Non-proportional multiaxial whole-life transformation ratchetting and fatigue failure of super-elastic NiTi shape memory alloy micro-tubes

Experimental observations are performed to investigate the non-proportional multiaxial whole-life transformation ratchetting and fatigue failure of superelastic NiTi SMA micro-tubes in stress-controlled loadings at human-body temperature (310 K). The effects of axial mean stress and stress hold on the whole-life transformation ratchetting and fatigue life are investigated with uniaxial, torsional and five different multiaxial loading paths. The results show that the stress holds on the upper or lower transformation plateaus will both promote forward and reverse transformation, and lead to shorter fatigue life. The multiaxial fatigue lives of NiTi shape memory alloy depend significantly on loading paths and applied stress levels.     

空间H形梁柱节点的节点域滞回性能试验研究

为研究空间效应对节点域滞回性能及稳定性的影响，设计了4个不同构造的空间H形梁柱节点试件，于柱端施加恒定轴向荷载，于柱弱轴平面梁端施加恒定反对称荷载，于柱强轴平面梁端施加反对称往复荷载。试验及分析结果表明：基于平面梁柱节点试验提出的考虑竖向连接板对提高节点域稳定性的推荐公式仍适用；柱弱轴平面不平衡弯矩通过竖向连接板及横向加劲肋传递至柱翼缘，当该荷载不致引起节点域周边构件过早屈服时，若传力路径连续，节点域不直接抵抗该荷载作用；在本试验的柱弱轴平面荷载应力水平下，构造设计合理的空间试件节点域的承载力、变形能力、稳定性、耗能能力均不低于相应的平面试件。     

Counter-intuitive collapse of single-layer reticulated domes subject to interior blast loading

A commercial finite element package, LS-DYNA, was employed to simulate the response of a single-layer reticulated dome to an interior blast. The dome, which was initially stressed by static preloading, encountered an interesting phenomenon namely counter-intuitive collapse, which was found during the blast analysis. The Johnson–Cook constitutive model for mild steel was used to identify different failure modes of the dome for more than 2430 samples. A seemingly counter-intuitive collapse was identified due to dynamic instability. This unusual collapse was explained using total potential curves, and the critical blast load was defined. The effect of different static preloads, which is the other determination factor of counter-intuitive collapse, was investigated. A relationship between collapse and static/dynamic loads was also obtained. The results indicate that single-layer reticulated domes, with large initial stresses, may collapse at lower dynamic loads than expected.     

Shear and mode II fracture of PUR foams

Polyurethane (PUR) foam materials are widely used as cores in sandwich composites, for packing and cushioning. They are made of interconnected networks of solid struts and cell walls incorporating voids with entrapped gas. The main characteristics of foams are lightweight, high porosity, high crushability, and good energy absorption capacity. Fracture toughness in mixed mode loading is of particular interest because foam cracking weakens the structure’s capacity for carrying loads.Present paper assesses the shear elastic (shear modulus) and mechanical (shear strength) properties of polyurethane foams. Also, three different types of specimens were used to determine mode I and mode II fracture toughness. The shear modulus, shear strength and fracture toughness increases with increasing foam density. Also the effect of loading direction and loading speed is investigated. The authors propose a micromechanical model to estimate fracture toughness based on the tensile strength of the solid material and the topology of the cellular structure.     

Predictions of frame compliance and apex morphology in sharp nanoindentations

If all components in a nanoindentation system are well calibrated and a reference material has unique hardness, H and reduced modulus, E_r independent of the indentation depths, the load, L and the penetration depth, h in the indentation loading curve of the reference material can be correlated by L=Kh². Here the constant K is expressed by H, E_r and indenter geometry constants. By using H and E_r of a fused silica and the Berkovich geometry, an analytical expression for the indentation loading curve could be derived. To compare with this analytical loading curve, experimental indentation data were measured with two commercial nanoindenters. The experimental loading curves shifted leftward or rightward from the analytical loading curve and this depth deviation was attributed to improper calibration of the nanoindenters. Quantitative calibrations of frame compliance and indenter bluntness were tried for the raw nanoindentation data and this resulted in consistent nanoindentation data regardless of the used nanoindenters.     

Heuristic algorithms for a three-dimensional loading capacitated vehicle routing problem in a carrier

In this paper, we present heuristic algorithms for a three-dimensional loading capacitated vehicle routing problem arising in a real-world situation. In this problem, customers make requests of goods, which are packed in a sortment of boxes. The objective is to find minimum cost delivery routes for a set of identical vehicles that, departing from a depot, visit all customers only once and return to the depot. Apart of the usual 3D container loading constraints which ensure that the boxes are packed completely inside the vehicles and that the boxes do not overlap each other in each vehicle, the problem also takes into account constraints related to the vertical stability of the cargo and multi-drop situations. The algorithms are based on the combination of classical heuristics from both vehicle routing and container loading literatures, as well as two metaheuristic strategies, and their use in more elaborate procedures. Although these approaches cannot assure optimal solutions for the respective problems, they are relatively simple, fast enough to solve real instances, flexible enough to include other practical considerations, and normally assure relatively good solutions in acceptable computational times in practice. The approaches are also sufficiently generic to be embedded with algorithms other than those considered in this study, as well as they can be easily adapted to consider other practical constraints, such as the load bearing strength of the boxes, time windows and pickups and deliveries. Computational tests were performed with these methods considering instances based on the vehicle routing literature and actual customers’ orders, as well as instances based on a real-world situation of a Brazilian carrier. The results show that the heuristics are able to produce relatively good solutions for real instances with hundreds of customers and thousands of boxes.     

船舶水润滑尾轴承结构设计研究进展

水润滑轴承的结构优化可以有效提高轴承的承载能力、冷却散热、减振降噪和摩擦学性能。在概述船舶水润滑尾轴承的优势和存在问题的基础上,分析归纳水润滑尾轴承内衬结构、内衬的厚度和硬度、轴承间隙、长径比、内衬表面粗糙度等结构设计参数的研究进展;以轴位水润滑尾轴承、内衬多层复合水润滑尾轴承和闭式水润滑尾轴承为例,介绍近年来几种新型水润滑尾轴承的结构设计,指出闭式水润滑尾轴承在内河及沿海船舶上具有广阔的应用前景,是未来的研究重点和发展趋势;建议水润滑尾轴承的研究应从以下方面着手,一是从微纳米尺度研究轴承微观界面润滑机制,二是在考虑轴承参数间耦合作用的基础上对轴承进行多目标优化,三是进一步研究闭式水润滑尾轴承及密封装置材料、结构和辅助装置以及水润滑添加剂,四是研究船舶水润滑尾轴承的设计规范,建立一定范围内精度满足工程需要的轴承设计计算经验公式,以简化轴承设计程序。     

Experimental investigation on the performance of multi-tiered geogrid mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls with wrap-around facing subjected to earthquake loading

Construction of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls in multi-tiered configurations is a promising solution for increasing the height of such walls. The good performance of this type of walls after recent major earthquakes was reported in a number of technical studies. In the present study, an experimental approach was adopted to compare the seismic performance of single-tiered and multi-tiered MSE walls using physical modeling and through conducting a series of uniaxial shaking table tests. To do so, several geogrid-reinforced soil walls with wrap-around facing (i.e., three-, two-, and single-tiered) with a total height of 10 m were designed in the form of prototypes of 1-m-height wall models. The step-wise intensified sinusoidal waves were applied to the models in 14 typical forms. Comparing the shaking table test results confirmed the post-earthquake advantages of multi-tiered MSE walls. The results revealed that tiered walls exhibited better behaviors under earthquake loading in terms of the seismic stability of the wall, displacement of the wall crest, horizontal displacement of the wall facing, deformation mode and failure mechanism of the wall, settlement of backfill surface, and seismic acceleration responses.     

Estimating the system efficiency of the multifunctional hydrogen complex at nuclear power plants

The paper deals with the primary current frequency regulation in the energy system (ES) as well as the basic requirements for NPP power units (PUs) under the conditions of involvement into the primary regulation. According to these requirements, NPP operation is related to the unloading and corresponding decrease in efficiency. It has been shown in this connection that combining NPP with a hydrogen complex (HEC) allows excluding the inefficient unloading mode. This enables the steam turbine and reactor equipment to operate in the basic mode at nominal power level. Besides, the conditions for producing and storing hydrogen and oxygen during the day as well as additionally during the night-time of off-peak electrical load may be created, which allows using them for generating peak power.In the paper, the systemic economic benefit as a result of involving NPP combined with HEC into primary regulation of the current frequency in ES with allowance for expending resources for the main equipment has been estimated. In this regard, the paper gives grounds for cyclic loadings of HEC main equipment including metal tanks for storing hydrogen and oxygen, compressors, hydrogen-oxygen combustion chamber (HOCC) for hydrogen-steam superheating of the actuating medium in the NPP steam turbine cycle. Methodological grounds for evaluating the equipment endurance under cyclic loading with involving into the primary frequency regulation by the criterion of the fatigue crack growth rate are described. It has been shown that in terms of HEC equipment, the highest load intensity occurs in HOCC due to high thermal stresses.Also, the systemic economic benefit has been estimated, and the impact of the equipment deterioration under conditions of cyclic loading has been demonstrated. It is shown that when combining NPP PUs with HEC, the efficiency of primary regulation may significantly depend on such factors as the cost of equipment exposed to cyclic loads, the frequency and intensity of cyclic loads, and the relation between the peak electricity tariff and the cost price of electric energy produced by NPP.It has been shown on the basis of novel methods for estimating the efficiency of involving NPP with HEC into the primary frequency regulation with allowance for damage to the equipment, that the use of HEC may provide a considerable economic benefit, as compared to the version of NPP unloading when involving directly into frequency regulation.     

m采高采煤机牵引箱加载试验分析

为了满足9 m采高特厚煤层综采要求,设计了MG1100/3050-WD采煤机。鉴于新牵引箱的结构和参数,选择了倒置的加载方式。采用液压加载试验台进行热平衡试验,并对试验结果进行了分析,满足空载试验和热平衡试验标准和要求。此牵引箱达到型式试验要求,可以出厂进行工业性试验。