earthquake behavior of steel cushion-implemented reinforced concrete frames

Science.gov (United States)

Özkaynak, Hasan

2018-04-01

The earthquake performance of vulnerable structures can be increased by the implementation of supplementary energy-dissipative metallic elements. The main aim of this paper is to describe the earthquake behavior of steel cushion-implemented reinforced concrete frames (SCI-RCFR) in terms of displacement demands and energy components. Several quasi-static experiments were performed on steel cushions (SC) installed in reinforced concrete (RC) frames. The test results served as the basis of the analytical models of SCs and a bare reinforced concrete frame (B-RCFR). These models were integrated in order to obtain the resulting analytical model of the SCI-RCFR. Nonlinear-time history analyses (NTHA) were performed on the SCI-RCFR under the effects of the selected earthquake data set. According to the NTHA, SC application is an effective technique for increasing the seismic performance of RC structures. The main portion of the earthquake input energy was dissipated through SCs. SCs succeeded in decreasing the plastic energy demand on structural elements by almost 50% at distinct drift levels.

Study of flax hybrid preforms reinforced epoxy composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muralidhar, B. A

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We examine the thermal, viscoelastic and mechanical behaviour of flax preform hybrid composites. • The thermal stability of the matrix decrease with increasing volume fraction of flax preforms. • The effect of number of preform layers and the lay-up architecture were studied.. • Morphological study on the fractured surface of the composite laminate is carried out. - Abstracts: This study investigates the thermal, mechanical and thermomechanical properties of flax hybrid preform reinforced epoxy composites. Flax plain weave fabric and 1 × 1 weft rib knitted structures were together used as reinforcements and the composites were produced using hand lay-up technique. Specimen preparation and testing were carried out as per ASTM standards. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates a decrease in thermal stability of the matrix polymer with the incorporation of flax hybrid preform. The dynamic mechanical analysis revealed a shift in the T g with the addition of flax hybrid preforms. Mechanical data obtained showed that tensile strength and stiffness is a product of the fibre/matrix synergy, whereas the compressive strength and stiffness are contributed by the reinforcing matrix. Additionally, investigation show that laminate with knitted preform as skin layer exhibits superior mechanical properties. However, improved tensile properties at lower fibre volume fraction, reinforces the opinion that hybrid preform composites can offer significant benefits in terms of performance, weight and overall cost. The failure mechanism was analysed, by scanning electron microscope (SEM)

Influence of Steel Reinforcement on In-Situ Stress Evaluation in Concrete Structures by the Core-Drilling Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGinnis, M. J.; Pessiki, S.

2006-01-01

The core-drilling method is an emerging technique for evaluating in-situ stress in a concrete structure. A small hole is drilled into the structure, and the deformations in the vicinity of the hole are measured and related via elasticity theory to the stress. The method is similar to the ASTM hole-drilling strain-gauge method excepting that displacements rather than strains are the measured quantities. The technique may be considered nondestructive since the ability of the structure to perform its function is unaffected, and the hole is easily repaired. Displacement measurements in the current work are performed using 3D digital image correlation and industrial photogrammetry. The current paper addresses perturbations in the method caused by steel reinforcement within the concrete. The reinforcement is significantly stiffer than the surrounding concrete, altering the expected displacement field. A numerical investigation performed indicates an under-prediction of stress by as much as 18 percent in a heavily reinforced structure, although the effect is significantly smaller for more common amounts of reinforcement

Influence of Steel Reinforcement on In-Situ Stress Evaluation in Concrete Structures by the Core-Drilling Method

Science.gov (United States)

McGinnis, M. J.; Pessiki, S.

2006-03-01

The core-drilling method is an emerging technique for evaluating in-situ stress in a concrete structure. A small hole is drilled into the structure, and the deformations in the vicinity of the hole are measured and related via elasticity theory to the stress. The method is similar to the ASTM hole-drilling strain-gauge method excepting that displacements rather than strains are the measured quantities. The technique may be considered nondestructive since the ability of the structure to perform its function is unaffected, and the hole is easily repaired. Displacement measurements in the current work are performed using 3D digital image correlation and industrial photogrammetry. The current paper addresses perturbations in the method caused by steel reinforcement within the concrete. The reinforcement is significantly stiffer than the surrounding concrete, altering the expected displacement field. A numerical investigation performed indicates an under-prediction of stress by as much as 18 percent in a heavily reinforced structure, although the effect is significantly smaller for more common amounts of reinforcement.

Combining noncontingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement schedules as treatment for aberrant behavior.

OpenAIRE

Marcus, B A; Vollmer, T R

1996-01-01

Research has shown that noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) can be an effective behavior-reduction procedure when based on a functional analysis. The effects of NCR may be a result of elimination of the contingency between aberrant behavior and reinforcing consequences (extinction) or frequent and free access to reinforcers that may reduce the participant's motivation to engage in aberrant behaviors or mands. If motivation is momentarily reduced, behavior such as mands may not be sensitive to p...

Line facilities outline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-08-01

This book deals with line facilities. The contents of this book are outline line of wire telecommunication ; development of line, classification of section of line and theory of transmission of line, cable line ; structure of line, line of cable in town, line out of town, domestic cable and other lines, Optical communication ; line of optical cable, transmission method, measurement of optical communication and cable of the sea bottom, Equipment of telecommunication line ; telecommunication line facilities and telecommunication of public works, construction of cable line and maintenance and Regulation of line equipment ; regulation on technique, construction and maintenance.

In-line monitoring technique with visible light from 1.3 microm-band SHG module for optical access systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubo, Takahiro; Taniguchi, Tomohiro; Tadanaga, Osamu; Sakurai, Naoya; Kimura, Hideaki; Hadama, Hisaya; Asobe, Masaki

2010-02-01

We propose an in-line monitoring technique that uses 650 nm visible light for performing maintenance work on Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network quickly without the need for measuring skills or external devices. This technique is characterized by visible light (650 nm) generated by an SHG module from the 1.3 microm-band line signal. We fabricate a 1.3 microm-band quasi phase matched LiNbO(3) (QPM-LN) module, and the measure the 650 nm second harmonic (SH) power to test the proposed short-pulse modulation method. The results confirm the feasibility of the short-pulse modulation method with different peak factors (PFs) (1.0-7.3). We also examine the effect of short-pulse modulation on system performance at the optical receiver by measuring the bit error rate (BER) of received data (1.25 Gb/s). The BER is basically unaffected by the PF (1.0-5.5). This means that the proposed technique has little influence on data reception as regards PF (1.0-5.5).

Operant Reinforcement with Structural Family Therapy in Treating Anorexia Nervosa

Science.gov (United States)

Perlman, Lawrence M.; Bender, Sheila S.

1975-01-01

The authors successfully treated two families in which the index patients were anorectic adolescent girls by combining structural family therapy with behavioral modification techniques. Phases which appear to be typical of the treatment are described. A discussion of the value of the operant reinforcement procedure in family therapy follows.…

Application Of The SPV-based Surface Lifetime Technique To In-Line Monitoring Of Surface Cu Contamination

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, John; Savtchouk, Alexandre; Wilson, Matthew; Kim, Chul Hong; Yoo, Hyung Won; Lee, Chang Hwan; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Son, Sang Hoon

2009-09-01

Implementation of Cu interconnects into Silicon Integrated Circuits (IC's) has been instrumental in the continuing improvement of IC device performance. Copper as a well known Gate Oxide Integrity (GOI) killer [1, 2] requires extensive protocols to minimize the possibility of cross contamination. Despite such protocols the risk for cross contamination exists, and consequently there is the need for in-line Cu cross-contamination detection metrology. Preferably the metrology will be non-destructive, fast, and capable of mapping on product wafers. Up to now the most common approaches for monitoring Cu contamination in IC fabrication lines either measure Cu in the bulk Si, which is not applicable to Cu cross-contamination monitoring because Back-End-of-the-Line thermal budgets restrict the ability to diffuse the surface Cu into the bulk Si; or the techniques are not optimal for in-line monitoring due to their destructive, time-consuming, or costly nature. In this work we demonstrate for the first time the application of the ac-Surface Photo Voltage (ac-SPV) surface lifetime approach [3] to in-line, full wafer coverage mapping of low level (metrology system. Furthermore, because the metrology is non-contact (utilizing edge-grip handling) and non-destructive, it is directly applicable to measurement of production wafers. In-line fab data acquired using this metrology is presented and compared to data from Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS).

Confinement of Reinforced-Concrete Columns with Non-Code Compliant Confining Reinforcement plus Supplemental Pen-Binder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anang Kristianto

2012-11-01

Full Text Available One of the important requirements for earthquake resistant building related to confinement is the use of seismic hooks in the hoop or confining reinforcement of reinforced-concrete column elements. However, installation of a confining reinforcement with a 135-degree hook is not easy. Therefore, in practice, many construction workers apply a confining reinforcement with a 90-degreehook (non-code compliant. Based on research and records of recent earthquakes in Indonesia, the use of a non-code compliant confining reinforcement for concrete columns produces structures with poor seismic performance. This paper presents a study that introduces an additional element that is expected to improve the effectiveness of concrete columns confined with a non-code compliant confining reinforcement. The additional element, named a pen-binder, is used to keep the non-code compliant confining reinforcement in place. The effectiveness of this element under pure axial concentric loading was investigatedcomprehensively.The specimens tested in this study were 18 concrete columns,with a cross-section of 170 mm x 170 mm and a height of 480 mm. The main test variables were the material type of the pen-binder, the angle of the hook, and the confining reinforcement configuration.The test results indicate that adding pen-binders can effectively improve the strength and ductility of the column specimens confined with a non-code compliant confining reinforcement

Influence of reinforcement's corrosion into hyperstatic reinforced concrete beams: a probabilistic failure scenarios analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. P. PELLIZZER

Full Text Available AbstractThis work aims to study the mechanical effects of reinforcement's corrosion in hyperstatic reinforced concrete beams. The focus is the probabilistic determination of individual failure scenarios change as well as global failure change along time. The limit state functions assumed describe analytically bending and shear resistance of reinforced concrete rectangular cross sections as a function of steel and concrete resistance and section dimensions. It was incorporated empirical laws that penalize the steel yield stress and the reinforcement's area along time in addition to Fick's law, which models the chloride penetration into concrete pores. The reliability theory was applied based on Monte Carlo simulation method, which assesses each individual probability of failure. The probability of global structural failure was determined based in the concept of failure tree. The results of a hyperstatic reinforced concrete beam showed that reinforcements corrosion make change into the failure scenarios modes. Therefore, unimportant failure modes in design phase become important after corrosion start.

TiB2/Al2O3 ceramic particle reinforced aluminum fabricated by spray deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xing; Yang Chengxiao; Guan Leding; Yan Biao

2008-01-01

Aluminum matrix ceramic particle reinforced composites (AMCs) is a kind of composite with great importance. Aluminum matrix composite reinforced with TiB 2 /Al 2 O 3 ceramic particles was successfully in situ synthesized in Al-TiO 2 -B 2 O 3 system in this paper, using spray deposition with hot-press treatment technique. Five groups of composites with different reinforcement volume contents were prepared and the comparisons of porosity, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), elongation and Brinell hardness (BH) between the composites with and without hot-press treating were carried out. The composite with 21.0% reinforcement volume content was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Energy Disperse Spectroscopy (EDS). The results revealed the formation and uniform distribution of fine reinforcements in the matrix after hot-press treating, while a new intermetallic phase Al 3 Ti was found besides TiB 2 /Al 2 O 3 ceramic phase

In situ carbon nanotube reinforcements in a plasma-sprayed aluminum oxide nanocomposite coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balani, K.; Zhang, T.; Karakoti, A.; Li, W.Z.; Seal, S.; Agarwal, A.

2008-01-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are potential reinforcements for toughening the ceramic matrix. The critical issue of avoiding CNT agglomeration and introducing CNT-matrix anchoring has challenged many researchers to improve the mechanical properties of the CNT reinforced nanocomposite. In the current work, dispersed CNTs are grown on Al 2 O 3 powder particles in situ by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) technique. Consequently, 0.5 wt.% CNT-reinforced Al 2 O 3 particles were successfully plasma sprayed to obtain a 400 μm thick coating on the steel substrate. In situ CNTs grown on Al 2 O 3 shows a promising enhancement in hardness and fracture toughness of the plasma-sprayed coating attributed to the existence of strong metallurgical bonding between Al 2 O 3 particles and CNTs. In addition, CNT tentacles have imparted multi-directional reinforcement in securing the Al 2 O 3 splats. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows interfacial fusion between Al 2 O 3 and CNT and the formation of Y-junction nanotubes

Development of carbon nanotubes reinforced hydroxyapatite composite coatings on titanium by electrodeposition method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopi, D.; Shinyjoy, E.; Sekar, M.; Surendiran, M.; Kavitha, L.; Sampath Kumar, T.S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Successful development of CNTs reinforced HAP coating on Ti by electrodeposition. •CNTs as a reinforcing material imparts strength and toughness to HAP. •Incorporating CNTs improves crystallinity, morphology, biological properties of HAP. •CNTs–HAP coating on Ti is bioresistive, better candidate for implant applications. -- Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are outstanding reinforcement material for imparting strength and toughness to brittle hydroxyapatite (HAP). This work reports the electrodeposition of CNTs reinforced HAP on titanium substrate at −1.4 V vs. SCE during 30 min with the functionalised CNTs concentration ranging from 0 to 2 wt.%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), mechanical and biological studies were used to characterise the coatings. Also, the corrosion resistance of the coatings was evaluated by electrochemical techniques in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution

Seawater infiltration effect on thermal degradation of fiber reinforced epoxy composites

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Mohd Haziq Izzuddin bin; Hassan, Mohamad Zaki bin; Ibrahim, Ikhwan; Rashidi, Ahmad Hadi Mohamed; Nor, Siti Fadzilah M.; Daud, Mohd Yusof Md

2018-05-01

Seawater salinity has been associated with the reduction of polymer structure durability. The aim of this study is to investigate the change in thermal degradation of fiber reinforced epoxy composite due to the presence of seawater. Carbon fiber, carbon/kevlar, fiberglass, and jute that reinforced with epoxy resin was laminated through hand-layup technique. Initially, these specimen was sectioned to 5×5 mm dimension, then immersed in seawater and distilled water at room temperature until it has thoroughly saturated. Following, the thermal degradation analysis using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), the thermic changes due to seawater infiltration was defined. The finding shows that moisture absorption reduces the glass transition temperature (Tg) of fiber reinforced epoxy composite. However, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of seawater infiltrated laminate composite is compareable with distilled water infiltrated laminate composite. The carbon fiber reinfored epoxy has the highest glass transition temperature out of all specimen.

Degradation of normal portland and slag cement concrete under load, due to reinforcement corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philipose, K.E.; Beaudoin, J.J.; Feldman, R.F.

1992-08-01

The corrosion of reinforcement is one of the major degradation mechanisms of reinforced concrete elements. The majority of studies published on concrete-steel corrosion have been conducted on unstressed specimens. Structural concrete, however, is subjected to substantial strain near the steel reinforcing bars that resist tensile loads, which results in a system of microcracks. This report presents the initial results of an investigation to determine the effect of applied load and microcracking on the rate of ingress of chloride ion and corrosion of steel in concrete. Simply-supported concrete beam specimens were loaded to give a maximum strain of about 600 με on the tension face. Chloride ion ingress on cores taken from loaded specimens was monitored using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis techniques. Corrosion current and rate measurements using linear polarization electrochemical techniques were also obtained on the same loaded specimens. Variables investigated included two concrete types, two steel cover-depths, three applied load levels, bonded and unbonded rebars and the exposure of tension and compression beam faces to chloride solution. One concrete mixture was made with type 10 Portland cement, the other with 75% blast furnace slag, 22% type 50 cement and 3% silica fume. The rate of chloride ion ingress into reinforced concrete, and hence the time for chloride ion to reach the reinforcing steel, is shown to be dependent on applied load and the concrete quality. The dependence of corrosion process descriptors - passive layer formation, initiation period and propagation period - on the level of applied load is discussed. (Author) (6 refs., 3 tabs., 10 figs.)

ECAP – New consolidation method for production of aluminium matrix composites with ceramic reinforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mateja Šnajdar Musa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Aluminium based metal matrix composites are rapidly developing group of materials due to their unique combination of properties that include low weight, elevated strength, improved wear and corrosion resistance and relatively good ductility. This combination of properties is a result of mixing two groups of materials with rather different properties with aluminium as ductile matrix and different oxides and carbides added as reinforcement. Al2O3, SiC and ZrO2 are the most popular choices of reinforcement material. One of the most common methods for producing this type of metal matrix composites is powder metallurgy since it has many variations and also is relatively low-cost method. Many different techniques of compacting aluminium and ceramic powders have been previously investigated. Among those techniques equal channel angular pressing (ECAP stands out due to its beneficial influence on the main problem that arises during powder compaction and that is a non-uniform distribution of reinforcement particles. This paper gives an overview on ECAP method principles, advantages and produced powder composite properties.

Mechanical Behavior of Stainless Steel Fiber-Reinforced Composites Exposed to Accelerated Corrosion

Science.gov (United States)

O’Brien, Caitlin; McBride, Amanda; E. Zaghi, Arash; Burke, Kelly A.; Hill, Alex

2017-01-01

Recent advancements in metal fibers have introduced a promising new type of stainless steel fiber with high stiffness, high failure strain, and a thickness corrosion. The main goal of this study is to compare the impact of corrosion on the mechanical properties of steel fiber-reinforced composites with those of conventional types of stainless steel. By providing experimental evidences, this study may promote the application of steel fiber-reinforced composite as a viable alternative to conventional metals. Samples of steel fiber-reinforced polymer and four different types of stainless steel were subjected to 144 and 288 h of corrosion in ferric chloride solution to simulate accelerated corrosion conditions. The weight losses due to corrosion were recorded. The corroded and control samples were tested under monotonic tensile loading to measure the ultimate stresses and strains. The effect of corrosion on the mechanical properties of the different materials was evaluated. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to investigate the failure mechanism of the corrosion-damaged specimens. Overall, steel fiber-reinforced composites had the greatest corrosion resistance. PMID:28773132

Analysis of some coplanar transmission lines: coplanar coupled lines, coplanar coupled striplines, and coplanar coupled lines with rectangular microshield

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Naichang; He, Jianguo; Yao, Demiao; Dai, Qin; Lin, Weigan

1995-06-01

Two types of coplanar transmission lines, rectangular microshield coplanar coupled lines (RMCCL) and coplanar coupled rectangular microshield lines (CCRML), are proposed for MMIC applications. These are developed from coplanar coupled lines (CCL) and coplanar coupled strip lines (CCS). Analytic formulas are presented for calculating the quasistatic TEM parameters of these coupled lines by means of exact conformal mapping techniques. Numerical results are also presented to illustrate the properties of these coplanar transmission lines.

Experimental and Empirical Time to Corrosion of Reinforced Concrete Structures under Different Curing Conditions

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Ahmed A. Abouhussien

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Reinforced concrete structures, especially those in marine environments, are commonly subjected to high concentrations of chlorides, which eventually leads to corrosion of the embedded reinforcing steel. The total time to corrosion of such structures may be divided into three stages: corrosion initiation, cracking, and damage periods. This paper evaluates, both empirically and experimentally, the expected time to corrosion of reinforced concrete structures. The tested reinforced concrete samples were subjected to ten alternative curing techniques, including hot, cold, and normal temperatures, prior to testing. The corrosion initiation, cracking, and damage periods in this investigation were experimentally monitored by an accelerated corrosion test performed on reinforced concrete samples. Alternatively, the corrosion initiation time for counterpart samples was empirically predicted using Fick’s second law of diffusion for comparison. The results showed that the corrosion initiation periods obtained experimentally were comparable to those obtained empirically. The corrosion initiation was found to occur at the first jump of the current measurement in the accelerated corrosion test which matched the half-cell potential reading of around −350 mV.

Modeling the Structural Response of Reinforced Glass Beams using an SLA Scheme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Louter, P.C.; Graaf, van de Anne; Rots, J.G.; Bos, Freek; Louter, Pieter Christiaan; Veer, Fred

2010-01-01

This paper investigates whether a novel computational sequentially linear analysis (SLA) technique, which is especially developed for modeling brittle material response, is applicable for modeling the structural response of metal reinforced glass beams. To do so, computational SLA results are

Finite element modeling of reinforced concrete beams with a hybrid combination of steel and aramid reinforcement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawileh, R.A.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Modeling of concrete beams reinforced steel and FRP bars. • Developed finite element models achieved good results. • The models are validated via comparison with experimental results. • Parametric studies are performed. - Abstract: Corrosion of steel bars has an adverse effect on the life-span of reinforced concrete (RC) members and is usually associated with crack development in RC beams. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars have been recently used to reinforce concrete members in flexure due to their high tensile strength and superior corrosion resistance properties. However, FRP materials are brittle in nature, thus RC beams reinforced with such materials would exhibit a less ductile behavior when compared to similar members reinforced with conventional steel reinforcement. Recently, researchers investigated the performance of concrete beams reinforced with a hybrid combination of steel and Aramid Fiber Reinforced Polymer (AFRP) reinforcement to maintain a reasonable level of ductility in such members. The function of the AFRP bars is to increase the load-carrying capacity, while the function of the steel bars is to ensure ductility of the flexural member upon yielding in tension. This paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model that predicted the load versus mid-span deflection response of tested RC beams conducted by other researchers with a hybrid combination of steel and AFRP bars. The developed FE models account for the constituent material nonlinearities and bond–slip behavior between the reinforcing bars and adjacent concrete surfaces. It was concluded that the developed models can accurately capture the behavior and predicts the load-carrying capacity of such RC members. In addition, a parametric study is conducted using the validated models to investigate the effect of AFRP bar size, FRP material type, bond–slip action, and concrete compressive strength on the performance of concrete beams when reinforced

Health monitoring of precast bridge deck panels reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

The present research project investigates monitoring concrete precast panels for bridge decks that are reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars. Due to the lack of long term research on concrete members reinforced with GFRP bars, lo...

Strength resistance of reinforced concrete elements of high-rise buildings under dynamic loads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berlinov Mikhail

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A new method for calculating reinforced concrete constructions of high-rise buildings under dynamic loads from wind, seismic, transport and equipment based on the initial assumptions of the modern phenomenological theory of a nonlinearly deformable elastic-creeping body is proposed. In the article examined the influence of reinforcement on the work of concrete in the conditions of triaxial stress-strain state, based on the compatibility of the deformation of concrete and reinforcement. Mathematical phenomenological equations have been obtained that make it possible to calculate the reinforced concrete elements working without and with cracks. A method for linearizing of these equations based on integral estimates is proposed, which provides the fixation of the vibro-creep processes in the considered period of time. Application of such a technique using the finite-difference method, step method and successive approximations will allow to find a numerical solution of the problem. Such an approach in the design of reinforced concrete constructions will allow not only more fully to take into account the real conditions of their work, revealing additional reserves of load capacity, but also to open additional opportunities for analysis and forecasting their functioning at various stages of operation.

Strength resistance of reinforced concrete elements of high-rise buildings under dynamic loads

Science.gov (United States)

Berlinov, Mikhail

2018-03-01

A new method for calculating reinforced concrete constructions of high-rise buildings under dynamic loads from wind, seismic, transport and equipment based on the initial assumptions of the modern phenomenological theory of a nonlinearly deformable elastic-creeping body is proposed. In the article examined the influence of reinforcement on the work of concrete in the conditions of triaxial stress-strain state, based on the compatibility of the deformation of concrete and reinforcement. Mathematical phenomenological equations have been obtained that make it possible to calculate the reinforced concrete elements working without and with cracks. A method for linearizing of these equations based on integral estimates is proposed, which provides the fixation of the vibro-creep processes in the considered period of time. Application of such a technique using the finite-difference method, step method and successive approximations will allow to find a numerical solution of the problem. Such an approach in the design of reinforced concrete constructions will allow not only more fully to take into account the real conditions of their work, revealing additional reserves of load capacity, but also to open additional opportunities for analysis and forecasting their functioning at various stages of operation.

Surface characterization of carbon fiber reinforced polymers by picosecond laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Ledesma, Rodolfo; Palmieri, Frank; Connell, John; Yost, William; Fitz-Gerald, James

2018-02-01

Adhesive bonding of composite materials requires reliable monitoring and detection of surface contaminants as part of a vigorous quality control process to assure robust and durable bonded structures. Surface treatment and effective monitoring prior to bonding are essential in order to obtain a surface which is free from contaminants that may lead to inferior bond quality. In this study, the focus is to advance the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique by using pulse energies below 100 μJ (μLIBS) for the detection of low levels of silicone contaminants in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. Various CFRP surface conditions were investigated by LIBS using ∼10 ps, 355 nm laser pulses with pulse energies below 30 μJ. Time-resolved analysis was conducted to optimize the gate delay and gate width for the detection of the C I emission line at 247.9 nm to monitor the epoxy resin matrix of CFRP composites and the Si I emission line at 288.2 nm for detection of silicone contaminants in CFRP. To study the surface sensitivity to silicone contamination, CFRP surfaces were coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), the active ingredient in many mold release agents. The presence of PDMS was studied by inspecting the Si I emission lines at 251.6 nm and 288.2 nm. The measured PDMS areal densities ranged from 0.15 to 2 μg/cm2. LIBS measurements were performed before and after laser surface ablation. The results demonstrate the successful detection of PDMS thin layers on CFRP using picosecond μLIBS.

Nondestructive characterization of metal-matrix-composites by ultrasonic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joon Hyun

1992-01-01

Nondestructive characterizations using ultrasonic technique were conducted systematically on Al 2 O 3 short fiber reinforced pure Al and AC8A aluminium metal-matrix composites. In order to determine the elastic moduli of metal-matrix composites(MMCs), Al 2 O 3 /AC8A composites with volume fraction of Al 2 O 3 short fiber varying up to 30% were fabricated by squeeze casting technique. Pure Al and AC8A reinforced with Al 2 O 3 short fiber were also fabricated by changing the fabrication parameters such as the applied pressure, the volume fraction of fiber. The Influences of texture change associated with change of fabrication parameters were investigated using the sophisticated LFB acoustic microscope with the frequency of 225 MHz. Ultrasonic velocities of longitudinal, shear and Rayleigh waves of the composites were measured by pulse-echo method and line-focus-beam(LBF) acoustic microscope. Ultrasonic velocities of the longitudinal, the shear and Rayleigh waves were found to correlate primarily with the volume fraction of Al 2 O 3 . The elastic constants of composites including Young's Modulus, Shear Modulus, Bulk Modulus and Poisson's ratio were determined on the basis of the longitudinal and the shear wave velocities measured by an ultrasonic pulse-echo method. The Young's Modulus of the composites obtained by ultrasonic technique were slightly lower than those measured by 4-point-bend test and also showed relatively good agreements with the calculated results derived from the equal stress condition. The applicability of LFB acoustic microscope on material characterization of the MMCs was discussed on the basis of the relationships between Rayleigh wave velocity as a function of rotated angle of specimen and fabrication parameters of the MMCs.

A study on the crushing behavior of basalt fiber reinforced composite structures

Science.gov (United States)

Pandian, A.; Veerasimman, A. P.; Vairavan, M.; Francisco, C.; Sultan, M. T. H.

2016-10-01

The crushing behavior and energy absorption capacity of basalt fiber reinforced hollow square structure composites are studied under axial compression. Using the hand layup technique, basalt fiber reinforced composites were fabricated using general purpose (GP) polyester resin with the help of wooden square shaped mould of varying height (100 mm, 150 mm and 200 mm). For comparison, similar specimens of glass fiber reinforced polymer composites were also fabricated and tested. Axial compression load is applied over the top end of the specimen with cross head speed as 2 mm/min using Universal Testing Machine (UTM). From the experimental results, the load-deformation characteristics of both glass fiber and basalt fiber composites were investigated. Crashworthiness and mode of collapse for the composites were determined from load-deformation curve, and they were then compared to each other in terms of their crushing behaviors.

Caregiver preference for reinforcement-based interventions for problem behavior maintained by positive reinforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabor, Anne M; Fritz, Jennifer N; Roath, Christopher T; Rothe, Brittany R; Gourley, Denise A

2016-06-01

Social validity of behavioral interventions typically is assessed with indirect methods or by determining preferences of the individuals who receive treatment, and direct observation of caregiver preference rarely is described. In this study, preferences of 5 caregivers were determined via a concurrent-chains procedure. Caregivers were neurotypical, and children had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and engaged in problem behavior maintained by positive reinforcement. Caregivers were taught to implement noncontingent reinforcement (NCR), differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA), and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), and the caregivers selected interventions to implement during sessions with the child after they had demonstrated proficiency in implementing the interventions. Three caregivers preferred DRA, 1 caregiver preferred differential reinforcement procedures, and 1 caregiver did not exhibit a preference. Direct observation of implementation in concurrent-chains procedures may allow the identification of interventions that are implemented with sufficient integrity and preferred by caregivers. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Review on preparation techniques of particle reinforced metal matrix composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HAO Bin

2006-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the investigation status of the techniques for preparation of metal matrix composites and the research outcomes achieved recently. The mechanisms, characteristics, application ranges and levels of development of these preparation techniques are analyzed. The advantages and the disadvantages of each technique are synthetically evaluated. Lastly, the future directions of research and the prospects for the preparation techniques of metal matrix composites are forecasted.

Effects of reinforcer magnitude on responding under differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedules of rats and pigeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Doughty, Adam H; Richards, Jerry B

2002-07-01

Experiment I investigated the effects of reinforcer magnitude on differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) schedule performance in three phases. In Phase 1, two groups of rats (n = 6 and 5) responded under a DRI. 72-s schedule with reinforcer magnitudes of either 30 or 300 microl of water. After acquisition, the water amounts were reversed for each rat. In Phase 2, the effects of the same reinforcer magnitudes on DRL 18-s schedule performance were examined across conditions. In Phase 3, each rat responded unider a DR1. 18-s schedule in which the water amotnts alternated between 30 and 300 microl daily. Throughout each phase of Experiment 1, the larger reinforcer magnitude resulted in higher response rates and lower reinforcement rates. The peak of the interresponse-time distributions was at a lower value tinder the larger reinforcer magnitude. In Experiment 2, 3 pigeons responded under a DRL 20-s schedule in which reinforcer magnitude (1-s or 6-s access to grain) varied iron session to session. Higher response rates and lower reinforcement rates occurred tinder the longer hopper duration. These results demonstrate that larger reinforcer magnitudes engender less efficient DRL schedule performance in both rats and pigeons, and when reinforcer magnitude was held constant between sessions or was varied daily. The present results are consistent with previous research demonstrating a decrease in efficiency as a function of increased reinforcer magnituide tinder procedures that require a period of time without a specified response. These findings also support the claim that DRI. schedule performance is not governed solely by a timing process.

Integrating dynamic and distributed compressive sensing techniques to enhance image quality of the compressive line sensing system for unmanned aerial vehicles application

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Bing; Hou, Weilin; Caimi, Frank M.; Dalgleish, Fraser R.; Vuorenkoski, Anni K.; Gong, Cuiling

2017-07-01

The compressive line sensing imaging system adopts distributed compressive sensing (CS) to acquire data and reconstruct images. Dynamic CS uses Bayesian inference to capture the correlated nature of the adjacent lines. An image reconstruction technique that incorporates dynamic CS in the distributed CS framework was developed to improve the quality of reconstructed images. The effectiveness of the technique was validated using experimental data acquired in an underwater imaging test facility. Results that demonstrate contrast and resolution improvements will be presented. The improved efficiency is desirable for unmanned aerial vehicles conducting long-duration missions.

Metallic Glasses as Potential Reinforcements in Al and Mg Matrices: A Review

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S. Jayalakshmi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Development of metal matrix composites (MMCs with metallic glass/amorphous alloy reinforcements is an emerging research field. As reinforcements, metallic glasses with their high strength (up to ~2 GPa and high elastic strain limit (~2% can provide superior mechanical properties. Being metallic in nature, the glassy alloys can ensure better interfacial properties when compared to conventional ceramic reinforcements. Given the metastable nature of metallic glasses, lightweight materials such as aluminum (Al and magnesium (Mg with relatively lower melting points are suitable matrix materials. Synthesis of these advanced composites is a challenge as selection of processing method and appropriate reinforcement type (which does not allow devitrification of the metallic glass during processing is important. Non-conventional techniques such as high frequency induction sintering, bidirectional microwave sintering, friction stir processing, accumulative roll-bonding, and spark plasma sintering are being explored to produce these novel materials. In this paper, an overview on the synthesis and properties of aluminum and magnesium based composites with glassy reinforcement produced by various unconventional methods is presented. Evaluation of properties of the produced composites indicate: (i retention of amorphous state of the reinforcement after processing; (ii significant improvement in hardness and strength; (iii improvement/retention of ductility; and (iv high wear resistance and low coefficient of friction. Further, a comparative understanding of the properties highlights that the selection of the processing method is important in producing high performance composites.

Experimental Exploration of Metal Cable as Reinforcement in 3D Printed Concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Bos, Freek P; Ahmed, Zeeshan Y; Jutinov, Evgeniy R; Salet, Theo A M

2017-11-16

The Material Deposition Method (MDM) is enjoying increasing attention as an additive method to create concrete mortar structures characterised by a high degree of form-freedom, a lack of geometrical repetition, and automated construction. Several small-scale structures have been realised around the world, or are under preparation. However, the nature of this construction method is unsuitable for conventional reinforcement methods to achieve ductile failure behaviour. Sometimes, this is solved by combining printing with conventional casting and reinforcing techniques. This study, however, explores an alternative strategy, namely to directly entrain a metal cable in the concrete filament during printing to serve as reinforcement. A device is introduced to apply the reinforcement. Several options for online reinforcement media are compared for printability. Considerations specific to the manufacturing process are discussed. Subsequently, pull-out tests on cast and printed specimens provide an initial characterisation of bond behaviour. Bending tests furthermore show the potential of this reinforcement method. The bond stress of cables in printed concrete was comparable to values reported for smooth rebar but lower than that of the same cables in cast concrete. The scatter in experimental results was high. When sufficient bond length is available, ductile failure behaviour for tension parallel to the filament direction can be achieved, even though cable slip occurs. Further improvements to the process should pave the way to achieve better post-crack resistance, as the concept in itself is feasible.

The Impact Resistance of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmood Mehrdad Shokrieh

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Fiber reinforced composites are widely used instead of traditional materials in various technological applications. Therefore, by considering the extensive applications of these materials, a proper knowledge of their impact behavior (from low- to high-velocity as well as their static behavior is necessary. In order to study the effects of strain rates on the behavior of these materials, special testing machines are needed. Most of the research efforts in this feld are focused on application of real loading and gripping boundary conditions on the testing specimens. In this paper, a detailed review of different types of impact testing techniques and the strain rate dependence of mechanical and strength properties of polymer composite materials  are presented. In this respect, an attempt is made to present and summarize the methods of impact tests and the strain rate effects on the tensile, compressive, shear and bending properties of the fber-reinforced polymer composite materials. Moreover, a classifcation of the state-of-the-art of the testing techniques to characterize composite material properties in a wide range of strain rates are also given.

Reinforcement of cement-based matrices with graphite nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Sadiq, Muhammad Maqbool

Cement-based materials offer a desirable balance of compressive strength, moisture resistance, durability, economy and energy-efficiency; their tensile strength, fracture energy and durability in aggressive environments, however, could benefit from further improvements. An option for realizing some of these improvements involves introduction of discrete fibers into concrete. When compared with today's micro-scale (steel, polypropylene, glass, etc.) fibers, graphite nanomaterials (carbon nanotube, nanofiber and graphite nanoplatelet) offer superior geometric, mechanical and physical characteristics. Graphite nanomaterials would realize their reinforcement potential as far as they are thoroughly dispersed within cement-based matrices, and effectively bond to cement hydrates. The research reported herein developed non-covalent and covalent surface modification techniques to improve the dispersion and interfacial interactions of graphite nanomaterials in cement-based matrices with a dense and well graded micro-structure. The most successful approach involved polymer wrapping of nanomaterials for increasing the density of hydrophilic groups on the nanomaterial surface without causing any damage to the their structure. The nanomaterials were characterized using various spectrometry techniques, and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). The graphite nanomaterials were dispersed via selected sonication procedures in the mixing water of the cement-based matrix; conventional mixing and sample preparation techniques were then employed to prepare the cement-based nanocomposite samples, which were subjected to steam curing. Comprehensive engineering and durability characteristics of cement-based nanocomposites were determined and their chemical composition, microstructure and failure mechanisms were also assessed through various spectrometry, thermogravimetry, electron microscopy and elemental analyses. Both functionalized and non-functionalized nanomaterials as well as different

Basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites: Processing and properties

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiang

A high efficiency rig was designed and built for in-plane permeability measurement of fabric materials. A new data derivation procedure to acquire the flow fluid pattern in the experiment was developed. The measurement results of the in-plane permeability for basalt twill 31 fabric material showed that a high correlation exists between the two principal permeability values for this fabric at 35% fiber volume fraction. This may be the most important scientific contribution made in this thesis. The results from radial measurements corresponded quite well with those from Unidirectional (UD) measurements, which is a well-established technique. No significant differences in mechanical properties were found between basalt fabric reinforced polymer composites and glass composites reinforced by a fabric of similar weave pattern. Aging results indicate that the interfacial region in basalt composites may be more vulnerable to environmental damage than that in glass composites. However, the basalt/epoxy interface may have been more durable than the glass/epoxy interface in tension-tension fatigue because the basalt composites have significantly longer fatigue life. In this thesis, chapter I reviews the literature on fiber reinforced polymer composites, with concentration on permeability measurement, mechanical properties and durability. Chapter II discusses the design of the new rig for in-plane permeability measurement, the new derivation procedure for monitoring of the fluid flow pattern, and the permeability measurement results. Chapter III compares the mechanical properties and durability between basalt fiber and glass fiber reinforced polymer composites. Lastly, chapter IV gives some suggestions and recommendations for future work.

The usage of carbon fiber reinforcement polymer and glass fiber reinforcement polymer for retrofit technology building

Science.gov (United States)

Tarigan, Johannes; Meka, Randi; Nursyamsi

2018-03-01

Fiber Reinforcement Polymer has been used as a material technology since the 1970s in Europe. Fiber Reinforcement Polymer can reinforce the structure externally, and used in many types of buildings like beams, columns, and slabs. It has high tensile strength. Fiber Reinforcement Polymer also has high rigidity and strength. The profile of Fiber Reinforcement Polymer is thin and light, installation is simple to conduct. One of Fiber Reinforcement Polymer material is Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Polymer and Glass Fiber Reinforcement Polymer. These materials is tested when it is installed on concrete cylinders, to obtain the comparison of compressive strength CFRP and GFRP. The dimension of concrete is diameter of 15 cm and height of 30 cm. It is amounted to 15 and divided into three groups. The test is performed until it collapsed to obtain maximum load. The results of research using CFRP and GFRP have shown the significant enhancement in compressive strength. CFRP can increase the compressive strength of 26.89%, and GFRP of 14.89%. For the comparison of two materials, CFRP is more strengthening than GFRP regarding increasing compressive strength. The usage of CFRP and GFRP can increase the loading capacity.

Titanium reinforced boron-polyimide composite

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, G. A.; Clayton, K. I.

1969-01-01

Processing techniques for boron polyimide prepreg were developed whereby composites could be molded under vacuum bag pressure only. A post-cure cycle was developed which resulted in no loss in room temperature mechanical properties of the composite at any time during up to 16 hours at 650 F. A design utilizing laminated titanium foil was developed to achieve a smooth transition of load from the titanium attachment points into the boron-reinforced body of the structure. The box beam test article was subjected to combined bending and torsional loads while exposed to 650 F. Loads were applied incrementally until failure occurred at 83% design limit load.

Application of ceramic short fiber reinforced Al alloy matrix composite on piston for internal combustion engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wu Shenqing

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The preparation and properties of ceramic short fiber reinforced Al-Si alloy matrix composite and it’s application on the piston for internal combustion engines are presented. Alumina or aluminosilicate fibers reinforced Al-Si alloy matrix composite has more excellent synthetical properties at elevated temperature than the matrix alloys. A partially reinforced Al-Si alloy matrix composite piston produced by squeeze casting technique has a firm interface between reinforced and unreinforced areas, low reject rate and good technical tolerance. As a new kind of piston material, it has been used for mass production of about 400,000 pieces of automobile engines piston. China has become one of a few countries in which aluminum alloy matrix composite materials have been used in automobile industry and attained industrialization.

Numerical Study Of The Effects Of Preloading, Axial Loading And Concrete Shrinkage On Reinforced Concrete Elements Strengthened By Concrete Layers And Jackets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lampropoulos, A. P.; Dritsos, S. E.

2008-01-01

In this study, the technique of seismic strengthening existing reinforced concrete columns and beams using additional concrete layers and jackets is examined. The finite element method and the finite element program ATENA is used in this investigation. When a reinforced jacket or layer is being constructed around a column it is already preloaded due to existing service loads. This effect has been examined for different values of the axial load normalized to the strengthened column. The techniques of strengthening with a concrete jacket or a reinforced concrete layer on the compressive side of the column are examined. Another phenomenon that is examined in this study is the shrinkage of the new concrete of an additional layer used to strengthen an existing member. For this investigation, a simply supported beam with an additional reinforced concrete layer on the tensile side is examined. The results demonstrate that the effect of preloading is important when a reinforced concrete layer is being used with shear connectors between the old and the new reinforcement. It was also found that the shrinkage of the new concrete reduces the strength of the strengthened beam and induces an initial sliding between the old and the new concrete

Validation of the actuator line/Navier Stokes technique using mexico measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shen, Wen Zhong; Zhu, Wei Jun; Sørensen, Jens Nørkær

2010-01-01

This paper concerns the contribution of DTU MEK in the international research collaboration project (MexNext) within the framework of IEA Annex 29 to validate aerodynamic models or CFD codes using the existing measurements made in the previous EU funded projectMEXICO (Model Experiments in Control......This paper concerns the contribution of DTU MEK in the international research collaboration project (MexNext) within the framework of IEA Annex 29 to validate aerodynamic models or CFD codes using the existing measurements made in the previous EU funded projectMEXICO (Model Experiments...... in Controlled Conditions). The Actuator Line/Navier Stokes (AL/NS) technique developed at DTU is validated against the detailed MEXICO measurements. The AL/NS computations without the DNW wind tunnel with speeds of 10m/s, 15m/s and 24m/s. Comparisons of blade loading between computations and measurements show...

Report on aging of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, D.J.; Oland, C.B.; Ellingwood, B.R.

1996-03-01

The Structural Aging Program provides the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with potential structural safety issues and acceptance criteria for use in continued service assessments of nuclear power plant safety-related concrete structures. The program was organized under four task areas: Program Management, Materials Property Data Base, Structural Component Assessment/Repair Technology, and Quantitative Methodology for Continued Service Determinations. Under these tasks, over 90 papers and reports were prepared addressing pertinent aspects associated with aging management of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures. Contained in this report is a summary of program results in the form of information related to longevity of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures, a Structural Materials Information Center presenting data and information on the time variation of concrete materials under the influence of environmental stressors and aging factors, in-service inspection and condition assessments techniques, repair materials and methods, evaluation of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures, and a reliability-based methodology for current and future condition assessments. Recommendations for future activities are also provided. 308 refs., 61 figs., 50 tabs

Report on aging of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naus, D.J.; Oland, C.B. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Ellingwood, B.R. [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering

1996-03-01

The Structural Aging Program provides the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with potential structural safety issues and acceptance criteria for use in continued service assessments of nuclear power plant safety-related concrete structures. The program was organized under four task areas: Program Management, Materials Property Data Base, Structural Component Assessment/Repair Technology, and Quantitative Methodology for Continued Service Determinations. Under these tasks, over 90 papers and reports were prepared addressing pertinent aspects associated with aging management of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures. Contained in this report is a summary of program results in the form of information related to longevity of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures, a Structural Materials Information Center presenting data and information on the time variation of concrete materials under the influence of environmental stressors and aging factors, in-service inspection and condition assessments techniques, repair materials and methods, evaluation of nuclear power plant reinforced concrete structures, and a reliability-based methodology for current and future condition assessments. Recommendations for future activities are also provided. 308 refs., 61 figs., 50 tabs.

Adversarial Reinforcement Learning in a Cyber Security Simulation}

OpenAIRE

Elderman, Richard; Pater, Leon; Thie, Albert; Drugan, Madalina; Wiering, Marco

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on cyber-security simulations in networks modeled as a Markov game with incomplete information and stochastic elements. The resulting game is an adversarial sequential decision making problem played with two agents, the attacker and defender. The two agents pit one reinforcement learning technique, like neural networks, Monte Carlo learning and Q-learning, against each other and examine their effectiveness against learning opponents. The results showed that Monte Carlo lear...

Improving the corrosion resistance of AZ91D magnesium alloy through reinforcement with titanium carbides and borides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Gobara

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A composite consisting of magnesium matrix reinforced with a network of TiC–Ti2AlC–TiB2 particulates has been fabricated using a practical in-situ reactive infiltration technique. The microstructural and phase composition of the magnesium matrix composite (R-Mg was investigated using SEM/EDS and XRD. The analyses revealed the complete formation of TiC, Ti2AlC and TiB2 particles in the magnesium matrix. Comparative compression tests of R-Mg and AZ91D alloy showed that the reinforcing particles improve the mechanical properties of Mg alloy. EIS and potentiodynamic polarization results indicated that the reinforcing particles significantly improve the corrosion resistance of the reinforced alloy in 3.5% NaCl solution.

Application of object oriented techniques in the TRIUMF beam line 2C control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkinson, N.A.; Ludgate, G.A.

1992-07-01

The KAON Factory central control system study employed a uniform approach to requirements analysis, architectural design and programming based on well established object oriented principles. These principles were applied to the successful analysis, design and implementation of the control system for the TRIUMF Beam Line 2C Solid Target Facility. The specification for this control system was created in collaboration with Beam Line 2C equipment management experts and, once the analysis models were validated, an approach was developed for the direct translation of these models into C code. A commercial real time database was central to this translation, as inter-object data and control flows are implemented by channels in the database. This paper focuses on the experience gained in the use of object oriented techniques during the complete analysis-design-implementation cycle of a working control system and on the utility of implementing such a system using a commercial real time database and graphical interface. (author)

Organic compound materials used as pipes reinforcement of fluids conduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latorre, G; Vargas, F

1999-01-01

This paper presents the experimental test and the results of the development of a composite organic material (MCO) for the reinforcement and covering of pipelines. MCO is designed to be applied to pipelines with external, damages such as dents or gauges or with surface damages caused by corrosion; The product can recover transport lines with 65% thickness losses due to corrosion in lengths of less than 0,2 m. the system developed by ECOPETROL-ICP can stop progressive picking corrosion, it has an excellent capillary, good adhesion, good resistance in cathodic protection, and mechanical strength that can support the operational pressure of the pipeline. MCO is a mixture of a polymeric resin reinforced with organic fibers, it can be applied to surface or underground pipelines without stopping normal operation. The maximum rupture pressure attained by the MCO was 23,4 MPA in pipelines with a 65% thickness loss due to corrosion. The normal operation pressure is 10-12 MPA

Vibration technique for non-destructive testing of carbon fiber reinforced plastic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, W.G.

1982-01-01

For nondestructive testing of structures of KFK (carbon fiber reinforced plastics) Adams and a group at the English University of Bristol, Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed a vibrational testing method. It is based on the fact that the decreasing self-oscillations of a structure can be measured in connection with a dynamical analysis at only one particular location of that structure. This way a damage can be localized and be quantized rawly. The mathematical model is simple and for every tested structure only one analysis is needed. Many kinds of damages in structures can be determined and reproduced especially in structures that represent typical cases of application of KFK in air and aerospace industry. (orig.) [de

optimal assembly line balancing using simulation techniques

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Department of Mechanical Engineering ... perspective on how the business operates, and ... Process simulation allows management ... improvement and change since it would be a costly ... The work content performed on an assembly line.

Empirical gradient threshold technique for automated segmentation across image modalities and cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Chalfoun, J; Majurski, M; Peskin, A; Breen, C; Bajcsy, P; Brady, M

2015-10-01

New microscopy technologies are enabling image acquisition of terabyte-sized data sets consisting of hundreds of thousands of images. In order to retrieve and analyze the biological information in these large data sets, segmentation is needed to detect the regions containing cells or cell colonies. Our work with hundreds of large images (each 21,000×21,000 pixels) requires a segmentation method that: (1) yields high segmentation accuracy, (2) is applicable to multiple cell lines with various densities of cells and cell colonies, and several imaging modalities, (3) can process large data sets in a timely manner, (4) has a low memory footprint and (5) has a small number of user-set parameters that do not require adjustment during the segmentation of large image sets. None of the currently available segmentation methods meet all these requirements. Segmentation based on image gradient thresholding is fast and has a low memory footprint. However, existing techniques that automate the selection of the gradient image threshold do not work across image modalities, multiple cell lines, and a wide range of foreground/background densities (requirement 2) and all failed the requirement for robust parameters that do not require re-adjustment with time (requirement 5). We present a novel and empirically derived image gradient threshold selection method for separating foreground and background pixels in an image that meets all the requirements listed above. We quantify the difference between our approach and existing ones in terms of accuracy, execution speed, memory usage and number of adjustable parameters on a reference data set. This reference data set consists of 501 validation images with manually determined segmentations and image sizes ranging from 0.36 Megapixels to 850 Megapixels. It includes four different cell lines and two image modalities: phase contrast and fluorescent. Our new technique, called Empirical Gradient Threshold (EGT), is derived from this reference

Reliability analysis of reinforced concrete grids with nonlinear material behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neves, Rodrigo A [EESC-USP, Av. Trabalhador Sao Carlense, 400, 13566-590 Sao Carlos (Brazil); Chateauneuf, Alaa [LaMI-UBP and IFMA, Campus de Clermont-Fd, Les Cezeaux, BP 265, 63175 Aubiere cedex (France)]. E-mail: alaa.chateauneuf@ifma.fr; Venturini, Wilson S [EESC-USP, Av. Trabalhador Sao Carlense, 400, 13566-590 Sao Carlos (Brazil)]. E-mail: venturin@sc.usp.br; Lemaire, Maurice [LaMI-UBP and IFMA, Campus de Clermont-Fd, Les Cezeaux, BP 265, 63175 Aubiere cedex (France)

2006-06-15

Reinforced concrete grids are usually used to support large floor slabs. These grids are characterized by a great number of critical cross-sections, where the overall failure is usually sudden. However, nonlinear behavior of concrete leads to the redistribution of internal forces and accurate reliability assessment becomes mandatory. This paper presents a reliability study on reinforced concrete (RC) grids based on coupling Monte Carlo simulations with the response surface techniques. This approach allows us to analyze real RC grids with large number of failure components. The response surface is used to evaluate the structural safety by using first order reliability methods. The application to simple grids shows the interest of the proposed method and the role of moment redistribution in the reliability assessment.

Prediction of reinforcement corrosion using corrosion induced cracks width in corroded reinforced concrete beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Inamullah; François, Raoul; Castel, Arnaud

2014-01-01

This paper studies the evolution of reinforcement corrosion in comparison to corrosion crack width in a highly corroded reinforced concrete beam. Cracking and corrosion maps of the beam were drawn and steel reinforcement was recovered from the beam to observe the corrosion pattern and to measure the loss of mass of steel reinforcement. Maximum steel cross-section loss of the main reinforcement and average steel cross-section loss between stirrups were plotted against the crack width. The experimental results were compared with existing models proposed by Rodriguez et al., Vidal et al. and Zhang et al. Time prediction models for a given opening threshold are also compared to experimental results. Steel cross-section loss for stirrups was also measured and was plotted against the crack width. It was observed that steel cross-section loss in the stirrups had no relationship with the crack width of longitudinal corrosion cracks. -- Highlights: •Relationship between crack and corrosion of reinforcement was investigated. •Corrosion results of natural process and then corresponds to in-situ conditions. •Comparison with time predicting model is provided. •Prediction of load-bearing capacity from crack pattern was studied

Study of the internal confinement of concrete reinforced (in civil engineering) with woven reinforcement

Science.gov (United States)

Dalal, M.; Goumairi, O.; El Malik, A.

2017-10-01

Concrete is generally the most used material in the field of construction. Despite its extensive use in structures, it represents some drawbacks related to its properties including its low tensile strength and low ductility. To solve this problem, the use of steel reinforcement in concrete structures is possible. Another possibility is the introduction of different types of continuous fibre / staple in the concrete, such as steel fibres or synthetic fibres, to obtain ″Concretes bundles″. Many types of fibre concrete, which have been developed and for many of them, the gain provided by the fibre was rather low and no significant improvement in tensile strength was really reaching. By cons, the ductility was higher than that of ordinary concrete. The objective of this study is to examine concrete reinforcement by inserting reinforcements woven polyester. These are either woven bidirectional (2D) or three-dimensional woven (3D). So we will report the properties of each type of reinforcement and the influence of the method of weaving on the strength reinforcements and on the strength of concrete in which they are incorporated. Such influence should contribute to improving the sustainability and enhancement of reinforcement

Combination of On-line pH and Oxygen Transfer Rate Measurement in Shake Flasks by Fiber Optical Technique and Respiration Activity MOnitoring System (RAMOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jochen Büchs

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Shake flasks are commonly used for process development in biotechnologyindustry. For this purpose a lot of information is required from the growth conditions duringthe fermentation experiments. Therefore, Anderlei et al. developed the RAMOS technology[1, 2], which proviedes on-line oxygen and carbondioxide transfer rates in shake flasks.Besides oxygen consumption, the pH in the medium also plays an important role for thesuccessful cultivation of micro-organisms and for process development. For online pHmeasurement fiber optical methods based on fluorophores are available. Here a combinationof the on-line Oxygen Transfer Rate (OTR measurements in the RAMOS device with anon-line, fiber optical pH measurement is presented. To demonstrate the application of thecombined measurement techniques, Escherichia coli cultivations were performed and on-line pH measurements were compared with off-line samples. The combination of on-lineOTR and pH measurements gives a lot of information about the cultivation and, therefore, itis a powerful technique for monitoring shake flask experiments as well as for processdevelopment.

A scheme to expand the delay-bandwidth product in the resonator-based delay lines by optical OFDM technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhu, Jiangbo; Tao, Li; Zhang, Ziran

2013-01-01

We propose a novel scheme to expand the inherent limit in the product of the optical delay and the transmission bandwidth in resonator-based delay lines, with the optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OOFDM) technique. The optical group delay properties of a single ring resonator we...

The Reinforcing Event (RE) Menu

Science.gov (United States)

Addison, Roger M.; Homme, Lloyd E.

1973-01-01

A motivational system, the Contingency Management System, uses contracts in which some amount of defined task behavior is demanded for some interval of reinforcing event. The Reinforcing Event Menu, a list of high probability reinforcing behaviors, is used in the system as a prompting device for the learner and as an aid for the administrator in…

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

Reinforcement function design and bias for efficient learning in mobile robots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touzet, C.; Santos, J.M.

1998-01-01

The main paradigm in sub-symbolic learning robot domain is the reinforcement learning method. Various techniques have been developed to deal with the memorization/generalization problem, demonstrating the superior ability of artificial neural network implementations. In this paper, the authors address the issue of designing the reinforcement so as to optimize the exploration part of the learning. They also present and summarize works relative to the use of bias intended to achieve the effective synthesis of the desired behavior. Demonstrative experiments involving a self-organizing map implementation of the Q-learning and real mobile robots (Nomad 200 and Khepera) in a task of obstacle avoidance behavior synthesis are described. 3 figs., 5 tabs

Steel fiber reinforced concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baloch, S.U.

2005-01-01

Steel-Fiber Reinforced Concrete is constructed by adding short fibers of small cross-sectional size .to the fresh concrete. These fibers reinforce the concrete in all directions, as they are randomly oriented. The improved mechanical properties of concrete include ductility, impact-resistance, compressive, tensile and flexural strength and abrasion-resistance. These uniqlte properties of the fiber- reinforcement can be exploited to great advantage in concrete structural members containing both conventional bar-reinforcement and steel fibers. The improvements in mechanical properties of cementitious materials resulting from steel-fiber reinforcement depend on the type, geometry, volume fraction and material-properties of fibers, the matrix mix proportions and the fiber-matrix interfacial bond characteristics. Effects of steel fibers on the mechanical properties of concrete have been investigated in this paper through a comprehensive testing-programme, by varying the fiber volume fraction and the aspect-ratio (Lid) of fibers. Significant improvements are observed in compressive, tensile, flexural strength and impact-resistance of concrete, accompanied by marked improvement in ductility. optimum fiber-volume fraction and aspect-ratio of steel fibers is identified. Test results are analyzed in details and relevant conclusions drawn. The research is finally concluded with future research needs. (author)

Corrosion of reinforcement bars in steel ibre reinforced concrete structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solgaard, Anders Ole Stubbe

and the influence of steel fibres on initiation and propagation of cracks in concrete. Moreover, the impact of fibres on corrosion-induced cover cracking was covered. The impact of steel fibres on propagation of reinforcement corrosion was investigated through studies of their impact on the electrical resistivity...... of concrete, which is known to affect the corrosion process of embedded reinforcement. The work concerning the impact of steel fibres on initiation and propagation of cracks was linked to corrosion initiation and propagation of embedded reinforcement bars via additional studies. Cracks in the concrete cover...... are known to alter the ingress rate of depassivating substances and thereby influence the corrosion process. The Ph.D. study covered numerical as well as experimental studies. Electrochemically passive steel fibres are electrically isolating thus not changing the electrical resistivity of concrete, whereas...

Advance on Al2O3 Particulates Reinforced Aluminum Metal Matrix Composites (Al-MMCs Manufactured by the Power Metallurgy(PM Methods- Improved PM Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Lina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aluminum metal matrix composites (Al-MMCs with Al2O3 particulates as reinforcement fabricated by the power metallurgy (PM methods have gained much attention due to their unique characteristics of the wide range of Al2O3 particles addition, easy-operating process and effectiveness. The improved PM techniques, such as the high energy ball milling, powder extruder and high pressure torsion were applied to further strengthening the properties or/and diminishing the agglomeration of strength particles. The formation of liquid phase assisted densification of compacts to promote the sintering of composites. Complex design of Al2O3 particles with other particles was another efficient method to tailor the properties of Al-MMCs.

The Number Density Evolution of Extreme Emission Line Galaxies in 3D-HST: Results from a Novel Automated Line Search Technique for Slitless Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Maseda, Michael V.; van der Wel, Arjen; Rix, Hans-Walter; Momcheva, Ivelina; Brammer, Gabriel B.; Franx, Marijn; Lundgren, Britt F.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Whitaker, Katherine E.

2018-02-01

The multiplexing capability of slitless spectroscopy is a powerful asset in creating large spectroscopic data sets, but issues such as spectral confusion make the interpretation of the data challenging. Here we present a new method to search for emission lines in the slitless spectroscopic data from the 3D-HST survey utilizing the Wide-Field Camera 3 on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Using a novel statistical technique, we can detect compact (extended) emission lines at 90% completeness down to fluxes of 1.5(3.0)× {10}-17 {erg} {{{s}}}-1 {{cm}}-2, close to the noise level of the grism exposures, for objects detected in the deep ancillary photometric data. Unlike previous methods, the Bayesian nature allows for probabilistic line identifications, namely redshift estimates, based on secondary emission line detections and/or photometric redshift priors. As a first application, we measure the comoving number density of Extreme Emission Line Galaxies (restframe [O III] λ5007 equivalent widths in excess of 500 Å). We find that these galaxies are nearly 10× more common above z ∼ 1.5 than at z ≲ 0.5. With upcoming large grism surveys such as Euclid and WFIRST, as well as grisms featured prominently on the NIRISS and NIRCam instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope, methods like the one presented here will be crucial for constructing emission line redshift catalogs in an automated and well-understood manner. This work is based on observations taken by the 3D-HST Treasury Program and the CANDELS Multi-Cycle Treasury Program with the NASA/ESA HST, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Quartz crystal reinforced quartz glass by spark plasma sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torikai, D.; Barazani, B.; Ono, E.; Santos, M.F.M.; Suzuki, C.K.

2011-01-01

The Spark Plasma Sintering presents fast processing time when compared to conventional sintering techniques. This allows to control the grain growth during sintering as well as the diffusion rate of a multi-material compounds, and make possible obtainment of functionally graded materials and nanostructured compounds. Powders of high purity silica glass and crystalline silica were sintered in a SPS equipment at temperatures around 1350° C, i.e., above the softening temperature of silica glass and below the melting temperature of quartz crystal. As a result, glass ceramics with pure silica glass matrix reinforced with crystalline alpha-quartz grains were fabricated at almost any desired range of composition, as well as controlled size of the crystalline reinforcement. X-ray diffraction and density measurements showed the possibility to manufacture a well controlled density and crystallinity glass-ceramic materials. (author)

Algorithms for Reinforcement Learning

CERN Document Server

Szepesvari, Csaba

2010-01-01

Reinforcement learning is a learning paradigm concerned with learning to control a system so as to maximize a numerical performance measure that expresses a long-term objective. What distinguishes reinforcement learning from supervised learning is that only partial feedback is given to the learner about the learner's predictions. Further, the predictions may have long term effects through influencing the future state of the controlled system. Thus, time plays a special role. The goal in reinforcement learning is to develop efficient learning algorithms, as well as to understand the algorithms'

IMPROVEMENT OF FATIGUE STRENGTH OF TIN BABBITT BY REINFORCING WITH NANO ILMENITE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. V. S. BABU

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Tin Babbitt is an idle journal bearing material, its fatigue strength limits and its usage. To enhance its fatigue strength, in this paper a Tin Babbitt metal matrix is reinforced with nano Ilmenite. The metal matrix nanocomposite was fabricated by using ultrasonic assisted stir casting technique. ASTM standards in statistical planning for fatigue testing were employed in planning the fatigue tests. Fatigue tests were conducted at three stress levels, i.e., 0.9 UTS, 0.7 UTS and 0.5 UTS. Tests were conducted on a rotating-beam type fatigue testing machine. It was observed that the nano Ilmenite reinforcement enhanced the fatigue strength of Tin Babbitt.

Evaluation of Interface Shear Strength Properties of Geogrid Reinforced Foamed Recycled Glass Using a Large-Scale Direct Shear Testing Apparatus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arul Arulrajah

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The interface shear strength properties of geogrid reinforced recycled foamed glass (FG were determined using a large-scale direct shear test (DST apparatus. Triaxial geogrid was used as a geogrid reinforcement. The geogrid increases the confinement of FG particles during shear; consequently the geogrid reinforced FG exhibits smaller vertical displacement and dilatancy ratio than FG at the same normal stress. The failure envelope of geogrid reinforced FG, at peak and critical states, coincides and yields a unique linear line possibly attributed to the crushing of FG particles and the rearrangement of crushed FG after peak shear state. The interface shear strength coefficient α is approximately constant at 0.9. This value can be used as the interface parameter for designing a reinforced embankment and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE wall when FG is used as a lightweight backfill and triaxial geogrid is used as an extensible earth reinforcement. This research will enable FG, recently assessed as suitable for lightweight backfills, to be used together with geogrids in a sustainable manner as a lightweight MSE wall. The geogrid carries tensile forces, while FG reduces bearing stresses imposed on the in situ soil. The use of geogrid reinforced FG is thus significant from engineering, economical, and environmental perspectives.

Nondestructive evaluation of defects in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Andrew C. Y.; Goh, Henry K. H.; Lin, Karen K.; Liew, W. H.

2017-04-01

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are increasingly used in aerospace applications due to its superior mechanical properties and reduced weight. Adhesive bonding is commonly used to join the composite parts since it is capable of joining incompatible or dissimilar components. However, insufficient adhesive or contamination in the adhesive bonds might occur and pose as threats to the integrity of the plane during service. It is thus important to look for suitable nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques to detect and characterize the sub-surface defects within the CFRP composites. Some of the common NDT techniques include ultrasonic techniques and thermography. In this work, we report the use of the abovementioned techniques for improved interpretation of the results.

Modelling of stiffness and damping change in reinforced concrete structures under seismic actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koenig, G.; Oetes, A.

1985-01-01

Restoring force and energy dissipation properties of ductile reinforced concrete structures during seismic excitation are investigated. Interpreting the results of earthquake simulation experiments with large scale reinforced concrete structural members mainly subjected to cyclic bending the various types of the force-deflection response and energy dissipation capability will be identified. Two alternative concepts are suggested for modelling: A rigorous model which considers the numerous deformation and dissipation mechanisms using a step by step algorithm for analysis and a simplified practical model which employs a modified spectrum analysis technique and a simple updating procedure for changing stiffness and damping properties of the members. (orig.)

Surface treated polypropylene (PP) fibres for reinforced concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

López-Buendía, Angel M., E-mail: buendia@uv.es [AIDICO Technological Institute of Construction, Benjamin Franklin 17, 46380 Paterna, Valencia (Spain); Romero-Sánchez, María Dolores [AIDICO Technological Institute of Construction, Marble Technical Unit, Camí de Castella 4, 03660 Novelda. Alicante (Spain); Climent, Verónica [Lafarge Cementos, Polígono Sepes, Isaac Newton s/n, 46500 Sagunto, Valencia (Spain); Guillem, Celia [AIDICO Technological Institute of Construction, Marble Technical Unit, Camí de Castella 4, 03660 Novelda. Alicante (Spain)

2013-12-15

Surface treatments on a polypropylene (PP) fibre have contributed to the improvement of fibre/concrete adhesion in fibre-reinforced concrete. The treatments to the PP fibre were characterized by contact angle measurements, ATR-IR and XPS to analyse chemical alterations. The surface topography and fibre/concrete interaction were analysed by several microscopic techniques, namely optical petrographic, and scanning electron microscopy. Treatment modified the surface chemistry and topography of the fibre by introducing sodium moieties and created additional fibre surface roughness. Modifications in the fibre surface led to an increase in the adhesion properties between the treated fibres and concrete and an improvement in the mechanical properties of the fibre-reinforced concrete composite as compared to the concrete containing untreated PP fibres. Compatibility with the concrete and increased roughness and mineral surface was also improved by nucleated portlandite and ettringite mineral association anchored on the alkaline PP fibre surface, which is induced during treatment.

Better Care Teams: A Stepwise Skill Reinforcement Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher, Beth-Anne; Grantner, Mary; Coke, Lola A; Wideman, Marilyn; Kwakwa, Francis

2016-06-01

The Building Healthy Urban Communities initiative presents a path for organizations partnering to improve patient outcomes with continuing education (CE) as a key component. Components of the CE initiative included traditional CE delivery formats with an essential element of adaptability and new methods, with rigorous evaluation over time that included evaluation prior to the course, immediately following the CE session, 6 to 8 weeks after the CE session, and then subsequent monthly "testlets." Outcome measures were designed to allow for ongoing adaptation of content, reinforcement of key learning objectives, and use of innovative concordant testing and retrieval practice techniques. The results after 1 year of programming suggest the stepwise skill reinforcement model is effective for learning and is an efficient use of financial and human resources. More important, its design is one that could be adopted at low cost by organizations willing to work in close partnership. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(6):283-288. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

A wireless embedded passive sensor for monitoring the corrosion potential of reinforcing steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhadra, Sharmistha; Thomson, Douglas J; Bridges, Greg E

2013-01-01

Corrosion of reinforcing steel, which results in premature deterioration of reinforced concrete structures, is a worldwide problem. Most corrosion sensing techniques require some type of wired connection between the sensor and monitoring electronics. This causes significant problems in their installation and long-term use. In this paper we describe a new type of passive embeddable wireless sensor that is based on an LC coil resonator where the resonant frequency is changed by the corrosion potential of the reinforcing steel. The resonant frequency can be monitored remotely by an interrogator coil inductively coupled to the sensor coil. The sensor unit comprises an inductive coil connected in parallel with a voltage dependent capacitor (varactor) and a pair of corrosion electrodes consisting of a reinforcing steel sensing electrode and a stainless steel reference electrode. Change of potential difference between the electrodes due to variation of the corrosion potential of the reinforcing steel changes the capacitance of the varactor and shifts the resonant frequency of the sensor. A time-domain gating method was used for the interrogation of the inductively coupled corrosion sensor. Results of an accelerated corrosion test using the sensor indicate that the corrosion potential can be monitored with a resolution of less than 10 mV. The sensor is simple in design and requires no power source, making it an inexpensive option for long-term remote monitoring of the corrosion state of reinforcing steel. (paper)

Effect of Sodium bicarbonate on Fire behaviour of tilled E- Glass Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Girish, S.; Devendra, K.; Bharath, K. N.

2016-09-01

Composites such as fibre reinforced polymers give us the good mechanical properties, but their fire behaviour is not appreciable and needs to be improved. In this work, E- glass fiber is used as a reinforcement material and Epoxy resin is used as a matrix with particulate sodium bi-carbonate (NaHCO3) is used as additive. The hand lay-up technique is adopted for the development of composites by varying percentage of additive. All the tests were conducted according to ASTM standards to study the Fire behaviour of the developed composites. The different fire properties like Ignition time, mass loss rate and flame propagation rate of Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) with NaHCO3 are compared with neat FRPs. It is found that the ignition time increases as the percentage of additive is increased.

Long-fibre reinforced thermoplastics. Applications and limitations of a new type of material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neise, E.

1986-06-01

New processing possibilities are offered by long-fibre reinforced thermoplastics, because - contrary to thermoset processing - no chemical reaction occurs and thermoforming and welding of prepregs is possible. Processing techniques like filament winding, tape laying or pultrusion are in development at different institutes.

Continuous Reinforced Concrete Beams

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoang, Cao Linh; Nielsen, Mogens Peter

1996-01-01

This report deals with stress and stiffness estimates of continuous reinforced concrete beams with different stiffnesses for negative and positive moments e.g. corresponding to different reinforcement areas in top and bottom. Such conditions are often met in practice.The moment distribution...

Concept study for a combined reinforced concrete containment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liersch, G.; Peter, U.; Danisch, R.; Freiman, M.; Hummer, M.; Roettinger, H.; Hansen, H.

1994-01-01

A variety of different steel and concrete containment types had been designed and constructed in the past. Most of the concrete containments had been prestressed offering the advantage of small displacements and certain leak tightness of the concrete itself. However, considerable stresses in concrete as well as in the tendons have to be maintained during the whole lifetime of the plant in order to guarantee the required prestressing. The long-time behaviour and the ductility in case of beyond design load cases must be verified. In contrary to a prestressed containment a reinforced containment will only significantly be loaded during test conditions or when needed in case of accidents. It offers additional margins which can be used especially for dynamic loads like impacts or for beyond design considerations. The aim of this paper is to show the feasibility of a so-called combined containment which means capable to resist both - severe internal accidents and external hazards mainly the aircraft crash impact as considered in the design of nuclear power plants in Germany. The concept is a lined reinforced containment without prestressing. The mechanical resistance function is provided by the reinforced concrete and the leak tightness function will be taken by a so called composite liner made of non-metallic materials. Some results of tests performed at SIEMENS laboratories and at the University of Karlsruhe which show the capability of a composite liner to bridge over cracks at the concrete surface will be presented in the paper. The study shows that the combined reinforced concrete containment with a composite liner offers a robust concept with high flexibility with respect to load requirements, beyond design considerations and geometrical shaping (arrangement of openings, integration with adjacent structures). The concept may be further optimized by partial prestressing at areas of high concentration of stresses such as at transition zones or at disturbances around

Modelling reinforcement corrosion in concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michel, Alexander; Geiker, Mette Rica; Stang, Henrik

2012-01-01

A physio-chemical model for the simulation of reinforcement corrosion in concrete struc-tures was developed. The model allows for simulation of initiation and subsequent propaga-tion of reinforcement corrosion. Corrosion is assumed to be initiated once a defined critical chloride threshold......, a numerical example is pre-sented, that illustrates the formation of corrosion cells as well as propagation of corrosion in a reinforced concrete structure....

The Reinforcement Learning Competition 2014

OpenAIRE

Dimitrakakis, Christos; Li, Guangliang; Tziortziotis, Nikoalos

2014-01-01

Reinforcement learning is one of the most general problems in artificial intelligence. It has been used to model problems in automated experiment design, control, economics, game playing, scheduling and telecommunications. The aim of the reinforcement learning competition is to encourage the development of very general learning agents for arbitrary reinforcement learning problems and to provide a test-bed for the unbiased evaluation of algorithms.

Fibre reinforcement in a structurally compromised endodontically treated molar: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renita Soares

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The reconstruction of structurally compromised posterior teeth is a rather challenging procedure. The tendency of endodontically treated teeth (ETT to fracture is considerably higher than vital teeth. Although posts and core build-ups followed by conventional crowns have been generally employed for the purpose of reconstruction, this procedure entails sacrificing a considerable amount of residual sound enamel and dentin. This has drawn the attention of researchers to fibre reinforcement. Fibre-reinforced composite (FRC, designed to replace dentin, enables the biomimetic restoration of teeth. Besides improving the strength of the restoration, the incorporation of glass fibres into composite resins leads to favorable fracture patterns because the fibre layer acts as a stress breaker and stops crack propagation. The following case report presents a technique for reinforcing a badly broken-down ETT with biomimetic materials and FRC. The proper utilization of FRC in structurally compromised teeth can be considered to be an economical and practical measure that may obviate the use of extensive prosthetic treatment.

Evaluation of mechanical properties of hybrid fiber (hemp, jute, kevlar) reinforced composites

Science.gov (United States)

Suresha, K. V.; Shivanand, H. K.; Amith, A.; Vidyasagar, H. N.

2018-04-01

In today's world composites play wide role in all the engineering fields. The reinforcement of composites decides the properties of the material. Natural fiber composites compared to synthetic fiber possesses poor mechanical properties. The solution for this problem is to use combination of natural fiber and synthetic fiber. Hybridization helps to improve the overall mechanical properties of the material. In this study, hybrid reinforced composites of Hemp fabric/Kevlar fabric/Epoxy and Jute fabric/ Kevlar fabric/Epoxy composites are fabricated using Simple hand layup technique followed by Vacuum bagging process. Appropriate test methods as per standards and guidelines are followed to analyze mechanical behavior of the composites. The mechanical characteristics like tensile, compression and flexural properties of the hybrid reinforced composites are tested as per the ASTM standards by series of tensile test; compression test and three point bending tests were conducted on the hybrid composites. A quantitative relationship between the Hemp fabric/Kevlar fabric/Epoxy and Jute/ Kevlar fabric/Epoxy has been established with constant thickness.

Effect of sintering temperatures on titanium matrix composites reinforced by ceramic particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero, F.; Amigo, V.; Busquets, D.; Klyatskina, E. [Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department. Polytechnical University of Valencia, Valencia (Spain)

2005-07-01

Titanium and titanium composites have a potential use in aerospace and biotechnology industries, and nowadays in others like sports and fashion ones. In this work composite materials, based on titanium matrix reinforced with ceramic particles, have been developed. PM route is used to obtain compact and sintered samples. TiN and TiAl powders, are milled with Ti powder in different volumetric percentages in a ball mill. These mixtures are pressed in a uniaxial press and sintered in a vacuum furnace at different temperatures between 1180 to 1220 deg. C. Porosity of samples is analysed, before and after the sintering process, by Archimedes technique and by image analysis. Mechanical properties and the reinforcement particles influence in the titanium matrix are studied by flexion test in green and sintered states, and by hardness and microhardness tests. Complimentarily, a microstructural analysis is carried out by optical and electron microscopy, and the reactivity between the reinforce particles and titanium matrix are studied. (authors)

Nonlinear earthquake analysis of reinforced concrete frames with fiber and Bernoulli-Euler beam-column element.

Science.gov (United States)

Karaton, Muhammet

2014-01-01

A beam-column element based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory is researched for nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) structural element. Stiffness matrix of this element is obtained by using rigidity method. A solution technique that included nonlinear dynamic substructure procedure is developed for dynamic analyses of RC frames. A predicted-corrected form of the Bossak-α method is applied for dynamic integration scheme. A comparison of experimental data of a RC column element with numerical results, obtained from proposed solution technique, is studied for verification the numerical solutions. Furthermore, nonlinear cyclic analysis results of a portal reinforced concrete frame are achieved for comparing the proposed solution technique with Fibre element, based on flexibility method. However, seismic damage analyses of an 8-story RC frame structure with soft-story are investigated for cases of lumped/distributed mass and load. Damage region, propagation, and intensities according to both approaches are researched.

Calculation of load-bearing capacity of prestressed reinforced concrete trusses by the finite element method

Science.gov (United States)

Agapov, Vladimir; Golovanov, Roman; Aidemirov, Kurban

2017-10-01

The technique of calculation of prestressed reinforced concrete trusses with taking into account geometrical and physical nonlinearity is considered. As a tool for solving the problem, the finite element method has been chosen. Basic design equations and methods for their solution are given. It is assumed that there are both a prestressed and nonprestressed reinforcement in the bars of the trusses. The prestress is modeled by setting the temperature effect on the reinforcement. The ways of taking into account the physical and geometrical nonlinearity for bars of reinforced concrete trusses are considered. An example of the analysis of a flat truss is given and the behavior of the truss on various stages of its loading up to destruction is analyzed. A program for the analysis of flat and spatial concrete trusses taking into account the nonlinear deformation is developed. The program is adapted to the computational complex PRINS. As a part of this complex it is available to a wide range of engineering, scientific and technical workers

Low temperature fabrication of conductive silver lines and dots via transfer-printing and nanoimprinting lithography techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Chun-Chang; Hsu, Steve Lien-Chung; Chiu, Ching-Wei; Wu, Jung-Tang

2013-01-01

In this work, we have developed novel methods to fabricate conductive silver tracks and dots directly from silver nitrate solution by transfer-printing and nanoimprinting lithography techniques, which are inexpensive and can be scaled down to the nanometer scale. The silver nitrate precursor can be reduced in ethylene glycol vapor to form silver at low temperatures. Energy dispersive spectrometric analysis results indicate that the silver nitrate has been converted to silver completely. In order to obtain smooth and continuous conductive patterned silver features with high resolution, the silver lines with widths of a few tens of micrometers to nanometers were patterned by using a spin-coating approach. Using a 14 M silver nitrate solution, continuous silver conductive lines with a resistivity of 8.45 × 10 −5 Ω cm has been produced. (paper)

Mathematical modeling of deformation of reinforced femur during prolonged static loads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir P. Radchenko

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A two-layer mathematical model of a human femur neck reinforced implants of different design for modeling stress-strain state which occurs during a surgical procedure to prevent femur neck fractures by the forced introduction of metallic implants is proposed. Engineered implant designs are provided. Methods and software for geometric modeling of femur embedded with the implants are developed. New boundary value problems to evaluate kinetics in creep conditions of the stress-strain state of reinforced and non-reinforced femoral neck during prolonged static loads corresponding to human foot traffic are formulated. Effective elastic properties of cortical and cancellous bone, power and kinematic boundary value problems. A phenomenological creep model for compact bone tissue is constructed. The technique of identifying the parameters is developed. A check of its adequacy to experimental data is carried out. Based on the finite element method the numerical method for solving the provided boundary value problems at macro level of continuum mechanics is developed. A lot of variative calculations allowed developing recommendations for the rational positioning of the implant in order to minimize stress concentrations. The performed analysis showed that there is a significant relaxation of stresses in the most loaded areas due to creep. Relaxation is more intense in reinforced femoral neck than in the unreinforced. Thus the tension in the most loaded femoral neck area due to creep is reduced by 49 % with respect to the intensity of the initial time of loading for femur which is reinforced by the spoke-spoke-type implant when loading duration is 1 year under natural loads corresponding to human foot traffic. It was found that the time component (long-term fixed load does not impair the positive effect of reducing the stress concentration due to a femoral neck reinforcement which is a positive fact from the medical practice point of view.

Origins of food reinforcement in infants12345

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Kai Ling; Feda, Denise M; Eiden, Rina D; Epstein, Leonard H

2015-01-01

Background: Rapid weight gain in infancy is associated with a higher risk of obesity in children and adults. A high relative reinforcing value of food is cross-sectionally related to obesity; lean children find nonfood alternatives more reinforcing than do overweight/obese children. However, to our knowledge, there is no research on how and when food reinforcement develops. Objective: This study was designed to assess whether the reinforcing value of food and nonfood alternatives could be tested in 9- to 18-mo-old infants and whether the reinforcing value of food and nonfood alternatives is differentially related to infant weight status. Design: Reinforcing values were assessed by using absolute progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement, with presentation of food and nonfood alternatives counterbalanced in 2 separate studies. Two nonfood reinforcers [Baby Einstein–Baby MacDonald shows (study 1, n = 27) or bubbles (study 2, n = 30)] were tested against the baby’s favorite food. Food reinforcing ratio (FRR) was quantified by measuring the reinforcing value of food (Food Pmax) in proportion to the total reinforcing value of food and a nonfood alternative (DVD Pmax or BUB Pmax). Results: Greater weight-for-length z score was associated with a greater FRR of a favorite food in study 1 (FRR-DVD) (r = 0.60, P positively associated with FRR-DVD (r = 0.57, P = 0.009) and FRR-BUB (r = 0.37, P = 0.047). Conclusions: Our newly developed paradigm, which tested 2 different nonfood alternatives, demonstrated that lean infants find nonfood alternatives more reinforcing than do overweight/obese infants. This observation suggests that strengthening the alternative reinforcers may have a protective effect against childhood obesity. This research was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02229552. PMID:25733636

An asymptotic homogenization model for smart 3D grid-reinforced composite structures with generally orthotropic constituents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, E M; Kalamkarov, A L; Georgiades, A V; Challagulla, K S

2009-01-01

A comprehensive micromechanical model for smart 3D composite structures reinforced with a periodic grid of generally orthotropic cylindrical reinforcements that also exhibit piezoelectric behavior is developed. The original boundary value problem characterizing the piezothermoelastic behavior of these structures is decoupled into a set of three simpler unit cell problems dealing, separately, with the elastic, piezoelectric and thermal expansion characteristics of the smart composite. The technique used is that of asymptotic homogenization and the solution of the unit cell problems permits determination of the effective elastic, piezoelectric and thermal expansion coefficients. The general orthotropy of the constituent materials is very important from the practical viewpoint and makes the analysis much more complicated. Several examples of practical interest are used to illustrate the work including smart 3D composites with cubic and conical embedded grids as well as diagonally reinforced smart structures. It is also shown in this work that in the limiting particular case of 2D grid-reinforced structures with isotropic reinforcements our results converge to earlier published results

Difference in membrane repair capacity between cancer cell lines and a normal cell line

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Stine Krog; McNeil, Anna K.; Novak, Ivana

2016-01-01

repair was investigated by disrupting the plasma membrane using laser followed by monitoring fluorescent dye entry over time in seven cancer cell lines, an immortalized cell line, and a normal primary cell line. The kinetics of repair in living cells can be directly recorded using this technique...... cancer cell lines (p immortalized cell line (p

Reinforced Ultra-Tightly Coupled GPS/INS System for Challenging Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xueyun Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Among all integration levels currently available for Global Positioning System (GPS and Inertial Navigation System (INS Integrated System, ultra-tightly coupled (UTC GPS/INS system is the best choice for accurate and reliable navigation. Nevertheless the performance of UTC GPS/INS system degrades in challenging environments, such as jamming, changing noise of GPS signals, and high dynamic maneuvers. When low-end Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs based on MEMS sensors are employed, the performance degradation will be more severe. To solve this problem, a reinforced UTC GPS/INS system is proposed. Two techniques are adopted to deal with jamming and high dynamics. Firstly, adaptive integration Kalman filter (IKF based on fuzzy logics is developed to reinforce the antijamming ability. The parameters of membership functions (MFs are adjusted and optimized through self-developed neutral network. Secondly, a Doppler frequency error estimator based on Kalman filter is designed to improve the navigation performance under high dynamics. A complete simulation platform is established to evaluate the reinforced system. Results demonstrate that the proposed system architecture significantly improves navigation performance in challenging environments and it is a more advanced solution to accurate and reliable navigation than traditional UTC GPS/INS system.

Variability of chemical analysis of reinforcing bar produced in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Salman, A.; Djavanroodi, F.

2018-04-01

In view of the importance and demanding roles of steel rebar’s in the reinforced concrete structures, accurate information on the properties of the steels is important at the design stage. In the steelmaking process, production variations in chemical composition are unavoidable. The aim of this work is to study the variability of the chemical composition of reinforcing steel produced throughout the Saudi Arabia and asses the quality of steel rebar’s acoording to ASTM A615. 68 samples of ASTM A615 Grade 60 from different manufacturers were collected and tested using the Spectrometer test to obtain Chemical Compositions. EasyFit (5.6) software is utilized to conducted statistical analysis. Chemical compositions distributions and, control charts are generated for the compositions. Results showed that some compositions are above the upper line of the control chart. Finally, the analyses show that less than 3% of the steel failed to meet minimum ASTM standards for chemical composition.

Effect of hybrid fiber reinforcement on the cracking process in fiber reinforced cementitious composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pereira, Eduardo B.; Fischer, Gregor; Barros, Joaquim A.O.

2012-01-01

The simultaneous use of different types of fibers as reinforcement in cementitious matrix composites is typically motivated by the underlying principle of a multi-scale nature of the cracking processes in fiber reinforced cementitious composites. It has been hypothesized that while undergoing...... tensile deformations in the composite, the fibers with different geometrical and mechanical properties restrain the propagation and further development of cracking at different scales from the micro- to the macro-scale. The optimized design of the fiber reinforcing systems requires the objective...... materials is carried out by assessing directly their tensile stress-crack opening behavior. The efficiency of hybrid fiber reinforcements and the multi-scale nature of cracking processes are discussed based on the experimental results obtained, as well as the micro-mechanisms underlying the contribution...

Determination of the ultimate load in concrete slabs by the yield line finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaz, L.E.; Feijo, B.; Martha, L.F.R.; Lopes, M.M.

1984-01-01

A method for calculating the ultimate load in reinforced concrete slabs is proposed. The method follows the finite element aproach representating the continuum slab as an assembly of rigid triangular plates connected along their sides through yield line elements. This approach leads to the definition of the displacement configuration of the plate only as a function of the transversal displacement at the nodes of the mesh (1 DOF per node) reducing significantly the number of DOF's in relation to the conventional formulation by means of the finite element method (minimum of 3 DOF per node). Nonlinear behaviour of the reinforced concrete section is considered in the definition of the moment rotation curve of the yield lines. The effect of the in plane forces acting in the middle surface of the plate is also taken into account. The validity of the model is verified comparing the numerical solutions with the results of the classical yield line theory. (Author) [pt

Cable line engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Hak Sin; Kim, Sin Yeong

1998-02-01

This book is about cable line engineering. It is comprised of nine chapters, which deals with summary of cable communication such as way, process of cable communication and optical communication, Line constant of transmission on primary constant, reflection and crosstalk, communication cable line of types like flat cable, coaxial cable and loaded cable, Install of communication line with types and facility of aerial line, construction method of communication line facility, Measurement of communication line, Carrier communication of summary, PCM communication with Introduction, regeneration relay system sampling and quantization and Electric communication service and general information network with mobile communication technique and satellite communication system.

Natural tooth pontic with splinting of periodontally weakened teeth using fiber-reinforced composite resin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gauri Srinidhi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Replacement of missing anterior teeth due to periodontal reasons is challenging due to the poor support of abutment teeth. This prevents the use of fixed partial dentures (FPDs. Fiber-reinforced splinting provides a viable alternative to the dentist while choosing a treatment plan in replacing missing anterior teeth in periodontally compromised patients as opposed to conventional modalities like FPDs or removable partial dentures. Replacing missing teeth using either patient′s own tooth or a denture tooth as pontic can be done by splinting adjacent teeth with fiber reinforced composite. The splinting has an additional advantage of stabilizing adjacent mobile teeth. This case report details the case selection, procedure with follow-up of a case where the natural extracted tooth of the patient was used as pontic to replace a missing anterior tooth. The splinting was done with fiber reinforced composite resin. Fiber-reinforced composite resin splinting of patient′s extracted natural tooth is economical, fast, and easy to use chairside technique with the added benefit of periodontal stabilization.

Evaluating the mechanical properties of E-Glass fiber/carbon fiber reinforced interpenetrating polymer networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Suresh

2015-02-01

Full Text Available A series of vinyl ester and polyurethane interpenetrating polymer networks were prepared by changing the component ratios of VER (Vinyl ester and PU (Polyurethane and the polymerization process was confirmed with Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy. IPN (Inter Penetrating Polymer Network - VER/PU reinforced Glass and carbon fiber composite laminates were made using the Hand lay up technique. The Mechanical properties of the E-glass and carbon fiber specimens were compared from tests including Tensile, Compressive, Flexural, ILSS (Inter Laminar Shear Strength, Impact & Head Deflection Test (HDT. The IPN Reinforced Carbon fiber specimen showed better results in all the tests than E-Glass fibre reinforced IPN laminate with same thickness of the specimen, according to ASTM standards. It was found that the combination of 60%VER and 40%PU IPN exhibits better impact strength and maximum elongation at break, but at the slight expense of mechanical properties such as tensile, compressive, flexural, ILSS properties. The morphology of the unreinforced and reinforced composites was analyzed with help of scanning electron microscopy.

Process monitoring of fibre reinforced composites using optical fibre sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernando, G.F.; Degamber, B.

2006-04-15

The deployment of optical fibre based sensor systems for process monitoring of advanced fibre reinforced organic matrix composites is reviewed. The focus is on thermosetting resins and the various optical and spectroscopy-based techniques that can be used to monitor the processing of these materials. Following brief consideration of the manufacturing methods commonly used in the production of thermoset based composites, a discussion is presented on sensor systems that can be used to facilitate real-time chemical process monitoring. Although the focus is on thermosets, the techniques described can be adapted for chemical monitoring of organic species in general. (author)

Cyclic hot firing results of tungsten-wire-reinforced, copper-lined thrust chambers

Science.gov (United States)

Kazaroff, John M.; Jankovsky, Robert S.

1990-01-01

An advanced thrust liner material for potential long life reusable rocket engines is described. This liner material was produced with the intent of improving the reusable life of high pressure thrust chambers by strengthening the chamber in the hoop direction, thus avoiding the longitudinal cracking due to low cycle fatigue that is observed in conventional homogeneous copper chambers, but yet not reducing the high thermal conductivity that is essential when operating with high heat fluxes. The liner material produced was a tungsten wire reinforced copper composite. Incorporating this composite into two hydrogen-oxygen test rocket chambers was done so that its performance as a reusable liner material could be evaluated. Testing results showed that both chambers failed prematurely, but the crack sites were perpendicular to the normal direction of cracking indicating a degree of success in containing the tremendous thermal strain associated with high temperature rocket engines. The failures, in all cases, were associated with drilled instrumentation ports and no other damages or deformations were found elsewhere in the composite liners.

Residual life assessment of overhead transmission lines 110 kV and above and determination of their reconstruction terms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uteuliyev Bauyrzhan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this article is given a method for assessment the residual life of overhead transmission lines on reinforced concrete supports with centrifuged poles. Reinforced concrete poles of supports, wires and lightning protection cables are adopted as the main elements. The intensity of change in the actual state parameters of these elements is determined by the laws of random variables distribution that allow predicting the residual life and the timing of repairs and reconstruction of overhead transmission lines. The parameters of natural climatic conditions and other external factors are considered by including of coefficients into the formula for changing the actual state parameters.

Fast-neutron and gamma-ray transmission technique for the on-line determination of moisture in coal and coke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sowerby, B.D.; Millen, M.J.; Rafter, P.T.

1988-01-01

A fast neutron and γ-ray transmission technique is being developed for the on-line analysis of moisture. Calculations show that the technique is capable of determining coke moisture to better than 0.2 wt% over a wide range of coke thicknesses. The favoured technique uses a thick Li-glass detector surrounded by a neutron moderator to determine simultaneously the fast neutron and γ-ray intensities. Laboratory measurements on single coke samples showed that moisture can be determined to within 0.2 wt% over the range 3-13 wt% moisture and 300-500 mm thickness. Measurements on a range of coke samples showed that the increase in r.m.s. error due to bound H variations is less than about 0.4 wt% moisture. Applications of the technique, to moisture determination in black and brown coal are also investigated, both by calculation and experiment. Further potential applications of the technique are discussed, including the determination of C in steel. (author)

A Brief Research Review for Improvement Methods the Wettability between Ceramic Reinforcement Particulate and Aluminium Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Razzaq, Alaa Mohammed; Majid, Dayang Laila Abang Abdul; Ishak, M. R.; B, Uday M.

2017-05-01

The development of new methods for addition fine ceramic powders to Al aluminium alloy melts, which would lead to more uniform distribution and effective incorporation of the reinforcement particles into the aluminium matrix alloy. Recently the materials engineering research has moved to composite materials from monolithic, adapting to the global need for lightweight, low cost, quality, and high performance advanced materials. Among the different methods, stir casting is one of the simplest ways of making aluminium matrix composites. However, it suffers from poor distribution and combination of the reinforcement ceramic particles in the metal matrix. These problems become significantly effect to reduce reinforcement size, more agglomeration and tendency with less wettability for the ceramic particles in the melt process. Many researchers have carried out different studies on the wettability between the metal matrix and dispersion phase, which includes added wettability agents, fluxes, preheating the reinforcement particles, coating the reinforcement particles, and use composting techniques. The enhancement of wettability of ceramic particles by the molten matrix alloy and the reinforcement particles distribution improvement in the solidified matrix is the main objective for many studies that will be discussed in this paper.

Preliminary study on proteomic technique in radiobiological characteristics in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hui; Yi Xuping; Hu Bingqiang; Zeng Liang; Liu Yisong; Liang Songping

2007-01-01

Objective: To examine the variation of protein expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines with different biological characteristics and to identify the radiobiological associated proteins. Methods: Biological characteristics of 5-8F and 6-10B were compared by flow cytometry assay after irradiation. The total proteins of 5-8F and 6-10B were separated by immobilized pH gradient(IPG) IEF-SDS two-dimensional gel eleetrophoresis technique. The differentially expressed proteins were cut from the gel and digested into peptides for MALDI-TOF MS and the Q-TOF mass spectrometric analysis. Identification of protein was made through searching in protein sequence database. Protein expressions were examined by western blot and immunohistochemistry method. Results: Nine most differentially expressed proteins between 5-8F cell and 6-10B cell were identified, p73 and CK19 expression examined by western blot were conformal with that by proteomic method, p73 expression in 5-8F cell was higher than in 6-10B cell. CK19 expression in 6- 10B cell was higher than in 5-8F cell. Conclusion: Differentially expression of proteins exist in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines with different biological characteristics. These proteins may be associated with cell radiobiological characteristic with the p73 as a potential biomarker. (authors)

The Effect of Tow Shearing on Reinforcement Positional Fidelity in the Manufacture of a Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Matrix Composite via Pultrusion-Like Processing of Commingled Feedstock

Science.gov (United States)

Warlick, Kent M.

While the addition of short fiber to 3D printed articles has increased structural performance, ultimate gains will only be realized through the introduction of continuous reinforcement placed along pre-planned load paths. Most additive manufacturing research focusing on the addition of continuous reinforcement has revolved around utilization of a prefrabricated composite filament or a fiber and matrix mixed within a hot end prior to deposition on a printing surface such that conventional extrusion based FDM can be applied. Although stronger 3D printed parts can be made in this manner, high quality homogenous composites are not possible due to fiber dominated regions, matrix dominated regions, and voids present between adjacent filaments. Conventional composite manufacturing processes are much better at creating homogeneous composites; however, the layer by layer approach in which they are made is inhibiting the alignment of reinforcement with loads. Automated Fiber Placement techniques utilize in plane bending deformation of the tow to facilitate tow steering. Due to buckling fibers on the inner radius of curves, manufacturers recommend a minimum curvature for path placement with this technique. A method called continuous tow shearing has shown promise to enable the placement of tows in complex patterns without tow buckling, spreading, and separation inherent in conventional forms of automated reinforcement positioning. The current work employs fused deposition modeling hardware and the continuous tow shearing technique to manufacture high quality fiber reinforced composites with high positional fidelity, varying continuous reinforcement orientations within a layer, and plastic elements incorporated enabling the ultimate gains in structural performance possible. A mechanical system combining concepts of additive manufacturing with fiber placement via filament winding was developed. Paths with and without tension inherent in filament winding were analyzed through

The effect of processing on the mechanical properties of self-reinforced composites

Science.gov (United States)

Hassani, Farzaneh; Martin, Peter J.; Falzon, Brian G.

2018-05-01

Hot-compaction is one of the most common manufacturing methods for creating recyclable all thermoplastic composites. The current work investigates the compaction of highly oriented self-reinforced fabrics with three processing methods to study the effect of pressure and temperature in the tensile mechanical properties of the consolidated laminates. Hot-press, calender roller and vacuum bag technique were adopted to consolidate bi-component polypropylene woven fabrics in a range of pressures and compaction temperatures. Hot-pressed samples exhibited the highest quality of compaction. The modulus of the hot-pressed samples increased with compaction temperature initially due to the improved interlayer bonding and decreased after a maximum at 150°C because of partial melting of the reinforcement phase. The calender roller technique exhibited to have smaller processing temperature window as the pressure is only applied for a short time and the fabrics start to shrink with increasing the processing temperature. The need for constraining the fabrics through the process is therefore found to be paramount. The Vacuum bag results showed this technique to be the least efficient method because of the low compaction pressure. Microscopic images and void content measurement of the consolidated samples further validate the results from tensile testing.

Mechanical characterization of glass fiber (woven roving/chopped strand mat E-glass fiber) reinforced polyester composites

Science.gov (United States)

Bhaskar, V. Vijaya; Srinivas, Kolla

2017-07-01

Polymer reinforced composites have been replacing most of the engineering material and their applications become more and more day by day. Polymer composites have been analyzing from past thirty five years for their betterment for adapting more applications. This paper aims at the mechanical properties of polyester reinforced with glass fiber composites. The glass fiber is reinforced with polyester in two forms viz Woven Rovings (WRG) and Chopped Strand Mat (CSMG) E-glass fibers. The composites are fabricated by hand lay-up technique and the composites are cut as per ASTM Standard sizes for corresponding tests like flexural, compression and impact tests, so that flexural strength, compression strength, impact strength and inter laminar shear stress(ILSS) of polymer matrix composites are analyzed. From the tests and further calculations, the polyester composites reinforced with Chopped Strand Mat glass fiber have shown better performance against flexural load, compression load and impact load than that of Woven Roving glass fiber.

Reinforcement and recovery of timber structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Alves Dias

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Preservation of timber structures is a reason for constant concern because their deterioration often involves compromising the historical patrimony, besides endangering the safety of the structure, and consequently, of their users. Many are the examples of churches, residences or other constructions where this manifestation is a fact. The technique of reinforcing structurally endangered pieces with the addition of natural or synthetic fibers, is an alternative that has been researched. In the group of synthetic fibers, fiberglass, carbon and aramid ones are included. On the other hand, it has been frequent in the restoration of old buildings, especially in Europe, the employment of materials that were not available in the past, aiming to achieve structural, acoustic and aesthetic benefits. On an existing timber structure floor, a concrete slab has been carried out, with an appropriate connection system among the parts, constituting the composite timber-concrete structures. This alternative has been considered as extraordinarily viable, because it gathers a series of convenience related with the durability and it presents better mechanic performance than conventional timber structures. In this work, the state-of-the-art of the use of fibers as structural reinforcement and of the timber-concrete composite structures, is presented.

FOAM CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT BY BASALT FIBRES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhukov Aleksey Dmitrievich

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The authors demonstrate that the foam concrete performance can be improved by dispersed reinforcement, including methods that involve basalt fibres. They address the results of the foam concrete modeling technology and assess the importance of technology-related parameters. Reinforcement efficiency criteria are also provided in the article. Dispersed reinforcement improves the plasticity of the concrete mix and reduces the settlement crack formation rate. Conventional reinforcement that involves metal laths and rods demonstrates its limited application in the production of concrete used for thermal insulation and structural purposes. Dispersed reinforcement is preferable. This technology contemplates the infusion of fibres into porous mixes. Metal, polymeric, basalt and glass fibres are used as reinforcing components. It has been identified that products reinforced by polypropylene fibres demonstrate substantial abradability and deformability rates even under the influence of minor tensile stresses due to the low adhesion strength of polypropylene in the cement matrix. The objective of the research was to develop the type of polypropylene of D500 grade that would demonstrate the operating properties similar to those of Hebel and Ytong polypropylenes. Dispersed reinforcement was performed by the basalt fibre. This project contemplates an autoclave-free technology to optimize the consumption of electricity. Dispersed reinforcement is aimed at the reduction of the block settlement in the course of hardening at early stages of their operation, the improvement of their strength and other operating properties. Reduction in the humidity rate of the mix is based on the plasticizing properties of fibres, as well as the application of the dry mineralization method. Selection of optimal parameters of the process-related technology was performed with the help of G-BAT-2011 Software, developed at Moscow State University of Civil Engineering. The authors also

Microanalytical investigation of fibre-reinforced ceramic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, B.; Grathwohl, G.

1989-01-01

Microanalytical investigations have been made on samples of ceramic fibres (SiC fibres, (Nicalon) C fibre coated with TiN) and fibre-reinforced ceramics (SiC-and glass-matrices). High resolution Auger electron spectroscopy (HRAES), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and scanning electron microscopy were employed for these examinations. Analysis was best performed with HRAES on account of its lateral and depth resolution. Some of the problems involved in this technique are discussed e.g. electron beam effects. AES depth profiles of ceramic fibres are reported and compared with the surface analysis of fibres in the composites after being broken in situ. (orig.)

The possibility of using high strength reinforced concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Nobuaki

1991-01-01

There is recently much research about and developments in reinforced concrete using high strength concrete and reinforcement. As a result, some high-rise buildings and nuclear buildings have been constructed with such concrete. Reinforced concrete will be stronger in the future, but there is a limit to its strength defined by the character of the materials and also by the character of the reinforced concrete members made of the concrete and reinforcement. This report describes the merits and demerits of using high strength reinforced concrete. (author)

Reinforced concrete wall under hydrogen detonation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saarenheimo, A.

2000-11-01

The structural integrity of a reinforced concrete wall in the BWR reactor building under hydrogen detonation conditions has been analysed. Of particular interest is whether the containment integrity can be jeopardised by an external hydrogen detonation. The load carrying capacity of a reinforced concrete wall was studied. The detonation pressure loads were estimated with computerised hand calculations assuming a direct initiation of detonation and applying the strong explosion theory. The results can be considered as rough and conservative estimates for the first shock pressure impact induced by a reflecting detonation wave. Structural integrity may be endangered due to slow pressurisation or dynamic impulse loads associated with local detonations. The static pressure following the passage of a shock front may be relatively high, thus this static or slowly decreasing pressure after a detonation may damage the structure severely. The mitigating effects of the opening of a door on pressure history and structural response were also studied. The non-linear behaviour of the wall was studied under detonations corresponding a detonable hydrogen mass of 0.5 kg and 1.428 kg. Non-linear finite element analyses of the reinforced concrete structure were carried out by the ABAQUS/Explicit program. The reinforcement and its non-linear material behaviour and the tensile cracking of concrete were modelled. Reinforcement was defined as layers of uniformly spaced reinforcing bars in shell elements. In these studies the surrounding structures of the non-linearly modelled reinforced concrete wall were modelled using idealised boundary conditions. Especially concrete cracking and yielding of the reinforcement was monitored during the numerical simulation. (au)

Puget Sound Area Electric Reliability Plan : Appendix E, Transmission Reinforcement Analysis.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

1992-04-01

The purpose of this appendix to the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) report is to provide an update of the latest study work done on transmission system options for the Puget Sound Area Electric Reliability Plan. Also included in the attachments to the EIS are 2 reports analyzing the voltage stability of the Puget Sound transmission system and a review by Power Technologies, Inc. of the BPA voltage stability analysis and reactive options. Five transmission line options and several reactive options are presently being considered as possible solutions to the PSAFRP by the Transmission Team. The first two line options would be built on new rights-of way adjacent (as much as possible) to existing corridors. The reactive options would optimize the existing transmission system capability by adding new stations for series capacitors and/or switchgear. The other three line options are rebuilds or upgrades of existing cross mountain transmission lines. These options are listed below and include a preliminary assessment of the additional transmission system reinforcement required to integrate the new facilities into the existing transmission system. Plans were designed to provide at least 500 MVAR reactive margin.

Neutron and gamma-ray transmission technique for the on-line determination of moisture in coal and coke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sowerby, B.D.; Millen, M.J.; Rafter, P.T.

1985-01-01

A fast neutron and gamma-ray transmission technique is being developed for the on-line analysis of moisture in coal and coke. The technique utilises 252 Cf and 137 Cs sources and 3 He and NaI(Tl) detectors. Laboratory measurements on single coal samples have shown that moisture can be determined to better than 1 wt% over the range 0 to 16 wt% moisture and 5 to 17cm thickness. Reduced errors were obtained for restricted ranges of moisture and thickness. Preliminary measurements on coke of thickness 30 to 50cm have shown that moisture can be determined to within 0.26 wt% over the range 1 to 16 wt% moisture

On-line monitoring of solar cell module production by ellipsometry technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fried, M.

2014-01-01

Non-destructive analyzing tools are needed at all stages of thin film photovoltaic (PV) development, and on production lines. In thin film PV, layer thicknesses, micro-structure, composition, layer optical properties, and their uniformity (because each elementary cell is connected electrically in series within a big panel) serve as an important starting point in the evaluation of the performance of the cell or module. An important focus is to express the dielectric functions of each component material in terms of a handful of wavelength independent parameters whose variation can cover all process variants of that material. With the resulting database, spectroscopic ellipsometry coupled with multilayer analysis can be developed for on-line point-by-point mapping and on-line line-by-line imaging. This work tries to review the investigations of different types of PV-layers (anti-reflective coating, transparent-conductive oxide (TCO), multi-diode-structure, absorber and window layers) showing the existing dielectric function databases for the thin film components of CdTe, CuInGaSe 2 , thin Si, and TCO layers. Off-line point-by-point mapping can be effective for characterization of non-uniformities in full scale PV panels in developing labs but it is slow in the on-line mode when only 15 points can be obtained (within 1 min) as a 120 cm long panel moves by the mapping station. In the last years [M. Fried et al., Thin Solid Films 519, 2730 (2011)], instrumentation was developed that provides a line image of spectroscopic ellipsometry (wl = 350–1000 nm) data. Up to now a single 30 point line image can be collected in 10 s over a 15 cm width of PV material. This year we are building a 30 and a 60 cm width expanded beam ellipsometer the speed of which will be increased by 10 ×. Then 1800 points can be mapped in a 1 min traverse of a 60 ∗ 120 cm PV panel or flexible roll-to-roll substrate. - Highlights: • Instrumentation developed provides a line image of

On-line monitoring of solar cell module production by ellipsometry technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fried, M., E-mail: fried@mfa.kfki.hu

2014-11-28

Non-destructive analyzing tools are needed at all stages of thin film photovoltaic (PV) development, and on production lines. In thin film PV, layer thicknesses, micro-structure, composition, layer optical properties, and their uniformity (because each elementary cell is connected electrically in series within a big panel) serve as an important starting point in the evaluation of the performance of the cell or module. An important focus is to express the dielectric functions of each component material in terms of a handful of wavelength independent parameters whose variation can cover all process variants of that material. With the resulting database, spectroscopic ellipsometry coupled with multilayer analysis can be developed for on-line point-by-point mapping and on-line line-by-line imaging. This work tries to review the investigations of different types of PV-layers (anti-reflective coating, transparent-conductive oxide (TCO), multi-diode-structure, absorber and window layers) showing the existing dielectric function databases for the thin film components of CdTe, CuInGaSe{sub 2}, thin Si, and TCO layers. Off-line point-by-point mapping can be effective for characterization of non-uniformities in full scale PV panels in developing labs but it is slow in the on-line mode when only 15 points can be obtained (within 1 min) as a 120 cm long panel moves by the mapping station. In the last years [M. Fried et al., Thin Solid Films 519, 2730 (2011)], instrumentation was developed that provides a line image of spectroscopic ellipsometry (wl = 350–1000 nm) data. Up to now a single 30 point line image can be collected in 10 s over a 15 cm width of PV material. This year we are building a 30 and a 60 cm width expanded beam ellipsometer the speed of which will be increased by 10 ×. Then 1800 points can be mapped in a 1 min traverse of a 60 ∗ 120 cm PV panel or flexible roll-to-roll substrate. - Highlights: • Instrumentation developed provides a line image of

Effect of reinforcement fibers on the collapse potential of clayey sands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adjabi Souhila

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The collapse of soils under wetting is a major problem in Geotechnical engineering. The erection of structures on these types of soils, located in arid and semi-arid zones, needs careful treatment of these soils. Soil reinforcement techniques have been rapidly increased during these two decades because of their effectiveness in geotechnical engineering. The aim of this experimental work is to investigate the collapsible soil behaviour in order to improve its characteristics. To achieve this goal, Polyethylene fibers, and Sisal fibers were used as Polyethylene fibers content in mass are varied from 0% (unreinforced samples to 15%; and Sisal fibers content from 0.5% to 1%. The fiber reinforcement is combined with other processing procedures such as compaction and the addition of CPA cement to decrease the collapse potential.

Micro/Nanomechanical characterization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes reinforced epoxy composite.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Peng; Wang, Xinnan; Tangpong, X W

2012-11-01

In this paper, the mechanical properties of 1 wt.% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) reinforced epoxy nanocomposites were characterized using a self-designed micro/nano three point bending tester that was on an atomic force microscope (AFM) to in situ observe MWCNTs movement on the sample surface under loading. The migration of an individual MWCNT at the surface of the nanocomposite was tracked to address the nanomechanical reinforcing mechanism of the nanocomposites. Through morphology analysis of the nanocomposite via scanning electron microscopy, AFM, and digital image correlation technique, it was found that the MWCNTs agglomerate and the bundles were the main factors for limiting the bending strength of the composites. The agglomeration/bundle effect was included in the Halpin-Tsai model to account for the elastic modulus of the nanocomposites.

On the weld strength of in situ tape placed reinforcements on weave reinforced structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grouve, Wouter Johannes Bernardus; Warnet, Laurent; Rietman, Bert; Akkerman, Remko

2012-01-01

Unidirectionally reinforced thermoplastic tapes were welded onto woven fabric reinforced laminates using a laser assisted tape placement process. A mandrel peel setup was used to quantify the interfacial fracture toughness between the tape and the laminate as a measure for weld strength. The tape

Reinforcement Learning State-of-the-Art

CERN Document Server

Wiering, Marco

2012-01-01

Reinforcement learning encompasses both a science of adaptive behavior of rational beings in uncertain environments and a computational methodology for finding optimal behaviors for challenging problems in control, optimization and adaptive behavior of intelligent agents. As a field, reinforcement learning has progressed tremendously in the past decade. The main goal of this book is to present an up-to-date series of survey articles on the main contemporary sub-fields of reinforcement learning. This includes surveys on partially observable environments, hierarchical task decompositions, relational knowledge representation and predictive state representations. Furthermore, topics such as transfer, evolutionary methods and continuous spaces in reinforcement learning are surveyed. In addition, several chapters review reinforcement learning methods in robotics, in games, and in computational neuroscience. In total seventeen different subfields are presented by mostly young experts in those areas, and together the...

Masonry arches retrofitted with steel reinforced grout materials: In-situ experimental tests and advanced FE simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Bertolesi, Elisa; Carozzi, Francesca Giulia; Milani, Gabriele; Poggi, Carlo

2017-11-01

The paper presents the results of a series of in-situ tests carried out on two masonry arches, one unreinforced and the other reinforced with SRG (Steel Reinforced Grout). The arches are built adopting a peculiar construction technique using common Italian bricks with dimensions 250 × 120 × 55 mm3 and 10 mm thick mortar joints. One of the two arches has been reinforced with an SRG material constituted by an inox grid embedded into a layer of lime mortar, whereas the second one is maintained unreinforced for comparison purposes. The experimental set-up is designed to apply an eccentric vertical load placed at ¼ of the span in a series of loading and unloading cycles up to the failure. The numerical analyses have been performed using a sophisticated heterogeneous micro-modeling technique, where bricks, mortar joints and the strengthening have been modeled separately. Finally, the numerical outcomes have been comparatively assessed with respect to the experimental results and the crack patterns obtained at the end of the tests, showing a satisfactory agreement in terms of the global behavior of the arches and their collapse mechanisms.

Electrospinning of single wall carbon nanotube reinforced aligned fibrils and yarns

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Hoa Le

Commercial carbon fibers produced from a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor have reached their performance limit. The approach in this study involves the use of single carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with an ultra-high elastic modulus of approximately ˜1 TPa and tensile strength of ˜37 GPa at a breaking strain of ˜6% to reinforce PAN. In order to translate these extraordinary properties to a higher order structure, the need for a media to carry and assemble the SWNT into continuous fibers or yarns is necessary. Effective translation of properties can only be achieved through uniform distribution of SWNT and their alignment in the fiber axis. This has been one of the major challenges since SWNTs tend to agglomerate due to high van der Waals attraction between tubes. It is the goal of this study to develop dispersion technique(s) for the SWNT and process them into aligned fibers utilizing the electrospinning process. The electrospun nanofibers were then characterized by various techniques such as ESEM, Raman microspectroscopy, HRTEM, and tensile testing. Composite nanofibers containing various contents of SWNT up to 10 wt. % with diameter ranging from 40--300 nm were successfully electrospun through varying the polymer concentration and spinning parameters. The inclusion of SWNTs and their alignment in the fiber axis were confirmed by Raman microspectroscopy, polarized Raman and HRETEM. The failure mechanism of the nanofibers was investigated by HRTEM through fiber surface fracture. A two stage rupture mechanism was observed where crazing initiates at a surface defect followed by SWNTs pulling out of the PAN matrix. Such mechanisms consume energy therefore strengthening and toughening the fibers. Mechanical drawing of the fiber prior to heat treatment induced molecular orientation resulting in oriented graphite layers in the carbonized fibers. This study has established a processing base and characterization techniques to support the design and development of SWNT

Thermally sprayed prepregs for thixoforging of UD fiber reinforced light metal MMCs

Science.gov (United States)

Silber, Martin; Wenzelburger, Martin; Gadow, Rainer

2007-04-01

Low density and good mechanical properties are the basic requirements for lightweight structures in automotive and aerospace applications. With their high specific strength and strain to failure values, aluminum alloys could be used for such applications. Only the insufficient stiffness and thermal and fatigue strength prevented their usage in high-end applications. One possibility to solve this problem is to reinforce the light metal with unidirectional fibers. The UD fiber allows tailoring of the reinforcement to meet the direction of the component's load. In this study, the production of thermally sprayed prepregs for the manufacturing of continuous fiber reinforced MMC by thixoforging is analysed. The main aim is to optimize the winding procedure, which determines the fiber strand position and tension during the coating process. A method to wind and to coat the continuous fibers with an easy-to-use handling technique for the whole manufacturing process is presented. The prepregs were manufactured by producing arc wire sprayed AlSi6 coatings on fibers bundles. First results of bending experiments showed appropriate mechanical properties.

Facilitating tolerance of delayed reinforcement during functional communication training.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, W W; Thompson, R H; Hagopian, L P; Bowman, L G; Krug, A

2000-01-01

Few clinical investigations have addressed the problem of delayed reinforcement. In this investigation, three individuals whose destructive behavior was maintained by positive reinforcement were treated using functional communication training (FCT) with extinction (EXT). Next, procedures used in the basic literature on delayed reinforcement and self-control (reinforcer delay fading, punishment of impulsive responding, and provision of an alternative activity during reinforcer delay) were used to teach participants to tolerate delayed reinforcement. With the first case, reinforcer delay fading alone was effective at maintaining low rates of destructive behavior while introducing delayed reinforcement. In the second case, the addition of a punishment component reduced destructive behavior to near-zero levels and facilitated reinforcer delay fading. With the third case, reinforcer delay fading was associated with increases in masturbation and head rolling, but prompting and praising the individual for completing work during the delay interval reduced all problem behaviors and facilitated reinforcer delay fading.

Reinforced Conductive Polyaniline-Paper Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinhua Yan

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A method for direct aniline interfacial polymerization on polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE-reinforced paper substrate is introduced in this paper. Cellulose-based papers with and without reinforcement were considered. The polyaniline (PANI-paper composites had surface resistivity lower than 100 Ω/sq after more than 3 polymerizations. Their mechanical strength and thermal stability were analyzed by tensile tests and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR results revealed that there was strong interaction between NH groups in aniline monomers and OH groups in fibers, which did not disappear until after 3 polymerizations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and field emission (FE SEM images showed morphological differences between composites using reinforced and untreated base papers. Conductive composites made with PAE-reinforced base paper had both good thermal stability and good mechanical strength, with high conductivity and a smaller PANI amount.

Superelastic SMA–FRP composite reinforcement for concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wierschem, Nicholas; Andrawes, Bassem

2010-01-01

For many years there has been interest in using fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) as reinforcement in concrete structures. Unfortunately, due to their linear elastic behavior, FRP reinforcing bars are never considered for structural damping or dynamic applications. With the aim of improving the ductility and damping capability of concrete structures reinforced with FRP reinforcement, this paper studies the application of SMA–FRP, a relatively novel type of composite reinforced with superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) wires. The cyclic tensile behavior of SMA–FRP composites are studied experimentally and analytically. Tests of SMA–FRP composite coupons are conducted to determine their constitutive behavior. The experimental results are used to develop and calibrate a uniaxial SMA–FRP analytical model. Parametric and case studies are performed to determine the efficacy of the SMA–FRP reinforcement in concrete structures and the key factors governing its behavior. The results show significant potential for SMA–FRP reinforcement to improve the ductility and damping of concrete structures while still maintaining its elastic characteristic, typical of FRP reinforcement

Positive behavioral contrast across food and alcohol reinforcers.

OpenAIRE

McSweeney, F K; Melville, C L; Higa, J

1988-01-01

The present study examined behavioral contrast during concurrent and multiple schedules that provided food and alcohol reinforcers. Concurrent-schedule contrast occurred in the responding reinforced by food when alcohol reinforcers were removed. It also occurred in the responding reinforced by alcohol when food was removed. Multiple-schedule contrast appeared for food when alcohol reinforcers were removed, but not for alcohol when food was removed. These results show that behavioral contrast ...

UV curing silicon-containing epoxy resin and its glass cloth reinforced composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Guang; Tang Zhuo; Huang Pengcheng

2007-01-01

A UV-curable cationic silicon-containing epoxy resin formulation was developed. The gel conversion of the cured resin after 10-min UV irradiation reached 80% in the presence of 5% diaryliodonium salt photoinitiator and 5.5% polyol chain transfer agent by cationic ring-opening polymerization. The glass cloth-reinforced composites were fabricated with the silicon-containing epoxy resin using the wet lay-up technique and UV irradiation. The mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated. Compared with glass cloth reinforced bisphenol A epoxy resin matrix composites, the silicon-containing epoxy resin matrix composites possessed higher tensile strength and interlayer shear strength which was 158.5MPa and 9.9MPa respectively while other mechanical properties such as flexural property and tensile modulus were similar. (authors)

Imposed Work of Breathing for Flow Meters with In-Line versus Flow-Through Technique during Simulated Neonatal Breathing.

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldsson, Snorri; Falk, Markus; Jonsson, Baldvin; Drevhammar, Thomas

2015-01-01

The ability to determine airflow during nasal CPAP (NCPAP) treatment without adding dead space or resistance would be useful when investigating the physiologic effects of different NCPAP systems on breathing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect on pressure stability of different flow measuring devices at the in-line and flow-through position, using simulated neonatal breathing. Six different flow measure devices were evaluated by recording pressure changes and imposed work of breathing for breaths with 16 and 32 ml tidal volumes. The tests were performed initially with the devices in an in line position and with 5 and 10 L/min using flow through technique, without CPAP. The flow meters were then subsequently tested with an Infant Flow CPAP system at 3, 5 and 8 cm H2O pressure using flow through technique. The quality of the recorded signals was compared graphically. The resistance of the measuring devices generated pressure swings and imposed work of breathing. With bias flow, the resistance also generated CPAP pressure. Three of the devices had low resistance and generated no changes in pressure stability or CPAP pressure. The two devices intended for neonatal use had the highest measured resistance. The importance of pressure stability and increased work of breathing during non-invasive respiratory support are insufficiently studied. Clinical trials using flow-through technique have not focused on pressure stability. Our results indicate that a flow-through technique might be a way forward in obtaining a sufficiently high signal quality without the added effects of rebreathing and increased work of breathing. The results should stimulate further research and the development of equipment for dynamic flow measurements in neonates.

Learning to trade via direct reinforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, J; Saffell, M

2001-01-01

We present methods for optimizing portfolios, asset allocations, and trading systems based on direct reinforcement (DR). In this approach, investment decision-making is viewed as a stochastic control problem, and strategies are discovered directly. We present an adaptive algorithm called recurrent reinforcement learning (RRL) for discovering investment policies. The need to build forecasting models is eliminated, and better trading performance is obtained. The direct reinforcement approach differs from dynamic programming and reinforcement algorithms such as TD-learning and Q-learning, which attempt to estimate a value function for the control problem. We find that the RRL direct reinforcement framework enables a simpler problem representation, avoids Bellman's curse of dimensionality and offers compelling advantages in efficiency. We demonstrate how direct reinforcement can be used to optimize risk-adjusted investment returns (including the differential Sharpe ratio), while accounting for the effects of transaction costs. In extensive simulation work using real financial data, we find that our approach based on RRL produces better trading strategies than systems utilizing Q-learning (a value function method). Real-world applications include an intra-daily currency trader and a monthly asset allocation system for the S&P 500 Stock Index and T-Bills.

Enhancement of shear strength and ductility for reinforced concrete wide beams due to web reinforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Said

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The shear behavior of reinforced concrete wide beams was investigated. The experimental program consisted of nine beams of 29 MPa concrete strength tested with a shear span-depth ratio equal to 3.0. One of the tested beams had no web reinforcement as a control specimen. The flexure mode of failure was secured for all of the specimens to allow for shear mode of failure. The key parameters covered in this investigation are the effect of the existence, spacing, amount and yield stress of the vertical stirrups on the shear capacity and ductility of the tested wide beams. The study shows that the contribution of web reinforcement to the shear capacity is significant and directly proportional to the amount and spacing of the shear reinforcement. The increase in the shear capacity ranged from 32% to 132% for the range of the tested beams compared with the control beam. High grade steel was more effective in the contribution of the shear strength of wide beams. Also, test results demonstrate that the shear reinforcement significantly enhances the ductility of the wide beams. In addition, shear resistances at failure recorded in this study are compared to the analytical strengths calculated according to the current Egyptian Code and the available international codes. The current study highlights the need to include the contribution of shear reinforcement in the Egyptian Code requirements for shear capacity of wide beams.

An OCD perspective of line edge and line width roughness metrology

Science.gov (United States)

Bonam, Ravi; Muthinti, Raja; Breton, Mary; Liu, Chi-Chun; Sieg, Stuart; Seshadri, Indira; Saulnier, Nicole; Shearer, Jeffrey; Patlolla, Raghuveer; Huang, Huai

2017-03-01

Metrology of nanoscale patterns poses multiple challenges that range from measurement noise, metrology errors, probe size etc. Optical Metrology has gained a lot of significance in the semiconductor industry due to its fast turn around and reliable accuracy, particularly to monitor in-line process variations. Apart from monitoring critical dimension, thickness of films, there are multiple parameters that can be extracted from Optical Metrology models3. Sidewall angles, material compositions etc., can also be modeled to acceptable accuracy. Line edge and Line Width roughness are much sought of metrology following critical dimension and its uniformity, although there has not been much development in them with optical metrology. Scanning Electron Microscopy is still used as a standard metrology technique for assessment of Line Edge and Line Width roughness. In this work we present an assessment of Optical Metrology and its ability to model roughness from a set of structures with intentional jogs to simulate both Line edge and Line width roughness at multiple amplitudes and frequencies. We also present multiple models to represent roughness and extract relevant parameters from Optical metrology. Another critical aspect of optical metrology setup is correlation of measurement to a complementary technique to calibrate models. In this work, we also present comparison of roughness parameters extracted and measured with variation of image processing conditions on a commercially available CD-SEM tool.

Morphology and mechanical behaviour of concretes reinforced by amorphous cast fibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redon, Carl

1997-01-01

This research thesis addresses the characterization of the morphology and mechanical behaviour of concretes reinforced by amorphous cast fibres. It first gathers some general characteristics and observations related to the amorphous cast fibre: roughness, failure mode, amorphous structure, X-ray analysis, fire resistance. Experimental methods and techniques developed for morphological analysis and mechanical tests are presented (sample preparation, tensile test, and compression sample) and the use of image automatic analysis techniques is then addressed (void morphology and granulometry analysis, inter-void distance measurement, fibre spatial distribution). The next part reports the study of the mechanical behaviour under axial compression [fr

Static and dynamic experimental study of strengthened reinforced short concrete corbel by using carbon fabrics, crack path in shear zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Ivanova

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an experimental analysis of tracking the path of the cracks and crack growth in strengthened or repair reinforced concrete short corbels bonded by carbon fiber fabrics under static and dynamic loads. The reinforced short concrete corbel is a used precast element, for industrial buildings and structures. In fact, their functioning interestingly unconventional is compared to classical beam type elements. Then the effects of bending and shearing are combined in this case. The horizontal reinforced steel is localized to resist to tensile strength induced in bending top and a transversal strength-absorbing contribution. The introduction of carbon fiber composite in the field of Civil Engineering allows to strengthen or repair reinforced concrete structures using adhesive. So the carbon fiber material has many advantages as its low weight, flexibility, easier handling and also interesting physicochemical properties. However maintenance of civil engineering works is to protect them by ensuring better sealing or limiting corrosion. Then strengthening is to repair structures by using bonding technique to compensate their rigidity loss and limit the cracking. This allows to improve their performance and durability. Bonding of composite material in tensile zone of corbel retrieves most tensile stress and allows the structure to extend their load-bearing capacity. The local behavior of the structure is measured by means of the extensometer technique based on electrical strain gauges. This technique allowed to measure strains of steel, carbon fiber fabrics and concrete. The results of this investigation showed that strengthened reinforced concrete corbel bonded by carbon fiber fabrics can improve the ultimate load to twice and stiffens less than a third. The ultimate load, strain and displacement of the specimen are compared to reference experimental model of monotonic and cyclic applied loads. The success of strengthening depends strongly

Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites as Internal and External Reinforcements for Building Elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cătălin Banu

2008-01-01

Full Text Available During the latest decades fibre reinforced polymer (FRP composite materials have proven valuable properties and suitable to be used in construction of new buildings and in upgrading the existing ones. These materials have covered the road from research laboratory and demonstration projects to implementation in actual structures. Nowadays the civil and structural engineering communities are about to commence the stage in which the use of FRP composites is becoming a routine similar to that of traditional material such as concrete, masonry and wood. Two main issues are presented in this paper, the use of FRP composite materials for new structural members (internal reinforcements and strengthening of existing members (externally bonded reinforcements. The advantages and disadvantages as well as the problems and constraints associated with both issues are discussed in detail mainly related to concrete members.

Tank War Using Online Reinforcement Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toftgaard Andersen, Kresten; Zeng, Yifeng; Dahl Christensen, Dennis

2009-01-01

Real-Time Strategy(RTS) games provide a challenging platform to implement online reinforcement learning(RL) techniques in a real application. Computer as one player monitors opponents'(human or other computers) strategies and then updates its own policy using RL methods. In this paper, we propose...... a multi-layer framework for implementing the online RL in a RTS game. The framework significantly reduces the RL computational complexity by decomposing the state space in a hierarchical manner. We implement the RTS game - Tank General, and perform a thorough test on the proposed framework. The results...... show the effectiveness of our proposed framework and shed light on relevant issues on using the RL in RTS games....

Nondestructive damage detection and evaluation technique for seismically damaged structures

Science.gov (United States)

Adachi, Yukio; Unjoh, Shigeki; Kondoh, Masuo; Ohsumi, Michio

1999-02-01

The development of quantitative damage detection and evaluation technique, and damage detection technique for invisible damages of structures are required according to the lessons from the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake. In this study, two quantitative damage sensing techniques for highway bridge structures are proposed. One method is to measure the change of vibration characteristics of the bridge structure. According to the damage detection test for damaged bridge column by shaking table test, this method can successfully detect the vibration characteristic change caused by damage progress due to increment excitations. The other method is to use self-diagnosis intelligent materials. According to the reinforced concrete beam specimen test, the second method can detect the damage by rupture of intelligent sensors, such as optical fiber or carbon fiber reinforced plastic rod.

Strength Characteristics of Reinforced Sandy Soil

OpenAIRE

S. N. Bannikov; Mahamed Al Fayez

2005-01-01

Laboratory tests on determination of reinforced sandy soil strength characteristics (angle of internal friction, specific cohesive force) have been carried out with the help of a specially designed instrument and proposed methodology. Analysis of the obtained results has revealed that cohesive forces are brought about in reinforced sandy soil and an angle of internal soil friction becomes larger in comparison with non-reinforced soil.

Thermoplastic Composites Reinforced with Textile Grids: Development of a Manufacturing Chain and Experimental Characterisation

Science.gov (United States)

Böhm, R.; Hufnagl, E.; Kupfer, R.; Engler, T.; Hausding, J.; Cherif, C.; Hufenbach, W.

2013-12-01

A significant improvement in the properties of plastic components can be achieved by introducing flexible multiaxial textile grids as reinforcement. This reinforcing concept is based on the layerwise bonding of biaxially or multiaxially oriented, completely stretched filaments of high-performance fibers, e.g. glass or carbon, and thermoplastic components, using modified warp knitting techniques. Such pre-consolidated grid-like textiles are particularly suitable for use in injection moulding, since the grid geometry is very robust with respect to flow pressure and temperature on the one hand and possesses an adjustable spacing to enable a complete filling of the mould cavity on the other hand. The development of pre-consolidated textile grids and their further processing into composites form the basis for providing tailored parts with a large number of additional integrated functions like fibrous sensors or electroconductive fibres. Composites reinforced in that way allow new product groups for promising lightweight structures to be opened up in future. The article describes the manufacturing process of this new composite class and their variability regarding reinforcement and function integration. An experimentally based study of the mechanical properties is performed. For this purpose, quasi-static and highly dynamic tensile tests have been carried out as well as impact penetration experiments. The reinforcing potential of the multiaxial grids is demonstrated by means of evaluating drop tower experiments on automotive components. It has been shown that the load-adapted reinforcement enables a significant local or global improvement of the properties of plastic components depending on industrial requirements.

Analytical, Numerical and Experimental Examination of Reinforced Composites Beams Covered with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic

Science.gov (United States)

Kasimzade, A. A.; Tuhta, S.

2012-03-01

In the article, analytical, numerical (Finite Element Method) and experimental investigation results of beam that was strengthened with fiber reinforced plastic-FRP composite has been given as comparative, the effect of FRP wrapping number to the maximum load and moment capacity has been evaluated depending on this results. Carbon FRP qualitative dependences have been occurred between wrapping number and beam load and moment capacity for repair-strengthen the reinforced concrete beams with carbon fiber. Shown possibilities of application traditional known analysis programs, for the analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) strengthened structures.

Line 400000 volts Marlenheim-Vigy: step of summary draft; Liaison 400000 volts marlenheim-vigy: etape d'avant projet sommaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

The rebuilding of the line 225000 volts by a 400000 volts line, between Marlenheim and Vigy, will allow to reinforce energy exchanges between Alsace and Lorraine, to reassure the city of Strasbourg and at long dated, assure the european train TGV-east alimentation. (A.L.B.)

Producing Durable Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement using Glass-ceramic Coated Reinforcing Steel

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-01

reinforcement if the enamel is broken  Embedded cement grains hydrate if enamel is cracked to self-heal with the formation of calcium silicate hydrate Goal...Reinforced Concrete Pavement The 600% volume change in the iron to iron oxide formation put the concrete in tension and it cracks an spalls BUILDING...corrodes prematurely and delaminates the pavement  Moisture and chlorides can move through the natural porosity of concrete and the cracks in the

Synthesis and Properties of Carbon Nanotube-Grafted Silica Nanoarchitecture-Reinforced Poly(Lactic Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao-Wen Hsu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A novel nanoarchitecture-reinforced poly(lactic acid (PLA nanocomposite was prepared using multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT-grafted silica nanohybrids as reinforcements. MWCNT-grafted silica nanohybrids were synthesized by the generation of silica nanoparticles on the MWCNT surface through the sol-gel technique. This synthetic method involves organo-modified MWCNTs that are dispersed in tetrahydrofuran, which incorporates tetraethoxysilane that undergoes an ultrasonic sol-gel process. Gelation yielded highly dispersed silica on the organo-modified MWCNTs. The structure and properties of the nanohybrids were established using 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance, Raman spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The resulting MWCNT nanoarchitectures were covalently assembled into silica nanoparticles, which exhibited specific and controllable morphologies and were used to reinforce biodegradable PLA. The tensile strength and the heat deflection temperature (HDT of the PLA/MWCNT-grafted silica nanocomposites increased when the MWCNT-grafted silica was applied to the PLA matrix; by contrast, the surface resistivity of the PLA/MWCNT-grafted silica nanocomposites appeared to decline as the amount of MWCNT-grafted silica in the PLA matrix increased. Overall, the reinforcement of PLA using MWCNT-grafted silica nanoarchitectures was efficient and improved its mechanical properties, heat resistance, and electrical resistivity.

Constitutive model for reinforced concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, P.H.; Borst, de R.

1995-01-01

A numerical model is proposed for reinforced-concrete behavior that combines the commonly accepted ideas from modeling plain concrete, reinforcement, and interaction behavior in a consistent manner. The behavior of plain concrete is govern by fracture-energy-level-based formulation both in tension

Tangible Reinforcers: Bonuses or Bribes?

Science.gov (United States)

O'Leary, K. Daniel; And Others

1972-01-01

Objections to the use of tangible reinforcers, such as prizes, candy, cigarettes, and money, are discussed. Treatment programs using tangible reinforcers are recommended as powerful modifers of behavior to be implemented only after less powerful means of modification have been tried. (Author)

Field survey and laboratory tests on composite materials case of GRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester tubes for water suply

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radu Hariga

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In the Moldova land, were made two lines of water adduction, having 6000 m length and 40 m slope, or 1/150 slope. The water supply component tubes were disposed under the plant: The tubes are made of glass – reinforced thermosetting plastics (GRP. After about 180 days of operation, one of the lines showed severe deterioration of the quality pipe components. This paper deals with some laboratory tests in order to detect the failure cases of the pipelines components.

On-line measurement of moisture content of powdered food using microwave free-space transmission technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ki Bok; Park, Seong Un; Kim, Ji Yeon; Kim, Jong Heon; Lee, ChanJoo

2006-01-01

The moisture content of food is not only the most important quality factor but also one of the essential parameters affecting their physical and chemical properties related to storage, capability of processing and quality control. The moisture measurement technique using microwave is very attractive because that method has merits of rapid and accurate measurement in the wider range of moisture content, simple implementation and inexpensive compared with other methods. In this study, microwave free-space transmission technique was applied to measure the moisture content of powdered food. The on-line measurement system consisting of microwave system with 2.5 GHz, 7.0 GHz and 10.5 GHz, conveying device to move the food samples, inlet and outlet of the food samples, guide plate to control the thickness of the food samples, temperature sensing nit, taco-meter and central processing unit having analog to digital convert and microprocessor was constructed and its performance was evaluated.

TEACHING SELF-CONTROL WITH QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT REINFORCERS

OpenAIRE

Passage, Michael; Tincani, Matt; Hantula, Donald A.

2012-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of using qualitatively different reinforcers to teach self-control to an adolescent boy who had been diagnosed with an intellectual disability. First, he was instructed to engage in an activity without programmed reinforcement. Next, he was instructed to engage in the activity under a two-choice fixed-duration schedule of reinforcement. Finally, he was exposed to self-control training, during which the delay to a more preferred reinforcer was initially sh...

Microstructural analysis and mechanical characterization of aluminum matrix nanocomposites reinforced with uncoated and Cu-coated alumina particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beygi, H., E-mail: hossein.beygi@stu-mail.um.ac.ir; Sajjadi, S.A.; Zebarjad, S.M.

2014-06-01

Aluminum matrix composites used in the aerospace, military and automotive industries are typically fabricated by a stir casting method. However, when nanoparticles are used for reinforcement, fabrication of composite materials by this method leads to the formation of a large number of structural defects. In this study, copper coating of alumina reinforcement particles is investigated as a technique for improving the structure of Al-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composites. Microstructural investigations by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the alumina particles were coated uniformly with copper shells. Copper coating of the reinforcing particles significantly increased their wettability in the molten aluminum alloy, strengthened the matrix-particle interfaces and improved the distribution of reinforcing particles within the matrix. Due to these microstructural improvements, the hardness, compressive strength, yield stress, tensile strength and elongation of the composites were enhanced by copper coating of the alumina particles.

Microstructural analysis and mechanical characterization of aluminum matrix nanocomposites reinforced with uncoated and Cu-coated alumina particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beygi, H.; Sajjadi, S.A.; Zebarjad, S.M.

2014-01-01

Aluminum matrix composites used in the aerospace, military and automotive industries are typically fabricated by a stir casting method. However, when nanoparticles are used for reinforcement, fabrication of composite materials by this method leads to the formation of a large number of structural defects. In this study, copper coating of alumina reinforcement particles is investigated as a technique for improving the structure of Al-Al 2 O 3 composites. Microstructural investigations by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the alumina particles were coated uniformly with copper shells. Copper coating of the reinforcing particles significantly increased their wettability in the molten aluminum alloy, strengthened the matrix-particle interfaces and improved the distribution of reinforcing particles within the matrix. Due to these microstructural improvements, the hardness, compressive strength, yield stress, tensile strength and elongation of the composites were enhanced by copper coating of the alumina particles

Mechanical Behavior of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Beams Bonded with External Carbon Fiber Sheets.

Science.gov (United States)

Gribniak, Viktor; Tamulenas, Vytautas; Ng, Pui-Lam; Arnautov, Aleksandr K; Gudonis, Eugenijus; Misiunaite, Ieva

2017-06-17

This study investigates the mechanical behavior of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams internally reinforced with steel bars and externally bonded with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets fixed by adhesive and hybrid jointing techniques. In particular, attention is paid to the load resistance and failure modes of composite beams. The steel fibers were used to avoiding the rip-off failure of the concrete cover. The CFRP sheets were fixed to the concrete surface by epoxy adhesive as well as combined with various configurations of small-diameter steel pins for mechanical fastening to form a hybrid connection. Such hybrid jointing techniques were found to be particularly advantageous in avoiding brittle debonding failure, by promoting progressive failure within the hybrid joints. The use of CFRP sheets was also effective in suppressing the localization of the discrete cracks. The development of the crack pattern was monitored using the digital image correlation method. As revealed from the image analyses, with an appropriate layout of the steel pins, brittle failure of the concrete-carbon fiber interface could be effectively prevented. Inverse analysis of the moment-curvature diagrams was conducted, and it was found that a simplified tension-stiffening model with a constant residual stress level at 90% of the strength of the SFRC is adequate for numerically simulating the deformation behavior of beams up to the debonding of the CFRP sheets.

Acoustic emission monitoring of concrete columns and beams strengthened with fiber reinforced polymer sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Gao; Li, Hui; Zhou, Wensong; Xian, Guijun

2012-04-01

Acoustic emission (AE) technique is an effective method in the nondestructive testing (NDT) field of civil engineering. During the last two decades, Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) has been widely used in repairing and strengthening concrete structures. The damage state of FRP strengthened concrete structures has become an important issue during the service period of the structure and it is a meaningful work to use AE technique as a nondestructive method to assess its damage state. The present study reports AE monitoring results of axial compression tests carried on basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) confined concrete columns and three-point-bending tests carried on BFRP reinforced concrete beams. AE parameters analysis was firstly utilized to give preliminary results of the concrete fracture process of these specimens. It was found that cumulative AE events can reflect the fracture development trend of both BFRP confined concrete columns and BFRP strengthened concrete beams and AE events had an abrupt increase at the point of BFRP breakage. Then the fracture process of BFRP confined concrete columns and BFRP strengthened concrete beams was studied through RA value-average frequency analysis. The RA value-average frequency tendencies of BFRP confined concrete were found different from that of BFRP strengthened concrete beams. The variation tendency of concrete crack patterns during the loading process was revealed.

Non-destructive inspection protocol for reinforced concrete barriers and bridge railings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chintakunta, Satish R. [Engineering and Software Consultants, Inc., 14123 Robert Paris Ct., Chantilly, VA 20151 (United States); Boone, Shane D. [Federal Highway Administration, Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101 (United States)

2014-02-18

Reinforced concrete highway barriers and bridge railings serve to prevent errant vehicles from departing the travel way at grade separations. Despite the important role that they play in maintaining safety and their ubiquitous nature, barrier inspection rarely moves beyond visual inspection. In August 2008, a tractor-trailer fatally departed William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after it dislodged a section of the bridge barrier. Investigations following the accident identified significant corrosion of the anchor bolts attaching the bridge railing to the bridge deck. As a result of the information gathered during its investigation of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration concerning Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of concrete bridge railings. The Center for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA is currently evaluating feasibility of using four technologies - ground penetrating radar (GPR), ultrasonic pulse-echo, digital radiography and infrared thermal imaging methods to develop bridge inspection methods that augment visual inspections, offer reliable measurement techniques, and are practical, both in terms of time and cost, for field inspection work. Controlled samples containing predefined corrosion levels in reinforcing steel were embedded at barrier connection points for laboratory testing. All four NDE techniques were used in the initial phase I testing. An inspection protocol for detecting and measuring the corrosion of reinforced steel embedded in the anchorage system will be developed as part of phase II research. The identified technologies shall be further developed for field testing utilizing a structure with a barrier in good condition and a structure with a barrier in poor condition.

Non-destructive inspection protocol for reinforced concrete barriers and bridge railings

Science.gov (United States)

Chintakunta, Satish R.; Boone, Shane D.

2014-02-01

Reinforced concrete highway barriers and bridge railings serve to prevent errant vehicles from departing the travel way at grade separations. Despite the important role that they play in maintaining safety and their ubiquitous nature, barrier inspection rarely moves beyond visual inspection. In August 2008, a tractor-trailer fatally departed William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after it dislodged a section of the bridge barrier. Investigations following the accident identified significant corrosion of the anchor bolts attaching the bridge railing to the bridge deck. As a result of the information gathered during its investigation of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration concerning Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of concrete bridge railings. The Center for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA is currently evaluating feasibility of using four technologies - ground penetrating radar (GPR), ultrasonic pulse-echo, digital radiography and infrared thermal imaging methods to develop bridge inspection methods that augment visual inspections, offer reliable measurement techniques, and are practical, both in terms of time and cost, for field inspection work. Controlled samples containing predefined corrosion levels in reinforcing steel were embedded at barrier connection points for laboratory testing. All four NDE techniques were used in the initial phase I testing. An inspection protocol for detecting and measuring the corrosion of reinforced steel embedded in the anchorage system will be developed as part of phase II research. The identified technologies shall be further developed for field testing utilizing a structure with a barrier in good condition and a structure with a barrier in poor condition.

PARTIAL REINFORCEMENT (ACQUISITION) EFFECTS WITHIN SUBJECTS.

Science.gov (United States)

AMSEL, A; MACKINNON, J R; RASHOTTE, M E; SURRIDGE, C T

1964-03-01

Acquisition performance of 22 rats in a straight alley runway was examined. The animals were subjected to partial reinforcement when the alley was black (B+/-) and continuous reinforcement when it was white (W+). The results indicated (a) higher terminal performance, for partial as against continuous reinforcement conditions, for starting-time and running-time measures, and (b) lower terminal performance under partial conditions for a goal-entry-time measure. These results confirm within subjects an effect previously demonstrated, in the runway, only in between-groups tests, where one group is run under partial reinforcement and a separate group is run under continuous reinforcement in the presence of the same external stimuli. Differences between the runway situation, employing a discrete-trial procedure and performance measures at three points in the response chain, and the Skinner box situation, used in its free-operant mode with a single performance measure, are discussed in relation to the present findings.

Reinforcement Learning in Repeated Portfolio Decisions

OpenAIRE

Diao, Linan; Rieskamp, Jörg

2011-01-01

How do people make investment decisions when they receive outcome feedback? We examined how well the standard mean-variance model and two reinforcement models predict people's portfolio decisions. The basic reinforcement model predicts a learning process that relies solely on the portfolio's overall return, whereas the proposed extended reinforcement model also takes the risk and covariance of the investments into account. The experimental results illustrate that people reacted sensitively to...

Gimbal system configurations and line-of-sight control techniques for small UAV applications

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Rick; Mooty, Greg; Hilkert, J. M.

2013-05-01

The proliferation of small Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) in the past decade has been driven, in part, by the diverse applications that various industries have found for these platforms. Originally, these applications were predominately military in nature but now include law enforcement/security, environmental monitoring/remote sensing, agricultural surveying, movie making and others. Many of these require sensors/payloads such as cameras, laser pointers/ illuminators/rangefinders and other systems that must be pointed and/or stabilized and therefore require a precision miniature gimbal or other means to control their line-of-sight (LOS). Until now, these markets have been served by traditional/larger gimbals; however, the latest class of small UAVs demands much smaller gimbals while maintaining high-performance. The limited size and weight of these gimbaled devices result in design challenges unique to the small-gimbal design field. In the past five years, Ascendant Engineering Solutions has engaged in designing, analyzing and building several small-gimbal systems to meet these challenges and has undertaken a number of trade studies to investigate techniques to achieve optimal performance within the inherent limitations mentioned above. These have included investigating various gimbal configurations, feedback sensors such as gyros, IMUs and encoders, drive train configurations, control system techniques, packaging and interconnect, as well as technology such as fast-steering mirrors and image-stabilization algorithms. This paper summarizes the results of these trade studies, attempts to identify inherent trends and limitations in the various design approaches and techniques, and discusses some practical issues such as test and verification.

Stability calculation method of slope reinforced by prestressed anchor in process of excavation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhong; Wei, Jia; Yang, Jun

2014-01-01

This paper takes the effect of supporting structure and anchor on the slope stability of the excavation process into consideration; the stability calculation model is presented for the slope reinforced by prestressed anchor and grillage beam, and the dynamic search model of the critical slip surface also is put forward. The calculation model of the optimal stability solution of each anchor tension of the whole process is also given out, through which the real-time analysis and checking of slope stability in the process of excavation can be realized. The calculation examples indicate that the slope stability is changed with the dynamic change of the design parameters of anchor and grillage beam. So it is relatively more accurate and reasonable by using dynamic search model to determine the critical slip surface of the slope reinforced by prestressed anchor and grillage beam. Through the relationships of each anchor layout and the slope height of various stages of excavation, and the optimal stability solution of prestressed bolt tension design value in various excavation stages can be obtained. The arrangement of its prestressed anchor force reflects that the layout of the lower part of bolt and the calculation of slope reinforcement is in line with the actual. These indicate that the method is reasonable and practical.

Development of novel Mg–Ni60Nb40 amorphous particle reinforced composites with enhanced hardness and compressive response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayalakshmi, S.; Sahu, Shreyasi; Sankaranarayanan, S.; Gupta, Sujasha; Gupta, M.

2014-01-01

Development of amorphous alloy/glassy particle reinforced light metal composites is an emerging research field. In this investigation, we have synthesized and characterized Ni 60 Nb 40 amorphous alloy particle reinforced Mg-composites with varying volume fractions. Microwave-assisted two-directional rapid sintering technique followed by hot extrusion was used to produce these pure Mg-based composites. The structural and mechanical properties of the developed composites were investigated, and are discussed using structure–property relationship. Structural analysis indicated the retention of amorphous structure of the reinforcement in all the composites. It was found that the distribution of the reinforcement was strongly dependent on the volume fraction (V f ). The addition of Ni 60 Nb 40 amorphous alloy particles modified the preferred crystal orientation of Mg, as was observed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The composites showed significant improvement in hardness (increment up to 120%) and compressive strength (∼85% increase at 5% V f ). Comparison of mechanical properties of the developed composites with those of conventional Mg-composites having ceramic/metallic reinforcements, highlight the effectiveness of using amorphous particles as promising reinforcement materials. - Highlights: • Novel Mg-composites reinforced with Ni 60 Nb 40 amorphous particles were developed . • Microwave sintering and hot extrusion were used to synthesize the composites. • Reinforcements retained the amorphous structure, and changed Mg-crystal orientation. • Composites showed significant enhancement in hardness and compressive properties. • Performance of developed composites are superior/competitive to conventional MMCs

Responding for sucrose and wheel-running reinforcement: effects of sucrose concentration and wheel-running reinforcer duration.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Hancock, Stephanie D

2003-03-01

Six male albino rats were placed in running wheels and exposed to a fixed-interval 30-s schedule of lever pressing that produced either a drop of sucrose solution or the opportunity to run for a fixed duration as reinforcers. Each reinforcer type was signaled by a different stimulus. In Experiment 1, the duration of running was held constant at 15 s while the concentration of sucrose solution was varied across values of 0, 2.5. 5, 10, and 15%. As concentration decreased, postreinforcement pause duration increased and local rates decreased in the presence of the stimulus signaling sucrose. Consequently, the difference between responding in the presence of stimuli signaling wheel-running and sucrose reinforcers diminished, and at 2.5%, response functions for the two reinforcers were similar. In Experiment 2, the concentration of sucrose solution was held constant at 15% while the duration of the opportunity to run was first varied across values of 15, 45, and 90 s then subsequently across values of 5, 10, and 15 s. As run duration increased, postreinforcement pause duration in the presence of the wheel-running stimulus increased and local rates increased then decreased. In summary, inhibitory aftereffects of previous reinforcers occurred when both sucrose concentration and run duration varied; changes in responding were attributable to changes in the excitatory value of the stimuli signaling the two reinforcers.

Continuous EB welding of the reinforcement of the CMS conductor

CERN Document Server

Folch, R; Campi, D; Christin, R; Creton, J P; Curé, B; Hervé, A; Horváth, I L; Neuenschwander, J; Riboni, P; Sequeira-Lopes-Tavares, S; Sgobba, Stefano

2002-01-01

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) is one of the general-purpose detectors to be provided for the LHC project at CERN. The design field of the CMS superconducting magnet is 4 T, the magnetic length is 12.5 m and the free bore is 6 m. In order to withstand the electro-mechanical forces during the operation of the CMS magnet, the superconducting cable embedded in a 99.998% pure aluminum matrix is reinforced with two sections of aluminum alloy EN AW-6082 assembled by continuous Electron Beam Welding (EBW). A dedicated production line has been designed by Techmeta, a leading company in the field of EBW. The production line has a total length of 70 m. Non-stop welding of each of the 20 lengths of 2.5 km, required to build the coil, will last 22 hours. EBW is the most critical process involved in the production line. The main advantage of the EBW process is to minimize the Heat Affected Zone; this is particularly important for avoiding damage to the superconducting cable located only 4.7 mm from the welded joints. Two...

Rational and Mechanistic Perspectives on Reinforcement Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Chater, Nick

2009-01-01

This special issue describes important recent developments in applying reinforcement learning models to capture neural and cognitive function. But reinforcement learning, as a theoretical framework, can apply at two very different levels of description: "mechanistic" and "rational." Reinforcement learning is often viewed in mechanistic terms--as…

Conditioned Reinforcement Value and Resistance to Change

Science.gov (United States)

Shahan, Timothy A.; Podlesnik, Christopher A.

2008-01-01

Three experiments examined the effects of conditioned reinforcement value and primary reinforcement rate on resistance to change using a multiple schedule of observing-response procedures with pigeons. In the absence of observing responses in both components, unsignaled periods of variable-interval (VI) schedule food reinforcement alternated with…

Glass FRP reinforcement in rehabilitation of concrete marine infrastructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newhook, John P.

2006-01-01

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcements for concrete structures are gaining wide acceptance as a suitable alternative to steel reinforcements. The primary advantage is that they do not suffer corrosion and hence they promise to be more durable in environments where steel reinforced concrete has a limited life span. Concrete wharves and jetties are examples of structures subjected to such harsh environments and represent the general class of marine infrastructure in which glass FRP (GFRP) reinforcement should be used for improved durability and service life. General design considerations which make glass FRP suitable for use in marine concrete rehabilitation projects are discussed. A case study of recent wharf rehabilitation project in Canada is used to reinforce these considerations. The structure consisted of a GFRP reinforced concrete deck panel and steel - GFRP hybrid reinforced concrete pile cap. A design methodology is developed for the hybrid reinforcement design and verified through testing. The results of a field monitoring program are used to establish the satisfactory field performance of the GFRP reinforcement. The design concepts presented in the paper are applicable to many concrete marine components and other structures where steel reinforcement corrosion is a problem. (author)

Multi-physics corrosion modeling for sustainability assessment of steel reinforced high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lepech, M.; Michel, Alexander; Geiker, Mette

2016-01-01

and widespread depassivation, are the mechanism behind experimental results of HPFRCC steel corrosion studies found in the literature. Such results provide an indication of the fundamental mechanisms by which steel reinforced HPFRCC materials may be more durable than traditional reinforced concrete and other......Using a newly developed multi-physics transport, corrosion, and cracking model, which models these phenomena as a coupled physiochemical processes, the role of HPFRCC crack control and formation in regulating steel reinforcement corrosion is investigated. This model describes transport of water...... and chemical species, the electric potential distribution in the HPFRCC, the electrochemical propagation of steel corrosion, and the role of microcracks in the HPFRCC material. Numerical results show that the reduction in anode and cathode size on the reinforcing steel surface, due to multiple crack formation...

Detection of a nuclear, EBNA-type antigen in apparently EBNA-negative Herpesvirus papio (HVP)-transformed lymphoid lines by the acid-fixed nuclear binding technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohno, S; Luka, J; Falk, L; Klein, G

1977-12-15

In agreement with the findings of previous authors, we could not detect a virally determined nuclear antigen in Herpesvirus papio (HVP)-transformed baboon lymphoid lines by anticomplementary staining in situ, as for EBNA. However, by means of our recently developed acid-fixed nuclear binding technique an EBNA-like antigen could be readily demonstrated, after extraction from both producer and non-producer lines. We propose to designate the antigen as HUPNA. It can be detected by a human anti-EBNA antibody, suggesting cross-reactivity, if not identity, between EBNA and HUPNA. HVP-DNA carrying non-producer lines, negative for in situ ACIF stainability but capable of yielding HUPNA by the nuclear binding technique, can be superinfected with EBV, with brilliant EBNA expression as the result, suggesting that the defective in situ staining is a property associated with the baboon HVP, rather than the baboon lymphoid cell per se.

Relationship between fiber degradation and residence time distribution in the processing of long fiber reinforced thermoplastics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Long fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFT were processed by in-line compounding equipment with a modified single screw extruder. A pulse stimulus response technique using PET spheres as the tracer was adopted to obtain residence time distribution (RTD of extrusion compounding. RTD curves were fitted by the model based on the supposition that extrusion compounding was the combination of plug flow and mixed flow. Characteristic parameters of RTD model including P the fraction of plug flow reactor (PFR and d the fraction of dead volume of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR were used to associate with fiber degradation presented by fiber length and dispersion. The effects of screw speed, mixing length and channel depth on RTD curves, and characteristic parameters of RTD models as well as their effects on the fiber degradation were investigated. The influence of shear force with different screw speeds and variable channel depth on fiber degradation was studied and the main impetus of fiber degradation was also presented. The optimal process for obtaining the balance of fiber length and dispersion was presented.

The critical dimensions of the response-reinforcer contingency.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, B A.

2001-05-03

Two major dimensions of any contingency of reinforcement are the temporal relation between a response and its reinforcer, and the relative frequency of the reinforcer given the response versus when the response has not occurred. Previous data demonstrate that time, per se, is not sufficient to explain the effects of delay-of-reinforcement procedures; needed in addition is some account of the events occurring in the delay interval. Moreover, the effects of the same absolute time values vary greatly across situations, such that any notion of a standard delay-of-reinforcement gradient is simplistic. The effects of reinforcers occurring in the absence of a response depend critically upon the stimulus conditions paired with those reinforcers, in much the same manner as has been shown with Pavlovian contingency effects. However, it is unclear whether the underlying basis of such effects is response competition or changes in the calculus of causation.

Imposed Work of Breathing for Flow Meters with In-Line versus Flow-Through Technique during Simulated Neonatal Breathing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Snorri Donaldsson

Full Text Available The ability to determine airflow during nasal CPAP (NCPAP treatment without adding dead space or resistance would be useful when investigating the physiologic effects of different NCPAP systems on breathing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect on pressure stability of different flow measuring devices at the in-line and flow-through position, using simulated neonatal breathing.Six different flow measure devices were evaluated by recording pressure changes and imposed work of breathing for breaths with 16 and 32 ml tidal volumes. The tests were performed initially with the devices in an in line position and with 5 and 10 L/min using flow through technique, without CPAP. The flow meters were then subsequently tested with an Infant Flow CPAP system at 3, 5 and 8 cm H2O pressure using flow through technique. The quality of the recorded signals was compared graphically.The resistance of the measuring devices generated pressure swings and imposed work of breathing. With bias flow, the resistance also generated CPAP pressure. Three of the devices had low resistance and generated no changes in pressure stability or CPAP pressure. The two devices intended for neonatal use had the highest measured resistance.The importance of pressure stability and increased work of breathing during non-invasive respiratory support are insufficiently studied. Clinical trials using flow-through technique have not focused on pressure stability. Our results indicate that a flow-through technique might be a way forward in obtaining a sufficiently high signal quality without the added effects of rebreathing and increased work of breathing. The results should stimulate further research and the development of equipment for dynamic flow measurements in neonates.

Reinforcement learning produces dominant strategies for the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma.

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Marc; Knight, Vincent; Jones, Martin; Koutsovoulos, Georgios; Glynatsi, Nikoleta E; Campbell, Owen

2017-01-01

We present tournament results and several powerful strategies for the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma created using reinforcement learning techniques (evolutionary and particle swarm algorithms). These strategies are trained to perform well against a corpus of over 170 distinct opponents, including many well-known and classic strategies. All the trained strategies win standard tournaments against the total collection of other opponents. The trained strategies and one particular human made designed strategy are the top performers in noisy tournaments also.

Joining of aluminum sheet and glass fiber reinforced polymer using extruded pins

Science.gov (United States)

Conte, Romina; Buhl, Johannes; Ambrogio, Giuseppina; Bambach, Markus

2018-05-01

The present contribution proposes a new approach for joining sheet metal and fiber reinforced composites. The joining process draws upon a Friction Stir Forming (FSF) process, which is performed on the metal sheet to produce slender pins. These pins are used to pierce through the composite. Joining is complete by forming a locking head out of the part if the pin sticks out of the composite. Pins of different diameters and lengths were produced from EN AW-1050 material, which were joined to glass fiber reinforced polyamide-6. The strength of the joint has been experimentally tested in order to understand the effect of the process temperature on the pins strength and therefore on the joining. The results demonstrate the feasibility of this new technique, which uses no excess material.

Modeling of geosynthetic reinforced capping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viswanadham, B.V.S.; Koenig, D.; Jessberger, H.L.

1997-01-01

The investigation deals with the influence of a geosynthetic reinforcement on the deformation behavior and sealing efficiency of the reinforced mineral sealing layer at the onset of non-uniform settlements. The research program is mainly concentrated in studying the influence of reinforcement inclusion in restraining cracks and crack propagation due to soil-geosynthetic bond efficiency. Centrifuge model tests are conducted in the 500 gt capacity balanced beam Bochum geotechnical Centrifuge (Z1) simulating a differential deformation of a mineral sealing layer of a landfill with the help of trap-door arrangement. By comparing the performance of the deformed mineral sealing layer with and without geogrid, the reinforcement ability of the geogrid in controlling the crack propagation and permeability of the mineral swing layer is evaluated

Geo synthetic-reinforced Pavement systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zornberg, J. G.

2014-01-01

Geo synthetics have been used as reinforcement inclusions to improve pavement performance. while there are clear field evidence of the benefit of using geo synthetic reinforcements, the specific conditions or mechanisms that govern the reinforcement of pavements are, at best, unclear and have remained largely unmeasured. Significant research has been recently conducted with the objectives of: (i) determining the relevant properties of geo synthetics that contribute to the enhanced performance of pavement systems, (ii) developing appropriate analytical, laboratory and field methods capable of quantifying the pavement performance, and (iii) enabling the prediction of pavement performance as a function of the properties of the various types of geo synthetics. (Author)

The effect of fiber treatment on abrasive wear properties of palm fiber reinforced epoxy composite

Science.gov (United States)

Razak, Muhammad Firdaus Abdul; Bakar, Mimi Azlina Abu; Kasolang, Salmiah; Ahmad, Mohamad Ali

2017-12-01

Oil palm industries generate at least 30 million tons of lignocellulosic biomass annually in the form of oil palm trunks (OPT), empty fruit bunches (EFB), oil palm fronds (OPF) and palm pressed fibres (PPF). The palm fiber is one of the natural fibers used as reinforcement in composite materials in order to decrease environmental issues and promotes utilization of renewable resources. This paper presents a study on the effect of alkaline treatment on wear properties of palm fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite. Abrasive wear testing was deployed to investigate the wear profile of the composite surfaces. Testing was carried out which focused on the effect of alkaline treatment to the palm fiber under different amounts of fiber loading i.e. 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt% and 7 wt%. The palm fibers were soaked into 6 % of alkaline solution or natrium hydroxide (NaOH) for 12 hours. The fiber was treated in order to remove amorphous materials such as hemicelluloses, lignins and pectins of the fiber. The wear test samples were fabricated using hand lay-up technique and cured at room temperature for 24 hours. Surface roughness of the composite material was also measured using the surface measuring instrument. Dry sliding wear test was performed at room temperature at a constant velocity of 1.4 m/s with a constant load of 10 N by using the Abrasion Test Machine. Result shows that 5 wt% and 7 wt% treated palm fiber loadings have better specific wear rate compared to lower fiber loadings. The finding of this study contributes towards material development and utilization in promoting `waste into wealth' which is in line with national aspiration.

Stapled Mesh stomA Reinforcement Technique (SMART) in the prevention of parastomal hernia: a single-centre experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Z Q; Tan, P; Theophilus, M

2017-06-01

Parastomal hernia remains a frequent complication following creation of an abdominal stoma. Previous interests have centred around the exploration of methods to repair; however, prophylactic mesh placement has demonstrated its efficacy in reduction of parastomal hernia. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the outcomes of Stapled Mesh stomA Reinforcement Technique (SMART) in terms of parastomal hernia occurrence rate and mesh-related complications. All patients operated with an abdominal perineal resection or Hartmann's procedure with SMART from November 2013 to March 2016 were included. Patient demographics, operative details and stoma-related symptoms were collected. Patients were examined clinically by the medical team and also reviewed independently by a specialist stoma care nurse for signs of stoma-related complications. As part of oncological follow-up, CT scans were available for review for evidence of parastomal herniation. 14 patients (mean age 76 years) were included in the analysis. All the SMART cases were successfully completed with no intraoperative or immediate post-operative complications. No cases of mesh-related complications such as infection, immediate stomal prolapse, stenosis, retraction, stomal obstruction, mesh erosion or fistulation were observed. No mesh removal was required. There were two cases of parastomal hernia detected on CT scan. Both cases have remained asymptomatic no intervention was required at this stage. Median follow-up was 24 months. Our medium-term experience has demonstrated the efficacy of SMART in the reduction of parastomal hernia occurrence. With appropriate learning curve, parastomal hernia can be prevented.

Improving the corrosion resistance of AZ91D magnesium alloy through reinforcement with titanium carbides and borides

OpenAIRE

Gobara, Mohamed; Shamekh, Mohamed; Akid, Robert

2015-01-01

A composite consisting of magnesium matrix reinforced with a network of TiC–Ti2AlC–TiB2 particulates has been fabricated using a practical in-situ reactive infiltration technique. The microstructural and phase composition of the magnesium matrix composite (R-Mg) was investigated using SEM/EDS and XRD. The analyses revealed the complete formation of TiC, Ti2AlC and TiB2 particles in the magnesium matrix. Comparative compression tests of R-Mg and AZ91D alloy showed that the reinforcing particle...

On-line and bulk analysis for the resource industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, C.S.; Sowerby, B.D.; Tickner, J.R.; Madsen, I.C.

2001-01-01

Nuclear techniques are the basis of many CSIRO on-line and bulk analysis systems that are now widely used in the mineral and energy industries. The continuous analysis and rapid response of these systems have led to improved control of mining, processing and blending operations. This paper reviews recent developments in neutron, gamma-ray and X-ray techniques for on-line and bulk analysis by CSIRO Minerals including neutron techniques for the on-conveyor belt determination of the composition of cement raw meal, the on-line analysis of composition in pyrometallurgical applications, the on-conveyor belt determination of ash in coal, and the rapid and accurate determination of gold in bulk laboratory samples. The paper also discusses a new gamma-ray technique for the on-line determination of ash in coal and the application of X-ray diffraction techniques for the on-line determination of mineralogy in the cement industry

Topology optimization of reinforced concrete beams by a spread-over reinforcement model with fixed grid mesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjapon Wethyavivorn

2011-02-01

Full Text Available For this investigation, topology optimization was used as a tool to determine the optimal reinforcement for reinforcedconcrete beam. The topology optimization process was based on a unit finite element cell with layers of concrete and steel.The thickness of the reinforced steel layer of this unit cell was then adjusted when the concrete layer could not carry thetensile or compressive stress. At the same time, unit cells which carried very low stress were eliminated. The process wasperformed iteratively to create a topology of reinforced concrete beam which satisfied design conditions.

Influence of Reinforcement Anisotropy on the Stress Distribution in Tension and Shear of a Fusion Magnet Insulation System

Science.gov (United States)

Humer, K.; Raff, S.; Prokopec, R.; Weber, H. W.

2008-03-01

A glass fiber reinforced plastic laminate, which consists of half-overlapped wrapped Kapton/R-glass-fiber reinforcing tapes vacuum-pressure impregnated in a cyanate ester/epoxy blend, is proposed as the insulation system for the ITER Toroidal Field coils. In order to assess its mechanical performance under the actual operating conditions, cryogenic (77 K) tensile and interlaminar shear tests were done after irradiation to the ITER design fluence of 1×1022 m-2 (E>0.1 MeV). The data were then used for a Finite Element Method (FEM) stress analysis. We find that the mechanical strength and the fracture behavior as well as the stress distribution and the failure criteria are strongly influenced by the winding direction and the wrapping technique of the reinforcing tapes.

Reinforcement of Aluminum Castings with Dissimilar Metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Q

2004-01-07

The project ''Reinforcement of Aluminum Casting with Dissimilar Metal'' was a Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Cummins Inc. This project, technologies have been developed to reinforce aluminum castings with steel insert. Defect-free bond between the steel insert and the aluminum casting has been consistently obtained. The push-out experiment indicated that the bond strength is higher than that of the Al-Fin method. Two patents have been granted to the project team that is comprised of Cummins Inc. and ORNL. This report contains four sections: the coating of the steel pins, the cast-in method, microstructure characterization, and the bond strength. The section of the coating of the steel pins contains coating material selection, electro-plating technique for plating Cu and Ni on steel, and diffusion bonding of the coatings to the steel. The section of cast-in method deals with factors that affecting the quality of the metallurgical bond between the coated steel and the aluminum castings. The results of microstructure characteristics of the bonding are presented in the microstructure characterization section. A push-out experiment and the results obtained using this method is described in the section of bond strength/mechanical property.

Radiographic control of mineral fibre-reinforced cement plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domanus, J.C.; Moeller Jensen, L.

1980-03-01

The usefulnes of the radiographic technique in the examination of Spinrock fibres reinforced cement plates was investigated with soft X-rays. A preliminary investigation has shown that soft X-rays are most suitable for radiography of cement plates, and therefore a 50 kV X-ray machine with a 0.5 mm focus and beryllium window X-ray tube was used througout the investigation. X-ray films of different speed and graininess were used, and it was proved that a relatively fast Kodak Industrex D film can produce radiographs of adequate quality. An Agfa-Gevaert Structurix IC paper can also be used. (author)

Acquisition with partial and continuous reinforcement in pigeon autoshaping.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottlieb, Daniel A

2004-08-01

Contemporary time accumulation models make the unique prediction that acquisition of a conditioned response will be equally rapid with partial and continuous reinforcement, if the time between conditioned stimuli is held constant. To investigate this, acquisition of conditioned responding was examined in pigeon autoshaping under conditions of 100% and 25% reinforcement, holding intertrial interval constant. Contrary to what was predicted, evidence for slowed acquisition in partially reinforced animals was observed with several response measures. However, asymptotic performance was superior with 25% reinforcement. A switching of reinforcement contingencies after initial acquisition did not immediately affect responding. After further sessions, partial reinforcement augmented responding, whereas continuous reinforcement did not, irrespective of an animal's reinforcement history. Subsequent training with a novel stimulus maintained the response patterns. These acquisition results generally support associative, rather than time accumulation, accounts of conditioning.

Influence of tool pin in friction stir welding on activated carbon reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite

Science.gov (United States)

DijuSamuel, G.; Raja Dhas, J. Edwin

2017-10-01

This paper focus on impact of tool pin in friction stir welding on activated carbon reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite. For fabrication of metal matrix composite AA6061 is used as matrix and activated carbon is used as reinforcement and it is casted using modified stir casting technique. After casting metal matrix composite has undergone various microstructure tests like SEM,EDAX and XRD. FSW is carried out in this metal matrix composite by choosing various tool pin profile like square,round,Threaded round, hexagon and taper. The quality of welded plates is measured in terms of ultimate tensile strength and hardness.

Brain network response underlying decisions about abstract reinforcers.