Influence of ash deposits on the heat resistance of materials for gas turbine engine blades

Leningrad. Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 1, pp. 71–76, January, 1989.     

Optical properties of graphite-like carbon films

A model of the electronic structure of graphite-like carbon films, describing the semiconductor properties of this material, is presented. Spectra of optical constants of microcrystalline carbon films in the region λ = 0.4–8.0 μm were studied by the spectral ellipsometry and IR reflection methods. A number of distinctive features of the spectra, associated with both the appearance of C---C- and C---H_n-type bonds and direct energy gaps, were found. Analysis of the optical data using the proposed model makes possible a common interpretation of our results and literature data. Values of a parameter Θ, which is an averaged qualitative parameter of structural distortions within carbon microcrystallites as compared with crystalline graphite, are determined from comparison of theoretical results and experimental data.     

Thermomechanical behaviour of composites

This paper derives the governing equations for the thermomechanical behaviour of composites. When the basic equations for the thermoelastic behaviour of solids were first derived in the nineteenth century several approximations were made. The effect of these assumptions are discussed and illustrated by the results of a simple laboratory test. The implications of this work on the analysis of impact damaged laminates are then discussed.     

Toughening of Dental Porcelain by Tetragonal ZrO2 Additions

The effect on mechanical behavior of ZrO₂ additions to a dental porcelain was investigated. The ZrO₂ was introduced into the glassy matrix phase of the porcelain by refritting the all-glass porcelain constituent. X-ray diffraction indicated that a sizeable fraction of the ZrO₂ was retained in the tetragonal form after the porcelain was fired. Zirconia additions to the porcelain produced substantial improvements in fracture toughness, strength, and thermal shock resistance.     

Effect of orienting fields on agglomeration in dilute dispersions of magnetic fine particles

Static light scattering was used to investigate dilute dispersions of fine gamma -Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ magnetic particles. The particles were acicular and on average 0.39 mu m long and 0.056 mu m in diameter. They were dispersed in organic solvents at concentrations of approximately 10/sup -4/ vol%, corresponding to an average interparticle separation of 9 mu m. Computer programs using a coupled dipole algorithm to predict the scattering from the particles were written. Experimental results do not agree with computer calculations of the light scattering from single particles, but are consistent with scattering from thick ropelike agglomerates of particles. The size of these agglomerates was estimated after 10 s to be less than 100 particles, while the thickness of the ropes is at least 5 particles.<>     

Decision Making Effectiveness in Wildfire Incident Management Teams

During large scale wildfires, suppression activities are carried out under the direction of an Incident Management Team (IMT). The aim of the research was to increase understanding of decision processes potentially related to IMT effectiveness. An IMT comprises four major functions: Command, Operations, Planning, and Logistics. Four methodologies were used to study IMT processes: computer simulation experiments; analyses of wildfire reports; interviews with IMT members; and cognitive ethnographic studies of IMTs. Three processes were important determinants of IMT effectiveness: information management and cognitive overload; matching component function goals to overall goals; and team metacognition to detect and counter task‐disruptive developments. These processes appear to be complex multi‐person analogues of individual Incident Command processes identified previously. The findings have implications for issues such as: creating IMTs; training IMTs; managing IMTs; and providing decision support to IMTs.     

Impact of a snow avalanche against an obstacle. Formation of shock waves

The paper is devoted to the effect of compressibility of the avalanche snow impacting an obstacle. Compression shocks generated by obstacle cause high pressure peaks at first instants of impact. That is why the account of compressibility is essential for the understanding of measurements and the design of structures. The main problem in calculation compression shocks in avalanches is to formulate an equation of state for moving snow in impact. Two different types of equations of state are proposed depending on the type of the avalanche (low-density and high-density flows). The approach is not totally new. It was earlier proposed mainly in Russian literature. Here a brief review of the previous work is given with discussion of some gaps in it. The theory is reformulated and further developed to account thermodynamical equations. The simplest case of a normal compression shock in an avalanche flow is studied. Examples of estimations of pressure and density behind a shock are given. It is important to emphasize that the Mach number plays an important role in the theory of compressible flows so it should be taken into account (together with the Froude number) in calculation and modelling an avalanche impact pressure.     

Magnetostriction of binary and ternary Fe–Ga alloys

This article will review the development of the Fe–Ga (Galfenol) alloy system for magnetostriction applications including work on substitutional ternary alloying additions for magnetic property enhancement. A majority of the alloying addition research has focused on substitutional ternary elements in Bridgman grown single crystals with the intent of improving the magnetostrictive capability of the Galfenol system. Single crystals provide the ideal vehicle to assess the effectiveness of the addition on the magnetostrictive properties by eliminating grain boundary effects, orientation variations, and grain-to-grain interactions that occur when polycrystals respond to applied magnetic fields. In almost all cases, ternary additions of transition metal elements have decreased the magnetostriction values from the binary Fe–Ga alloy. Most of the ternary additions are known to stabilize the D0₃ chemical order and could be a primary contribution to the observed reduction in magnetostriction. In contrast, both Sn and Al are found to substitute chemically for Ga. For Sn additions, whose solubility is limited, no reduction in magnetostriction strains are observed when compared to the equivalent binary alloy composition. Aluminum additions, whose effect on the magnetoelastic coupling on Fe is similar to Ga, result in a rule of mixture relationship. The reviewed research suggests that phase stabilization of the disordered bcc structure is a key component to increase the magnetostriction of Fe–Ga alloys.     

Modelling of effects of ultrastructural morphology on the hygroelastic properties of wood fibres

Wood fibres constitute the structural framework of e.g. wood, paper, board and composites, where stiffness and dimensional stability are of importance. An analytical modelling approach has been used for prediction of hygroelastic response, and assessment of the stresses in thick-walled cylinder models of wood fibres. A wood fibre was idealised as a multilayered hollow cylinder made of orthotropic material with helical orientation. The hygroelastic response of the layered assembly due to axisymmetric loading and moisture content changes was obtained by solving the corresponding boundary value problem of elasticity. A simple solution scheme based on the state space approach and the transfer matrix method was employed. This was combined with an analytical ultrastructural homogenisation method, used to link hygroelastic properties of constituent wood polymers to properties of each layer. Predicted hygroelastic response captured experimentally measured behaviour. Fibres that were constrained not to twist showed a stiffer response than fibres allowed twisting under uniaxial loading. It was also shown that the ultrastructure, i.e. the microfibril angle, will control the hygroexpansion in the same way as it controls the compliance of the cell wall. Qualitative failure trends comparable with experimental observations could be established with stress analysis and a simple plane-stress failure criterion.