Air entrainment in fresh concrete with PFA

The results of a study into the influence of PFA on air entrainment in fresh concrete are discussed It is shown that the required dosage of AEA to produce an air content of 5.5 ± 0.5% in a PFA modified concrete mix is two-six times that required in the corresponding neat OPC concrete mix. The dosage of a vinsol based air entraining agent (AEA) required appears to be directly related to the PFA content of the mix. Similar direct relationships were obtained with a range of different PFAs. The dosage of an AEA based on the salt of a fatty acid appears to be sensitive to both PFA and OPC contents. For the type of PFA used, the variability of measured air content or the amount of air retained after continued agitation both indicated that vinsol based AEAs show the highest variability whilst fatty acid based AEAs show low variability. The between batch variability of air content was significantly improved by the addition of PFA regardless of the AEA used.     

Measuring the likelihood of VR visual fatigue through ocular biomechanics

Immersion in virtual reality is still linked to symptoms of visual fatigue such as eye strain, dizziness, and overall discomfort. Studies have investigated visual fatigue through pre- and post-immersion tests of the visual function. In this work, we extend on our previous study and derive a visual fatigue likelihood metric using biomechanical analysis. Previously, we have investigated the effect of VR on the vergence system during immersion. The proposed visual fatigue metric exhibited a significant correlation to vergence angle variability which was previously linked to vergence accommodation conflict in VR. We also discuss subjective feedback and its relationship with the proposed visual fatigue metric.     

以ARM为核心的嵌入式体感遥控器设计

介绍一种以ARM为核心的嵌入式服务机器人体感遥控器的设计。硬件上,本遥控器采用具有ARM Cortex—M3内核的STM32F103C8T6作为核心处理器,选用ST公司的iNEMO惯性导航模块进行手部姿态的识别,同时还具有LCD显示模块、无线收发模块和电源模块;软件上,采用嵌入式操作系统μC／OS—Ⅱ实现多任务的调度和外围设备的管理。经实验验证,本遥控器具有高稳定性、高实时性、高可靠性、低误码率等优点。     

高空作业平台臂架伸缩运动的横向振动特性

为了探究高空作业平台做伸缩运动时变幅平面内的横向振动动力学特性,针对臂架的实际搭接和支承情况,将臂架等效为根部铰接、中间弹性支承且带有集中参数的变截面变长度梁. 基于牛顿第二定律建立各臂段的运动微分方程,采用模态叠加法、结合边界条件求解臂架一系列时刻的瞬态振型函数,曲线拟合时变参数以近似表示梁的振型,并依据伽辽金截断方法,得到广义坐标下的状态空间方程. 在Matlab/Simulink环境下进行动态仿真,得到伸缩过程中臂架头部的变幅平面横向振动动态响应. 结果表明,就横向振动振幅而言,搭接简化会带来15.63%计算结果误差;支承简化会加大臂架整体刚度、减小臂架振动响应,不可取。     

Factors Influencing Movements of Two Migratory Fishes within the Tailrace of a Large Neotropical Dam and their Implications for Hydropower Impacts

Fish attempting to move upstream through hydroelectric dams can be trapped and killed in turbines. Understanding fish movement patterns can provide useful insights for how to manage dam operations to minimize fish kill in turbines. We evaluated the movements of two migratory fish (Curimba—Prochilodus argenteus and Mandi—Pimelodus maculatus ) using acoustic telemetry in the tailrace of Três Marias Dam (São Francisco River, Brazil) from 31 October 2011 to 16 February 2012. The majority of tagged fish left the tailrace in less than one week; however, some individuals returned, performing several visits to the tailrace. Mandi remained longer in the tailrace than Curimba. The number of visits was influenced by diel period, turbine and spillway discharge. Although the diel period was the only important contributor to the visits performed by Curimba, the movements of Mandi were significantly influenced by three factors. We found that whereas Curimba was predominantly diurnal, Mandi showed nocturnal habits. Additionally, visits of Mandi were significantly greater during higher turbine and spillway discharge. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding fish movements in the Três Marias Dam tailrace and their potential implications for adapting hydroelectric operations to minimize fish kills. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Host odor and visual stimulus interaction during intratree host finding behavior ofRhagoletis pomonella flies

Responses ofRhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) (Diptera: Tephritidae) flies to host fruit visual stimuli (apples or models of apples) and chemical stimuli (synthetic apple volatile blend) were studied in semidwarf field-caged apple trees. Three different fruit or model densities (1, 4, or 16 fruit or models/ tree) and two odor release rates [ca. 0.7g/hr (close to the natural release rate of a ripe apple) and ca. 500g/hr (amount of odor released by commercially sold apple maggot traps)] were tested. Individually released flies were followed as they moved within a tree for a maximum of 20 min. We recorded three-dimensional search paths followed by foraging flies and computed such variables as total relative distance traveled before alighting on a fruit or model, track length between individual alightment sites, and directness of flight to fruits or models. Effect of odor on propensity to alight on fruit or models and host-searching behavior prior to alighting on fruit or on models varied according to fruit or model color and density. If the fruit visual stimulus was strong (e.g., red color), odor did not increase the probability of finding fruit or fruit models. As the visual stimulus became progressively weaker (red to green to clear), odor (irrespective of concentration) appeared to aid flies during the fruit-finding process. As density of fruit or models increased, the probability of flies finding a fruit or model also increased (e.g., 50% of flies found a red fruit model at 1 model/tree while 90% found a red model at 16 models/tree; 4% of flies found a clear model with odor at 1 model/tree while 35% found a clear model with odor at 16 models/tree). Findings reported elsewhere indicate thatR. pomonella flies are able to discover a point source of odor (an odor-bearing tree in a patch of trees) by flying upwind (in the tree patch) in response to intermittent exposure to odor. Findings here indicate that after arrival on a host tree (point source), flies discover individual apparent and abundant host fruit on the basis of vision. If fruit are less apparent or scarce, odor appears to interact with vision during the fruit-finding process.     

采用有限元分析法量化不同中空玻璃边缘密封的热位移

间隔条和玻璃板片之间的相对热位移是中空玻璃边缘密封乃至中空玻璃(IGU)本身老化的主要原因之一.作者采用有限元分析法(FEA),建立了发生在大尺寸(1.5 m×2.1 m)的中空玻璃边缘密封的热位移与温差变化之间的模型,这是三种商业化的、不同材质的、不同设计的间隔条,在温度变化为-30～ 60℃范围内的模型.此模型是基于铝间隔条和镀锌钢间隔条与尼龙插角的搭配,不锈钢间隔条和弯曲插角的搭配.尼龙插角假定为实心的并稳固地固定于间隔条上;弯曲插角被建模成实心弯曲的金属插角,并同样稳固地固定于间隔条上.由于实际的弯曲插角是空心的,模型可能高估了这种转角设计的应力.正如预期那样,在低温时,插角会被向内拉,导致弯曲角度大于90°;在高温下,插角会被向外推,导致弯曲角度小于90°.通过检测发生在中空玻璃周边第一道密封的聚异丁烯密封胶厚度的变化,作者发现,到目前为止,不锈钢间隔条对于截面积的变化影响最小;铝制间隔条的影响最大.这个发现与基于间隔条材料与浮法玻璃之间热膨胀系数差异而预期的性能一致.因此,热位移引起的第一道密封的有效扩散横截面变化,可以解释为何具有不同间隔条材料的中空玻璃之间的性能差异.     

基于似人特性的拟人臂机器人自主抓取动作规划

针对拟人臂机器人在家庭环境中的自主抓取任务,提出了一种强调运动姿态似人特性的拟人臂动作的规划方法.该方法分为两个部分,构型规划和运动规划,构型规划基于人体工程学中广泛使用的快速上肢评估准则评价机器人运动姿态的似人特性,并在此基础上以机器人末端传速速率最优为目标规划机器人运动过程中的关键构型.运动规划结合了Fitts定律和似人运动模型规划了机器人末端的空间轨迹.本文最后以Motoman SDA10D拟人双臂机器人和Mitsubishi PA10机器人为例,具体介绍了该方法的应用和规划的结果,规划结果证明了本方法的可行性和有效性.     

Assessment of Bitumen Re c overy from the Athabasca Oil Sands Using a Laboratory Denver Flotation Cell

A methodology was developed in this study to evaluate the effect of operating parameters on the processability of oil sands using small‐scale laboratory experimental devices. By subtracting bitumen recovered to the froth by entrainment with water, the concept of “true flotation recovery” is proposed to describe bitumen recovery resulting from bitumenbubble attachment. The experimental results indicated that “true flotation recovery” is a more sensitive and meaningful marker than overall bitumen recovery to evaluate the processability of oil sands using small‐scale laboratory test units.     

极限训练机在矿山开采最大下沉值估算中的应用

矿山开采过程中采空区地表往往会发生形变,研究其最大下沉值对安全生产具有重要意义,现有的开采最大下沉估算方法还有提升的空间。基于岩移数据决策与极限训练机(Extreme learning machine,ELM)算法,提出了一种估计最大下沉的新方法。该方法将采厚、倾角、平均采深、走向长度、倾向长度和覆岩岩性确定为最大下沉值影响因素;应用以Sigmoid方程为核函数、隐含层神经元个数为114的ELM模型对最大下沉值进行了估算。通过案例分析,ELM模型得到了优于传统算法如CHAID、Boosted Tree、ANN、BPNN和SVM的RMSE、MAE、MAPE、最大残差及秩相关系数,故认为该模型是一种有效的矿山开采最大下沉估算方法。