Search results for: torsional buckling strength
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 3873

Search results for: torsional buckling strength

2283 Modeling and Simulation of Ship Structures Using Finite Element Method

Authors: Javid Iqbal, Zhu Shifan

Abstract:

The development in the construction of unconventional ships and the implementation of lightweight materials have shown a large impulse towards finite element (FE) method, making it a general tool for ship design. This paper briefly presents the modeling and analysis techniques of ship structures using FE method for complex boundary conditions which are difficult to analyze by existing Ship Classification Societies rules. During operation, all ships experience complex loading conditions. These loads are general categories into thermal loads, linear static, dynamic and non-linear loads. General strength of the ship structure is analyzed using static FE analysis. FE method is also suitable to consider the local loads generated by ballast tanks and cargo in addition to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads. Vibration analysis of a ship structure and its components can be performed using FE method which helps in obtaining the dynamic stability of the ship. FE method has developed better techniques for calculation of natural frequencies and different mode shapes of ship structure to avoid resonance both globally and locally. There is a lot of development towards the ideal design in ship industry over the past few years for solving complex engineering problems by employing the data stored in the FE model. This paper provides an overview of ship modeling methodology for FE analysis and its general application. Historical background, the basic concept of FE, advantages, and disadvantages of FE analysis are also reported along with examples related to hull strength and structural components.

Keywords: dynamic analysis, finite element methods, ship structure, vibration analysis

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2282 Accelerated Carbonation of Construction Materials by Using Slag from Steel and Metal Production as Substitute for Conventional Raw Materials

Authors: Karen Fuchs, Michael Prokein, Nils Mölders, Manfred Renner, Eckhard Weidner

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Due to the high CO₂ emissions, the energy consumption for the production of sand-lime bricks is of great concern. Especially the production of quicklime from limestone and the energy consumption for hydrothermal curing contribute to high CO₂ emissions. Hydrothermal curing is carried out under a saturated steam atmosphere at about 15 bar and 200°C for 12 hours. Therefore, we are investigating the opportunity to replace quicklime and sand in the production of building materials with different types of slag as calcium-rich waste from steel production. We are also investigating the possibility of substituting conventional hydrothermal curing with CO₂ curing. Six different slags (Linz-Donawitz (LD), ferrochrome (FeCr), ladle (LS), stainless steel (SS), ladle furnace (LF), electric arc furnace (EAF)) provided by "thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems GmbH" were ground at "Loesche GmbH". Cylindrical blocks with a diameter of 100 mm were pressed at 12 MPa. The composition of the blocks varied between pure slag and mixtures of slag and sand. The effects of pressure, temperature, and time on the CO₂ curing process were studied in a 2-liter high-pressure autoclave. Pressures between 0.1 and 5 MPa, temperatures between 25 and 140°C, and curing times between 1 and 100 hours were considered. The quality of the CO₂-cured blocks was determined by measuring the compressive strength by "Ruhrbaustoffwerke GmbH & Co. KG." The degree of carbonation was determined by total inorganic carbon (TIC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The pH trends in the cross-section of the blocks were monitored using phenolphthalein as a liquid pH indicator. The parameter set that yielded the best performing material was tested on all slag types. In addition, the method was scaled to steel slag-based building blocks (240 mm x 115 mm x 60 mm) provided by "Ruhrbaustoffwerke GmbH & Co. KG" and CO₂-cured in a 20-liter high-pressure autoclave. The results show that CO₂ curing of building blocks consisting of pure wetted LD slag leads to severe cracking of the cylindrical specimens. The high CO₂ uptake leads to an expansion of the specimens. However, if LD slag is used only proportionally to replace quicklime completely and sand proportionally, dimensionally stable bricks with high compressive strength are produced. The tests to determine the optimum pressure and temperature show 2 MPa and 50°C as promising parameters for the CO₂ curing process. At these parameters and after 3 h, the compressive strength of LD slag blocks reaches the highest average value of almost 50 N/mm². This is more than double that of conventional sand-lime bricks. Longer CO₂ curing times do not result in higher compressive strengths. XRD and TIC measurements confirmed the formation of carbonates. All tested slag-based bricks show higher compressive strengths compared to conventional sand-lime bricks. However, the type of slag has a significant influence on the compressive strength values. The results of the tests in the 20-liter plant agreed well with the results of the 2-liter tests. With its comparatively moderate operating conditions, the CO₂ curing process has a high potential for saving CO₂ emissions.

Keywords: CO₂ curing, carbonation, CCU, steel slag

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2281 Enhancement of Mechanical Properties for Al-Mg-Si Alloy Using Equal Channel Angular Pressing

Authors: W. H. El Garaihy, A. Nassef, S. Samy

Abstract:

Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) of commercial Al-Mg-Si alloy was conducted using two strain rates. The ECAP processing was conducted at room temperature and at 250 °C. Route A was adopted up to a total number of four passes in the present work. Structural evolution of the aluminum alloy discs was investigated before and after ECAP processing using optical microscopy (OM). Following ECAP, simple compression tests and Vicker’s hardness were performed. OM micrographs showed that, the average grain size of the as-received Al-Mg-Si disc tends to be larger than the size of the ECAP processed discs. Moreover, significant difference in the grain morphologies of the as-received and processed discs was observed. Intensity of deformation was observed via the alignment of the Al-Mg-Si consolidated particles (grains) in the direction of shear, which increased with increasing the number of passes via ECAP. Increasing the number of passes up to 4 resulted in increasing the grains aspect ratio up to ~5. It was found that the pressing temperature has a significant influence on the microstructure, Hv-values, and compressive strength of the processed discs. Hardness measurements demonstrated that 1-pass resulted in increase of Hv-value by 42% compared to that of the as-received alloy. 4-passes of ECAP processing resulted in additional increase in the Hv-value. A similar trend was observed for the yield and compressive strength. Experimental data of the Hv-values demonstrated that there is a lack of any significant dependence on the processing strain rate.

Keywords: Al-Mg-Si alloy, equal channel angular pressing, grain refinement, severe plastic deformation

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2280 The Effect of Using Emg-based Luna Neurorobotics for Strengthening of Affected Side in Chronic Stroke Patients - Retrospective Study

Authors: Surbhi Kaura, Sachin Kandhari, Shahiduz Zafar

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Chronic stroke, characterized by persistent motor deficits, often necessitates comprehensive rehabilitation interventions to improve functional outcomes and mitigate long-term dependency. Luna neurorobotic devices, integrated with EMG feedback systems, provide an innovative platform for facilitating neuroplasticity and functional improvement in stroke survivors. This retrospective study aims to investigate the impact of EMG-based Luna neurorobotic interventions on the strengthening of the affected side in chronic stroke patients. In rehabilitation, active patient participation significantly activates the sensorimotor network during motor control, unlike passive movement. Stroke is a debilitating condition that, when not effectively treated, can result in significant deficits and lifelong dependency. Common issues like neglecting the use of limbs can lead to weakness in chronic stroke cases. In rehabilitation, active patient participation significantly activates the sensorimotor network during motor control, unlike passive movement. This study aims to assess how electromyographic triggering (EMG-triggered) robotic treatments affect walking, ankle muscle force after an ischemic stroke, and the coactivation of agonist and antagonist muscles, which contributes to neuroplasticity with the assistance of biofeedback using robotics. Methods: The study utilized robotic techniques based on electromyography (EMG) for daily rehabilitation in long-term stroke patients, offering feedback and monitoring progress. Each patient received one session per day for two weeks, with the intervention group undergoing 45 minutes of robot-assisted training and exercise at the hospital, while the control group performed exercises at home. Eight participants with impaired motor function and gait after stroke were involved in the study. EMG-based biofeedback exercises were administered through the LUNA neuro-robotic machine, progressing from trigger and release mode to trigger and hold, and later transitioning to dynamic mode. Assessments were conducted at baseline and after two weeks, including the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, a 10-meter walk test (10m), Berg Balance Scale (BBG), and gait parameters like cadence, step length, upper limb strength measured by EMG threshold in microvolts, and force in Newton meters. Results: The study utilized a scale to assess motor strength and balance, illustrating the benefits of EMG-biofeedback following LUNA robotic therapy. In the analysis of the left hemiparetic group, an increase in strength post-rehabilitation was observed. The pre-TUG mean value was 72.4, which decreased to 42.4 ± 0.03880133 seconds post-rehabilitation, with a significant difference indicated by a p-value below 0.05, reflecting a reduced task completion time. Similarly, in the force-based task, the pre-knee dynamic force in Newton meters was 18.2NM, which increased to 31.26NM during knee extension post-rehabilitation. The post-student t-test showed a p-value of 0.026, signifying a significant difference. This indicated an increase in the strength of knee extensor muscles after LUNA robotic rehabilitation. Lastly, at baseline, the EMG value for ankle dorsiflexion was 5.11 (µV), which increased to 43.4 ± 0.06 µV post-rehabilitation, signifying an increase in the threshold and the patient's ability to generate more motor units during left ankle dorsiflexion. Conclusion: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of EMG and dynamic force-based rehabilitation devices on walking and strength of the affected side in chronic stroke patients without nominal data comparisons among stroke patients. Additionally, it provides insights into the inclusion of EMG-triggered neurorehabilitation robots in the daily rehabilitation of patients.

Keywords: neurorehabilitation, robotic therapy, stroke, strength, paralysis

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2279 Model Evaluation of Action Potential Block in Whole-Animal Nerves Induced by Ultrashort, High-Intensity Electric Pulses

Authors: Jiahui Song

Abstract:

There have been decades of research into the action potential block in nerves. To our best knowledge electrical voltages can reversibly block the conduction of action potentials across whole animal nerves. Blocking biological electrical signaling pathways can have a variety of applications in muscular and sensory incapacitation and clinical research, including urethral pressure reduction and relieving chronic pain relief from a peripheral nerve injury. The cessation ability has been used in muscle activation and fatigue reduction. Ultrashort, high-intensity electric pulses modulate the membrane conductivity to block nerve conduction through the electroporation process. Nanopore formation on the membrane surface would increase the local membrane conductivity and effectively "short-out" the trans-membrane potential of a nerve that inhibits action potential propagation. This block would be similar in concept to stopping the propagation of an air-pressure wave down a "leaky" pipe. This research focuses on a distributed electrical model with an additional time-dependent membrane conductance to calculate the poration induced by the ultrashort, high-intensity electric pulses. The changes in membrane conductivity are used to predict changes in action potential transmission. A "strength-duration (SD)" curve is generated for action potential blockage and would be used as a design guide for benchmarking safety thresholds or setting the pulse voltage and/or durations necessary for neuro-muscular incapacitation.

Keywords: action potential, ultrashort, high-intensity, nerve, strength-duration

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2278 Bulk/Hull Cavitation Induced by Underwater Explosion: Effect of Material Elasticity and Surface Curvature

Authors: Wenfeng Xie

Abstract:

Bulk/hull cavitation evolution induced by an underwater explosion (UNDEX) near a free surface (bulk) or a deformable structure (hull) is numerically investigated using a multiphase compressible fluid solver coupled with a one-fluid cavitation model. A series of two-dimensional computations is conducted with varying material elasticity and surface curvature. Results suggest that material elasticity and surface curvature influence the peak pressures generated from UNDEX shock and cavitation collapse, as well as the bulk/hull cavitation regions near the surface. Results also show that such effects can be different for bulk cavitation generated from UNDEX-free surface interaction and for hull cavitation generated from UNDEX-structure interaction. More importantly, results demonstrate that shock wave focusing caused by a concave solid surface can lead to a larger cavitation region and thus intensify the cavitation reload. The findings can be linked to the strength and the direction of reflected waves from the structural surface and reflected waves from the expanding bubble surface, which are functions of material elasticity and surface curvature. Shockwave focusing effects are also observed for axisymmetric simulations, but the strength of the pressure contours for the axisymmetric simulations is less than those for the 2D simulations due to the difference between the initial shock energy. The current method is limited to two-dimensional or axisymmetric applications. Moreover, the thermal effects are neglected and the liquid is not allowed to sustain tension in the cavitation model.

Keywords: cavitation, UNDEX, fluid-structure interaction, multiphase

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2277 Seismic Response of Structures of Reinforced Concrete Buildings: Regular and Irregular Configurations

Authors: Abdelhammid Chibane

Abstract:

Often, for architectural reasons or designs, several buildings have a non-uniform profile in elevation. Depending on the configuration of the construction and the arrangements structural elements, the non-uniform profile in elevation (the recess) is considered concept of a combination of non-uniform distributions of strength, stiffness, weight and geometry along the height of irregular structures. Therefore, this type of configuration can induce irregular distribution load causing a serious concentration stresses at the discontinuity. This therefore requires a serious behavioral treatment buildings in an earthquake. If appropriate measures are not taken into account, structural irregularity may become a major source of damage during earthquakesEarth. In the past, several research investigations have identified differences in dynamic response of irregular and regular porches. Among the most notable differences are the increments of displacements and ductility applications in floors located above the level of the shoulder and an increase in the contribution of the higher modes cisaillement1 efforts, ..., 10. The para -ssismiques codes recommend the methods of analysis Dynamic (or modal history) to establish the forces of calculation instead of the static method equivalent, which is basically applicable only to regular structures without major discontinuities in the mass, rigidity and strength along the height 11, 12 .To investigate the effects of irregular profiles on the structures, the main objective of this study was the assessment of the inelastic response, in terms of applications of ductility four types of non-uniform multi-stage structures subjected to relatively severe earthquakes. In the This study, only the parallel responses are analyzed setback.

Keywords: buildings, concentration stresses, ductility, ductility, designs, irregular structures

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2276 Bio Composites for Substituting Synthetic Packaging Materials

Authors: Menonjyoti Kalita, Pradip Baishya

Abstract:

In recent times, the world has been facing serious environmental concerns and issues, such as sustainability and cost, due to the overproduction of synthetic materials and their participation in degrading the environment by means of industrial waste and non-biodegradable characteristics. As such, biocomposites come in handy to ease such troubles. Bio-based composites are promising materials for future applications for substituting synthetic packaging materials. The challenge of making packaging materials lighter, safer and cheaper leads to investigating advanced materials with desired properties. Also, awareness of environmental issues forces researchers and manufacturers to spend effort on composite and bio-composite materials fields. This paper explores and tests some nature-friendly materials has been done which can replace low-density plastics. The materials selected included sugarcane bagasse, areca palm, and bamboo leaves. Sugarcane bagasse bamboo leaves and areca palm sheath are the primary material or natural fibre for testing. These products were processed, and the tensile strength of the processed parts was tested in Micro UTM; it was found that areca palm can be used as a good building material in replacement to polypropylene and even could be used in the production of furniture with the help of epoxy resin. And for bamboo leaves, it was found that bamboo and cotton, when blended in a 50:50 ratio, it has great tensile strength. For areca, it was found that areca fibres can be a good substitute for polypropylene, which can be used in building construction as binding material and also other products.

Keywords: biodegradable characteristics, bio-composites, areca palm sheath, polypropylene, micro UTM

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2275 Analysis of a Damage-Control Target Displacement of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Pier for Seismic Design

Authors: Mohd Ritzman Abdul Karim, Zhaohui Huang

Abstract:

A current focus in seismic engineering practice is the development of seismic design approach that focuses on the performance-based design. Performance-based design aims to design the structures to achieve specified performance based on the damage limit states. This damage limit is more restrictive limit than life safety and needs to be carefully estimated to avoid damage in piers due to failure in transverse reinforcement. In this paper, a different perspective of damage limit states has been explored by integrating two damage control material limit state, concrete and reinforcement by introduced parameters such as expected yield stress of transverse reinforcement where peak tension strain prior to bar buckling is introduced in a recent study. The different perspective of damage limit states with modified yield displacement and the modified plastic-hinge length is used in order to predict damage-control target displacement for reinforced concreate (RC) bridge pier. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model has been developed for estimating damage target displacement to validate proposed damage limit states. The result from 3D FE analysis was validated with experimental study found in the literature. The validated model then was applied to predict the damage target displacement for RC bridge pier and to validate the proposed study. The tensile strain on reinforcement and compression on concrete were used to determine the predicted damage target displacement and compared with the proposed study. The result shows that the proposed damage limit states were efficient in predicting damage-control target displacement consistent with FE simulations.

Keywords: damage-control target displacement, damage limit states, reinforced concrete bridge pier, yield displacement

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2274 Association between Healthy Eating Index-2015 Scores and the Probability of Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Iranian Elderly

Authors: Zahra Esmaeily, Zahra Tajari, Shahrzad Daei, Mahshid Rezaei, Atefeh Eyvazkhani, Marjan Mansouri Dara, Ahmad Reza Dorosty Motlagh, Andriko Palmowski

Abstract:

Objective: Sarcopenia (SPA) is associated with frailty and disability in the elderly. Adherence to current dietary guidelines in addition to physical activity could play a role in the prevention of muscle wasting and weakness. The Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) is a tool to assess diet quality as recommended in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This study aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between HEI scores and the probability of SPA (PS) among the Tehran elderly. Method: A previously validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess HEI and the dietary intake of randomly selected elderly people living in Tehran, Iran. Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured to evaluate the PS. Statistical evaluation included descriptive analysis and standard test procedures. Result: 201 subjects were included. Those probably suffering from SPA (as determined by HGS) had significantly lower HEI scores (p = 0.02). After adjusting for confounders, HEI scores and HGS were still significantly associated (adjusted R2 = 0.56, slope β = 0.03, P = 0.09). Elderly people with a low probability of SPA consumed more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (P = 0.06) and ingested less added sugars and saturated fats (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: In this cross-sectional study, HEI scores are associated with the probability of SPA. Adhering to current dietary guidelines might contribute to ameliorating muscle strength and mass in aging individuals.

Keywords: aging, HEI-2015, Iranian, sarcopenic

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2273 Bioethanol Production from Wild Sorghum (Sorghum arundinacieum) and Spear Grass (Heteropogon contortus)

Authors: Adeyinka Adesanya, Isaac Bamgboye

Abstract:

There is a growing need to develop the processes to produce renewable fuels and chemicals due to the economic, political, and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels. Lignocellulosic biomass is an excellent renewable feedstock because it is both abundant and inexpensive. This project aims at producing bioethanol from lignocellulosic plants (Sorghum Arundinacieum and Heteropogon Contortus) by biochemical means, computing the energy audit of the process and determining the fuel properties of the produced ethanol. Acid pretreatment (0.5% H2SO4 solution) and enzymatic hydrolysis (using malted barley as enzyme source) were employed. The ethanol yield of wild sorghum was found to be 20% while that of spear grass was 15%. The fuel properties of the bioethanol from wild sorghum are 1.227 centipoise for viscosity, 1.10 g/cm3 for density, 0.90 for specific gravity, 78 °C for boiling point and the cloud point was found to be below -30 °C. That of spear grass was 1.206 centipoise for viscosity, 0.93 g/cm3 for density 1.08 specific gravity, 78 °C for boiling point and the cloud point was also found to be below -30 °C. The energy audit shows that about 64 % of the total energy was used up during pretreatment, while product recovery which was done manually demanded about 31 % of the total energy. Enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and distillation total energy input were 1.95 %, 1.49 % and 1.04 % respectively, the alcoholometric strength of bioethanol from wild sorghum was found to be 47 % and the alcoholometric strength of bioethanol from spear grass was 72 %. Also, the energy efficiency of the bioethanol production for both grasses was 3.85 %.

Keywords: lignocellulosic biomass, wild sorghum, spear grass, biochemical conversion

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2272 In Vitro Morphogenic Response of the Alginate Encapsulated Nodal Segment and Antioxidative Enzymes Analysis during Acclimatization of Cassia Angustifolia Vahl

Authors: Iram Siddique

Abstract:

Synthetic seed technology is an alternative to traditional micropropagation for production and delivery of cloned plantlets. Synthetic seeds were produced by encapsulating nodal segments of C. angustifolia in calcium alginate gel. 3% (w/v) sodium alginate and 100 mM CaCl2. 2H2O were found most suitable for encapsulation of nodal segments. Synthetic seeds cultured on half strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with thidiazuron (5.0 µM) + indole -3- acetic acid (1.0 µM) produced maximum number of shoots (10.9 ± 0.78) after 8 weeks of culture exhibiting (78%) in vitro conversion response. Encapsulated nodal segments demonstrated successful regeneration after different period (1-6 weeks) of cold storage at 4 °C. The synthetic seeds stored at 4 °C for a period of 4 weeks resulted in maximum conversion frequency (93%) after 8 weeks when placed back to regeneration medium. The isolated shoots when cultured on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.0 µM indole -3- butyric acid (IBA), produced healthy roots and plantlets with well developed shoot and roots were successfully hardened off in plastic pots containing sterile soilrite inside the growth chamber and gradually transferred to greenhouse where they grew well with 85% survival rate. Changes in the content of photosynthetic pigments, net photosynthetic rate (PN), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity in C. angustifolia indicated the adaptation of micropropagated plants to ex vitro conditions.

Keywords: biochemical studies, nodal segments, rooting, synthetic seeds, thidiazuron

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2271 Theoretical Approach for Estimating Transfer Length of Prestressing Strand in Pretensioned Concrete Members

Authors: Sun-Jin Han, Deuck Hang Lee, Hyo-Eun Joo, Hyun Kang, Kang Su Kim

Abstract:

In pretensioned concrete members, the transfer length region is existed, in which the stress in prestressing strand is developed due to the bond mechanism with surrounding concrete. The stress of strands in the transfer length zone is smaller than that in the strain plateau zone, so-called effective prestress, therefore the web-shear strength in transfer length region is smaller than that in the strain plateau zone. Although the transfer length is main key factor in the shear design, a few analytical researches have been conducted to investigate the transfer length. Therefore, in this study, a theoretical approach was used to estimate the transfer length. The bond stress developed between the strands and the surrounding concrete was quantitatively calculated by using the Thick-Walled Cylinder Model (TWCM), based on this, the transfer length of strands was calculated. To verify the proposed model, a total of 209 test results were collected from the previous studies. Consequently, the analysis results showed that the main influencing factors on the transfer length are the compressive strength of concrete, the cover thickness of concrete, the diameter of prestressing strand, and the magnitude of initial prestress. In addition, the proposed model predicted the transfer length of collected test specimens with high accuracy. Acknowledgement: This research was supported by a grant(17TBIP-C125047-01) from Technology Business Innovation Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

Keywords: bond, Hoyer effect, prestressed concrete, prestressing strand, transfer length

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2270 Effect of Infill Density and Pattern on the Compressive Strength of Parts Produced by Polylactic Acid Filament Using Fused Deposition Modelling

Authors: G. K. Awari, Vishwajeet V. Ambade, S. W. Rajurkar

Abstract:

The field of additive manufacturing is growing, and discoveries are being made. 3D printing machines are also being developed to accommodate a wider range of 3D printing materials, including plastics, metals (metal AM powders), composites, filaments, and other materials. There are numerous printing materials available for industrial additive manufacturing. Such materials have their unique characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. In order to avoid errors in additive manufacturing, key elements such as 3D printing material type, texture, cost, printing technique and procedure, and so on must be examined. It can be complex to select the best material for a particular job. Polylactic acid (PLA) is made from sugar cane or cornstarch, both of which are renewable resources. "Black plastic" is another name for it. Because it is safe to use and print, it is frequently used in primary and secondary schools. This is also how FDM screen printing is done. PLA is simple to print because of its low warping impact. It's also possible to print it on a cold surface. When opposed to ABS, it allows for sharper edges and features to be printed. This material comes in a wide range of colours. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the most common material used in fused deposition modelling (FDM). PLA can be used to print a wide range of components, including medical implants, household items, and mechanical parts. The mechanical behaviour of the printed item is affected by variations in infill patterns that are subjected to compressive tests in the current investigation to examine their behaviour under compressive stresses.

Keywords: fused deposition modelling, polylactic acid, infill density, infill pattern, compressive strength

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2269 The Influence of Coarse Aggregate Morphology on Concrete Workability: A Case Study with Algerian Crushed Limestone

Authors: Ahmed Boufedah Badissi, Ahmed Beroual, Farid Boursas

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This research aims to elucidate the role of coarse aggregate in influencing the fresh properties of normal-strength concrete. Specifically, it is aimed to identify the optimal gradation of coarse aggregate to enhance workability. While existing literature discusses the impact of aggregate granularity on concrete workability, more numerical data or models need to quantify the relationship between workability, granularity, and coarse aggregate shape. The main objective is to create a model that describes how coarse aggregate morphology contributes to fresh concrete properties. To investigate the effect of coarse aggregate gradation on Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) workability, various combinations of coarse aggregates (4/22.4 mm) were produced in the laboratory, utilizing three elementary classes: finer coarse aggregate 4/8 mm (Fca), medium coarse aggregate 8/16 mm (Mca), and coarser coarse aggregate 16/22.4 mm (Cca). We introduced a factor, FCR (Finer to Coarser coarse aggregate Ratio), as a numerical parameter to provide a quantitative evaluation and more detailed results analysis. Quantitative characterization parameters for coarse aggregate morphology were established, exploring the influence of particle size distribution, specific surface, and aggregate shape on workability. The research findings are significant for establishing correlations between coarse aggregate morphology and concrete properties. FCR emerges as a valuable tool for predicting the impact of aggregate gradation variations on concrete. The results of this study create a valuable database for construction professionals and concrete producers, affirming that the fresh properties of NSC are intricately linked to coarse aggregate morphology, particularly gradation.

Keywords: morphology, coarse aggregate, workability, fresh properties, gradation

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2268 Green approach of Anticorrosion Coating of Steel Based on Polybenzoxazine/Henna Nanocomposites

Authors: Salwa M. Elmesallamy, Ahmed A. Farag, Magd M. Badr, Dalia S. Fathy, Ahmed Bakry, Mona A. El-Etre

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The term green environment is an international trend. It is become imperative to treat the corrosion of steel with a green coating to protect the environment. From the potential adverse effects of the traditional materials.A series of polybenzoxazine/henna composites (PBZ/henna), with different weight percent (3,5, and 7 wt % (of henna), were prepared for corrosion protection of carbon steel. The structures of the prepared composites were verified using FTIR analysis. The mechanical properties of the resins, such as adhesion, hardness, binding, and tensile strength, were also measured. It was found that the tensile strength increases by henna loading up to 25% higher than the tidy resin. The thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) the loading of lawsone (henna) molecules into the PBZ matrix increases the thermal stability of the composite. UV stability was tested by the UV weathering accelerator to examine the possibility that henna can also act as an aging UV stabilizer. The effect of henna content on the corrosion resistance of composite coatings was tested using potentiostatic polarization and electrochemical spectroscopy. The presence of henna in the coating matrix enhances the protection efficiency of polybenzoxazine coats. Increasing henna concentration increases the protection efficiency of composites. The quantum chemical calculations for polybenzoxazine/henna composites have resulted that the highest corrosion inhibition efficiency, has the highest EHOMO and lowest ELUMO; which is in good agreement with results obtained from experiments.

Keywords: polybenzoxazine, corrosion, green chemistry, carbon steel

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2267 Seismic Assessment of Non-Structural Component Using Floor Design Spectrum

Authors: Amin Asgarian, Ghyslaine McClure

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Experiences in the past earthquakes have clearly demonstrated the necessity of seismic design and assessment of Non-Structural Components (NSCs) particularly in post-disaster structures such as hospitals, power plants, etc. as they have to be permanently functional and operational. Meeting this objective is contingent upon having proper seismic performance of both structural and non-structural components. Proper seismic design, analysis, and assessment of NSCs can be attained through generation of Floor Design Spectrum (FDS) in a similar fashion as target spectrum for structural components. This paper presents the developed methodology to generate FDS directly from corresponding Uniform Hazard Spectrum (UHS) (i.e. design spectra for structural components). The methodology is based on the experimental and numerical analysis of a database of 27 real Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings which are located in Montreal, Canada. The buildings were tested by Ambient Vibration Measurements (AVM) and their dynamic properties have been extracted and used as part of the approach. Database comprises 12 low-rises, 10 medium-rises, and 5 high-rises and they are mostly designated as post-disaster\emergency shelters by the city of Montreal. The buildings are subjected to 20 compatible seismic records to UHS of Montreal and Floor Response Spectra (FRS) are developed for every floors in two horizontal direction considering four different damping ratios of NSCs (i.e. 2, 5, 10, and 20 % viscous damping). Generated FRS (approximately 132’000 curves) are statistically studied and the methodology is proposed to generate the FDS directly from corresponding UHS. The approach is capable of generating the FDS for any selection of floor level and damping ratio of NSCs. It captures the effect of: dynamic interaction between primary (structural) and secondary (NSCs) systems, higher and torsional modes of primary structure. These are important improvements of this approach compared to conventional methods and code recommendations. Application of the proposed approach are represented here through two real case-study buildings: one low-rise building and one medium-rise. The proposed approach can be used as practical and robust tool for seismic assessment and design of NSCs especially in existing post-disaster structures.

Keywords: earthquake engineering, operational and functional components, operational modal analysis, seismic assessment and design

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2266 A Three Elements Vector Valued Structure’s Ultimate Strength-Strong Motion-Intensity Measure

Authors: A. Nicknam, N. Eftekhari, A. Mazarei, M. Ganjvar

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This article presents an alternative collapse capacity intensity measure in the three elements form which is influenced by the spectral ordinates at periods longer than that of the first mode period at near and far source sites. A parameter, denoted by β, is defined by which the spectral ordinate effects, up to the effective period (2T_1), on the intensity measure are taken into account. The methodology permits to meet the hazard-levelled target extreme event in the probabilistic and deterministic forms. A MATLAB code is developed involving OpenSees to calculate the collapse capacities of the 8 archetype RC structures having 2 to 20 stories for regression process. The incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) method is used to calculate the structure’s collapse values accounting for the element stiffness and strength deterioration. The general near field set presented by FEMA is used in a series of performing nonlinear analyses. 8 linear relationships are developed for the 8structutres leading to the correlation coefficient up to 0.93. A collapse capacity near field prediction equation is developed taking into account the results of regression processes obtained from the 8 structures. The proposed prediction equation is validated against a set of actual near field records leading to a good agreement. Implementation of the proposed equation to the four archetype RC structures demonstrated different collapse capacities at near field site compared to those of FEMA. The reasons of differences are believed to be due to accounting for the spectral shape effects.

Keywords: collapse capacity, fragility analysis, spectral shape effects, IDA method

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2265 Experimental Studies of Sigma Thin-Walled Beams Strengthen by CFRP Tapes

Authors: Katarzyna Rzeszut, Ilona Szewczak

Abstract:

The review of selected methods of strengthening of steel structures with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) tapes and the analysis of influence of composite materials on the steel thin-walled elements are performed in this paper. The study is also focused to the problem of applying fast and effective strengthening methods of the steel structures made of thin-walled profiles. It is worth noting that the issue of strengthening the thin-walled structures is a very complex, due to inability to perform welded joints in this type of elements and the limited ability to applying mechanical fasteners. Moreover, structures made of thin-walled cross-section demonstrate a high sensitivity to imperfections and tendency to interactive buckling, which may substantially contribute to the reduction of critical load capacity. Due to the lack of commonly used and recognized modern methods of strengthening of thin-walled steel structures, authors performed the experimental studies of thin-walled sigma profiles strengthened with CFRP tapes. The paper presents the experimental stand and the preliminary results of laboratory test concerning the analysis of the effectiveness of the strengthening steel beams made of thin-walled sigma profiles with CFRP tapes. The study includes six beams made of the cold-rolled sigma profiles with height of 140 mm, wall thickness of 2.5 mm, and a length of 3 m, subjected to the uniformly distributed load. Four beams have been strengthened with carbon fiber tape Sika CarboDur S, while the other two were tested without strengthening to obtain reference results. Based on the obtained results, the evaluation of the accuracy of applied composite materials for strengthening of thin-walled structures was performed.

Keywords: CFRP tapes, sigma profiles, steel thin-walled structures, strengthening

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2264 Evaluation of Compressive Mechanical Properties of the Radial Bone Defect Treated with Selected Bone Graft Substitute Materials in Rabbit

Authors: Omid Gholipoor Bashiri, Ghafur Mosavi, Aliasghar Behnamghader, Seyed Mahmood Rabiee

Abstract:

Objective: To determine the effect of selected bone graft on the compression properties of radial bone in rabbit. Design-Experimental in vivo study. Animals: A total of 45 adult male New Zealand white rabbits. Procedures: The rabbits were anesthetized and a one-cm-full thickness piece of radial bone was removed using oscillating saw in the all rabbit. The rabbits were divided into 5 groups on the basis of the material used to fill the bone defect: group 1: the paste of bone cement calcium phosphate; group II: the paste of calcium phosphate mixture with type I collagen; group III: tricalcium phosphate mixed with hydroxyapatite (TCP & HP) with 5% porosity; group IV: the same scaffold as group III with 10% porosity; and group V: the same scaffold as group III and IV with 20% porosity, with 9 rabbits in each group. Subsequently subdivided into 3 subgroups of 3 rabbits each. Results: There was a significant increase in compression properties of radial bone in the group II and V in 2nd and 3rd months as compared with groups I, III and IV. The mean endurable crack-strength in group II and V were slightly higher than that of normal radius (P<0.05). Conclusion and clinical relevance: Application of calcium phosphate paste with type I collagen and scaffold of tricalcium phosphate with hydroxyapatite having 20% porosity indicated to have positive effect in integral formation of qualitative callus at the site of fracture and early re-organization of callus to regain mechanical strength too.

Keywords: calcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, radial bone, compressive properties, porosity, type i collagen, rabbit

Procedia PDF Downloads 447
2263 Considerations for Effectively Using Probability of Failure as a Means of Slope Design Appraisal for Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Rock Masses

Authors: Neil Bar, Andrew Heweston

Abstract:

Probability of failure (PF) often appears alongside factor of safety (FS) in design acceptance criteria for rock slope, underground excavation and open pit mine designs. However, the design acceptance criteria generally provide no guidance relating to how PF should be calculated for homogeneous and heterogeneous rock masses, or what qualifies a ‘reasonable’ PF assessment for a given slope design. Observational and kinematic methods were widely used in the 1990s until advances in computing permitted the routine use of numerical modelling. In the 2000s and early 2010s, PF in numerical models was generally calculated using the point estimate method. More recently, some limit equilibrium analysis software offer statistical parameter inputs along with Monte-Carlo or Latin-Hypercube sampling methods to automatically calculate PF. Factors including rock type and density, weathering and alteration, intact rock strength, rock mass quality and shear strength, the location and orientation of geologic structure, shear strength of geologic structure and groundwater pore pressure influence the stability of rock slopes. Significant engineering and geological judgment, interpretation and data interpolation is usually applied in determining these factors and amalgamating them into a geotechnical model which can then be analysed. Most factors are estimated ‘approximately’ or with allowances for some variability rather than ‘exactly’. When it comes to numerical modelling, some of these factors are then treated deterministically (i.e. as exact values), while others have probabilistic inputs based on the user’s discretion and understanding of the problem being analysed. This paper discusses the importance of understanding the key aspects of slope design for homogeneous and heterogeneous rock masses and how they can be translated into reasonable PF assessments where the data permits. A case study from a large open pit gold mine in a complex geological setting in Western Australia is presented to illustrate how PF can be calculated using different methods and obtain markedly different results. Ultimately sound engineering judgement and logic is often required to decipher the true meaning and significance (if any) of some PF results.

Keywords: probability of failure, point estimate method, Monte-Carlo simulations, sensitivity analysis, slope stability

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2262 Comparative Study of Tensile Properties of Cast and Hot Forged Alumina Nanoparticle Reinforced Composites

Authors: S. Ghanaraja, Subrata Ray, S. K. Nath

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Particle reinforced Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) succeeds in synergizing the metallic matrix with ceramic particle reinforcements to result in improved strength, particularly at elevated temperatures, but adversely it affects the ductility of the matrix because of agglomeration and porosity. The present study investigates the outcome of tensile properties in a cast and hot forged composite reinforced simultaneously with coarse and fine particles. Nano-sized alumina particles have been generated by milling mixture of aluminum and manganese dioxide powders. Milled particles after drying are added to molten metal and the resulting slurry is cast. The microstructure of the composites shows good distribution of both the size categories of particles without significant clustering. The presence of nanoparticles along with coarser particles in a composite improves both strength and ductility considerably. Delay in debonding of coarser particles to higher stress is due to reduced mismatch in extension caused by increased strain hardening in presence of the nanoparticles. However, higher addition of powder mix beyond a limit results in deterioration of mechanical properties, possibly due to clustering of nanoparticles. The porosity in cast composite generally increases with the increasing addition of powder mix as observed during process and on forging it has got reduced. The base alloy and nanocomposites show improvement in flow stress which could be attributed to lowering of porosity and grain refinement as a consequence of forging.

Keywords: aluminium, alumina, nano-particle reinforced composites, porosity

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2261 Vibration Damping Properties of Electrorheological Materials Based on Chitosan/Perlite Composite

Authors: M. Cabuk, M. Yavuz, T. A. Yesil, H. I. Unal

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Electrorheological (ER) fluids are a class of smart materials exhibiting reversible changes in their rheological and mechanical properties under an applied electric field (E). ER fluids generally are composed of polarisable solid particles dispersed in non-conducting oil. ER fluids are fluids which exhibit. The resistance to motion of the ER fluid can be controlled by adjusting the applied E, due to their fast and reversible changes in their rheological properties presence of E. In this study, a series of chitosan/expanded perlite (CS/EP) composites with different chitosan mass fractions (10%, 20%, and 50%) was used. Characterizations of the composites were carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) techniques. Antisedimentation stability and dielectric properties of the composites were also determined. The effects of volume fraction, electric field strength, shear rate, shear stress, and temperature onto ER properties of the CS/EP composite particles dispersed in silicone oil (SO) were investigated in detail. Vibration damping behavior of the CS/EP composites were determined as a function of frequence, storage (Gʹ) and loss (Gʹ ʹ) moduli. It was observed that ER response of the CS/EP/SO ER fluids increased with increasing electric field strength and exhibited the typical shear thinning non-Newtonian viscoelastic behaviors with increasing shear rate. The maximum yield stress was obtained with 1250 Pa under E = 3 kV/mm. Further, the CS/EP/SO ER fluids were observed to sensitive to vibration control by showing reversible viscosity enhancements (Gʹ > Gʹ ʹ). Acknowledgements: The authors thank the TÜBİTAK (214Z199) for the financial support of this work.

Keywords: chitosan, electrorheology, perlite, vibration control

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2260 Tensile Retention Properties of Thermoplastic Starch Based Biocomposites Modified with Glutaraldehyde

Authors: Jen-Taut Yeh, Yuan-jing Hou, Li Cheng, Ya Zhou Wang, Zhi Yu Zhang

Abstract:

Tensile retention properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) reinforced thermoplastic starch (TPS) resins were successfully improved by reacting with glutaraldehyde (GA) in their gelatinization processes. Small amounts of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) were blended with GA modified TPS resins to improve their processability. As evidenced by the newly developed ether (-C-O-C-) stretching bands on FT-IR spectra of TPS100BC0.02GAx series specimens, hydroxyl groups of TPS100BC0.02 resins were successfully reacted with the aldehyde groups of GA molecules during their modification processes. The retention values of tensile strengths (σf) of TPS100BC0.02GAx and (TPS100BC0.02GAx)75PLA25 specimens improved significantly and reached a maximal value as GA contents approached an optimal value at 0.5 part per hundred parts of TPS resin (PHR). By addition of 0.5 PHR GA in biocomposite specimens, the initial tensile strength and elongation at break values of (TPS100BC0.02GA0.5)75PLA25 specimen improved to 24.6 MPa and 5.6%, respectively, which were slightly improved than those of (TPS100BC0.02)75PLA25 specimen. However, the retention values of tensile strengths of (TPS100BC0.02GA0.5)75PLA25 specimen reached around 82.5%, after placing the specimen under 20oC/50% relative humidity for 56 days, which were significantly better than those of the (TPS100BC0.02)75PLA25 specimen. In order to understand these interesting tensile retention properties found for (TPS100BC0.02GAx)75PLA25 specimens. Thermal analyses of initial and aged TPS100BC0.02, TPS100BC0.02GAx and (TPS100BC0.02GAx)75PLA25 specimens were also performed in this investigation. Possible reasons accounting for the significantly improved tensile retention properties of TPS100BC0.02GAx and (TPS100BC0.02GAx)75PLA25 specimens are proposed.

Keywords: biocomposite, strength retention, thermoplastic starch, tensile retention

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2259 Comparison of Er:YAG Laser with Bur Prepared Cavities: A Systematic Review

Authors: Sarina Sahmeddini, Fahimeh Safarpour, Forough Pazhuheian

Abstract:

With the concepts of minimally invasive treatment and preventive dentistry gaining more and more recognition by dentists, there are many published clinical trials comparing the use of the erbium laser with traditional drilling for caries removal. However, the efficacy of the erbium laser is still controversial. The aim of this review study is to compare the effects of tooth preparation by laser irradiation and conventional preparation by bur to identify the best means for cavity preparation and reduction of recurrent caries. Randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, and prospective, and retrospective cohort studies were included in this review. The eligibility criteria included studies in humans’ permanent teeth in which cavities were conducted in their cervical third and proximal surfaces. PubMed, Google scholar, and Scopus about Er:YAG laser and bur prepared cavities were carried out. The studies’ details were organized in four tables according to the groups: (1) Microleakage; (2) Morphological changes; (3) Microhardness; and (4) Bond strength. The initial search resulted in 134 articles, 12 studies published from 2012 up to March 2020 were included in this review. According to the risk of bias evaluation, all studies were classified as high quality. Clinical implications: Er:YAG lasers with the energy levels between 250 to 300 mJ can be proper alternatives to conventional burs, as minimal invasive instruments with no significant differences or better results in microleakage, microhardness, and bond strength compared with conventional burs. In conclusion, Er:YAG laser irradiations accompanied by phosphoric acid etching can reduce the chance of recurrent carries.

Keywords: lasers, drilling, caries, micro leakage

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2258 A Ground Structure Method to Minimize the Total Installed Cost of Steel Frame Structures

Authors: Filippo Ranalli, Forest Flager, Martin Fischer

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This paper presents a ground structure method to optimize the topology and discrete member sizing of steel frame structures in order to minimize total installed cost, including material, fabrication and erection components. The proposed method improves upon existing cost-based ground structure methods by incorporating constructability considerations well as satisfying both strength and serviceability constraints. The architecture for the method is a bi-level Multidisciplinary Feasible (MDF) architecture in which the discrete member sizing optimization is nested within the topology optimization process. For each structural topology generated, the sizing optimization process seek to find a set of discrete member sizes that result in the lowest total installed cost while satisfying strength (member utilization) and serviceability (node deflection and story drift) criteria. To accurately assess cost, the connection details for the structure are generated automatically using accurate site-specific cost information obtained directly from fabricators and erectors. Member continuity rules are also applied to each node in the structure to improve constructability. The proposed optimization method is benchmarked against conventional weight-based ground structure optimization methods resulting in an average cost savings of up to 30% with comparable computational efficiency.

Keywords: cost-based structural optimization, cost-based topology and sizing, optimization, steel frame ground structure optimization, multidisciplinary optimization of steel structures

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2257 Mineral Slag Used as an Alternative of Cement in Concrete

Authors: Eskinder Desta Shumuye, Jun Zhao, Zike Wang

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This paper summarizes the results of experimental studies carried out at Zhengzhou University, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, research laboratory, on the performance of concrete produced by combining Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with Ground-Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS). Concrete specimens cast with OPC and various percentage of GGBS (0%, 30%, 50%, and 70%) were subjected to high temperature exposure and extensive experimental test reproducing basic freeze-thaw cycle and a chloride-ion attack to determine their combined effects within the concrete samples. From the experimental studies, comparisons were made on the physical, mechanical, and microstructural properties in compassion with ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPC). Further, durability of GGBS cement concrete, such as exposure to accelerated carbonation, chloride ion attack, and freeze-thaw action in compassion with various percentage of GGBS and ordinary Portland cement concrete of similar mixture composition was analyzed. The microstructure, mineralogical composition, and pore size distribution of concrete specimens were determined via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The result demonstrated that when the exposure temperature increases from 200 ºC to 400 ºC, the residual compressive strength was fluctuating for all concrete group, and compressive strength and chloride ion exposure of the concrete decreased with the increasing of slag content. The SEM and EDS results showed an increase in carbonation rate with increasing in slag content.

Keywords: accelerated carbonation, chloride-ion, concrete, ground-granulated blast furnace slag, GGBS, high-temperature

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2256 Effect of Temperature on the Properties of Cement Paste Modified with Nanoparticles

Authors: Karine Pimenta Teixeira, Jessica Flores, Isadora PerdigãO Rocha, Leticia De Sá Carneiro, Mahsa Kamali, Ali Ghahremaninezhad

Abstract:

The advent of nanotechnology has enabled innovative solutions towards improving the behavior of infrastructure materials. Nanomaterials have the potential to revolutionize the construction industry by improving the performance and durability of construction materials, as well as imparting new functionalities to these materials. Due to variability in the environmental temperature during mixing and curing of cementitious materials in practice, it is important to understand how curing temperature influences the behavior of cementitious materials. In addition, high temperature curing is relevant in applications such as oil well cement and precast industry. Knowledge of the influence of temperature on the performance of cementitious materials modified with nanoparticles is important in the nanoengineering of cementitious materials in applications such as oil well cement and precast industry. This presentation aims to investigate the influence of temperature on the hydration, mechanical properties and durability of cementitious materials modified with TiO2 nanoparticles. It was found that temperature improved the early hydration. The cement pastes cured at high temperatures showed an increase in the compressive strength at early age but the strength gain decreased at late ages. The electrical resistivity of the cement pastes cured at high temperatures was shown to decrease more noticeably at late ages compared to that of the room temperature cured cement paste. SEM examination indicated that hydration product was more uniformly distributed in the microstructure of the cement paste cured at room temperature compared to the cement pastes cured at high temperature.

Keywords: cement paste, nanoparticles, temperature, hydration

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2255 Investigation on Pull-Out-Behavior and Interface Critical Parameters of Polymeric Fibers Embedded in Concrete and Their Correlation with Particular Fiber Characteristics

Authors: Michael Sigruener, Dirk Muscat, Nicole Struebbe

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Fiber reinforcement is a state of the art to enhance mechanical properties in plastics. For concrete and civil engineering, steel reinforcements are commonly used. Steel reinforcements show disadvantages in their chemical resistance and weight, whereas polymer fibers' major problems are in fiber-matrix adhesion and mechanical properties. In spite of these facts, longevity and easy handling, as well as chemical resistance motivate researches to develop a polymeric material for fiber reinforced concrete. Adhesion and interfacial mechanism in fiber-polymer-composites are already studied thoroughly. For polymer fibers used as concrete reinforcement, the bonding behavior still requires a deeper investigation. Therefore, several differing polymers (e.g., polypropylene (PP), polyamide 6 (PA6) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK)) were spun into fibers via single screw extrusion and monoaxial stretching. Fibers then were embedded in a concrete matrix, and Single-Fiber-Pull-Out-Tests (SFPT) were conducted to investigate bonding characteristics and microstructural interface of the composite. Differences in maximum pull-out-force, displacement and slope of the linear part of force vs displacement-function, which depicts the adhesion strength and the ductility of the interfacial bond were studied. In SFPT fiber, debonding is an inhomogeneous process, where the combination of interfacial bonding and friction mechanisms add up to a resulting value. Therefore, correlations between polymeric properties and pull-out-mechanisms have to be emphasized. To investigate these correlations, all fibers were introduced to a series of analysis such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), contact angle measurement, surface roughness and hardness analysis, tensile testing and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Of each polymer, smooth and abraded fibers were tested, first to simulate the abrasion and damage caused by a concrete mixing process and secondly to estimate the influence of mechanical anchoring of rough surfaces. In general, abraded fibers showed a significant increase in maximum pull-out-force due to better mechanical anchoring. Friction processes therefore play a major role to increase the maximum pull-out-force. The polymer hardness affects the tribological behavior and polymers with high hardness lead to lower surface roughness verified by SEM and surface roughness measurements. This concludes into a decreased maximum pull-out-force for hard polymers. High surface energy polymers show better interfacial bonding strength in general, which coincides with the conducted SFPT investigation. Polymers such as PEEK or PA6 show higher bonding strength in smooth and roughened fibers, revealed through high pull-out-force and concrete particles bonded on the fiber surface pictured via SEM analysis. The surface energy divides into dispersive and polar part, at which the slope is correlating with the polar part. Only polar polymers increase their SFPT-function slope due to better wetting abilities when showing a higher bonding area through rough surfaces. Hence, the maximum force and the bonding strength of an embedded fiber is a function of polarity, hardness, and consequently surface roughness. Other properties such as crystallinity or tensile strength do not affect bonding behavior. Through the conducted analysis, it is now feasible to understand and resolve different effects in pull-out-behavior step-by-step based on the polymer properties itself. This investigation developed a roadmap on how to engineer high adhering polymeric materials for fiber reinforcement of concrete.

Keywords: fiber-matrix interface, polymeric fibers, fiber reinforced concrete, single fiber pull-out test

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2254 Extraction of Cellulose Nanofibrils from Pulp Using Enzymatic Pretreatment and Evaluation of Their Papermaking Potential

Authors: Ajay Kumar Singh, Arvind Kumar, S. P. Singh

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Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) have shown potential of their extensive use in various fields, including papermaking, due to their unique characteristics. In this study, CNF’s were prepared by fibrillating the pulp obtained from raw materials e.g. bagasse, hardwood and softwood using enzymatic pretreatment followed by mechanical refining. These nanofibrils, when examined under FE-SEM, show that partial fibrillation on fiber surface has resulted in production of nanofibers. Mixing these nanofibers with the unrefined and normally refined fibers show their reinforcing effect. This effect is manifested in observing the improvement in the physical and mechanical properties e.g. tensile index and burst index of paper. Tear index, however, was observed to decrease on blending with nanofibers. The optical properties of paper sheets made from blended fibers showed no significant change in comparison to those made from only mechanically refined pulp. Mixing of normal pulp fibers with nanofibers show increase in ºSR and consequent decrease in drainage rate. These changes observed in mechanical, optical and other physical properties of the paper sheets made from nanofibrils blended pulp have been tried to explain considering the distribution of the nanofibrils alongside microfibrils in the fibrous network. Since usually, paper/boards with higher strength are observed to have diminished optical properties which is a drawback in their quality, the present work has the potential for developing paper/boards having improved strength alongwith undiminished optical properties utilising the concepts of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Keywords: enzymatic pretreatment, mechanical refining, nanofibrils, paper properties

Procedia PDF Downloads 350