Combined shape and sizing optimization of truss structures

 In this paper, an evolutionary optimization method is presented for weight minimum problem of a 3-dimensional truss structure in terms of nodal coordinates and element cross-sectional areas. The structure is subject to stress, local buckling and displacement constraints. Two types of design variables with different natures are optimized separately: (1) a fully stressed design (FSD) and scaling techniques are applied to sizing variables and (2) the evolutionary node shift method is applied to shape variables. Alternating procedure is utilized to couple the two types of variables and to combine the results. The optimum solution is achieved gradually from the initial configuration design. Two typical truss structures are examined to illustrate the validity of the method. Received: 22 October 2001 / Accepted: 04 June 2002 This research work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under the guarantees no. 10072050 and 10172072, respectively.     

Adjuvant arthritis: influence of the adjuvant volume and composition on the non-specific inflammation

Adjuvant-induced arthritis is an animal model of chronic inflammatory disease widely used in anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs testing. When the development and the inhibition of the induced arthritis are measured by the injected paw oedema, it is difficult to delineate the immunological contribution from the persistent non-specific primary section. To study the influence of volume and composition of the injected adjuvant upon the primary non-specific inflammation, we devised a 3X4 factorial experiment on a strain of inbred rats with a low susceptibility to adjuvant-induced arthritis. The injection of mineral oil alone produces a persistent oedema. The injection of mycobacteriae in suspension in saline induces a rapid inflammatory response followed by a fast decrease of the oedema. When complete adjuvant is used, there is always a very strong interaction between the effects of the two components of the adjuvant, i.e. the measured oedemas are much greater than the calculated values, For a given injected volume, the inflammation is maximum when the concentration of mycobacteriae is 2.5 mg/ml. All the rats injected with complete adjuvant present a transient oedema of the non-injected hind paw. This oedema is very small and proportional to the amount of mycobacteria injected.     

Deposition mechanisms in langmuir-blodgett films

As part of a study of the possible application of polymerisable Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films as ultra-fine-line e-beam resists, an investigation of the variation of film structure of 22-tricosenoic acid with differing deposition conditions has been made. Unexpected effects with significant implications for deposition speed and resist sensitivity have been observed, and the new techniques for film characterisation developed during the investigation have resulted in a revised model of deposition explaining the observed independence of the disorder causing optical scattering and the macroscopic features observed by polarised microscopy.     

Refractive index profiling-state of the art

Problems associated with different calibration techniques and some instrumental effects that can determine instrumental accuracy are discussed. It is shown how transmission effects can be observed and used to generate a correction curve for refracted near-field instruments. High-quality fiber slices needed for axial interferometry were used to obtain refractive index differences on suitable fibers to ±1% with the measurements traceable to national standards. Interferometry was used to calibrate a multiple-step fiber which is available in 10-m lengths with a certificate of calibration. The limitations of the technique are discussed, and preliminary results of a study on the effects of residual stress and stress relief on measurements are given. Comparisons are made between measurements made by axial interferometry and refracted near field on a range of fibers. It is shown that commercial profilers can produce reliable measurements of refractive index difference, absolute refractive index, profile shape, and numerical aperture that agree well with measurements by other techniques     

The effect of additives on the thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride)

The effect of a range of organic additives on the thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride), both with and without a chloroparaffin extender, was studied using a number of experimental techniques. Of the additives used the best overall balance was provided by pentaerythritol, which increased stability when the extender was present and had no effect when it was absent. The congo red test emerged as the most suitable technique, being consistent and inexpensive and able to screen several additives simultaneously. Isothermal differential thermal analysis correlated with the congo red test but required more expensive equipment, was time-consuming and demanded good mixing of the poly(vinyl chloride) compound to give reproducible results. Thermogravimetry was not sufficiently sensitive and the heat stability test was the least useful of all.     

A comparison of commonly used hydrologic design methods for rainwater collectors

Rainwater collection as a possible water source in developing countries is introduced. The major parameters in calculating the size of the tank are defined. Six methods that have been used previously to relate demand, storage, reliability and the rainfall pattern are compared to the Ottawa Model over a wide range of demands.     

Characterization of GaAs layers grown on polycrystalline GaAs by LPE and current controlled LPE

It is the purpose of this paper to investigate the suitability and effectiveness of growth of thin GaAs layers on polycrystalline GaAs substrates by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) and current controlled LPE (CCLPE). During each growth run LPE and CCLPE were used to grow thin GaAs layers on two large-grain polycrystalline GaAs substrates cut from the same wafer and simultaneously placed in the same growth system. The grain boundary was exposed by cleaving the samples perpendicular to the grain boundary. Notnarski contrast, SEM, C-V and Hall measurements were performed in order to determine the surface morphology, discontinuity of epilayer at the grain boundary, epilayer thickness unform-ity, resistivity (in directions parallel and perpendicular to the grain boundary), and dopant concentration. The CCLPE system was carefully designed so that growth would take place only by electrotransport in the absence of convection or Peltier cooling. The results indicate that CCLPE yields layers with improved surface morphology and thickness uniformity as compared to those grown by LPE. In some samples the epilayer was discontinuous at certain grain boundaries. Results are presented on CCLPE growth rate dependence upon grain orientation, current density, and continuity of the epilayer at the grain boundary.     

Latest Developments in the Batchwise Application of Hot-dyeing Reactive Dyes to Cellulosic Knitwear

A dyeing profile for a range of reactive dyes suitable for application to cellulosic knitwear is defined. Such a profile shows good level-dyeing, reproducibility and fastness properties together with potential for simplified dyeing processes.     

Analysis of self-similar laminar flows in slot channels with one permeable wall

An analysis is made of the fluid flows in a plane slot permeable channel. It is shown that for large numbers R (suction) self-similar solutions exist.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 432–436, September, 1985.