Electromagnetic Interference in Measurements of Radial Stress During Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Experiments

Split Hopkinson pressure bar experiments on soils are often carried out using a rigid steel confining ring to provide plane strain conditions, and measurements of the circumferential strain in the ring can be used to infer the radial stress on the surface of the specimen. Previous experiments have shown evidence of irregular electromagnetic interference in measurements of radial stress, which obscures the signals and impedes analysis. The development of robust constitutive models for soils in blast and impact events relies on the accurate characterisation of this behaviour, and so it is necessary to isolate and remove the source of interference. This paper uses an induction coil to identify the source of the anomalous signals, which are found to be due to induced currents in the gauge lead wires from the movement of magnetised pressure bars (martensitic stainless steel, 440C). Comparative experiments on sand and rubber specimens are used to show that the deforming soil specimen does not make a significant contribution to this activity, and recommendations are made on reducing electromagnetic interference to provide reliable radial stress measurements.     

Effects of strain rate and moisture content on the behaviour of sand under one-dimensional compression

The influence of strain rate and moisture content on the behaviour of a quartz sand was assessed using high-pressure quasi-static (10^?3 s^?1) and high-strain rate (10³ s^?1) experiments under uniaxial strain. Quasi-static compression to axial stresses of 800 MPa was carried out alongside split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiments to 400 MPa, where in each case lateral deformation of the specimen was prevented using a steel test box or ring, and lateral stresses were recorded. A significant increase in constrained modulus was observed between strain rates of 10^?3s^?1 and 10³s^?1, however a consistently lower Poisson’s ratio in the dynamic tests minimised changes in bulk modulus. The reduction in Poissons ratio suggests that the stiffening of the sand in the SHPB tests is due to additional inertial confinement rather than an inherent strain-rate dependence. In the quasi-static tests the specimens behaved less stiffly with increasing moisture content, while in the dynamic tests the addition of water had little effect on the overall stiffness, causing the quasi-static and dynamic series to diverge with increasing moisture content.     

Isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-one--a new pyrolytic synthesis and some unexpected chemical properties

Isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-one 1 is formed by a sigmatropic shift-elimination-cyclisation cascade by flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of methyl 2-(indol-1-yl)benzoate 7 at 950 degrees C. The dihydro compound 16 is easily obtained by catalytic reduction of 1, but the reaction is very sensitive to steric effects at the 11-position. Attempted ring-opening of 1 in basic methanol provides an equilibrium of isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-one 1 and the ester 19. Lithium aluminium hydride reduction of 1 provides the alcohol 22 which can be dehydrated to a mixture of 23 and 24 by FVP at 800-950 degrees C.     

Oxy-Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers from the Indonesian Marine Sponge,Lamellodysidea herbacea: X-ray,SAR, and Computational Studies

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) compounds, derived from marine organisms, originate from symbiosis between marine sponges and cyanobacteria or bacteria. PBDEs have broad biological spectra; therefore, we analyzed structure and activity relationships of PBDEs to determine their potential as anticancer or antibacterial lead structures, through reactions and computational studies. Six known PBDEs (1–6) were isolated from the sponge, Lamellodysdiea herbacea; ¹³C NMR data for compound 6 are reported for the first time and their assignments are confirmed by their theoretical ¹³C NMR chemical shifts (RMSE < 4.0 ppm). Methylation and acetylation of 1 (2, 3, 4, 5-tetrabromo-6-(3′, 5′-dibromo-2′-hydroxyphenoxy) phenol) at the phenol functional group gave seven molecules (7–13), of which 10, 12, and 13 were new. New crystal structures for 8 and 9 are also reported. Debromination carried out on 1 produced nine compounds (1, 2, 14, 16–18, 20, 23, and 26) of which 18 was new. Debromination product 16 showed a significant IC₅₀ 8.65 ± 1.11; 8.11 ± 1.43 µM against human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells. Compounds 1 and 16 exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae with MID 0.078 µg/disk. The number of four bromine atoms and two phenol functional groups are important for antibacterial activity (S. aureus and K. pneumoniae) and cytotoxicity (HEK293T). The result was supported by analysis of frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs). We also propose possible products of acetylation and debromination using analysis of FMOs and electrostatic charges and we confirm the experimental result.     

Prediction of clearing effects in far-field blast loading of finite targets

It is well known that when a blast wave strikes the face of a target, the duration of the loading, and hence the total impulse imparted to the target may be influenced by the propagation of a rarefaction, or “clearing” wave along the loaded face of the target adjacent to free edges. Simple methods of predicting the effect of clearing on reducing the blast loading impulse have been available for many years, but recent studies have questioned the accuracy and physical basis of these approaches. Consequently, several authors have used numerical modelling and/or experimental techniques to determine empirical predictive methods for the clearing effect. In fact, the problem had been addressed more than 50 years ago in a study which appears to have been since overlooked by the blast research fraternity. This article presents the results of that earlier study, and provides experimental validation. The analytical predictions are very simple to determine, and are shown to be in excellent agreement with experimental results.     

Effect of Moisture Content on High Strain Rate Compressibility and Particle Breakage in Loose Sand

Soil-filled gabion structures are widely used to protect against the effects of blast and fragmentation. It is known that moisture content significantly affects the capability of such structures, but the behaviour of partially-saturated soils is not well characterised at the strain rates and stresses experienced in these events. In particular, little data is available for loose soils, whose compaction behaviour can have a substantial impact on structural stability and ballistic performance. This paper describes the use of split Hopkinson pressure bar experiments to characterise the pre- and post-saturation compressibility of a loose quartz sand at moisture contents of up to 15.0%. In contrast to dense soils, increases in moisture content between 0.0% and 7.5% led to a decrease in the stiffness of the sand. Above 7.5% moisture content, specimens reached full saturation during the experiment: the additional water had no further effect on the pre-saturation stiffness, but post-saturation behaviour was dominated by the stiffness of the pore water. Full saturation occurred at lower dry densities as moisture content increased, leading to a decrease in particle breakage.     

A thermal cascade route to pyrroloisoindolone and pyrroloimidazolones

Flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of indol-1-ylacrylate derivatives 11 and 15 or the isomeric indol-3-ylacrylates 21, 22, and 24 at 925 degrees C (0.05 Torr) provides pyrrolo[1,2-a]indol-3-ones 2, 18, 28, and 29 in 53-90% yield by a cascade mechanism that involves a sigmatropic migration, elimination, electrocyclization sequence. Pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-5-ones 3 and pyrrolo[1,2-c]imidazol-5-ones 4 were similarly obtained by FVP of corresponding 2,5-unsubstituted imidazol-1-ylacrylates (e.g., 33), with the former isomer predominating in ca. 80:20 ratio. Migration to the 2-position is therefore favored in the initial sigmatropic shift. FVP of 2-substituted imidazol-1-ylacrylates 35, 37, and 51 (825-875 degrees C) instead give pyrrolo[1,2-c]imidazol-5-ones 56-58 only (88-91%), and that of 4,5-disubstituted imidazol-1-ylacrylates 39 and 41 (825-850 degrees C) provide pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-5-ones 59 and 60 exclusively (93-95%), and thus the selectivity of the initial shift can be controlled by the presence of substituents on the imidazole 2- and 5-positions. FVP of the benzimidazole analogues 61 and 62 at 950 degrees C gave the pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazol-1-ones 6 (71%) and 63 (36%), respectively.     

Reflected Near-field Blast Pressure Measurements Using High Speed Video

Experimental Mechanics - Background: The design and analysis of protective systems requires a detailed understanding of, and the ability to accurately predict, the distribution of pressure loads...     

Experimental evidence of Pochammer-Chree strain variations in elastic cylinders

Experimental studies were conducted on the variation of axial strain over the cross section of an elastic cylinder as a transient compressive pulse propagates longitudinally along the cylinder. Results from perimeter-mounted strain gages are analyzed in the frequency domain and compared with theoretical predictions for first-mode propagation as derived from the Pochammer-Chree analysis. Excellent agreement is found between the experimental and theoretical results for low to moderate frequencies .At higher frequencies, the agreement is less clear, and it is suggested that there may be evidence of higher mode oscillations.