Double-layer structural-acoustic coupling for cylindrical shell by using a combination of WDA and BIE

This work formulates the double-layer structural-acoustic coupling problem for cylindrical shell by using a combination of the wave-number domain approach (WDA) and the boundary integral equation (BIE). Expressions for the spectral radial velocity of the outer surface of a finite fluid-filled/submerged (FFS) cylindrical thin shell are formulated by means of the transfer matrix equation in wave-number domain. It is shown that the spectral variables on the inner surface of the shell are related to those on the outer surface of the shell. The far field sound radiation from this kind of shell is numerically evaluated for various fluid cases. An experimental verification is performed, and a good correlation between the theoretical results and the experimental results shows that the theoretical study work in this paper is correct.     

A model study for the steady state error of numerical approximations of inviscid flow equations on Cartesian grid

The widely used locally adaptive Cartesian grid methods involve a series of abruptly refined interfaces. In this paper we consider the influence of the refined interfaces on the steady state errors for second‐order three‐point difference approximations of flow equations. Since the various characteristic components of the Euler equations should behave similarly on such grids with regard to refinement‐induced errors, it is sufficient enough to conduct the analysis on a scalar model problem. The error we consider is a global error, different to local truncation error, and reflects the interaction between multiple interfaces. The steady state error will be compared to the errors on smooth refinement grids and on uniform grids. The conclusion seems to support the numerical findings of Yamaleev and Carpenter (J. Comput. Phys. 2002; 181: 280–316) that refinement does not necessarily reduce the numerical error. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural hierarchy of rock masses and the mechanisms of its formation

The formation mechanisms for the structural hierarchy in geological media are discussed. It is shown that the formation of such a hierarchy is caused by certain external and internal circumstances. The first ones consist in the fact that, because of external actions, the Earth’s poles continuously execute the translational and rotational motions responsible for a regular structure of rock fracture and for the appearance of the scale factor √2. The second ones consist in the fact that, under the action of many random factors and because of external actions, during the formation of geological media there appear dissipative structures and, hence, some self-similar fractal structures are formed.     

Reply to Nathan: How to reconstruct the causal argument

Nicholas Nathan tries to resist the current version of the causal argument for sense-data in two ways. First he suggests that, on what he considers to be the correct re-construction of the argument, it equivocates on the sense of proximate cause. Second he defends a form of disjunctivism, by claiming that there might be an extra mechanism involved in producing veridical hallucination, that is not present in perception. I argue that Nathan’s reconstruction of the argument is not the appropriate one, and that, properly interpreted, the argument does not equivocate on proximate cause. Furthermore, I claim that his postulation of a modified mechanism for hallucinations is implausibly ad hoc.     

Combined effects of clay modifications and compatibilizers on the formation and physical properties of melt‐mixed polypropylene/clay nanocomposites

The melt mixing technique was used to prepare various polypropylene (PP)‐based (nano)composites. Two commercial organoclays (denoted 20A and 30B) served as the fillers for the PP matrix, and two different maleated (so‐called) compatibilizers (denoted PP‐MA and SMA) were employed as the third component. The results from X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) experiments revealed that 190 °C was an adequate temperature for preparing the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites were achieved only if specific pairs of organoclay and compatibilizer were simultaneously incorporated in the PP matrix. For example, PP/20A(5 wt %)/PP‐MA(10 wt %) and PP/30B(5 wt %)/SMA(5 wt %) composites exhibited nanoscaled dispersion of 20A or 30B in the PP matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the organoclays served as nucleation agents for the PP matrix. Generally, their nucleation effectiveness increased with the addition of compatibilizers. The thermal stability enhancement of PP after adding 20A was confirmed with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The enhancement became more evident as a suitable compatibilizer was further added. However, for the 30B‐included composites, thermal stability enhancement was not evident. The dynamic mechanical properties (i.e., storage modulus and loss modulus) of PP increased as the nanocomposites were formed; the properties increment corresponded to the organoclay dispersion status in the matrix. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4139–4150, 2004