2002 Annual Index

Authors Index

2002 Annual Index     

Wavelet domain analysis for identification of vehicle axles from bridge measurements

Bridge weigh-in-motion (B-WIM) is a process by which the axle and gross vehicle weights of vehicles travelling at highway speeds can be determined from instrumented bridges. The traditional method of attaching strain transducers to the soffit of the bridge and placing axle detectors on the road surface has been replaced here by using additional transducers underneath the bridge for axle detection and nothing-on-the-road (NOR). This paper presents a wavelet based analysis of strain signals and shows the efficacy of using wavelets in pattern recognition of these signals. The transformed signals are used to identify axle passage and hence the vehicle velocity and the axle spacing. In addition to numerically generated strains, signals acquired from such a NOR instrumentation of a bridge in Slovenia have been analysed by the method of wavelet transformation to extract axle position information that was not readily detectable using existing methods.     

The Structure And Properties of a Thermo‐mechanically Processed Low Carbon High Strength Steel

Research efforts were given towards development of low carbon high strength steels since recent past. The present study deals with the development of a low carbon high strength steel alloyed with Mn, Ni, Mo, Cu and microalloyed with Ti and Nb. The steel was subjected to three stage controlled rolling operation followed by accelerated cooling. The structure and properties of the steel at various processing conditions were evaluated. Microstructural observation reveals predominantly lath martensite along with twinned martensite structure at all processing conditions. High strength values at higher finish rolling temperatures have been obtained due to fine martensitic structure along with tiny precipitates of microalloying carbide and carbonitride. The strength value increases marginally at lower finishing temperature due to comparatively finer lath size of martensite and increased precipitation density of carbides, carbonitrides along with Cu particles. The variation in impact toughness properties at different finish rolling temperatures is found to be negligible at ambient and subambient temperatures. The formation of stable and large TiN/TiCN particles during casting have impaired the impact toughness values at ambient and at ‐40°C temperatures.     

Swing-up and stabilization of a cart–pendulum system under restricted cart track length

This paper describes the swing-up and stabilization of a cart–pendulum system with a restricted cart track length and restricted control force using generalized energy control methods. Starting from a pendant position, the pendulum is swung up to the upright unstable equilibrium configuration using energy control principles. An “energy well” is built within the cart track to prevent the cart from going outside the limited length. When sufficient energy is acquired by the pendulum, it goes into a “cruise” mode when the acquired energy is maintained. Finally, when the pendulum is close to the upright configuration, a stabilizing controller is activated around a linear zone about the upright configuration. The proposed scheme has worked well both in simulation and a practical setup and the conditions for stability have been derived using the multiple Lyapunov functions approach.     

Chemically deposited zinc oxide thin film gas sensor

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were prepared by a low cost chemical deposition technique using sodium zincate bath. Structural characterizations by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicate the formation of ZnO films, containing 0.05–0.50 m size crystallites, with preferred c-axis orientation. The electrical conductance of the ZnO films became stable and reproducible in the 300–450 K temperature range after repeated thermal cyclings in air. Palladium sensitised ZnO films were exposed to toxic and combustible gases e.g., hydrogen (H₂), liquid petroleum gas (LPG), methane (CH₄) and hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) at a minimum operating temperature of 150 °C; which was well below the normal operating temperature range of 200–400 °C, typically reported in literature for ceramic gas sensors. The response of the ZnO thin film sensors at 150 °C, was found to be significant, even for parts per million level concentrations of CH₄ (50 ppm) and H₂S (15 ppm).     

A selective review of the finite element-ABC and the finite element-boundary integral methods for electromagnetic scattering

Annals of Telecommunications - This paper reviews two hybrid (frequency domain) finite element methods for electromagnetic scattering applications. Specifically, the progress over the last five...     

Race of new inorganic materials towards an ultra neolithic age

Three generally accepted generic groups of competitive engineering materials—metals, inorganic ceramics, as well as plastics and polymers belonging to the organic family—have been comparatively reviewed in the context of raw materials availability, energy requirements in production, engineering properties, combustibility and environmental friendliness. The intrinsic advantages of inorganic materials have been discussed. The shortcomings of engineering properties of inorganic materials and the new technologies of making chemically bonded ceramics or biomimic compounds from inorganic materials with improved toughness have been dealt with. The expanding application horizons of inorganic materials have been illustrated with the help of several novel products.     

Heat transfer between a fluidized bed and an immersed vertical U-tube

The design details of a 0.254 m stainless steel cylindrical fluidized bed pilot plant facility, whose fabrication, installation and testing have been recently completed, are described. It primarily consists of a fluidized-bed reactor, fluidizing air-supply system, solids feeder, off-gas cleaning and exhaust system, and cooling water-supply system for heat-transfer tubes provided in the bed and in the freeboard sections. The plant is operated at ambient pressure in the temperature range 300–600 K, both in the batch and continuous modes for solids feed. Bed-pressure drop measurements as a function of fluidizing velocity for two different bed heights reveal that the quality of fluidization is good. Similar experiments have been conducted with the continuous solids feed. The heat-transfer coefficient between the bed and an immersed stainless steel U-tube is measured as a function of fluidizing air velocity at five different temperatures. The effects on bed-to-tube heat-transfer rate of solids feed rate, bed height, air-flow rate, and bed temperature are examined. All of these observed variations are interpreted in terms of the solids mixing and bubble mechanics in the bed.     

The join calcium monoaluminate-calcium fluoride

The system CaO-Al₂O₃-CaF₂ is important in cement and slag technology and in metallurgy. A section of this system, the pseudo-binary join CaO·Al₂O₃-CaF₂, has been studied and the phase diagram established. This join is of particular interest since CaO·Al₂O₃ is one of the main constituents of high alumina cement.Quenching in sealed platinum capsules followed by microscopic and X-ray examination was the principal method used. The only compound on the join is 3CaO·3Al₂O₃·CaF₂ which melts congruently at 1507±1.5° C and forms one eutectic with CaO·Al₂O₃ at 11% CaF₂ and 1498±5° C and another with CaF₂ at 97.5% CaF₂ and 1405±10° C. There is a wide zone of liquid immiscibility. The m.p. of CaF₂ was determined to be 1422±1° C.Attempts to use high temperature microscopy to study this system are described.     

On the nature and structure of ‘niobic acid’ and its pyrolytic products: 1H NMR,I.R., conductivity and Ion exchange studies

Niobic acid of composition H₈Nb₆O₁₉ has been prepared by thorough drying of the hydrated oxide at 150°C. The mass was heated in stages up to 1200°C and the intermediate products were subjected to ¹H NMR measurements for determining their proton content. Infra red spectra indicate the presence of protons which are highly delocalised among different oxygen sites. The electrical conductivity of niobic acid has been interpreted as due to proton-hopping. The ion exchange capacity of the material has also been studied. The data have been used to formulate the structure of niobic acid and to obtain the correct procedure for the gravimetric determination of niobium as oxide.