Parallel Krylov methods and the application to 3-d simulations of a triphasic porous media model in soil mechanics

We introduce a general parallel model for solving coupled nonlinear and time-dependent problems in soil mechanics, where we employ general purpose linear solvers with specially adjusted preconditioners. In particular, we present a parallel realization of the GMRES method applied to a triphasic porous media model in soil mechanics, where we compute the deformation of unsaturated soil together with the pore-fluid flow of water and air in the soil. Therefore, we propose a pointwise preconditioner coupling all unknowns at the nodal points. In two large-scale numerical experiments we finally present an extended evaluation of our parallel model for demanding configurations of the triphasic model.     

Parallel 3-d simulations for porous media models in soil mechanics

 Numerical simulations in 3-d for porous media models in soil mechanics are a difficult task for the engineering modelling as well as for the numerical realization. Here, we present a general numerical scheme for the simulation of two-phase models in combination with an abstract material model via the stress response with a specialized parallel saddle point solver. Therefore, we give a brief introduction into the theoretical background of the Theory of Porous Media and constitute a two-phase model consisting of a porous solid skeleton saturated by a viscous pore-fluid. The material behaviour of the skeleton is assumed to be elasto-viscoplastic. The governing equations are transfered to a weak formulation suitable for the application of the finite element method. Introducing an abstract formulation in terms of the stress response, we define a clear interface between the assembling process and the parallel solver modules. We demonstrate the efficiency of this approach by challenging numerical experiments realized on the Linux Cluster in Chemnitz. Received 15 February 2002 / Accepted 12 April 2002     

Frost resistance and microstructure of Engineered Cementitious Composites: Influence of fly ash and micro poly-vinyl-alcohol fiber

One of the most damaging environmental conditions to concrete structure is cyclic freezing and thawing. This paper discusses the influence of the high volumes of fly ash (FA) and micro poly-vinyl-alcohol (PVA) fibers on the cyclic freeze-thaw resistance and microstructure of the Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC). ECC mixtures with two different FA-cement (FA/C) ratios (1.2 and 2.2 by weight), and at constant water-cementitious materials (fly ash and cement) ratio of 0.27 are prepared. To compare the behavior of ECC with ECC matrix, all of the preceding properties are also investigated for ECC matrix mixtures of same composition without PVA fiber. For frost resistance, mixtures are exposed to the freeze and thaw cycles up to 300 cycles in accordance with ASTM C666, Procedure A. Experimental tests consist of measuring the residual mechanical properties (flexural strength, mid-span beam deflection and flexural stress - deflection curve), ultrasonic pulse velocity and mass loss. The roles of PVA fibers and FA are discussed through the analysis of microstructure and fiber-matrix interactions as function of frost exposure. The microstructural characterization by measuring pore size distributions is examined before and after exposure to frost deterioration by using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The air-void characteristics of mixtures are also studied using linear transverse method. Test results confirm that both ECC mixtures with high volumes of FA remain durable, and show a tensile strain capacity of more than 2% even after 300 freezing and thawing cycles. On the other hand, before completing 300 freezing and thawing cycles, matrix (ECC without fiber) specimens have severely deteriorated, requiring removal from the freeze-thaw machine. Therefore, results indicate that the addition of micro PVA fiber to the ECC matrix substantially improved the frost resistance. The results of freeze-thaw tests also indicated that the reduction of residual physical and mechanical properties with increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles is relatively more for ECC mixture with FA/C ratio of 2.2 than for ECC mixture with FA/C ratio of 1.2.     

A CALPHAD study on the thermodynamic stability of calcium-, zinc-, and yttrium-doped magnesium in aqueous environments

Magnesium has attracted the attention of the biomaterials community as a potential biodegradable metallic candidate for use in stents and orthopedic applications. Alloying of Mg with metals such as Ca, Y and Zn, etc., to form alloy precursors is important to optimize its corrosion rate in electrolytic and aqueous environments to understand the alloy response in body fluid environments. In the current study, the chemical reactions of Mg-Me alloys (Me = Ca, Y, and Zn) with pure water have been investigated using the CALPHAD technique. A qualitative agreement between CALPHAD and first-principles results has been obtained. The CALPHAD method has also been employed to study the reactions of Mg alloys in the human blood fluid environment. The effects of alloying elements and compositions on the reaction enthalpies, reaction products, amount of gas release and gas compositions as well as the pH of the fluids have been systematically discussed and reported.     

Development of a novel starch-derived porous silica monolith for enhancing the dissolution rate of poorly water soluble drug

A novel starch-derived porous silica monolith (PSM) and porous starch foam (PSF) were developed as a carrier in order to improve the dissolution of lovastatin. PSM was prepared by the starch gel template method and PSF was prepared by the solvent exchange method. The morphology and structure of PSM and PSF were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis. Lovastatin was loaded into PSM and PSF by immersion/solvent evaporation. Nano-pore spatial confinement effect on the drug dissolution was systematically studied by SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravametric analysis (TGA), x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and in-vitro drug dissolution studies. Lovastatin adsorbed in PSM was amorphous and lovastatin absorbed on PSF was partially present as microcrystal in the pores of PSF and partially in crystalline form distributed on the surface of PSF. PSM and PSF allowed immediate release of lovastatin and enhanced the dissolution rate. These results provide important information about the mechanism of drug adsorption and release. Accordingly, PSM and PSF have a promising future as a vehicle for the oral delivery of poorly water soluble drugs. Moreover, the effect of PSM is better than that of PSF.     

液氮冻制冰套法对水三相点温度的影响

介绍了液氮作为冷却剂在水三相点容器内冻制冰套的方法。利用该方法同时在两个不同真空度的水三相点容器内分别冻制冰套。通过实验，研究了此方法对所复现的水三相点温度的影响。实验结果表明：冻制过程中产生的应力以及开始生成的小冰晶引起水三相点温度偏低；并且，其对水三相点温度的影响随着水三相点容器内真空度的降低而增大。随着应力慢慢消除，小冰晶逐渐长大为大冰晶，所复现的水三相点值逐渐回升并趋于稳定。因此，为了高精度复现和准确测量水三相点，采用该冻制方法时，必须将冰套老化至少5天以后，才可以消除其对水三相点温度的影响。     

Porous poly (lactic-co-glycolide) microsphere sintered scaffolds for tissue repair applications

In this paper, a new route to preparing porous poly (lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds for bone tissue repair applications was developed. Novel porous PLGA scaffolds were fabricated via microsphere sintered technique and gas forming technique. Ammonium bicarbonate was used to regulate porosity of these porous scaffolds. Porosity of the scaffolds, and cell attachment, viability and proliferation on the scaffolds were evaluated. The results indicated that PLGA porous scaffolds were with the porosity from around 30% to 95% by regulating ammonium bicarbonate content from 0 to 10%. We also found that PLGA porous microsphere scaffolds benefited cell attachment and viability. Taken together, the achieved porous scaffolds have controlled porosity and also support mesenchymal stem cell proliferation, which could serve as potential scaffolds for bone repair applications.     

基于约束理论的设施规划的改进

在市场经济环境下,生产设施规划改进是企业的一项持续不断的工作。本文提出运用约束理论的基本分析步骤,结合工艺流程图分析等手段来分析生产系统的约束因素,并寻求改善和解决方案。     

Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution using modified and unmodified kaolinite clay

Modified kaolinite clay with 25% (w/w) aluminium sulphate and unmodified kaolin were investigated as adsorbents to remove Pb(II) from aqueous solution. The results show that amount of Pb(II) adsorbed onto modified kaolin (20 mg/g) was more than 4.5-fold than that adsorbed onto unmodified kaolin (4.2 mg/g) under the optimized condition. In addition, the linear Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to describe equilibrium isotherm. It is observed that the data from both adsorbents fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm. The kinetic adsorption of modified and unmodified kaolinite clay fitted well to the pseudo-second-order model. Furthermore, both modified and unmodified kaolinite clay were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Finally, both modified and unmodified kaolinite clay were used to remove metal ions from real wastewater, and results show that higher amount of Pb(II) (the concentration reduced from 178 to 27.5 mg/L) and other metal ions were removed by modified kaolinite clay compared with using unmodified adsorbent (the concentration reduced from 178 to 168 mg/L).     

TOC会计

主要介绍TOC的基本原理、TOC会计以及产品组合。     

基于QFD和TRIZ的高龄辅助阅读产品设计策略研究

目的 消极的老化态度使高龄者产生生理、心理等多方面的负面感受。高龄辅助阅读产品能够帮助高龄者自主阅读,助力终身学习,维持新知获取。在学习中养老,来保持高龄者与社会链接。方法 在质量功能展开(QFD)的研究中,利用网络爬虫收集商品评价数据(京东商城/约30 000条,亚马逊商城/约15 000条),形成评价词汇库。再结合情景假设分析,确定高龄辅助阅读产品的顾客需求项目,并转换为设计要求项目。其次,经 KJ法分类顾客需求和设计要求,通过调查60岁以上高龄者的104份有效问卷,以计算顾客需求重要度;再由独立配点法将顾客需求重要度转换为设计要求重要度,构建产品质量屋。最后,引入创造性解决任务理论(TRIZ)的物理矛盾、技术矛盾,以及物-场模型对产品深入分析,经分离原理、发明原理、标准解系统对产品设计矛盾求解。结果 经QFD-TRIZ模型提出高龄辅助阅读产品的设计策略和实践方案。结论 整合QFD-TRIZ关联模型,围绕高龄辅助阅读产品研究分析,为未来的高龄辅助阅读产品设计提供了具体指标,拓展了QFD-TRIZ方法在高龄者产品设计研究范畴,并构建了逻辑性和系统性的设计研究模型。     

冷壁面霜层生长的支持向量机模型

针对结霜过程因具有明显的非线性特征,采用传统方法难以精确预测的问题。建立了基于支持向量机的冷壁面霜成生长的预测模型,应用实验数据对模型进行验证、评估,并与基于最小二乘法的非线性多元回归模型进行了对比、分析。结果表明,基于支持向量机的预测模型能够很好的解决非线性预测问题。在已建立的预测模型基础上,以霜层生长过程中传热率预测为例,分别在测试集中的自变量与因变量加入不同噪声信号对模型预测性能影响进行了研究。结果表明,基于支持向量机的模型具有良好的抗干扰能力。     

Value enhancement in a dynamic environment—a constraint management expert system for the oil refinery industry

This paper analyses a case study of a dynamic expert system which was developed according to the theory of constraints (TOC) approach, and implemented at the Ashdod refinery of Oil Refineries Ltd in Israel, as part of an overall improvement process based on the focused management philosophy. The unique feature of the system is its ability to cope with dynamic bottlenecks typical of the continuous process industry, as well as frequent shifts from an external market constraint to internal capacity constraints. The paper examines the development and implementation stages, describes the expert system along with the new process control, and evaluates its impact. The system creates a dynamic, effective and immediate link between the production planning and the operation control, which enables the oil refinery to maximize its profits. During the first two years of its use, the system generated over $3 million of estimated benefits. Finally, we suggest practical implications to assist organizations in developing and utilizing similar applications, emphasizing knowledge gathering and maintenances, which are the major challenges facing expert systems projects.