Experimental Investigation of Grouted Helical Piers for Use in Foundation Rehabilitation

Building rehabilitation is critical for numerous older urban areas, many of which have inadequate foundations to support new demands. Consequently, development of practical methods to strengthen existing foundations is crucial. In engineering practice, both subsurface grouting and helical piers have been widely used to address these issues by strengthening the foundation. If the solid shaft of a typical helical pier is replaced by a hollow shaft, then helical piers provide the ability to deliver grout. It is hypothesized that these grouted helical pier systems could address foundation strengthening needs. This paper presents findings from an exploratory research program where grouting and pier placement tools were developed and tested on the large geotechnical centrifuge at the University of California, Davis. Experimental methods and procedures developed are presented, and observations regarding the formation of grout bulbs under different conditions are analyzed. Physical observation of the test specimens indicates that average grout bulb diameters of 0.6–1.9 times the helix diameter (Dh) are attainable. For similar grout mixes, 20–50% larger grout bulbs can be attained by adding just a modest amount of injection pressure. Future research may use these results to develop load performance data.     

Shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using different configurations of externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced plates

This paper deals with research undertaken at Oxford Brookes University into shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced plastic plates (CFRP). Thirty-eight reinforced concrete beams of 1.8 m length were constructed and tested and are described in this paper. The relative performance of a group of sixteen beams with the same steel reinforcement but with different amounts of shear strengthening is discussed. All the beams were designed to fail in shear using a spreadsheet program. The spreadsheets were designed to ensure that the beams' flexural capacity exceeded the shear capacity after strengthening. The variables were: main reinforcement ratio, spacing between links in the shear span and different configurations of CFRP plates on shear spans. The concrete had an average compressive strength of 61.76 N/mm². The majority of the beams tested showed a significant improvement in shear strength by the addition of CFRP plates, with increases of between 19–122% over the control beams.     

Influence of substrate compliance on buckling delamination of thin films

A thin film subject to in-plane compressive stress is susceptible to buckling-driven delamination. This paper analyzes a straight-sided delamination buckle with a focus on the effects of substrate compliance, following earlier work by B. Cotterell and Z. Chen. The critical buckling condition, the energy release rate and the mode mix of the interface delamination crack are calculated as a function of the elastic mismatch between the film and substrate. The average energy release rate at the curved end of a tunneling straight-sided blister is also determined. The more compliant the substrate, the easier for the film to buckle and the higher the energy release rates. The effect becomes significant when the modulus of the substrate is appreciably less than that of the film. When the substrate modulus is comparable to that of the film, or higher, the usual assumption is justified to the effect that the film is clamped along its edges. When the substrate is very compliant the energy release rate at the curved front exceeds that along the straight sides.     

A family of bicistronic vectors to enhance both local and systemic antitumor effects of HSVtk or cytokine expression in a murine melanoma model

The herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSVtk/GCV) system produces both direct and immune-mediated tumor cell killing. Here, we compare the efficacy of HSVtk/GCV with cytokines, alone and in combination, on the tumorigenicity and immunogenicity of B16 cells. With respect to single gene modifications, only HSVtk/GCV, or high-level interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion, completely prevented tumor growth, whereas granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) generated the best levels of long-term systemic protection. To augment both local killing and immune activation, we constructed bicistronic constructs that express HSVtk and a cytokine within the same cell. Co-expression of HSVtk with IL-2 or GM-CSF enhanced the local antitumor activity of any gene alone. In a tumor-prevention model, HSVtk killing, in an environment preprimed with GM-CSF, generated the best long-term immune protection. However, in a short-term therapy model, continued IL-2 expression was most effective against 3-day established tumors. This probably reflects differences in the activities of IL-2 and GM-CSF in generating short-term, nonspecific immune stimulation compared to long-term immunological memory, respectively. As a prelude to in vivo delivery experiments, we also demonstrated that these bicistronic cassettes can be packaged normally into retroviral (5 x 10(5) virus/ml from pooled populations) and adenoviral vectors (5 x 10(9) virus/ml) and function as predicted within virally infected cells. This family of bicistronic vectors can be used to stimulate synergy between suicide and cytokine genes, overcomes the problems of delivering two genes on separate vectors, and should allow easier preparation of vectors for the delivery of multiple genes to patients' tumor cells.     

New theoretical and experimental probes of tribochemistry in model bearing contacts

The differential effects of temperature, pressure and flow induced strain on diatomic (Cl₂) and polymer (polyethylene)bond cleavage reactions are modeled by combining hydrodynamics and molecular statistical mechanics. A new experimental technique, based on vibrational spectroscopy, is used to measure the pressure induced force along C=C and Si-O bonds in 1-octene and hexamethyldisiloxane. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dynamic precipitation during cyclic deformation of an underaged Al-Cu alloy

The cyclic deformation behavior of Al-4Cu alloy containing shear-resistant particles was investigated systematically as a function of precipitate state. Pronounced cyclic hardening was observed in the under aged Al-4Cu-0.05Sn (wt.%) alloy strained under various imposed plastic strain amplitudes at room temperature. Such cyclic hardening is absent from the longer aging treatments. Microstructural characterization reveals that the pronounced cyclic hardening of the under aged alloy is due to the dynamic precipitation of GP zones. The dynamic precipitation occurs during all the cyclic loading process and only at the peak stress, where the hardening increment from dynamic precipitation saturates, does strain localization occur which is soon followed by failure of the material. The dynamic precipitation of GP zones has a positive effect on the low cycle fatigue performance of this alloy, and can significantly elevate the strength of this alloy without loss in ductility. Experiments performed to test the dependence of the cyclic hardening on plastic strain amplitude and strain-rate illustrate a relatively strain-rate independent and strain amplitude dependent behavior. Such kinetic behavior is approximately consistent with that expected if the GP zone formation is controlled by the vacancies production process during plastic deformation.     

Molecular regulators of resolution of inflammation: potential therapeutic targets in the reproductive system

Inflammatory processes are central to reproductive events including ovulation, menstruation, implantation and labour, while inflammatory dysregulation is a feature of numerous reproductive pathologies. In recent years, there has been much research into the endogenous mechanisms by which inflammatory reactions are terminated and tissue homoeostasis is restored, a process termed resolution. The identification and characterisation of naturally occurring pro-resolution mediators including lipoxins and annexin A1 has prompted a shift in the field of anti-inflammation whereby resolution is now observed as an active process, triggered as part of a normal inflammatory response. This review will address the process of resolution, discuss available evidence for expression of pro-resolution factors in the reproductive tract and explore possible roles for resolution in physiological reproductive processes and associated pathologies.