The use of direct tension tests for the assessment of low temperature properties of bituminous binders

In France, tensile tests on bituminous binders are usually performed on vertical electromechanical loading frames, the test samples being placed in an insulated temperature control chamber and the deformations determined from the displacement of the cross-head. The paper presents the results of an inter-laboratory study of which the objective was to evaluate the suitability of this kind of equipment for the performance of direct tension tests at low temperatures. Most of the test parameters, used for this study complied with the procedure proposed by SHRP as from 1995 (AASHTO TP3). The various operating factors, and more particularly those affecting the determination of true sample elongation (mechanical plays, deformation of the gripping systems, ....), are discussed and a number of correcting procedures are proposed. Nevertheless, the results remained scattered. Considering the “flat” evolution of strain at failure with temperature in the domain of brittle behaviour, this makes it rather difficult to accurately define the temperature for failure at 1% elongation (T_ε=1%). This is also the case when this temperature is located in the zone of transition between brittle and ductile behaviour. The authors suggest that, together with the corresponding tensile strain, this “transition temperature” could be used as an alternative criterion which has the advantage of being linked to a physical behaviour of the material.     

Study on viscosity of conventional and polymer modified asphalt binders in steady and dynamic shear domain

This study focuses on evaluating the flow behavior of conventional and polymer modified asphalt binders in steady- and dynamic-shear domain, for a temperature range of 20–70 °C, using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). Steady-shear viscosity and frequency sweep tests were carried out on two conventional (VG 10 and VG 30) and two polymer (SBS and EVA) modified asphalt binders. Applicability of the Cox–Merz principle was evaluated and complex viscosity master curves were analyzed at five different reference temperatures. Cross model was used to simulate the complex viscosity master curves at different temperatures.It was found that asphalt binders exhibited shear-thinning behavior at all the test temperatures. The critical shear rate increased with increase in temperature and was found to be lowest for plastomeric modified asphalt binder. The Cox–Merz principle was found to be valid in the zero-shear viscosity (ZSV) domain and deviated at higher frequency/shear rate for all the binders. Results from the study indicated that the ratio of ZSV can be successfully used as shift factors for construction of master curves at different reference temperatures. Cross model was found to be suitable in simulating the complex viscosity master curves at all the test temperatures. Analysis of model parameters indicated that a strong relationship exists between ZSV and the critical shear rate. ZSV and critical shear rate varied exponentially with temperature. This relationship was used to propose a simple equation for assessing the shift factors for construction of master curves.     

Determination of the shear modulus of orthotropic materials from off-axis tension tests

The paper is concerned with the study of the possibility to determine the shear modulus of orthotropic materials using testing under tension in the direction making some angle with the principal material axis. Conditions that should be imposed on the material properties providing the possibility of this test are derived and analyzed in application to composite materials.     

包装废PE改性沥青高低温性能研究

利用包装废弃物(PE)对沥青进行改性,同时解决了"白色污染"和沥青性能达不到实际应用要求的问题,通过改性沥青的高低温性能进行测试以及试验结果分析,对包装废PE改性沥青的高低温性能的机理进行了研究,表明包装废PE改性沥青具有良好的高低温性能.     

Some low temperature transport properties and superconductivity of NbSe2 grown by direct vapor transport

A procedure for the preparation of 2HNbSe₂ single crystals by a direct vapor transport method is reported. Crystals grown by this method and the iodine vapor transport method have been studied in a comparative fashion. The effect of iodine and other impurities on some of the low temperature transport properties including superconductive parameters is discussed.     

Input error sensitivity of hardness and elastic modulus evaluated from indentation load-displacement records by Oliver and Pharr method

Due to its straightforwardness and the ease of implementation the Oliver-Pharr method [1] has been used in the analysis of load-displacement records for more than a decade now. This paper provides analytical expressions relating the errors in the hardness and elastic modulus obtained by this method to systematic calibration errors of measured depth, force and frame compliance for spherical and sharp indentation. While in systems with zero frame compliance the sensitivity ratios for depth and force measurement were found to be constant, in systems with a finite frame compliance the error sensitivity changes with the absolute values of applied force and measured depth. The analytical predictions are compared with the true variation in derived materials parameters and the ranges of validity of the expressions are established. The error sensitivity with respect to different input variables and its implications for the actual measurement are discussed.     

Measurement of the surface tension of superfluid4He at low temperature by capillary wave resonances

The surface tension of liquid⁴He is determined from the frequencies of micron wavelength capillary waves. The extrapolated zero temperature value, σ=375±3 μJm⁻², is in agreement with the pioneering static capillary rise determination but 6% higher than the more recent surface tension gravity wave measurements. Flow in the meniscus in this latter experiment is shown to mimic a surface tension correction to the dispersion relation there used which is of the same sign and magnitude as the discrepancy.     

Effect of waste plastic bottles on the stiffness and fatigue properties of modified asphalt mixes

Nowadays, the use of recycled waste materials as modifier additives in asphalt mixes could have several economic and environmental benefits. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of waste plastic bottles (Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)) on the stiffness and specially fatigue properties of asphalt mixes at two different temperatures of 5 and 20 °C. Likewise, the effect of PET was compared to styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) which is a conventional polymer additive which has been vastly used to modify asphalt mixes. Different PET contents (2–10% by weight of bitumen) were added directly to mixture as the method of dry process. Then the resilient modulus and fatigue tests were performed on cylindrical specimens with indirect tensile loading procedure. Overall, the mix stiffness reduced by increasing the PET content. Although stiffness of asphalt mix initially increased by adding lower amount of PET. Based on the results of resilient modulus test, the stiffness of PET modified mix was acceptable and warranted the proper deformation characteristics of these mixes at heavy loading conditions. At both temperatures, PET improved the fatigue behavior of studied mixes. PET modified mixes revealed comparable stiffness and fatigue behavior to SBS at 20 °C. However, at 5 °C the fatigue life of SBS modified mixes was to some extent higher than that of PET modified ones especially at higher strain levels of 200 microstrain.     

高压合成纳米晶Bi0.85Sb0.15的低温热电性

通过机械合金化法获得Bi0.85Sb0.15纳米晶粉末材料,在常温下冷压成型并分别在不同温度下进行高压处理,制备出块状样品.X-ray衍射实验证实已形成了Bi0.85Sb0.15单相合金.测量了样品在80～300 K温区的Seebeck系数和电导率,计算出材料的功率因子与温度的关系.在523 K 6 GPa下压制30 min的样品,其Seebeck系数在150 K达到-173μV/K,比同温度下单晶材料样品的Seebeck高大约60%,功率因子在200 K达到3.27×10-3 W/m·K2,表明高压处理可以有效改善材料热电性能.高分辨电镜分析发现材料中存在均匀分布的小于5 nm的"纳米点","纳米点"的存在导致材料Seebeck系数在低温显著提高.     

On the deformation and failure of Al 6061-T6 in plane strain tension evaluated through in situ microscopy

We investigate deformation and failure of Al 6061-T6 in plane strain conditions through in situ scanning electron microscopy. The global behavior of the specimen, as well as the local deformation of the matrix material, second phase particles, and preexisting voids, is observed with a combination of high temporal/low spatial resolution images and low temporal/high spatial resolution images. It is found that the matrix dominates the deformation response, with the second phase particles and voids imparting little influence on the deformation under the moderate triaxiality levels encountered in this experiment. The initiation or nucleation of cracks is observed to occur by plastic slip.     

高压合成纳米晶Bi0．85Sb0．15的低温热电性能

通过机械合金化法获得Bi0．85Sb0．15纳米晶粉末材料,在常温下冷压成型并分别在不同温度下进行高压处理,制备出块状样品．X-ray衍射实验证实已形成了Bi0.85Sb0．15单相合金．测量了样品在80～300 K温区的Seebeck系数和电导率,计算出材料的功率因子与温度的关系．在523 K 6 GPa下压制30 min的样品,其Seebeck系数在150 K达到-173μV／K,比同温度下单晶材料样品的Seebeck高大约60％,功率因子在200 K达到3．27×10^-3W／m·K2,表明高压处理可以有效改善材料热电性能．高分辨电镜分析发现材料中存在均匀分布的小于5 nm的“纳米点”,“纳米点”的存在导致材料Seebeck系数在低温显著提高．     

温度对磁控溅射氮化钛薄膜光学性能的影响

本文采用能量过滤磁控溅射技术(Energy Filter Direct Magnetron Sputtering,EFDMS),通过改变沉积温度在玻璃衬底上制备了一系列TiN薄膜.利用XRD进行了物相鉴定,使用分光光度计、椭圆偏振光谱仪和四探针电阻仪测试了TiN薄膜的光学性能.结果表明:制备的TiN薄膜为多晶态立方结构TiN,且随着衬底温度的升高,薄膜结晶性提高,在近红外区的反射率显著上升,可见光区的透光率有所下降,同时,薄膜的禁带宽度变宽,折射率减小,消光系数升高.