Reproducing ten years of road ageing — Accelerated carbonation and leaching of EAF steel slag

Reuse of industrial aggregates is still hindered by concern for their long-term properties. This paper proposes a laboratory method for accelerated ageing of steel slag, to predict environmental and technical properties, starting from fresh slag. Ageing processes in a 10-year old asphalt road with steel slag of electric arc furnace (EAF) type in the subbase were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and leaching tests. Samples from the road centre and the pavement edge were compared with each other and with samples of fresh slag. It was found that slag from the pavement edge showed traces of carbonation and leaching processes, whereas the road centre material was nearly identical to fresh slag, in spite of an accessible particle structure. Batches of moisturized road centre material exposed to oxygen, nitrogen or carbon dioxide (CO₂) were used for accelerated ageing. Time (7-14 days), temperature (20-40 °C) and initial slag moisture content (8-20%) were varied to achieve the carbonation (decrease in pH) and leaching that was observed in the pavement edge material. After ageing, water was added to assess leaching of metals and macroelements. 12% moisture, CO₂ and seven days at 40 °C gave the lowest pH value. This also reproduced the observed ageing effect for Ca, Cu, Ba, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ca (decreased leaching) and for V, Si, and Al (increased leaching). However, ageing effects on SO₄, DOC and Cr were not reproduced.     

Residual animal fat and fish for biodiesel production. Potentials in Norway

The potential for biodiesel production based on utilization of residual animal fat and fish in Norway is estimated. This is based on a study of the amounts of residual fat that is possible to recover from grease traps in Bergen. Additional data from Trondheim and Oslo facilitated up-scaling to estimating national potential for utilizing this residue stream for biodiesel production. This is supplemented with data on residues from slaughterhouses and poultry, as well as the fishing industry. The results indicate that Norway has the potential for producing large amounts of biodiesel from these residue sources.     

Accurate large-signal GaAs MESFET and HEMT modeling for power MMIC amplifier design

This article describes, from an industrial user's point of view, how large-signal GaAs MESFET and HEMT modeling can be done accurately and efficiently for power MMIC amplifier design. The method is based on commercially available CAD tools enhanced by in-house software (e.g., small-signal parameter extraction, generation of load-pull contours). The Materka model is shown to predict accurately the large-signal characteristics of GaAs MESFETs, but not of pseudomorphic HEMTs. For these devices, a modified Angelov model is found to be adequate. A method for determining the numerous large-signal model parameters is presented. Model verification is achieved by comparing simulated and on-wafer measured data like static I(V)-characteristics, multiple bias S-parameters, gain compression characteristics, and load-pull contours. Results of device scaling and calculations of optimum load impedances are discussed. The close fit to the measured data proves that an excellent basis for large-signal power MMIC design has been established.     

Topology optimization of periodic 3D heat transfer problems with 2D design

Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization - We consider a model for density-based topology optimization (TO) of stationary heat transfer problems with design-dependent internal convection in 3D...     

Comparable Characterization of Nanocellulose Extracted from Bleached Softwood and Hardwood Pulps

In this study, the characteristics of nanocellulose extracted from bleached softwood and hardwood pulps by formic acid hydrolysis followed by TEMPO-mediated oxidation were compared using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared analysis (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The experimental results showed that the nanocellulose products derived from spruce pulp exhibited a relatively larger particle size, higher crystallinity, and higher thermal stability, compared with the corresponding products obtained from aspen pulp under the same conditions. Furthermore, the study helped establish that the properties of the nanocellulose products were highly dependent on the nature of the starting materials under identical processing conditions.     

Estimation of the risk for early thermal cracking for SCC containing fly ash

Cracking of concrete must be avoided during the hardening phase in order to minimize the risk of durability problems in the future, such as corrosion of the reinforcement, water tightness and damages due to frost. Estimation of the risk of early age cracking requires knowledge of the combined effects from temperature development and mechanical behaviour during the hydration. In the present paper, the influence of fly ash on the young concrete behaviour has been investigated. The concrete is based on a Swedish cement aimed for civil engineering structures, and the fly ash is of class F. A comparison of crack risks between concrete containing fly ash in different amounts with concrete without fly ash is presented. Also a previously tested concrete containing limestone filler is considered. The fly ash was added to replace a part of the aggregate, which gives a higher heat evolution. However, a numerical stress analysis showed that the risk for early age through cracking for a typical civil engineering structure is significantly decreased in the mixes containing fly ash. The denotation typical civil engineering structure is used here for concrete structures such as tunnels, bridges, and ramps of common cross-section dimensions. In the case of fly ash added to concrete by a partial replacement of cement, the crack risk will probably be further decreased. For a self-balancing structure of young concrete there is no restraint from adjacent structures, and the temperature and moisture gradients within the young concrete cause self-stresses governed by equilibrium with zero external forces for any cut. The estimated risk for surface cracking on a self-balancing wall or slab was not improved by an addition of fly ash. It is probably an effect of the increased heat development, which most likely counteracts the positive effect of the increased early age creep for concrete containing fly ash. If the heat evolution decreases when cement is partly replaced with fly ash, the use of fly ash might reduce the risk of surface cracks.     

TEM Investigation of the Microstructure of the Scale Formed on a FeCrAlRE Alloy at 900 °C: The Effect of Y-rich RE Particles

Three oxide features: the thin and smooth protective oxide, reactive element (Ti-, Zr- or Y-rich) particles, and patches of thick oxide surrounding the Y-rich reactive element particles, were observed on a commercial FeCrAlRE alloy, Kanthal AF, exposed at 900 °C. The microstructural development of the patches of thick oxide was investigated on samples exposed for 24 or 168 h in either dry O₂ or O₂ + 40% H₂O. Analytical transmission electron microscopy in combination with site-precision TEM sample preparation by FIB/SEM was used. In all patches a thin but continuous inward growing α-Al₂O₃ layer was formed under a thick outward growing alumina layer, which initially consisted only of γ-Al₂O₃. In dry O₂, transformation of γ-Al₂O₃ (in the outer layer) to α-Al₂O₃ had started during 24 h and a considerable amount of γ-Al₂O₃ had transformed after 168 h. The transformation originated immediately above the inward growing α-Al₂O₃. No such transformation occurred in O₂ + H₂O. The possible effects of the Y-rich RE particles, as well as the effects of water vapour, on the oxidation were discussed.     

Influence of spacer groups on grafting ability,curing ability,and film properties of water-based radiation curable latexes

Film-forming polystyrene/poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) [PS/P(BA-co-GMA)] core–shell latex particles were prepared via a two-stage emulsion polymerization procedure using a PS latex seed. A delayed addition of GMA was used to locate the functional epoxy groups near the surface of the particles. The surface-bound epoxy groups were used as grafting sites for unsaturated carboxyl functional monomers having the unsaturated groups and the carboxylic group separated by 1, 5, or 10 oxyethylene units. Grafting and curing characteristics and film properties after irradiation were investigated as a function of the number of oxyethylene units. A BA-GMA [P(BA-co-GMA)] copolymer was used as a model system for the core–shell latex particles for quantification of the grafting reactions. The grafting was demonstrated by FTIR and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. The effects of crosslinking was studied by thermal mechanical analysis and dynamical mechanical analysis. Differential photocalorimetry was also used for evaluation of the curing ability. It was demonstrated that the reagent having five oxyethylene units in the spacer group was grafted onto the polymer backbones to a larger extent than the other two reagents, and a more thoroughly cured film was obtained upon irradiation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 70: 897–906, 1998     

Pedestrian injury mitigation by autonomous braking

The objective of this study was to calculate the potential effectiveness of a pedestrian injury mitigation system that autonomously brakes the car prior to impact. The effectiveness was measured by the reduction of fatally and severely injured pedestrians. The database from the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS) was queried for pedestrians hit by the front of cars from 1999 to 2007. Case by case information on vehicle and pedestrian velocities and trajectories were analysed to estimate the field of view needed for a vehicle-based sensor to detect the pedestrians one second prior to the crash. The pre-impact braking system was assumed to activate the brakes one second prior to crash and to provide a braking deceleration up to the limit of the road surface conditions, but never to exceed 0.6 g. New impact speeds were then calculated for pedestrians that would have been detected by the sensor. These calculations assumed that all pedestrians who were within a given field of view but not obstructed by surrounding objects would be detected. The changes in fatality and severe injury risks were quantified using risk curves derived by logistic regression of the accident data. Summing the risks for all pedestrians, relationships between mitigation effectiveness, sensor field of view, braking initiation time, and deceleration were established. The study documents that the effectiveness at reducing fatally (severely) injured pedestrians in frontal collisions with cars reached 40% (27%) at a field of view of 40°. Increasing the field of view further led to only marginal improvements in effectiveness.     

Commitment and opportunity development in the internationalization process: A note on the Uppsala internationalization process model

Abstract