Mechanically strong and stiff supramolecular polymers enabled by fiber reinforced long-chain alkane matrix

Fiber-reinforced-concrete (FRC) mechanism refers short discrete fibers that are uniformly distributed and randomly oriented, which offers an effective way to improve the mechanical performance of concrete. In the design of supramolecular polymers, an analogous concept of FRC appears to have been considered very rarely-although fibrous structure has been frequently observed/generated during the supramolecular polymerization. In this work, we apply the alkane thermosets, octadecane (C₁₈H₃₈) and tetracosane (C₂₄H₅₀), taking the role of “concrete”, and the low-molecular-weight monomer with long alkyl chains as the essential “fiber” component, to fabricate the “fiber reinforced supramolecular polymer”. Very much like FRC mechanism in material science, the resulting fiber reinforced supramolecular polymer thus exhibit unusually high mechanical strength and stiffness, which is unprecedented in the conventional supramolecular strategy.     

Diseño automático de tableros óptimos de puentes de carretera de vigas artesa prefabricadas mediante algoritmos meméticos híbridos

This paper deals with the minimum cost automatic design of precast bridge decks made of U-beams and an upper slab. It uses a hybrid memetic algorithm that combines the population search of solutions by genetic algorithms and a search by variable neighborhood. This algorithm is applied to a bridge made of two isostatic U-beams of 20-40 m of span and a width of 12 m. This example has 40 discrete variables. The evaluation module takes into account the service and ultimate limit states usually considered for these structures, i.e. flexure, shear, torsion, cracking, deflections, etc. The use of the memetic algorithm requires its previous calibration. Each of the heuristics is run 12 times, obtaining information about the minimum and average values, as well as the scatter. The parametric study showed a good correlation for the cost, the number of strands and the steel and concrete quantities with the span length. Savings have been found between 8 and 50% compared to other structures really executed. The presented procedure allows the practical application to the real design and its adaptation to the precast process.     

Formation and accumulation of contact deficiencies in a tunnel segmented lining

Damages observed in tunnels constructed with tunnel boring machines affect the overall quality of the structure and the efficiency of the construction process. Most of these damages are caused by contact deficiencies between segments that are generated by the sum of several tolerances on the shape and on the placement of the lining. Moreover, the imperfection of one ring affects the placement of the following ones, inducing an accumulation mechanism that magnifies the imperfection expected due to the sum of tolerances in a single isolated ring. The overall consideration of these phenomena yields an intricate analysis that must take into account some important probabilistic aspects. This paper explains how the tolerances may evolve into the contact deficiencies found in practice. Initially the types of tolerances and contact deficiencies more likely to affect the structural behavior of the lining are analyzed. A mathematical model is proposed to explain the relation between tolerances and contact deficiencies. The predictions obtained with the model are then compared with the measurements performed in the tunnel of Line 9 in Barcelona. The results obtained reinforce the importance of the model proposed in this study, which quantifies aspects that so far could only be studied qualitatively or on a trial and error basis.     

混凝土搅拌车搅拌筒磨损数值分析

混凝土运输过程中搅拌筒的磨损一直是一种常见潜在危害,磨损严重时会导致叶片失效,对搅拌的质量和出料匀质性产生影响。通过实验获取搅拌筒内部的磨损费时费力,因此有必要采取一种数值分析方法对搅拌筒的磨损进行预测并提出改进。本文采用摩擦磨损实验的方法来标定颗粒与搅拌筒之间的Archard磨损常数,采用JKR接触模型表征混凝土的流动性能,采用离散元方法(DEM)对搅拌筒筒体及叶片磨损进行预测分析。通过法向接触能量与切向接触能量的对比,证明搅拌筒中的磨损主要为伴有冲击作用的磨粒磨损,搅拌车搅拌筒中搅拌叶片顶部的磨损较为严重。针对磨损比较严重的叶片顶部进行改进,采用T型耐磨结构等改进叶片结构,叶片顶部结构改进后搅拌筒使用寿命能得到明显提升。     

Fracture characteristics of concrete subjected to impact loading

This paper takes concrete as a four-phase composite made of the intact matrix and three mutually perpendicular groups of penny-shaped micro-cracks. The intact matrix is assumed to be elastic,homogeneous and isotropic,and the micro-cracks are penny-shaped. Combined with the failure mechanism of concrete subjected to impact loading,a dynamic constitutive model for concrete is developed based on Mori-Tanaka's average stress concept and Eshelby's equivalent inclusion theory. Experimental results show that concr...     

Hydrothermal formation of tobermorite studied by in situ X‐ray diffraction under autoclave condition

Hydrothermal formation of tobermorite from a pre‐cured cake has been investigated by transmission X‐ray diffraction (XRD) using high‐energy X‐rays from a synchrotron radiation source in combination with a newly designed autoclave cell. The autoclave cell has a large and thin beryllium window for wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction; nevertheless, it withstands a steam pressure of more than 1.2 MPa, which enables in situ XRD measurements in a temperature range of 373 to 463 K under a saturated steam pressure. Formation and/or decomposition of several components has been successfully observed during 7.5 h of reaction time. From the intensity changes of the intermediate materials, namely non‐crystalline C–S–H and hydroxylellestadite, two pathways for tobermorite formation have been confirmed. Thus, the newly developed autoclave cell can be used for the analyses of reaction mechanisms under specific atmospheres and temperatures.     

Análise da confiabilidade de estruturas de concreto armado com uma metodologia para inclusão de efeitos estocásticos de propriedades dos materiais

In this paper, special emphasis is given to the inclusion of uncertainties in the evaluation of structural behaviour aiming at a better representation of the system characteristics and the quantification of the importance of these uncertainties in the project. It deals with the structural reliability analysis problem accounting the effect of spatial variability of material properties. To this end it is proposed a finite element model to represent the behaviour of reinforced concrete for short and long-term loads, which includes the main features observed in this material. It was developed a model for the generation of multidimensional non-Gaussian stochastic fields for the material properties that is independent of the finite element mesh. First, an example of a two-dimensional non-Gaussian stochastic field generation in a square steel plate is presented. Latter, the reliability analysis is performed to a limit state function based on prescribed values of mid-span displacements on a simply-supported reinforced beam. Finally, the influence of long-term effects on the reliability of a reinforced concrete beam is studied considering the effect of steel reinforcement corrosion.     

墙体对微波脉冲的衰减特性

 研究墙体对微波脉冲的衰减特性，测量了微波脉冲垂直入射墙体后的脉冲信号，经过计算得到普通砖混墙、普通钢筋混凝土墙、钢筋网混凝土墙对窄带微波和超宽带微波的衰减值；分析了微波脉冲穿越不同墙体的频谱变化。研究结果表明，普通钢筋混凝土墙和普通砖混墙对窄带微波脉冲的衰减为0.342～0.699 dB/cm，对超宽带信号的衰减为0.134～0.183 dB/cm。钢筋网混凝土墙（厚65 cm）对超宽带信号的衰减较大（29.07～45.79 dB），同时使穿透墙体的超宽带信号频率分布向高频位移。     

The use of thermal analysis in the approximate determination of the cement content in concrete

Thermal analysis was first used to investigate the pattern of dissociation of hydrated ordinary Portland cement. Portlandite (Ca(OH)₂) decomposes at about 500°C. This was confirmed by kinetic calculations. Thermal analysis was then performed to establish the effect of varying the cement content on the percent mass loss associated with the decomposition of Ca(OH)₂ in cement mortar cured for 28 days. An increasing relation was obtained. Standard concrete cubes were then prepared with cement contents ranging from 200 to 450 kg m^-3. The loss in mass on heating, up to 750°C, of concrete samples cured for 28 days was then related to the cement content in concrete. The relation obtained was tested for concrete cubes of known cement content and found to be in better agreement than the results obtained by conventional chemical analysis. This method can be used for an approximate determination of the cement content in concrete. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Construction of phase cycles of minimum cycle length: MakeCycle

A magnetic resonance imaging method is presented for imaging of heterogeneous broad linewidth materials. This method allows for distortionless relaxation weighted imaging by obtaining multiple phase encoded k-space data points with each RF excitation pulse train. The use of this method, turbo spin echo single-point imaging-(turboSPI), leads to decreased imaging times compared to traditional constant-time imaging techniques, as well as the ability to introduce spin-spin relaxation contrast through the use of longer effective echo times. Imaging times in turboSPI are further decreased through the use of low flip angle steady-state excitation. Two-dimensional images of paramagnetic doped agarose phantoms were obtained, demonstrating the contrast and resolution characteristics of the sequence, and a method for both amplitude and phase deconvolution was demonstrated for use in high-resolution turboSPI imaging. Three-dimensional images of a partially water-saturated porous volcanic aggregate (T(2L) approximately 200 ms, Deltanu(1/2) approximately 2500 Hz) contained in a hardened white Portland cement matrix (T(2L) approximately 0.5 ms, Deltanu(1/2) approximately 2500 Hz) and a water-saturated quartz sand (T(2) approximately 300 ms, T(2)(*) approximately 800 microseconds) are shown.