Assessing concrete density using infrared thermographic (IRT) images

This paper presents the results of a study conducted to evaluate the possibility of utilizing infrared thermography to assess the quality of concrete. Concrete specimens were prepared with varying water to cement (w/c) ratio, cement content and consolidation effort. The concrete specimens were heated and the IRT images were recorded as they cooled down. The IR thermographs indicated a good variation in the surface temperature with varying concrete composition and consolidation effort. Concrete with similar composition exhibited a greater variation in surface temperature as the consolidation effort was decreased; indicating the presence of less dense structure in the specimens prepared with low consolidation effort. An increase in the water–cement ratio also increases the temperature variation indicating a decrease in the concrete denseness. The variation in cement content also influenced the denseness of concrete as indicated by the enhanced variation in the surface temperature. Concrete specimens with cement content of 300 kg/m³ (less dense) exhibited a greater temperature variation compared to those prepared with cement content of 400 kg/m³ (more dense).     

Acoustical properties of aerated autoclaved concrete

This work analyses acoustic qualities of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC). Three the most widely used types of AAC are chosen for the analysis: gas cement concrete, gas cement concrete with combined binder (Portland cement and lime), and foam cement concrete. The procedure and technique of the materials’ formation is presented in this work. The evaluation of acoustic qualities of AAC is based on the material’s air permeability and porosity (i.e., ratio of the volume of the interconnected pores to the total volume of pores). For this purpose the measurements obtained by an acoustic interferometer are used. The results of the experiment show that regression equations for the AAC types, which density ranges from 250 to 500 kg/m³, may be used to estimate the materials’ normal incidence absorption coefficient values, which depend on the air permeability and porosity. Results show that absorption coefficient of not specially treated AAC is rather low. According to the measurements obtained in a special reverberation room of 202 m³, a sound absorption coefficient may increase up to 0.6, provided that slits of Helmholtz resonator’s type are made in the slabs of AAC gas cement concrete with combined binder.     

Study of radon transport through concrete modified with silica fume

The concentration of radon in soil usually varies between a few kBq/m³ and tens or hundreds of kBq/m³ depending upon the geographical region. This causes the transport of radon from the soil to indoor environments by diffusion and advection through the pore space of concrete. To reduce indoor radon levels, the use of concrete with low porosity and a low radon diffusion coefficient is recommended. A method of reducing the radon diffusion coefficient through concrete and hence the indoor radon concentration by using silica fume to replace an optimum level of cement was studied. The diffusion coefficient of the concrete was reduced from (1.63 ± 0.3) × 10⁻⁷ to (0.65 ± 0.01) × 10⁻⁸ m²/s using 30% substitution of cement with silica fume. The compressive strength of the concrete increased as the silica-fume content increased, while radon exhalation rate and porosity of the concrete decreased. This study suggests a cost-effective method of reducing indoor radon levels.     

A Numerical Investigation on the Influence of Steel Fiber Shape and Interface Strength in Reinforced Concrete

Not all steel fiber reinforced concrete composites are equally effective in enhancing structural performance. Their mechanical behaviour strongly depends upon the reinforcement morphology as well as the properties of the interface lying between steel reinforcement and concrete matrix. Using bone-shaped short (BSS) steel fibers, instead of conventional straight short (CSS) steel fibers, to reinforce concrete has demonstrated their potential in improving toughness, ductility and energy absorbing capacity under impact significantly and simultaneously. Accomplishing a strong steel–concrete interface leads to a slight increase in composite strength but simultaneously to a significant decrease in its toughness. Due to the sensitivity of steel reinforced concrete performance on these complex geometric and material parameters, the development of a numerical tool capable of simulating accurately the composite mechanical behaviour and thus leading to optimized design solutions is desirable. The physical problem of the present work involves a typical concrete composite uniformly reinforced with steel fibers subjected to tensional loading. A micromechanical non-linear finite element formulation is utilized in order to predict the load transfer characteristics and the failure process. A linear material behaviour is assumed for the steel component; a non-linear multi-crack material response is used to describe concrete while a mix-mode bilinear behaviour is utilized for the interface providing separation of primary material phases. Numerical results are presented in terms of the global design parameters. The influence of the fiber end shape, the interface strength and the fiber volume fraction on the composite strength and toughness is addressed and consequently optimized design preferences arise.     

Temperature-independent curvature sensor based on tapered photonic crystal fiber interferometer

A temperature-independent highly-sensitive curvature sensor by using a tapered-photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It is fabricated by sandwiching a tapered-PCF between two standard single mode fibers (SMFs) with the air holes of the PCF in the fusion splicing region being fully collapsed. The tapering of PCF is found to enhance the sensitivity significantly. Large curvature sensitivities of 2.81 dB/m⁻¹ and 8.35 dB/m⁻¹ are achieved in the measurement ranges of 0.36-0.87 m⁻¹ and 0.87-1.34 m⁻¹, respectively, with the resolution of 0.0012 m⁻¹ being guaranteed. The proposed sensor also shows negligible temperature sensitivity less than 0.006 dB/°C.     

片状铌酸锂单晶的生长及其特性

采用润湿导模技术生长出大块的片状铌酸锂单晶,尺寸可达200mm长、20mm宽、3mm厚。经测试,性能与柱状单晶相同。为了做好此项工作,我们测定了铌酸锂熔体的密度ρ_m与表面张力α等物理常数,得出在1270℃时ρ_m=3.57×10³kg/m³,α=204dyne/cm;在1300℃时ρ_m=3.42×10³kg/m³,α=192dyne/cm。 关键词：     

新型全固态准晶体结构大模场光纤特性研究

大模场单模光纤在高功率激光器、高功率光传输和高灵敏度传感器等领域具有重要意义.设计了一种新型超低损耗大模场单模光纤,包层空气孔由掺氟硅玻璃棒代替,掺氟硅玻璃棒排列呈六重准晶体结构.基于有限元法对光纤的传输特性进行了数值模拟.研究了光纤结构参量变化对模式特性和有效模场面积的影响.结果表明:波长在1064 nm处,有效模场面积高达5197μm2,基模的限制性损耗低于10-5dB/km,解决了大模场与低损耗之间的冲突;在1064—2000 nm波段内,基模与二阶模的限制性损耗相差7个量级,实现单模传输;半径为10 cm时,弯曲损耗小于0.01 dB/m,具有良好的低弯曲损耗特性.此光纤能够提高光纤热损伤阈值,减少接续损耗,全固态结构有效避免了空气孔塌陷,简化制备工艺,对高功率激光传输、光纤激光器和光纤放大器的发展具有重要意义.     

Simulations of Bingham plastic flows with the multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model

Fresh cement mortar is a type of workable paste,which can be well approximated as a Bingham plastic and whose flow behavior is of major concern in engineering.In this paper,Papanastasiou’s model for Bingham fluids is solved by using the multiplerelaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model(MRT-LB).Analysis of the stress growth exponent m in Bingham fluid flow simulations shows that Papanastasiou’s model provides a good approximation of realistic Bingham plastics for values of m108.For lower values of m,Papanastasiou’s model is valid for fluids between Bingham and Newtonian fluids.The MRT-LB model is validated by two benchmark problems:2D steady Poiseuille flows and lid-driven cavity flows.Comparing the numerical results of the velocity distributions with corresponding analytical solutions shows that the MRT-LB model is appropriate for studying Bingham fluids while also providing better numerical stability.We further apply the MRT-LB model to simulate flow through a sudden expansion channel and the flow surrounding a round particle.Besides the rich flow structures obtained in this work,the dynamics fluid force on the round particle is calculated.Results show that both the Reynolds number Re and the Bingham number Bn afect the drag coefcients CD,and a drag coefcient with Re and Bn being taken into account is proposed.The relationship of Bn and the ratio of unyielded zone thickness to particle diameter is also analyzed.Finally,the Bingham fluid flowing around a set of randomly dispersed particles is simulated to obtain the apparent viscosity and velocity fields.These results help simulation of fresh concrete flowing in porous media.     

Mixed oxygen ion and electron conducting hollow fiber membranes for oxygen separation

Phase inversion spinning technique was employed to prepare dense perovskite hollow fiber membranes made from composition BaCo_xFe_yZr_zO_3−δ (BCFZ, x + y + z = 1.0). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows that such hollow fibers have an asymmetric structure, which is favored to the oxygen permeation. An oxygen permeation flux of 7.6 cm³/min cm² at 900 °C under an oxygen gradient of 0.209 × 10⁵ Pa/0.065 × 10⁵ Pa was achieved. From the Wagner Theory, the oxygen permeation through the hollow fiber membrane is controlled by both bulk diffusion and surface exchange. The elements composition of fresh fiber and the fiber after long-term experiments were analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDXS). Compared to the fresh fiber, sulphur was found on the tested hollow fiber membrane surface exposed to the air side and in the bulk, and Ba segregations occur on the tested hollow fiber membrane surface exposed to the air side. A decrease of the oxygen permeation flux was observed, which was probably due to the sulphur poisoning.     

一种新型多芯-双模-大模场面积光纤的设计和分析

提出了一种新型双空气孔多芯-双模-大模场面积光纤结构, 计算了其模场分布、基模有效面积及弯曲损耗特性, 分析了各结构参量对其有效折射率及有效面积的影响. 这种结构在增大有效面积的同时使得二阶模的TE₀₁, TM₀₁模截止, 实现双模传输, 基模有效面积约为1044 μm².调整其结构参量, 甚至可以达到单模传输.这种结构制作简单、设计灵活, 可用于高速大容量无源光纤及有源器件中.合理设计各结构参量, 可以使有效面积达到3512 μm²甚至更高, 从而满足光通信领域中大容量、高功率传输等实际应用的需求. 关键词： 多芯光纤 双模 大模场面积 弯曲损耗     

Numerical investigation of gain characteristics of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped fiber amplifiers

In this work, a model for analyzing the gain characteristics of heavily Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped compact fiber amplifier is presented. Four-level rate equations and finite-difference beam propagation method are applied to simulate the optical field evolution along the active fiber. Based on this model, the influences of ion concentration, fiber length and pump power on the gain characteristics of Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped phosphate glass fiber amplifiers are theoretically investigated. Numerical results show that for a fiber length of 3.6 cm the internal gain can reach 27.2 dB with N _Er = 2.6 × 10²⁶ ions/m³ and N _Yb = 1.2 × 10²⁷ ions/m³ when pumped with 224 mW at 980 nm. The gain per centimeter is 7.56 dB/cm. The results can provide useful information to optimize the gain performance of these compact fiber amplifiers.     

Numerical investigation of EHD effects on heat transfer enhancement and flow pattern of R-134a two phase flow

In this paper the effects of electrohydrodynamics (EHD) on heat transfer enhancement and flow pattern of R134a two-phase mixture, flowing in a horizontal tube, were numerically investigated. A uniform DC electric field was applied through a circular stainless steel rod along the centerline of tube, while the tube was considered as a grounded electrode. The simulations, in order to investigate the EHD mechanism, were performed for a constant heat flux 2000 W/m², voltages between 0 and 5 kV, inlet volume fractions 65% and 85%, mass fluxes from 30 kg/m²s to 50 kg/m²s and electrode diameters between 1.57 mm and 2.4 mm. These flow conditions correspond to stratified flow. The flow regime redistributions under the applied electric field was obtained. The results show that the steady state condition was occurred at the time about 900 ms. According to the results, enhancement ratio is directly proportional to voltage, and it is reversely proportional to electrode diameter, mass flux and inlet volume fraction.     

SU(2)-multi-instantons over S 2×S 2

Making use of the general theory of connections invariant under a symmetry group which acts transitively on fibers, explicit solutions are derived for SU(2)×SU(2)-symmetric multi-instantons over S ²×S ², with SU(2) structure group. These multi-instantons correspond to a principal fiber bundle characterized by a second Chern number given by 2m ², with m an integer.     

Simultaneous measurement of curvature and temperature based on PCF-based interferometer and fiber Bragg grating

A sensor head consisting of a photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for simultaneous measurement of curvature and temperature. The MZI fabricated by splicing a short length of PCF between two single-mode fibers with the air-hole structure that completely collapsed near the splicing points, is sensitive to fiber bending and surrounding temperature, while the FBG is only sensitive to the later. Simultaneous measurement of curvature and temperature is therefore obtained. Sensitivities of 4.06 nm/m^− 1 and 6.30 pm/°C are achieved experimentally for curvature and temperature, respectively. And the corresponding resolutions are 5.2 × 10^− 4 m^− 1 and 1.25 °C for curvature and temperature, respectively, based on the wavelength measurement resolution of 10 pm.     

UV radiation dosimeter with double spectral conversion

The possibility of double spectral conversion of UV radiation from the spectral range of 240–280 nm to the visible spectral region using luminescent glasses and fibers with antimony ions and molecular silver clusters is shown. Planar and fiber prototypes of UV radiation dosimeters are tested. It is shown that the sensitivities of dosimeter of the first and second types are 1400 and 360 mV/W/m², respectively.     

Design and analysis of multi-ring microstructured-core optical fibers

A novel design of single-mode large-mode-area optical fiber is presented. The core is composed of alternate high and low-index regions to form an effectively low-index contrast between the core and the cladding. The proposed fiber is investigated by the finite-element method with anisotropic perfect matched layer boundary conditions. In addition, the bending losses of the fibers are calculated and compared with those of the step-index optical fibers. In particular, numerical simulations demonstrate that single-mode operation can be achieved in one such fiber with mode area larger than 600 μm² at the wavelength of 1.55 μm and bending loss lower than 0.02 dB/m for bending radius greater than 20 cm.     

七芯及十九芯大模场少模光纤的特性研究和比对分析

提出了一种新型的多芯大模场少模光纤.包含缺失空气孔的特殊结构使其具有独特的少模特性, 仅传输HE₁₁模和HE₂₁模.分析表明七芯大模场少模光纤能维持稳定的双模式运转, 且基模有效面积可达866.54 μm². 系统研究了光纤结构参数影响模式特性和基模有效面积的规律, 并分析了纤芯数目增加带来的性能相似性和差异性–-进阶的十九芯大模场少模光纤在继承少模特性的同时, 模场面积大大增加, 其基模有效面积可高达3617.55 μm². 对比已报道的少模光纤, 多芯大模场少模光纤获得了更大的有效面积, 并具有良好的弯曲特性, 有望被用于更高功率的光纤放大器、光纤激光器以及高速大容量光纤传输系统中. 关键词： 少模光纤 多芯 大模场面积 弯曲损耗     

Fluorescence Properties of Frog Skeletal Muscles Treated with Lanthanide Ions

Laser-induced fluorescence from frog skeletal muscle fibers treated with lanthanides, Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺, was recorded. The fluorescence was weak and overlapped with the Raman scattering by the Ringer solution when the muscle fibers were illuminated with an argon-ion laser. The fluorescence decay rate of the lanthanide in Ringer's solution was 2–3 times larger than that of the lanthanide bound to the muscle fiber. The number of water molecules coordinated to the lanthanide bound to the muscle fiber was determined to be about three. This suggests that lanthanide ions bind superficially to the outer membrane of the muscle fiber.     

Designing a graded index depressed clad non-zero dispersion shifted optical fiber for wide band transmission system

Non-zero dispersion shifted fibers (NZ-DSFs) find extensive use in wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) system as it reduces the non-linear effects like four-wave mixing (FWM) generation. A depressed clad graded index fiber with a central dip in the refractive index profile, as well as without dip, has been modeled to perform as an NZ-DSF using the spot size optimization technique. The performance characteristics of the proposed NZ-DSF have been studied by changing different fiber parameters; such as inner core radius (a), relative refractive index differences (Δ⁺), normalized end position of depressed clad (C), depression parameter (ρ), etc. for a given value of Petermann-2 spot size . By suitably adjusting the fiber parameters, the effective core areas (A_eff) as simulated here are very large (80 μm²) so that the effect of non-linearities upon them can be minimized. These NZ-DSFs have also been optimized for WDM transmission system. The dispersion slopes of the proposed fibers with and without dip have been estimated which are comparable with the reported results.     

Comparison of selected optical properties of oxyfluoride glass fibers doped with Er3+ and co-doped with Er3+ Yb3+

The method of manufacturing and spectroscopic evaluation of the Er³⁺ ions doped and Er³⁺–Yb³⁺co-doped SiO₂–Al₂O₃–Na₂CO₃–CaO–PbO–PbF₂ oxyfluoride glass fibers is presented in the paper. Both optically active elements erbium and ytterbium were introduced into the batch in the form of fluorides. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was applied at each stage of fibers manufacturing in order to control an amorphous structure of the preforms and fibers. Optical studies of glass preforms and fibers (reflection/transmission, absorption, emission, and excited state absorption (ESA)) were directed to examine their suitability as fiber amplifiers at 1.55 μm band.