Experimental investigation of the aquatic propulsion caused by localised flexural wave propagation in immersed wedges and plates

This paper describes the results of the experimental verification of the idea of wave-like aquatic propulsion of autonomous and man-inhabited vessels first published about 10 years ago by one of the present authors (V.V.K.). The idea is based on employing the unique type of localised flexural elastic waves propagating along edges of wedge-like structures immersed in water (wedge elastic waves). Such wedge-like structures supporting localised elastic waves can be attached like fish fins to a body of a small ship or a submarine and used for their propulsion. The proposed principle of employing localised flexural waves as a source of aquatic propulsion has been biologically inspired by the specific swimming mode used in nature by stingrays. To verify the idea experimentally, the first working prototype of a small catamaran using the above-mentioned wave-like propulsion via the attached rubber keel has been build and tested in Loughborough University. The tests have been carried out in two phases, in a water tank and then in open water. The test results have shown that the catamaran was propelled very efficiently and could achieve the speed of 36 cm/s, i.e., about one vehicle length per second, thus demonstrating that the idea of wave-like propulsion of small man-inhabited craft is viable. The reported proof of the viability of this idea may open new opportunities for marine craft propulsion, which can have far reaching implications.     

模糊神经网络在复合地基沉降量预测中的应用

复合地基后期沉降变形对于建筑物设计及安全具有重要意义,针对通过长期沉降观测以得到复合地基的最终沉降需要耗费较多资源的问题,提出了一种基于模糊神经网络的预测方法.该方法考虑沉降变化过程有较大的随机性和模糊性,直接将样本数据进行模糊化,所得的模糊数代表了样本点集与控制点集中各分量之间的相关度,并依此建立模糊BP神经网络进行学习和估算.实验结果表明了该方法对沉降进行预测是可行与有效的,且在相对误差的有效控制方面优于BP网络方法与灰色方法.     

钛合金（TC-6）二阶和三阶弹性常数

 用脉冲回波重叠法测量了钛合金（TC-6）的二阶、三阶弹性常数。实验中发现dμ/dp<0（p<0.17 GPa）,dμ/dp>0（p>0.17 GPa）。     

量化方法研究分子结BEMP和TEMP的电子输运特性

通过结合杂化密度泛函和前线轨道理论与弹性散射格林函数方法研究了BE- MP(benzene-1,4-di-ethynyl-4-mercaptophenyl)和TEMP(thiophene-2,5-di-ethynyl-4- mercaptophenyl)两分子结的输运性质。基于杂化密度泛函方法计算两扩展分子电子结构的基础上,计算了两分子的输运性质．计算结果显示:电流增加来源于电极和分子轨道的共振;电导曲线呈现出平台特征．在此基础上从扩展分子A(Au-BEMP-Au)中间的苯环的旋转而引起电流减小的角度解释了负微分电阻现象．     

Peculiarities of changes of some physicomechanical characteristics of monoisotopes B, B and natural β-boron

Real structure and some physicomechanical characteristics of the samples of natural beta-rhombohedral boron B as well as of its ¹⁰B and ¹¹B monoisotopes have been studied. It was shown that the influence of ¹⁰B and ¹¹B isotopes on physicomechanical properties of boron had a different character. In particular, the samples enriched with ¹¹B had high values of microhardness, shear modulus (SM) and elastic limit if compared to those of boron, while the samples enriched with ¹⁰B monoisotopes were characterized with high values of thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) and thermal conductivity; lattice parameters a and c increased by the sequence: ¹¹B, B, ¹⁰B. It was established that TEC, thermal conductivity, microhardness, SM and shear elastic limit increased in all samples at annealing for 5 h at 1500 °C regardless of isotope content.     

Elastic Moduli and Activation Energies for an Epoxy/m-XDA System by DMA and DSC

The influence of the resin/diamine ratio on the properties of the system diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (BADGE n=0/m-xylylenediamine) (m-XDA) was studied. Variation of this ratio resulted in significant effects on the cure kinetics and final dynamic mechanical properties of the product material. The study was made in terms of storage modulus (E′), vss modulus (E″) and molecular mass between cross-links (M_c) at different ratios. Two geometries (cylindrical and rectangular) were considered. The influence of temperature was studied through the activation energy (E_a>), which depends on the epoxy/amine ratio and the geometry of the samples. Glass transition temperatures (T_g>) and glass transition temperatures for thermosets with null degree of conversion (T_go>) were determined by DSC. T_g> decreases when amounts of curing agent greatly in excess of the stoichiometric composition were used. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Atom-surface elastic scattering in the presence of laser radiation

A qualitative discussion on atom-surface elastic scattering taking place in the presence of laser radiation is given. It is suggested that appreciable effects of laser radiation on diffraction patterns may be expected if the laser radiation is capable of inducing electronic transitions in atoms with a large probability.Research sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFSC), United States Air Force, under Contract No. F49620-78-C-0005, and the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CHE77-27826. The United States Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for governmental purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation hereon.Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow, 1976–1980; Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, 1975–1980.     

Elastic moduli and structure of low density polyethylene

Summary Low density polyethylene film is drawn at room temperature four times the original length and subjected to thermal annealing at 60, 80, and 100 °C keeping the film length constant. Long spacing measured by SAXS increased with increasing temperature of annealing; the increase of the long spacing is presumed to be due to the decrease of the number of micelles through relaxation during the annealing. Simultaneous measurement of the changes of the long spacing and the film length by stretching is carried out and stress-extension curves are obtained. The values of the initial moduli of the long spacingE ₁ and the film lengthY are very near to each other. Elastic modulus of the crystal latticeE _c is known to be 235 GN/m² and that of the amorphous regionE _a is found to be 0.15 GN/m². When higher stress is applied than in the case of the initial modulus, the percentage of extension of film is much greater than that of the long spacing. The discrepancy is explained by the increase of the number of micelles through stress crystallization.Dedicated to Professor Dr. K. Ueberreiter on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

Structural Efficiency and Microstructural Modeling of Wet Gels and Aerogels

We present a microstructural model of aerogels that includes the effect of particle necks, tortuosity and dangling ends on the scaling of elastic moduli with density. Relative neck radii can be determined for sintering series of silica aerogels and for Resorcinol Formaldehyde (RF) aerogels produced with different catalyst concentrations. The density of elastically ineffective dangling ends and the tortuosity can be estimated using information from thermal conductivity and elastic modulus measurements in silica aerogels. Typical values for the load bearing mass range from >50% for high density and heat treated aerogels to <10% of the total mass for low density wet-gels.     

Aging effect on the mechanical properties of hybrid gels

Sol-gel derived unsupported films and thin rods have been obtained from co-hydrolysis of triethoxysilane and methyldiethoxysilane. The materials are flexible, dense and transparent. Films and rods have been aged for different periods of time in air at room temperature. The elastic modulus has been measured by means of tensile or flexural tests. Measurements showed an increase of elastic modulus with aging time and showed different values for films and rods. The observed evolution of mechanical properties has been related to a corresponding structural modification as highlighted mainly by MAS-NMR studies. Analyses pointed out the crucial role of condensation processes and showed that the stiffness increase arises from the formation of relatively few bonds which link and constrain pre-existing mobile network regions.