The nanogranular nature of C-S-H

Despite its ubiquitous presence as binding phase in all cementitious materials, the mechanical behavior of calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H) is still an enigma that has deceived many decoding attempts from experimental and theoretical sides. In this paper, we propose and validate a new technique and experimental protocol to rationally assess the nanomechanical behavior of C-S-H based on a statistical analysis of hundreds of nanoindentation tests. By means of this grid indentation technique we identify in situ two structurally distinct but compositionally similar C-S-H phases heretofore hypothesized to exist as low density (LD) C-S-H and high density (HD) C-S-H, or outer and inner products. The main finding of this paper is that both phases exhibit a unique nanogranular behavior which is driven by particle-to-particle contact forces rather than by mineral properties. We argue that this nanomechanical blueprint of material invariant behavior of C-S-H is a consequence of the hydration reactions during which precipitating C-S-H nanoparticles percolate generating contact surfaces. As hydration proceeds, these nanoparticles pack closer to center on-average around two characteristic limit packing densities, the random packing limit (η=64%) and the ordered face-centered cubic (fcc) or hexagonal close-packed (hcp) packing limit (η=74%), forming a characteristic LD C-S-H and HD C-S-H phase.     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of mass fractions of toxic metals in plastic

It is very challenging to decompose a plastic product for the purpose of analysis of hazardous elements contained. To circumvent such technical problem, it is imperative that an analyst employ a nondestructive analytical method free of any pretreatments. The analytical results of the concentrations of toxic metals such as Cd and Cr in polypropylene for seven samples at two different levels were obtained using the instrumental neutron activation analysis. This work was intended ultimately to establish certified reference materials (CRMs) of these metals in the polypropylene, traceable to the SI. The uncertainties associated with the analytical procedures were estimated in accordance with the ISO guideline. The results were subsequently validated by a comparison with those for CRM-680 and −681 of the Bureau Communautaire de Reference (BCR), which demonstrated acceptable agreement within their uncertainty ranges.     

Numerical simulation of critical dependences for symmetric two-layered Josephson junctions

Partial critical dependences of the form current-magnetic field in a two-layered symmetric Josephson junction are modeled. A numerical experiment shows that, for the zero interaction coefficient between the layers of the junction, jumps of the critical currents corresponding to different distributions of the magnetic fluxes in the layers may appear on the critical curves. This fact allows a mathematical interpretation of the results of some recent experimental results for two-layered junctions as a consequence of discontinuities of partial critical curves.     

关于均值KIRCHHOFF板非线性边界镇定问题的几点注记

对于均值K IRCHHOFF板非线性边界镇定问题给出几点注记.首先应用G reen公式对具有非线性边界反馈控制的均值K IRCHHOFF板所决定的非线性系统的能量衰减速度进行了重新推导,从而修正了前人的结果.然后应用极大单调函数的定义和分部积分技巧,对均值K IRCHHOFF板非线性边界镇定问题所决定的非线性算子A的极大单调性给出了重新证明,进而更正了已有文献中相应证明的欠妥之处.     

短路过渡电弧焊电流信号的近似熵分析

依据近似熵的理论和算法，从非线性角度对纯CO₂保护气体条件下短路过渡电弧焊的电流信号进行了近似熵分析.通过对不同的送丝速度、给定电压及气体流量下电流信号的近似熵计算和比较，表明近似熵可以作为短路过渡稳定性的评判标准.近似熵越大，波动越小，焊接过程就越稳定. 关键词： 非线性 近似熵 短路过渡 稳定性     

Equality and inequality constrained optimization algorithms with convergent stepsizes

In this paper, we consider two algorithms for nonlinear equality and inequality constrained optimization. Both algorithms utilize stepsize strategies based on differentiable penalty functions and quadratic programming subproblems. The essential difference between the algorithms is in the stepsize strategies used. The objective function in the quadratic subproblem includes a linear term that is dependent on the penalty functions. The quadratic objective function utilizes an approximate Hessian of the Lagrangian augmented by the penalty functions. In this approximation, it is possible to ignore the second-derivative terms arising from the constraints in the penalty functions.The penalty parameter is determined using a strategy, slightly different for each algorithm, that ensures boundedness as well as a descent property. In particular, the boundedness follows as the strategy is always satisfied for finite values of the parameter.These properties are utilized to establish global convergence and the condition under which unit stepsizes are achieved. There is also a compatibility between the quadratic objective function and the stepsize strategy to ensure the consistency of the properties for unit steps and subsequent convergence rates.This research was funded by SERC and ESRC research contracts. The author is grateful to Professors Laurence Dixon and David Mayne for their comments. The numerical results in the paper were obtained using a program written by Mr. Robin Becker.     

Degeneracy in NLP and the development of results motivated by its presence

We study notions of nondegeneracy and several levels of increasing degeneracy from the perspective of the local behavior of a local solution of a nonlinear program when problem parameters are slightly perturbed. Ideal nondegeneracy at a local minimizer is taken to mean satisfaction of second order sufficient conditions, linear independence and strict complimentary slackness. Following a brief exploration of the relationship of these conditions with the classical definition of nondegeneracy in linear programming, we recall a number of optimality and regularity conditions used to attempt to resolve degeneracy and survey results of Fiacco, McCormick, Robinson, Kojima, Gauvin and Janin, Shapiro, Kyparisis and Liu. This overview may be viewed as a structured survey of sensitivity and stability results: the focus is on progressive levels of degeneracy. We note connections of nondegeneracy with the convergence of algorithms and observe the striking parallel between the effects of nondegeneracy and degeneracy on optimality conditions, stability analysis and algorithmic convergence behavior. Although our orientation here is primarily interpretive and noncritical, we conclude that more effort is needed to unify optimality, stability and convergence theory and more results are needed in all three areas for radically degenerate problems.Research supported by National Science Foundation Grant ECS 90-00560 and Grant N00014-89-J-1537 Office of Naval Research     

The stress driven instability in elastic crystals: Mathematical models and physical manifestations

Summary Equilibrium equations and stability conditions for the simple deformable elastic body are derived by means of considering a minimum of the static energy principle. The energy is supposed to be sum of the volume (elastic) and the surface terms. The ability to change relative positions of different material particles is taken into account, and appropriate natural definitions of the first and second variations of the energy are introduced and calculated explicitly. Considering the case of negligible magnitude of the surface tension, we establish that an equilibrium state of a nonhydrostatically stressed simple elastic body (of any physically reasonable elastic energy potential and of any symmetry) possessing any small smooth part of free surface is always unstable with respect to relative transfer of the material particles along the surface. Surface tension suppresses the mentioned instability with respect to sufficiently short disturbances of the boundary surface and thus can probably provide local smoothness of the equilibrium shape of the crystal. We derive explicit formulas for critical wavelength for the simplest models of the internal and surface energies and for the simplest equilibrium configurations. We also formulate the simplest problem of mathematical physics, revealing peculiarities and difficulties of the problem of equilibrium shape of elastic crystals, and discuss possible manifestations of the above-mentioned instability in the problems of crystal growth, materials science, fracture, physical chemistry, and low-temperature physics.     

一类多维的非线性Schrdinger方程组的初边值问题

本文考虑一类具有耗散与磁场效应的多维非线性Schrdinger型方程组的初边值问题。使用积分估计(包括L~p—L~q估计)证明了整体解的存在性。     

热丝CVD生长金刚石薄膜喇曼散射研究

本文报道热丝化学气相沉积法（ＨＦＣＶＤ）生长金钢石薄膜的喇曼散射结果。选取多种峰型，对金钢石薄膜喇曼谱（１１０－１８００ｃｍ－１）采用最小二乘法进行非线性拟合，得到最佳拟合模型，其计算得到的拟合曲线怀实验谱图符合得较好。该模型揭示，石墨Ｄ峰（１３５５ｃｍ－１）是金刚石薄膜喇曼谱中不可缺少的一个组份，并且结合石墨Ｄ峰和金刚石喇曼的空间相关线型，可以解释金刚石喇曼区特殊峰形的物理机制，拟合参量的进一步