On Modeling Hydrogen-Induced Crack Propagation Under Sustained Load

The failure of hydrogen containment components is generally associated with subcritical cracking. Understanding subcritical crack growth behavior and its dependence on material and environmental variables can lead to methods for designing structural components in a hydrogen environment and will be beneficial in developing materials resistant to hydrogen embrittlement. In order to identify the issues underlying crack propagation and arrest, we present a model for hydrogen-induced stress-controlled crack propagation under sustained loading. The model is based on the assumptions that (I) hydrogen reduces the material fracture strength and (II) crack propagation takes place when the opening stress over the characteristic distance ahead of a crack tip is greater than the local fracture strength. The model is used in a finite-element simulation of crack propagation coupled with simultaneous hydrogen diffusion in a model material through nodal release. The numerical simulations show that the same physics, i.e., diffusion-controlled crack propagation, can explain the existence of both stages I and II in the velocity versus stress intensity factor (V–K) curve.     

The Relationship Between Crack-Tip Strain and Subcritical Cracking Thresholds for Steels in High-Pressure Hydrogen Gas

Threshold stress intensity factors were measured in high-pressure hydrogen gas for a variety of low alloy ferritic steels using both constant crack opening displacement and rising crack opening displacement procedures. Thresholds for crack extension under rising displacement, K _THi, for crack extension under constant displacement, $ K_{\text{THi}}^{*} $ , and for crack arrest under constant displacement K _THa, were identified. These values were not found to be equivalent, i.e. K _THi < K _THa <  $ K_{\text{THi}}^{*} $ . The hydrogen assisted fracture mechanism was determined to be strain controlled for all of the alloys in this study, and the micromechanics of strain controlled fracture are used to explain the observed disparities between the different threshold measurements. K _THa and K _THi differ because the strain singularity of a stationary crack is stronger than that of a propagating crack; K _THa must be larger than K _THi to achieve equivalent crack tip strain at the same distance from the crack tip. Hydrogen interacts with deformation mechanisms, enhancing strain localization and consequently altering both the nucleation and growth stages of strain controlled fracture mechanisms. The timing of load application and hydrogen exposure, i.e., sequential for constant displacement tests and concurrent for rising displacement tests, leads to differences in the strain history relative to the environmental exposure history and promotes the disparity between $ K_{\text{THi}}^{*} $ and K _THi. K _THi is the only conservative measurement of fracture threshold among the methods presented here.     

Expanse software for distributed call and connection control

The experimental ATM network services environment (EXPANSE) prototype provides an experimental testbed for multimedia multiparty telecommunications services over heterogeneous communications networks. The EXPANSE software architecture supports the functional separation of call and connection control. At the call control layer an object-oriented, transaction-based call model provides for the co-ordination of the negotiations among users for the establishment, modification and disconnection of telecommunications services. The connection control layer provides an object-oriented protocol for the dynamic establishment, modification and release of network connections which include the control and allocation of network resources required for multimedia multiparty services. The EXPANSE software includes an application programming interface (API) to the signalling protocol at the call control level. The API provides a uniform and powerful interface to the call model and allows different applications to co-ordinate the control of local resources and session state.     

Assessment of the Validity and Reproducibility of a Novel Standardized Test Meal for the Study of Postprandial Triacylglycerol Concentrations

Lipotest^® is a standardized fat‐rich meal designed for use as a test meal during a fat tolerance test (FTT) for the study of postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations. Herein we examined the precision and reproducibility of examination using Lipotest^® on postprandial TAG levels. A total of 26 healthy consenting subjects were examined twice after 8–10 h fasting with an interval of approximately 1 week apart. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after consumption of the test meal for measurement of plasma total TAG levels. We examined agreement, precision, and accuracy between the two visits using the Altman plots and correlation coefficient. Reproducibility was tested using the coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) as a summary measure of the overall postprandial TAG levels was calculated. The agreement, precision (r ≥ 0.74, p < 0.001), and accuracy (≥0.99) between the measurements in plasma TAG during Lipotest^® testing in the two visits were high. In terms of reproducibility, the values of CV were 15.59–23.83% while those of ICC were ≥0.75. The values of the AUCs in the visits were not different (p = 0.87). A single measurement of plasma TAG levels at 4 h after Lipotest^® consumption depicted peak postprandial TAG concentration. A FTT using Lipotest^® as a standardized meal has good precision and reproducibility for the study of postprandial TAG levels in healthy individuals. A single determination of plasma TAG concentration at 4 h after Lipotest^® consumption captures peak postprandial TAG response.     

Addressing the interdependence in providing fair and efficient bandwidth distribution in hybrid optical‐wireless networks

The convergence of optical and wireless technologies may offer a compelling network access infrastructure because these technologies combine major benefits such as large coverage in the wireless part and huge bandwidth in the optical part of the converged access network. The convergence of the passive optical networks with 4G wireless standards, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access and the Long Term Evolution, constitutes a quite attractive solution to meet the challenges of the modern bandwidth‐hungry access networks. One of the most important objective a modern access network has to address is the adequate bandwidth distribution to the final users. In addition, several other aims are emerged towards this goal, such as fairness and quality of service provisioning. The adversity of designing an efficient bandwidth distribution scheme for hybrid optical‐wireless access networks lies in the interdependence of both domains: the bandwidth distribution in the wireless domain depends on the optical transmission grant opportunities, while the bandwidth coordinator in the optical part has to be aware of the mobile user heterogeneity in the wireless domain. Moreover, the bandwidth decision‐making module in both networks has to be aware of providing a fair allocation independently of the number of mobile users or the traffic requests in the network. In this work, we endeavor to address the aforementioned challenges. A novel, fair, and efficient bandwidth distribution scheme is proposed for hybrid optical‐wireless access networks. By using weighted fairness provisioning techniques, the proposed scheme intends to alleviate the interdependence of the two domains, offering a fair and efficient bandwidth distribution to the mobile users. The weights are properly defined, by utilizing suitable optimization techniques such as the Lagrange multiplies, so as to incorporate the underlying features of each traffic requests, such as the population density and the propagation delay. Extensive simulation results indicate the capability of the proposed scheme, compared with other competitive allocation schemes, in provisioning a more efficient and fair bandwidth distribution in terms of latency, throughput, and packet drop ratio. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Side-line tunable laser transmitter for differential absorption lidar measurements of CO2: design and application to atmospheric measurements

A 2 microm wavelength, 90 mJ, 5 Hz pulsed Ho laser is described with wavelength control to precisely tune and lock the wavelength at a desired offset up to 2.9 GHz from the center of a CO(2) absorption line. Once detuned from the line center the laser wavelength is actively locked to keep the wavelength within 1.9 MHz standard deviation about the setpoint. This wavelength control allows optimization of the optical depth for a differential absorption lidar (DIAL) measuring atmospheric CO(2) concentrations. The laser transmitter has been coupled with a coherent heterodyne receiver for measurements of CO(2) concentration using aerosol backscatter; wind and aerosols are also measured with the same lidar and provide useful additional information on atmospheric structure. Range-resolved CO(2) measurements were made with <2.4% standard deviation using 500 m range bins and 6.7 min? (1000 pulse pairs) integration time. Measurement of a horizontal column showed a precision of the CO(2) concentration to <0.7% standard deviation using a 30 min? (4500 pulse pairs) integration time, and comparison with a collocated in situ sensor showed the DIAL to measure the same trend of a diurnal variation and to detect shorter time scale CO(2) perturbations. For vertical column measurements the lidar was setup at the WLEF tall tower site in Wisconsin to provide meteorological profiles and to compare the DIAL measurements with the in situ sensors distributed on the tower up to 396 m height. Assuming the DIAL column measurement extending from 153 m altitude to 1353 m altitude should agree with the tower in situ sensor at 396 m altitude, there was a 7.9 ppm rms difference between the DIAL and the in situ sensor using a 30 min? rolling average on the DIAL measurement.     

Towards a novel tensile elastometer for soft tissue

A device designed to determine the tensile properties of soft tissue is proposed for use within the surgical environment. Two pins indent the surface of a bulk of soft tissue and are separated laterally. Using an approximation, the measured load and displacement are mapped to the uniaxial stress and strain of a central volume of material. A correction factor is introduced that depends on geometric factors only for Mooney–Rivlin materials subject to strains of up to 15%, if edge effects are not significant. It is the intention of this study and subsequent studies to design the instrument such that edge effects are minimised. Numerical analysis is employed to test the limits of both the device and the model for Mooney–Rivlin materials. Further analysis is required to determine viability for soft tissue that can display significant anisotropy, material non-homogeneities and highly nonlinear elastic responses. Some initial results towards this end are presented. The method is demonstrated with the use of a prototype device, employing common elastomers to model the soft tissue. An assessment of the accuracy of the prototype and limitations on the use of the device are inferred from the experimental and numerical studies. The modulus of the test materials was subsequently measured to an accuracy of 4% with a spread of 6.5% (using a 95% confidence interval).     

High Pressure Inactivation Kinetics of a Thermomyces lanuginosus Xylanase Evaluated as a Process Indicator

Abstract: The potential use of Thermomyces lanuginosus xylanase to develop a pressure–temperature–time integrator (PTTI) for high pressure processing was investigated. The combined effect of pressure and temperature on the inactivation of xylanase was studied in the pressure range of 100 to 600 MPa and temperature range of 50 to 70 °C. A synergistic effect of pressure and temperature was observed. Xylanase inactivation at the studied processing conditions followed first-order kinetics and was found to be very sensitive to changes in pressure and temperature. The values of activation energy and activation volume were estimated as 92.8 kJ/mol and −23.3 mL/mol at a reference pressure of 450 MPa and a reference temperature of 60 °C, respectively. A mathematical model of xylanase inactivation, having as variables time, pressure, and temperature allows the calculation of remaining enzyme activity at any combination of processing conditions within the studied domain. Practical Application: To ensure the optimization and control of high pressure processing, evaluation of the process impact on both safety and quality attributes of foods is essential. Enzymes can serve as effective tools in evaluating the impact of high pressure processes of foods.     

Uquantchem: A versatile and easy to use quantum chemistry computational software

In this paper we present the Uppsala Quantum Chemistry package (UQUANTCHEM), a new and versatile computational platform with capabilities ranging from simple Hartree–Fock calculations to state of the art First principles Extended Lagrangian Born–Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamics (XL-BOMD) and diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC). The UQUANTCHEM package is distributed under the general public license and can be directly downloaded from the code web-site (http://www.anst.uu.se/pesou087/DOWNLOAD-UQUANTCHEM/DOWNLOAD-UQUANTCHEM/DOWNLOAD-SITE-UQUANTCHEM.html)  [1]. Together with a presentation of the different capabilities of the uquantchem code and a more technical discussion on how these capabilities have been implemented, a presentation of the user-friendly aspect of the package on the basis of the large number of default settings will also be presented. Furthermore, since the code has been parallelized within the framework of the message passing interface (MPI), the timing of some benchmark calculations are reported to illustrate how the code scales with the number of computational nodes for different levels of chemical theory.