Machining properties and surface roughness of various wood species planed in different conditions

This study was carried out to determine the planing properties and surface roughness of naturally grown Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky.), Anatolian chestnut (Castenea sativa Mill), Black alder (Alnus glutinosa subsp. Barbata (C.A.Mey.) Yalt.), Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis (L.) Link.) grown in the eastern Black sea region of Turkey. The tests were conducted according to ASTM 1666 and DIN 4768. Test specimens were prepared from the lumber cut tangentially from logs. The machining process was carried out on a cabinet planer machine. Mainly, the effects of the rake angle and the feed speed were investigated. The cutting depth was constant with 1.6 mm. The Oriental spruce resulted in the lowest machining performance among the samples. The machining performance of the specimen increased as the feed speed or the rake angle decreased. All of the samples except the Anatolian chestnut showed lower surface roughness values. The surface roughness is found not to be affected by the feed speed, but by the rake angle. In addition, lower surface roughness values were observed for the latewood than the earlywood.     

Evaluation of surface roughness of Thai medium density fiberboard (MDF)

Wood composites contain irregularities on their surface due to the sanding process which play an important role when they are used as substrate for thin overlays. The objective of this study is to evaluate surface characteristics of commercially manufactured medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels in Thailand. A skid type profilometer with diamond stylus of 5 μm tip radius and 90° tip angle was employed for the experiment. Roughness average (R_a), average maximum height of the profile (R_z), and maximum roughness depth (R_max) were used to evaluate quantitatively surface characteristics of the specimens. Roughness measurements were taken from both sides of the sanded specimens along and across the sandmarks over 15.2 mm tracing span. Panel type-C had the smoothest surface with average values of 2.39, 21.03, and 26.93 μm for R_a, R_z, and R_max, respectively. It was found that no statistically (p<0.1$p<0.1$) significant difference existed between the values of all three parameters taken in both sandmark directions of all types of panels. Also none of the panels considered in this study had superior surface quality over the other. In further studies, surface roughness of MDF samples exposed to various relative humidity levels could give a better understanding of their roughness behavior for different overlaying applications.     

Estimating the relation between surface roughness and mechanical properties of rock joints

Discontinuities in rock masses have an important influence on deformational behaviour of blocky rock systems. For a single rock joint, the roughness of its surface is of paramount importance to its mechanical and hydraulic properties, such as friction angle, shear strength, and dilatancy/aperture. Many methods have been used to characterize the surface roughness of rock joints, such as joint roughness coefficients (JRC), root mean square (RMS) value, structure function (SF) etc. However, most of these methods can only be used in the 2-D models. In this study, we carried out direct shear experiments on rock joints under both constant normal load (CNL) and constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions, and measured the surfaces of rock joints before and after shearing, using a 3-D laser scanning profilometer system. By using a 3-D fractal evaluation method of roughness characterization, the projective covering method (PCM) and a direct shear apparatus of high accuracy, the relation between mechanical properties of rock joints under different boundary conditions and the change of their fractal dimensions in both 2-D and 3-D models have been examined, which gives a new approach to accurately evaluate the evolution of roughness of rock joint surfaces and its influence on the hydro-mechanical behaviours of rock joints.     

Stress distribution in unbound aggregate of road structure: influence of surface roughness and particle shape

Aggregate used for road structures has to meet requirements regarding abrasion, strength and shape. These properties are largely influenced by the crushing operation. To improve these properties the aggregate can be cubicised in a vertical-shaft impact crusher. During this process, sharp edges will be rounded and the surface will be polished, which can have negative effects on road stability. This paper presents laboratory work on the load distribution by aggregate used in the unbound layers of the road structures. The aggregate used had different surface roughness and particle shape. The equipment used was a ring chamber consisting of 15 steel rings. The chamber's diameter was 320 mm and the height was 360 mm. Using this equipment, the stability of aggregates was studied with reference to particle shape and surface roughness for six types of aggregates by measuring the horizontal and the vertical stress that appear under a vertical loading. The grain size of the aggregates used was 8–11.2 mm. The aggregate was divided into three grades of surface roughness, depending on the level of cubicisation. Each level of surface roughness was divided into two groups, one flaky and one more cubic, in order to study the influence of aggregate shape. The laboratory tests showed that aggregate shape had an influence on the aggregate stability. Surface roughness also influenced the stability, but this was not as important as the aggregate shape. Electronic Publication     

The effect of the cutting direction,number of blades and grain size of the abrasives on surface roughness of Taurus cedar (Cedrus Libani A. Rich.) woods

In this study, the surface roughness values of planed and sanded Taurus (Lebanon) cedar (Cedrus Libani A. Rich.) specimens were examined. The test specimens were cut in tangential and radial directions. One blade and three blades were used for planing and 60 grit and 100 grit abrasives were used for sanding. With this objective, a total of 80 specimens (2 cutting directions × 2 different numbers of blades ×2 types of abrasive × 10 replications) were prepared. The roughnesses of the specimens were measured according to ISO 4287. The values obtained were statistically analyzed and the results were interpreted. According to the test results, it was determined statistically that the cutting direction and the finishing techniques affected the surface roughness. It was determined that cutting in the radial direction in Taurus cedar wood also produced smoother surfaces compared to cutting in the tangential direction. Smoother surfaces are obtained as the grit number of the abrasive increases.     

The effects of some manufacturing factors on surface roughness of sliced Makoré (Tieghemella heckelii Pierre Ex A.Chev.) and rotary-cut beech (Fagus orientalis L.) Veneers

In this study, the effects of veneer thickness, cutting speed, knife bevel, vertical and horizontal opening, and drying temperature on surface roughness of sliced Makore veneer and rotary-cut beech veneer were evaluated. Makore logs for sliced veneers and beech logs were used for rotary-cut veneers manufacturing. Before veneer manufacturing, the Makore and beech logs were steamed indirectly at 80 °C for 50 and 36 h, respectively. Roughness measurements were conducted according to DIN standard 4768 by using stylus profilometer. The sliced radial and tangential veneers were grouped and evaluated separately. Results showed that veneer thickness, cutting speed and knife bevel had a significant effect on surface roughness for the sliced veneers, but veneer drying temperature did not affect significantly the surface roughness. In general, surface roughness of the veneer increases with increasing veneer thickness. However, increases in cutting speed decreased the surface roughness. The most suitable knife bevel was 17.5° for manufacturing sliced veneers from Makore. For rotary-cut veneers, vertical and horizontal opening had a significant effect on the surface roughness. The results indicated that vertical opening should be about 50% and horizontal opening about 80–90% of veneer thickness to minimize the surface roughness in manufacturing rotary cut veneer from oriental beech.     

Anisotropic surface roughness and shear behaviors of rough-walled plaster joints under constant normal load and constant normal stiffness conditions

In this context,we experimentally studied the anisotropic mechanical behaviors of rough-walled plaster joints using a servo-controlled direct shear apparatus under both constant normal load(CNL)and constant normal stiffness(CNS)conditions.The shear-induced variations in the normal displacement,shear stress,normal stress and sheared-off asperity mass are analyzed and correlated with the inclination angle of the critical waviness of joint surfaces.The results show that CNS condition gives rise to a smaller normal displacement due to the larger normal stress during shearing,compared with CNL condition.Under CNL conditions,there is one peak shear stress during shearing,whereas there are no peak shear stress for some cases and two peaks for other cases under CNS conditions depending on the geometry of joint surfaces.The inclination angle of the critical waviness has been verified to be capable of describing the joint surface roughness and anisotropy.The joint surface is more significantly damaged under CNS conditions than that under CNL conditions.With increment of the inclination angle of the critical waviness,both the normal displaceme nt and shea red-off asperity mass increase,following power law functions;yet the coefficient of deternination under CNL conditions is larger than that under CNS conditions.This is because the CNS condition significantly decreases the inclination angle of the critical waviness during shearing due to the larger degree of asperity degradation.     

天然岩体结构面粗糙度各向异性、尺寸效应、间距效应研究

为了研究天然岩体结构面粗糙度评价结果影响因素,以重庆武隆地区大尺寸岩体结构面为例,运用三维激光扫描技术,基于Grasselli改进法描述粗糙度在不同采样方向、尺度与精度下的变化规律。结果显示:所选用的天然岩体结构面具有明显的各向异性、正尺寸效应和间距效应,因此在进行粗糙度评价时,采样方向务必与剪切方向保持一致,采样尺寸与采样间距应大于等于和小于等于有效采样尺寸与间距;为便于不同评价方法间结果对比,应保证在相同的采样参数下开展研究。     

Comparison of surface roughness of Locust acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and European oak (Quercus petraea (Mattu.) Lieble.) in terms of the preparative process by planing

Effects of number of the cutters (planing knives), feed rate (operational speed) and cutting depth (biting thickness) on the surface roughness of Locust acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and European oak (Quercus petraea (Mattu.) Lieble.) were investigated on the base of the preparative differences by planing. The specimens were prepared by planing with two and four knives at 5 and 9 m/min feed rates in 1, 2 and 4 mm cutting depths. Surface roughness was measured from the radial face of each sample according to TS 930 (1989) by using Mitutoyo SJ-301 stylus scanner device. These measurements were performed perpendicular to the fibers by the sampling length of 12.5 mm at a sensitivity level of ±0.01 μm. Considering between all types of the experimental preparations, Locust acacia had the smoothest surfaces than that of European oak. Comparing the results of the surface roughness of both species, it has been obtained that the surface roughness decreases when the feed rate and the cutting depth decreases, whereas it increases when the knives on the cutter heads decreases. Therefore, it may be suggested that the perfect faces could be particularly prepared for this considered species by the greater number of the knives (four) at the slow feed rate (5 m/min) in the condition of the light cutting depth (1 mm).     

Perfluorinated compounds in surface waters and WWTPs in Shenyang, China: mass flows and source analysis

Concentrations of 10 perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) were investigated in the Hun River (HR), four canals, ten lakes, and influents and effluents from four main municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Shenyang, China. Mass flows of four main PFCs were calculated to elucidate the contribution from different sections of the HR. Overall, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were the major PFCs in the HR, with ranges of 2.68-9.13 ng/L, and 2.12-11.3 ng/L, respectively, while perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was detected at lower levels, ranging from 0.40 to 3.32 ng/L. The PFC concentrations in the HR increased after the river passes through two cities (Shenyang and Fushun), indicating cities are an important contributor for PFCs. Mass flow analysis in the HR revealed that PFC mass flows from Fushun are 1.65-5.50 kg/year for C6-C8 perfluorinated acids (PFCAs) and 1.29 kg/year for PFOS, while Shenyang contributed 2.83-5.18 kg C6-C8 PFCAs/year, and 3.65 kg PFOS/year. The concentrations of PFCs in four urban canals were higher than those in the HR, with the maximum total PFCs of 240 ng/L. PFOA and PFOS showed different trends along these canals, suggesting different sources for the two PFCs. Total PFCs in ten lakes from Shenyang were at low levels, with the greatest concentration (56.2 ng/L) detected in a heavily industrialized area. The PFC levels in WWTP effluents were higher than those in surface waters with concentrations ranging from 18.4 to 41.1 ng/L for PFOA, and 1.69-3.85 ng/L for PFOS. Similar PFC profiles between effluents from WWTPs and urban surface waters were found. These results indicate that WWTPs are an important PFC source in surface water. Finally, we found that the composition profiles of PFCs in surface waters were similar to those in tap water, but not consistent with those in adult blood from Shenyang. The calculation on total daily intake of PFOS by adults from Shenyang showed that the contribution of drinking water to human exposure was minor.     

Amenability of European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) to preservative treatment by the full-cell process in longitudinal,tangential, radial and triplex flow pathways on the base of wood drying

This paper discusses the effects of wood drying upon treatability (as determined by preservative uptake and gain-in-weight retention) of European silver fir on the two moisture content (MC) levels which were designed to be above and below the fibre saturation point (FSP). The treatability behaviour was investigated for individual flow pathways: longitudinal (L$L$, along the stem), tangential (T$T$, along the growth rings) and radial (R$R$, along the rays), and also for the triplex (t$t$, cumulative of all three directions: all faces left open). As the FSP was observed 32.7%, MC of the experimental samples—for each flow path—nominated to around 50% and 9% by recommended kiln drying schedule using a conventional kiln. The samples were then treated with a 2.5% concentration of commercial Tanalith C of CCA (chromium/copper/arsenic) via a mild schedule of full-cell impregnation process using a model pressure treatment plant. Treatability of European silver fir was noticed in different behaviour in either flow paths before and after drying. According to the experimental results, MC regulate the preservative uptake (as the percentage of void volume filled with preservative, VVF%) along the grain (L$L$) and VVF% was improved by kiln drying process effectively, however, it was seemed to be contradictory across the grain (in both T$T$ and R$R$). In the cumulative form (t$t$), treatability—in either above or below the FSP—was appeared to be slightly greater than that for L$L$ due to support of the longitudinal flow. Therefore, it could be suggested that wood material which is subjected to be used in constructional purposes has to be initially dried to below the FSP, and—for efficient preservative treatment—it has to be treated with all faces unsealed (free from any pre-coating and/or painting). This shall be more ideal which in turn influences the quality of treated wood allowing better performance in its service life.     

Preparation, characterisation and application of novel composite coagulants for surface water treatment

The development of the Inorganic Polymeric Flocculants (IPFs) can be regarded as significant progress in the coagulation-flocculation field. However, the IPFs may be less efficient when compared to the organic polymers (polyelectrolytes) regarding their aggregation abilities. In order to increase further their flocculation efficiency, the combination of a cationic IPF (polyaluminium chloride, PACl) and an anionic polyelectrolyte in one unique reagent is proposed in this study. During this investigation, several composite coagulants were prepared, which differ on the preparation method and polyelectrolyte content. Major typical properties of the prepared coagulants were examined, i.e. pH, turbidity, conductivity, Al species distribution. The composition, structure and morphology of the composite coagulants were studied in detail as well, with the application of FT-IR, XRD and SEM techniques. Their coagulation performance was investigated in the treatment of a model water sample (simulating surface water) and compared to the respective coagulation performance of PACl and the polyelectrolyte applied as separated reagents (common procedure). Finally, the kinetics of coagulation was studied with application of the Photometric Dispersion Analyser (PDA). From the results, it was revealed that interactions take place between the Al species and the polyelectrolyte molecules, which probably lead to the formation of new, “composite” species. The properties of the composite coagulants are significantly affected by these interactions, leading to more effective water treatment. The simplification of the overall treatment process and the cost-effectiveness are considered as the major advantages of the composite coagulants.     

Size fractionation of wood extractives, lignin and trace elements in pulp and paper mill wastewater before and after biological treatment

Integrated kraft pulp and paper mill wastewater was characterized before (influent) and after (effluent) the activated sludge process by microfiltration (8, 3, 0.45 and 0.22 μm) and ultrafiltration (100, 50, 30 and 3 kDa) into different size fractions. Wood extractives, lignin, suspended solids and certain trace elements were determined in each fraction. Forty four percent of the resin and fatty acids in the influent (12.8 mg/L) occurred in particles (>0.45 μm), 20% as colloids (0.45 μm-3 kDa) and 36% in the <3 kDa fraction. The corresponding values for sterols (1.5 mg/L) were 5, 46 and 49%. In the effluent, resin and fatty acids (1.45 mg/L) and sterols (0.26 mg/L) were mainly present in the <3 kDa fraction, as well as a small proportion in particles. β-sitosterol was present in particles in the effluent (88 ± 50 μg/L). Lignin in the influent was mainly in the colloidal and <3 kDa fractions, whereas in the effluent it was mainly in the <3 kDa fraction. Thus the decrease of lignin in the biological treatment was concentrated on the colloidal fraction. In the influent, Mn, Zn and Si were mainly present in the <3 kDa fraction, whereas a significant proportion of Fe and Al were found also in the particle and colloidal fractions. In the effluent, Fe and Al were mainly present in the colloidal fraction; in contrast, Mn, Zn and Si were mainly in the <3 kDa fraction. The results indicated that the release of certain compounds and elements into the environment could be significantly decreased or even prevented simply by employing microfiltration as a final treatment step or by enhancing particle removal in the secondary clarifier.     

The influence of key chemical constituents in activated sludge on surface and flocculating properties

This paper examines the influence of the chemical constituents of activated sludge and extracted extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the surface properties, hydrophobicity, surface charge (SC) and flocculating ability (FA) of activated sludge flocs. Activated sludge samples from 7 different full-scale wastewater treatment plants were examined. Protein and humic substances were found to be the dominant polymeric compounds in the activated sludges and the extracted EPS, and they significantly affected the FA and surface properties, hydrophobicity and SC, of the sludge flocs. The polymeric compounds proteins, humic substances and carbohydrates in the sludge flocs and the extracted EPS contributed to the negative SC, but correlated negatively to the hydrophobicity of sludge flocs. The quantity of protein and carbohydrate within the sludge and the extracted EPS was correlated positively to the FA of the sludge flocs, while increased amounts of humic substances resulted in lower FA. In contrast, increased amounts of total extracted EPS had a negative correlation to FA. The results reveal that the quality and quantity of the polymeric compounds within the sludge flocs is more informative, with respect to understanding the mechanisms involved in flocculation, than if only the extracted EPS are considered. This is an important finding as it indicates that extracting EPS may be insufficient to characterise the EPS. This is due to the low extraction efficiency and difficulties involved in the separation of EPS from other organic compounds. Correlations were observed between the surface properties and FA of the sludge flocs. This confirms that the surface properties of the sludge flocs play an important role in the bioflocculation process but that also other interactions like polymer entanglement are important.     

Distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface waters, sediments and soils of Hangzhou City, China

Ten polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were simultaneously measured in 17 surface water samples and 11 sediments of four water bodies, and 3 soils near the water-body bank in Hangzhou, China in December 2002. It was observed that the sum of PAHs concentrations ranged from 0.989 to 9.663 microg/L in surface waters, from 132.7 to 7343 ng/g dry weight in sediments, and from 59.71 to 615.8 ng/g dry weight in soils. The composition pattern of PAHs by ring size in water, sediment and soil were surveyed. Three-ring PAHs were dominated in surface waters and soils, meanwhile sediments were mostly dominated by four-ring PAHs. Furthermore, PAHs apparent distribution coefficients (K(d)) and solid f(oc)-normalized K(d) (e.g. K(oc)= K(d) / f(oc)) were calculated. The relationship between logK(oc) and logK(ow) of PAHs for field data on sediments and predicted values were compared. The sources of PAHs in different water bodies were evaluated by comparison of K (oc) values in sediments of the river downstream with that in soils. Hangzhou section of the Great Canal was heavily polluted by PAHs released from industrial wastewater in the past and now PAHs in sediment may serve as sources of PAHs in surface water. PAHs in Qiantang River were contributed from soil runoff. Municipal road runoff was mostly contributed to West Lake PAHs.     

Monitoring of opiates, cannabinoids and their metabolites in wastewater, surface water and finished water in Catalonia, Spain

The occurrence of several opiates and cannabinoids in wastewaters and surface waters has been investigated. Most of the compounds (8 out of 11) were identified in both influent and effluents of fifteen wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Codeine, morphine, EDDP and methadone were detected in almost all samples with median values of 69 ng/L; 63 ng/L; 28 ng/L and 18 ng/L, respectively, whereas the main cannabinoid metabolite THC-COOH presented a median value of 57 ng/L in influents. A rough estimate of heroin and cannabis consumption was performed from the analysis of target urinary metabolites in wastewater influents. Data obtained from influents of rural and urban WWTPs gave 0.07% of heroin consumption (0.67% for the largest urban WWTP) and 4% consumption of cannabinoids, respectively for the population aged between 15 and 64 years old. The presence of opiates and cannabinoids in surface waters used for drinking water production showed the presence of the same compounds identified in wastewater effluents at concentrations up to 76 ng/L for codeine; 31 ng/L for EDDP; 12 ng/L for morphine and 9 ng/L for methadone at the intake of the DWTP. A complete removal of all studied drugs present in surface water was achieved during the potabilization process except for methadone and EDDP (91% and 87% removal, respectively).     

Spatial and temporal variations in the occurrence of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in waste- and surface water from Belgium and removal during wastewater treatment

Estimates of cocaine consumption are currently resulting from population surveys, consumer interviews and crime statistics. A new approach (“sewage epidemiology”) based on the analysis of cocaine (COC) and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine (BE), in water samples was applied to 10 river sites and 30 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Belgium. Each river site was sampled twice, during the summer of 2007 and the winter of 2007-2008, while each WWTP was sampled on a Sunday and a Wednesday, during the summer-autumn of 2007 and the winter of 2007-2008. This sampling strategy allowed for the evaluation of spatial and seasonal variations in the occurrence of COC and BE in waste- and surface water. WWTP Brussel-Noord was sampled for 19 consecutive days to evaluate daily and weekly variations in the presence of COC and BE in wastewater. For 7 WWTPs, influent and effluent water samples were collected to investigate the removal of COC and BE during the wastewater treatment process. Analysis of water samples was performed using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Measured concentrations were further converted into an amount of used cocaine, called cocaine equivalents, as previously described in the literature. Results showed no significant difference in cocaine use between the investigated seasons. A constant cocaine consumption was observed during the week (Monday-Friday) with peaks during the weekend for WWTP Brussel-Noord. The COC/BE ratio in water samples was significantly higher during winter, most probably due to a slower hydrolysis of cocaine in low-temperature water. COC and BE were removed in the investigated WWTPs with a removal efficiency of >93%.     

Phototransformation of selected human-used macrolides in surface water: Kinetics, model predictions and degradation pathways

The phototransformation of clarithromycin and roxithromycin, two human-used macrolide (MLs) antibiotics was investigated in surface waters. Photolysis kinetic data suggest that degradation in water would occur via the direct photolysis of the Fe(III)-MLs complexes. Hydroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen and other photooxidants generated from nitrate ions and from excited chromophores present in humic acids appeared to have only a very limited impact on the overall degradation of MLs under the adopted UV-vis irradiation conditions. A photolysis model applied to the Fe(III)-clarithromycin complex in river water showed that a half-life of 40 days was predicted under clear-sky irradiation in November, 26 days in February, and 10 in May. Direct photolysis could have a limited impact on the environmental concentrations of MLs in rivers, due to a too short water residence time but might be important in shallow lakes and lagoons. Photoinduced degradation of MLs mainly implied changes in the structure of the aglycone, probably leading to their detoxification because the pseudoerythromycin derivatives have very little antimicrobial activity.