Numerical and experimental analyses of damage behaviour of steel moment connection

Plastic design allows the exploitation of the full resistance of steel structures by taking advantage of stress-redistributions due to plastic strains exceeding the yield strain. Especially in seismic design the utilization of material reserves and the formation of plastic hinges play an important role. In devastating earthquakes in Northridge (USA) and Kobe (Japan) brittle fracture of welded connections in steel moment frames occurred prior to formation of plastic hinges and utilization of plastic material reserves. The subsequent research works resulted in improved design rules and recommendations for these kinds of failure. But to guarantee sufficient ductile performance of these connections also in the upper shelf region, plastic and earthquake resistant design rules should take into account degradation of strain capacity and toughness properties due to quasi static and especially seismic loading.In the scope of the current European project “Plastotough”, the main objective is to derive quantified toughness design rules in the upper shelf based on the strain requirements opposed to strain capacities. This paper gives an overview over the research work in performance and shows recent results from experimental and numerical analyses performed within this project for monotonic and cyclic loading.     

Powered oscillator using ignitron switches

A 10-MVA-scale resonant oscillator, powered by a pulse-forming network and switched with a pair of commutating mercury ignitrons, was developed for the MST reversed-field pinch plasma-confinement experiment. A novel feature of this circuit is its commutation mechanism, wherein each turning on of one ignitron causes a reverse voltage transient that turns off the other. Two of these oscillators are used in oscillating-field current-drive tests, in which they are capable of nearly 1MW net input power to the plasma, with resonant frequencies of a few 100 Hz for pulse durations of a few tens of ms, being precharged for immediate full amplitude. We describe the circuit and its operation, and discuss features that allow reliable, high-current commutation of the ignitrons and exploit their low switching impedance.     

Insertion of Cl-and CCl3-groups during the free radical initiated chain decomposition of 1,4-cis-polyisoprene in tetrachloromethane

Summary The free radical initiated chain decomposition of 1,4-cis-polyisoprene was carried out in ¹³C-enriched tetrachloromethane.Surprisingly, although the Cl-and CCl₃-radicals were simultaneously produced, it was almost entirely the Cl-radical that was built into the polymer.The detection was carried out by ¹³CNMR-spectroscopy and elementary analysis.Phosgene was detected as an oxidation product of tetrachloromethane.     

Candesartan Does Not Activate PPARγ and Its Target Genes in Early Gestation Trophoblasts

Angiotensin II receptor 1 blockers are commonly used to treat hypertension in women of childbearing age. While the fetotoxic effects of these drugs in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy are well documented, their possible impacts on placenta development in early gestation are unknown. Candesartan, a member of this group, also acts as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist, a key regulator shown to be important for placental development. We have previously shown that trophoblasts do not express the candesartan target–receptor angiotensin II type 1 receptor AGTR1. This study investigated the possible role of candesartan on trophoblastic PPARγ and its hallmark target genes in early gestation. Candesartan did not affect the PPARγ protein expression or nuclear translocation of PPARγ. To mimic extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) and cytotrophoblast/syncytiotrophoblast (CTB/SCT) responses to candesartan, we used trophoblast cell models BeWo (for CTB/SCT) and SGHPL-4 (EVT) cells as well as placental explants. In vitro, the RT-qPCR analysis showed no effect of candesartan treatment on PPARγ target genes in BeWo or SGHPL-4 cells. Treatment with positive control rosiglitazone, another PPARγ agonist, led to decreased expressions of LEP and PPARG1 in BeWo cells and an increased expression of PPARG1 in SGHPL-4 cells. Our previous data showed early gestation–placental AGTR1 expression in fetal myofibroblasts only. In a CAM assay, AGTR1 was stimulated with angiotensin II and showed increased on-plant vessel outgrowth. These results suggest candesartan does not negatively affect PPARγ or its target genes in human trophoblasts. More likely, candesartan from maternal serum may first act on fetal-placental AGTR1 and influence angiogenesis in the placenta, warranting further research.     

Radical copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethylacrylate with alkylacrylate

Summary The copolymerization of hydroxyethylacrylate with methyl-ethyl and butyl-acrylate was studied at 60°C using azo-bis-isobutyronitrile as the initiator. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined by the Fineman method. The results show that the methylacrylate-hydroxyethylacrylate monomers copolymerize in a completely random manner (Bernouillian behaviour). For the other monomer pairs, an increase in the chain length of the alkyl ester group favours the addition of hydroxyethylacrylate monomer to the alkylacrylate polymer radicals.     

Mechanical properties of small structures built by selective laser melting 316 L stainless steel – a phenomenological approach to improve component design

Experimental investigations are conducted to quantify the influence of specimen thickness and orientation on the mechanical properties of selective laser melted stainless steel 316 L. The results indicate that the mechanical strength and ductility increase with increasing specimen thickness until a saturation value is reached from a specimen thickness of about 2 mm. Specimen orientation dependency is pronounced for thin specimens (<1.5 mm), whereas only small deviations in strength are observed for thicker specimens with orientations of 30°, 45° and 90° to build direction. The mechanical properties of the specimen orientation of 0° to build direction shows great deviation to the other orientations and the smallest overall strength. A reliable design of selective laser melted components should account for specimen thickness and orientation, e. g. by a correction factor. Furthermore, it is recommended to avoid loads vertical (90°) and parallel (0°) to build direction to guarantee higher ductility and strength.     

The fatty acid composition of lipids from muscle and adipose tissues of pigs fed various oil mixtures differing in their ratio between oleic acid and linoleic acid

High concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in meat have detrimental effects on its technical properties. The present study was carried out to investigate whether PUFA levels in pork can be reduced by increasing the concentrations of oleic acid in pig diets. To this end a bifactorial experiment was carried out with 48 female growing finishing pigs. Six different diets were used with two different concentrations of linoleic acid (12 vs. 24 g/kg) and three different concentrations of oleic acid (12 vs. 18 vs. 24 g/kg). The experiment started at a body weight (BW) of 58 kg and continued until 115 kg BW. The fatty acid composition of total lipids of backfat, perirenal fat and musculus (m.) longissimus dorsi was analysed. Concentrations of linoleic acid and total PUFA in backfat and perirenal fat were affected only by the dietary linoleic acid content but not at all by the dietary oleic acid content. Increasing the dietary concentration of oleic acid raised the level of oleic acid in those tissues at the expense of saturated fatty acids, suggesting competition between monounsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids for incorporation into triglycerides. At the low dietary linoleic acid concentration, the percentages of linoleic acid and total PUFA in total lipids of m. longissimus dorsi were also unaffected by the dietary oleic acid content. In contrast, at the high dietary linoleic acid concentration, percentages of linoleic acid and total PUFA of the m. longissimus dorsi were reduced by increasing the dietary concentration of oleic acid, suggesting that oleic acid and linoleic acid compete for incorporation into muscle lipids. Thus, at high dietary linoleic acid levels the fatty acid composition of the m. longissimus dorsi was favourably affected by high dietary oleic acid concentrations; in backfat and perirenal fat, however, no beneficial effect of high dietary oleic acid levels was seen.