Validation of Models Predicting Nucleation Rates from Induction Times and Metastable Zone Widths

Three approaches for estimation of nucleation rates from induction time and metastable zone width (MSZW) were validated based on directly measured nucleation rates for paracetamol in ethanol. To quantitatively predict nucleation kinetics using Kubota's methods it is necessary to know the minimum detectable number concentration of nuclei. This was found by determination of light transmission of a series of diluted suspensions of newly nucleated crystals where the size had already been assessed by optical reflection measurement (ORM). The measured nucleation rates strongly depended on both temperature and supersaturation. The Nyvlt method predicted nucleation rates in this system reasonably well; however, it gave slightly low estimates for all temperatures. The methods of Kubota provided nucleation rates that were low by an order of magnitude.     

An approach to measure infill matric suction of irregular infilled rock joints under constant normal stiffness shearing

Rock joints infilled with sediments can strongly influence the strength of rock mass. As infilled joints often exist under unsaturated condition, this study investigated the influence of matric suction of infill on the overall joint shear strength. A novel technique that allows direct measurement of matric suction of infill using high capacity tensiometers (HCTs) during direct shear of infilled joints under constant normal stiffness (CNS) is described. The CNS apparatus was modified to accommodate the HCT and the procedure is explained in detail. Joint specimens were simulated by gypsum plaster using three-dimensional (3D) printed surface moulds, and filled with kaolin and sand mixture prepared at different water contents. Shear behaviours of both planar infilled joints and rough joints having joint roughness coefficients (JRCs) of 8–10 and 18–20 with the ratios of infill thickness to asperity height (t/a) equal to 0.5 were investigated. Matric suction shows predominantly unimodal behaviour during shearing of both planar and rough joints, which is closely associated with the variation of unloading rate and volumetric changes of the infill material. As expected, two-peak behaviour was observed for the rough joints and both peaks increased with the increase of infill matric suction. The results suggest that the contribution of matric suction of infill on the joint peak normalised shear stress is relatively independent of the joint roughness.     

New approaches to determine the interface height of fire smoke based on a three-layer zone model and its verification in large confined space

Large confined space has high incidence of fires, which seriously threatens the safety of people working there. Understanding the distribution of smoke in such large space is critical to fire development prediction and smoke control. Three improved methods for the stratification interface prediction of fire smoke are developed, including of improved intra-variance, integral ratio and N-percentage methods. In these methods, the interface height is determined by the vertical temperature distribution based on a three-layer smoke zone model, which is an improvement of a two-layer zone model. Thereafter, the three improved methods are applied to several typical fire cases simulated CFD to predict the smoke interface, and their applicability and reliability are verified by comparison of the smoke stratification results with the filed simulation results. Results show that the three improved methods can effectively determine the location of the three-layer zone model's interface, and they have the ability to predict smoke interface for fires with different fire source types and ventilation conditions.     

Effects of ethylene-octene copolymer (POE) on the brittle to ductile transition of high-density polyethylene/POE blends

Three kinds of ethylene-octene copolymers (POE) were melt-blended with high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) in different proportions. Detailed characterizations were conducted to analyze their structural differences of POE and its effects in toughening PE-HD. The higher molecular weight POE can improve the toughness of PE-HD. 60:40 PE-HD/POE is elongated to break up to 700% while impact strength is 84.7 kJ/m² at −30°C, which is 21-fold of PE-HD. In the brittle to ductile transition (BDT) during impact, the fracture mechanism changes from the crazing mode to the shear yield-plastic deformation mode. The BDT temperature decreases as the POE molecular weight and its content increase. The interface strength in tension is estimated to access their effects. The Boltzmann-type models were successfully extended to describe the typical S-shaped curves in BDT of notched impact strength vs POE content or temperature. The supplementary decay model is suggested for the attenuation in toughening. Transition map in impact is proposed to select the use range of composition (c ) and temperature (T ) for high toughness. The curves are converted into 3D graph of T -c -impact strength for illustrating their coupling-separate effects, and further into the contour map of impact strength in T -c space for finding their partial equivalence.     

高应力下花岗岩抗剪强度参数特征试验研究

为促进深部矿产资源的安全高效开采,基于取自程潮铁矿西区-395m水平的主要围岩花岗岩的试件,通过伺服试验系统开展高应力下的常规三轴压缩强度试验,研究花岗岩的破坏、强度和参数特征。研究结果表明:1)随着围压的增加,花岗岩的破坏形式由剪切破坏逐渐向剪切劈裂复合型破坏转变,破坏形态由单一破坏断面逐渐转变为多破坏断面,破坏断裂角逐渐减小。2)花岗岩的三轴强度和抗剪强度与围压的关系在低围压下基本均呈线性,在高围压下则均呈上凸的非线性。3)花岗岩抗剪强度参数具有明显的围压效应特征,具体表现为凝聚力和内摩擦角随着围压的增加分别呈逐渐增大和减小的趋势。结合Hoek-Brown准则对瞬态抗剪强度参数的确定进行了初探,结果表明参数推导值的变化趋势符合参数试验规律,但推导值与试验值存在一定的差异,说明Hoek-Brown准则在表征高应力下岩石三轴强度的非线性上仍存在局限,有待进一步研究。     

变厚度板中水平剪切波的传播特性分析

为研究超声导波在储罐壁板等变壁厚结构中的传播特性，建立了SH波在空间自由边界中的传播模型，基于各向同性弹性介质Navier-Stokes方程，推导了变厚度板中SH波的频散方程，分析了变厚度板中水平剪切波走时t与倾斜角θ间的相互作用关系；通过简谐点源的远场响应并引入板厚与传播位移的非线性关系，得出了变厚度板中SH波的远场响应方程。在此基础上，仿真分析和实验验证了水平剪切波在不同倾斜角变厚度板中的传播特性，结果表明：在变厚度板的薄端激励水平剪切波并沿结构表面传播时，无频散现象，且无波包分离现象；但随着变厚度板倾斜角θ增大，水平剪切波的走时和接收信号幅值均逐渐递减，且呈非线性关系。     

基于直剪试验的页岩水化作用的强度弱化规律

随着页岩气资源的不断开发,水平井段的硬脆性页岩井壁失稳问题也越来越突出。为此,通过对水基、油基钻井液浸泡后的页岩岩样直剪试验,并结合单组弱面强度理论,分析了内聚力和内摩擦角对页岩强度的影响规律以及不同钻井液浸泡后的页岩强度弱化规律。对试验数据的分析结果表明:①水基、油基钻井液浸泡后内聚力和内摩擦角均下降,其垂直层理面方向的内摩擦角和内聚力均高于平行层理面方向;②页岩强度随钻井液浸泡时长增加而降低,受水化作用影响层理面导致强度降低,微裂缝表现为更易扩展,页岩容易产生破坏;③内聚力控制页岩强度大小,内摩擦角控制页岩沿弱面破坏的范围;④水基钻井液对页岩影响较为明显,页岩受其浸泡后强度下降较快,并随浸泡时间增加页岩强度持续下降,同时沿弱面破坏的角度限明显增大,油基钻井液能较好地保持岩样强度水平。最后,以四川盆地志留系龙马溪组M气藏为例,通过水平井段坍塌压力的计算,认识到水基钻井液基本不能满足钻井要求,而应采用油基钻井液且优先考虑沿最小水平地应力方向钻进。     

Fatigue strength evaluation of self-piercing riveted Al-5052 joints under different specimen configurations

In this study, static and fatigue tests were conducted using coach-peel, cross-tension and tensile–shear specimens with Al-5052 plates for evaluation of the fatigue strength of the SPR joints. For the coach-peel, cross-tension and tensile–shear geometries, the ratios of the fatigue endurance limit to static strength were 11%, 14% and 34%, respectively, assuming fatigue cycles of 10⁶ for an infinite lifetime. The equivalent stress intensity factor range can properly predict the current experimental fatigue lifetime. Fatigue crack initiation occurred due to fretting damage between the upper and lower sheets and between the rivet and these sheets.     

Assessment of local strain field in adhesive layer of an unsymmetrically repaired CFRP panel using digital image correlation

The present study focuses on experimental investigation of through the thickness displacement and strain field in thin adhesive layer in single sided (unsymmetrical) patch repaired CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) panel under tensile load. Digital image correlation (DIC) technique is employed to acquire the displacement and strain (longitudinal, peel and shear) field. Experimental determination of shear transfer length based on shear strain field obtained from DIC is introduced to estimate the optimum overlap length which is an essential parameter in patch design for the repair of CFRP structures. Further, DIC experiment with magnified optics is performed to get an insight into complex and localized strain field over thin adhesive layer especially at critical zones leading to damage initiation. The failure mechanism, load displacement behavior, damage initiation and propagation are closely monitored using DIC. The influence of patch edge tapering on strain distribution in adhesive layer is also investigated. The DIC successfully captures the global and localized strain field at critical zones over thin adhesive layer and further helps in monitoring the damage based on strain anomalies. Strains are found to have maximum magnitude at the patch overlap edge and the shear strain level in adhesive layer is higher than the peel strain. Normal tapering increases the peel strain and has negligible influence on shear strain level in adhesive layer. The recommended overlap length is found to be consistent with the recommendation in the literature. Whole field strain pattern and the overlap length obtained from experiment are further compared with the finite element analysis results and they appear to be in good coherence.     

Doping-free hybrid white organic light-emitting diodes with fluorescent blue,phosphorescent green and red emission layers

Industrialized white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) currently require host-guest doping, a complicated process necessitating precise control of the guest concentration to get high efficiency and stability. Two doping-free, hybrid white OLEDs with fluorescent blue, and phosphorescent green and red emissive layers (EMLs) are reported in this work. An ultra-thin red phosphorescent EML was situated in a blue-emitting electron transport layer (ETL), while the ultra-thin green phosphorescent EML was placed either in the ETL (Device 1), or the hole transport layer (HTL) (Device 2). Device 2 exhibits higher efficiency and more stable spectrum due to the enhanced utilization of excitons by ultra-thin green EML at the exciton generation zone within the HTL. Values of current efficiency (CE), power efficiency (PE), and CRI obtained for the optimized hybrid white OLEDs fabricated through a doping-free process were of 23.2 cd/A, 20.5 lm/W and 82 at 1000 cd/m², respectively.