Multi-scale characteristics of magnesium potassium phosphate cement modified by metakaolin

Workability and early-ages mechanical properties are important indicators of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) as a repair material. The effect of metakaolin (MK) on the setting time, fluidity and early-ages strength of MKPC paste was studied, and its influence mechanism was analyzed through pore structure, microstructure and nanomechanical properties. The results show that 10% and 20% of MK prolong the setting time of MKPC paste, but excessive MK shortens the setting time of MKPC paste. Meanwhile, incorporating MK reduces the fluidity of MKPC paste, and the early-ages strength of MKPC specimens increases when the substitution ratio of MK is 10%. When 10% of MK is incorporated to the MKPC paste, the 30-d shrinkage of the sample is only 69% of the control group. Meanwhile, a proper amount of MK can improve the pore structure of the MKPC specimen and make its microstructure denser by generating amorphous aluminosilicate phosphate gel. It is observed from the nano-scale characteristics that incorporating 10% MK can reduce the content of pore phase and unreacted MgO phase, and increase the volume fraction of hydration products.     

Effects of buoyancy induced roof ventilation systems for smoke removal in tunnel fires

The present article highlights the performance of natural roof ventilation systems and its effects on tunnel fire flow characteristics. Numerical analysis is performed using Large Eddy Simulations (LES) to predict fire growth rate and smoke movement in tunnel with single and multiple roof openings. The smoke venting performance of ceiling vents are investigated by varying the vent size and fire source locations. The critical parameters such as mass flow rate through ceiling openings, smoke traveling time and fire growth patterns are presented. The ceiling openings are effective in transferring hot gases and reduces the longitudinal smoke velocity. The heat source and ceiling vent locations significantly affects the vent performance and smoke behavior in tunnel. The present results are in good agreement with the experimental results available in literature.     

Postbuckling characteristics of nanobeams based on the surface elasticity theory

In the present paper, an attempt is made to numerically investigate the postbuckling response of nanobeams with the consideration of the surface stress effect. To accomplish this, the Gurtin–Murdoch elasticity theory is exploited to incorporate surface stress effect into the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. The size-dependent governing differential equations are derived and discretized along with various end supports by employing the principle of virtual work and the generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method. Newton’s method is applied to solve the discretized nonlinear equations with the aid of an auxiliary normalizing equation. After solving the governing equations linearly, to obtain each eigenpair in the nonlinear model, the linear response is used as the initial value in Newton’s method. Selected numerical results are given to show the surface stress effect on the postbuckling characteristics of nanobeams. It is found that by increasing the thickness of nanobeams, the postbuckling equilibrium path obtained by the developed non-classical beam model tends to the one predicted by the classical beam theory and this anticipation is the same for all selected boundary conditions.     

Multilevel models for evaluating the risk of pedestrian–motor vehicle collisions at intersections and mid-blocks

Walking is a popular form of physical activity associated with clear health benefits. Promoting safe walking for pedestrians requires evaluating the risk of pedestrian–motor vehicle collisions at specific roadway locations in order to identify where road improvements and other interventions may be needed. The objective of this analysis was to estimate the risk of pedestrian collisions at intersections and mid-blocks in Seattle, WA. The study used 2007–2013 pedestrian–motor vehicle collision data from police reports and detailed characteristics of the microenvironment and macroenvironment at intersection and mid-block locations. The primary outcome was the number of pedestrian–motor vehicle collisions over time at each location (incident rate ratio [IRR] and 95% confidence interval [95% CI]). Multilevel mixed effects Poisson models accounted for correlation within and between locations and census blocks over time. Analysis accounted for pedestrian and vehicle activity (e.g., residential density and road classification). In the final multivariable model, intersections with 4 segments or 5 or more segments had higher pedestrian collision rates compared to mid-blocks. Non-residential roads had significantly higher rates than residential roads, with principal arterials having the highest collision rate. The pedestrian collision rate was higher by 9% per 10 feet of street width. Locations with traffic signals had twice the collision rate of locations without a signal and those with marked crosswalks also had a higher rate. Locations with a marked crosswalk also had higher risk of collision. Locations with a one-way road or those with signs encouraging motorists to cede the right-of-way to pedestrians had fewer pedestrian collisions. Collision rates were higher in locations that encourage greater pedestrian activity (more bus use, more fast food restaurants, higher employment, residential, and population densities). Locations with higher intersection density had a lower rate of collisions as did those in areas with higher residential property values. The novel spatiotemporal approach used that integrates road/crossing characteristics with surrounding neighborhood characteristics should help city agencies better identify high-risk locations for further study and analysis. Improving roads and making them safer for pedestrians achieves the public health goals of reducing pedestrian collisions and promoting physical activity.     

Crashworthiness assessment of auxetic foam-filled tube under quasi-static axial loading

This present study investigates experimentally and numerically the crush response and energy absorption performances of auxetic foam-filled square tubes under quasi-static axial loading. Three different structures: empty, conventional and auxetic foam-filled square tubes have been compared and examined with respect to the deformation modes and load–displacement curves. Standard compression tests were conducted on the tubes to evaluate the influence of auxetic foam in the energy absorption of empty tubes. Moreover, results from computer simulation have also been supplemented to further examine the abovementioned effect. It is discovered that the auxetic foam-filled square tube is superior to empty and conventional foam-filled square tubes in terms of all studied crashworthiness indicators.     

非饱和土半空间中单桩竖向振动特性研究

从三维轴对称的非饱和土波动方程出发,考虑土中基质吸力对剪切模量的影响,对端承桩在纵向简谐荷载作用下桩土耦合振动特性进行了研究。利用算子分解和分离变量法直接对耦合方程进行解耦,在求得非饱和土层振动模态形式和阻抗因子的基础上,结合桩土界面处的衔接条件以及桩端刚性支承形式,对桩的一维波动方程进行求解,得到了桩顶复刚度函数、土层阻抗因子的频域形式解答,并讨论了主要参数对桩基动力行为的影响。计算结果表明：随着饱和度的减小,桩顶动刚度因子和等效阻尼的振幅随之减小,但桩土体系的共振频率则基本不受其影响。在桩土模量比的分析中,应区别对待土和桩弹性模量引起的不同反应。模型揭示了土体动力响应从单相到饱和两相介质条件下的完整演化过程,为描述实际土体环境下桩基动力行为提供了较为完备的理论框架。     

一般形状边坡下准严格与非严格三维极限平衡法

采用极限平衡原理得到三维极限平衡解答是解决三维边坡稳定性分析的一种有效途径。通过对一般情况下的条柱进行受力分析,采用条柱前后侧面条间力参数λ₁、条柱左右侧面条间力相对前后侧面条间力比例参数λ及条柱滑动底面剪切力与滑动平面之间的夹角ρ这3个计算参数,建立能满足3个力和3个力矩平衡方程的准严格三维极限平衡计算公式。当采用相应二维条间力假设条件时得到三维Spencer法、M-P法和Sarma法,当令上述3个计算参数中的某些参数为零时,将本文准严格法转化为仅满足部分力学平衡条件的3种非严格法。经与经典算例对比,并以左右滑动面宽度和曲面不对称这2情况比较准严格法和非严格的计算差别,可知：①三维Spencer法、M-P法和Sarma法均与其他方法计算得的结果颇为接近,因而说明该方法的可行性;②滑动面非对称情况时,除忽略条柱前后侧面竖向剪切力使得到的非严格法计算得的结果较小外,准严格法与其他2种非严格法计算得的结果基本一致,说明非严格法同样可适用于三维滑动面非对称情况;③本文建立的三维极限平衡解答通用于准严格法和非严格法,且计算公式简单,无需求解方程组,经过简单迭代即可得到稳定性的收敛解,因而较适用于工程实践。     

中—强膨胀土地区铁路路堑基床动静态特性模型试验

为研究以中—强膨胀土为地基的高速铁路路堑基床在不同服役环境下的动静态特性,在实验室内进行1∶1大比例尺模型试验,分别对基床在干燥状态、降雨和地下水位上升3种服役环境下以4 Hz频率进行100万次激振,监测路堑基床不同位置的动态响应和变形规律。结果表明：轨道正下方位置基床范围内的动应力主要受服役环境影响,与激振次数关系不大;动应力沿深度的衰减曲线近似成二次曲线型;膨胀土路堑基床变形受服役环境的影响大于振动次数;干燥状态和降雨时,基床变形随着振动次数的增加先增大后趋于稳定,地下水位上升时,基底膨胀土膨胀变形,并引起基床产生回弹变形;基底膨胀土干缩湿胀过程中的“过程性变形差”会造成轨面标高反复变化,极大的增加线路维护工作量。     

基于三维非连续接触模型的管片接头静动力特性分析

基于非线性接触理论,考虑盾构隧道结构的非连续性,模拟管片接头结构和管片衬砌与围岩及道床之间的相互作用,建立了道床-管片-围岩的三维非连续接触模型,对盾构隧道管片接头在围岩静压、列车动载作用下的受力与变形进行了深入分析。研究结果表明,围岩静压下拱顶和隧底处的纵向接头部分向内张开,两侧拱腰处的接头部分向外张开,拱顶处的封顶块与邻接块错台较大,拱腰接头受压明显,拱顶接头受压最小,各环管片拱顶处的螺栓轴力最大,隧底处的其次,拱腰处的接头螺栓轴力最小,旋转了一定拼装角度后位于拱肩上部的接头螺栓,其剪力最大;列车动载作用下管片接头的张开错台、混凝土应力以及接头螺栓的内力均在动载施加初期迅速增加,然后明显减小,而后产生波动,其中浅埋地铁隧道拱顶接头的动力响应较隧底接头明显,螺栓剪力在列车动载作用下较螺栓轴力增加的多。     

单点和多点荷载输入的虚拟激励法实用求解模式

在实际工程中采用虚拟激励法（pseudo excitation method,PEM）往往需要编写复杂计算程序,为方便工程应用,建立了一种对应单点和多点荷载输入的虚拟激励法实用求解模式。考虑地震作用、风荷载等多种随机荷载,提取单点和多点荷载输入下计算结构虚拟响应的实用求解模式,并利用常规有限元分析软件的谐振稳态分析完成PEM核心计算,最后通过线性组合重新构建结构虚拟响应和功率谱密度函数的求解公式,从而在常规有限元分析软件中实现了PEM算法。由于采用建议方法可将PEM算法的核心计算交由有限元分析软件完成,在保持PEM高效准确计算优势的前提下显著提高了工作效率,避免了编写复杂计算程序,方便实际工程应用。通过两个典型数值算例验证了建议方法的正确性与有效性,并且指出其对于多种荷载工况的计算效率具有一定优势。