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Two structures (Ag/ZnO/ITI/glass: #1 sample and Ag/ZnO/SiO2/Si: #2 sample) are investigated, on the one hand, from the point of view of the formation of evanescent waves in the gratings of metal strips on the structures when the incident TEz wave in the radio frequency range is used. The simulation of the formation of evanescent waves at the edge of the Ag strips, with thicknesses in the range of micrometers, was carried out before the test in the subwavelength regime, with the help of a new improved transducer with metamaterial (MM) lenses. By simulation, a field snapshot was obtained in each sequence of geometry. The evanescent waves are emphasized in the plane XY, due to the scattering of the field on the edge of the strips. On the other hand, ZnO nanoparticles are investigated as a convenient high-efficiency biodetection material, where these structures were used as a biosensitive element to various enzymes (glucose, cholesterol, uric acid, and ascorbic acid). The obtained results demonstrate that the investigated structures based on ZnO nanostructures deposited on different supports are fast and sensitive for enzyme detection and can be successfully incorporated into a device as a biosensing element.

The paper aims to investigate old and new violins from the perspective of the correlation between the anatomical structure of spruce and maple wood, and the dynamic response of violins. Thus, in the first stage, for each violin, the characteristics of the annual rings were measured on the entire width of the top plate, determining the degree of symmetry of the face with respect to the longitudinal axis of the violin body. Then, each violin was dynamically tested with the impact hammer, determining its own frequency spectrum, mainly the so-called “signature” mode and quality factors. The most important findings consist of identification of the first five modes for old violins, (known as provenance), current new violins, and violins whose origin is unknown, but which could correlate with anatomical, constructive and dynamic characteristics, in order to be able establish origins, and also the measurement of anatomical features of top and back plates in the violins’ construction.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has become one of the key technologies in subsurface sensing and, in general, in nondestructive testing (NDT), since it is able to detect both metallic and nonmetallic targets. GPR has proven its ability to work in electromagnetic frequency range for subsoil investigations, and it is a risk-reduction strategy for surveying underground various targets and their identification and detection. This paper presents the results of a case study which exceeds the laboratory level being realized in the field in a real case where the scanning conditions are much more difficult using GPR signals for detecting and assessing underground drainage metallic pipes which cross an area with large buildings parallel to the riverbed. The two urban drainage pipes are detected based on GPR imaging. This provides an approximation of their location and depth which are convenient to find from the reconstructed profiles of both simulated and practical GPR signals. The processing of data recorded with GPR tools requires appropriate software for this type of measurement to detect between different reflections at multiple interfaces located at different depths below the surface. In addition to the radargrams recorded and processed with the software corresponding to a GPR device, the paper contains significant results obtained using techniques and algorithms of the processing and post-processing of the signals (background removal and migration) that gave us the opportunity to estimate the location, depth, and profile of pipes, placed into a concrete duct bank, under a structure with different layers, including pavement, with good accuracy.

In the paper we describe a new approach to the dielectric properties of dielectric material investigation with implementation of artificial metamaterial structure over the aperture of waveguide sensor in order to increase the sensing properties of classical waveguide sensor and to achieve the optimal design of metamaterial structure for waveguide sensor tuning in microwave X-band. In the paper the possibility to investigate metamaterial structure using for upgrading properties of classical waveguide sensor is studied, the numerical simulation of 2D metamaterial structure properties and experimental results for dielectric properties dielectric materials are carried out.

Stringed instruments are made of high quality wood species from physical, mechanical and acoustical point of view, being carefully selected, kiln dried and processed under specific conditions that assure micro-structural integrity. Maple wood (Acer Pseudoplatanus) for musical instruments is used to getting back plates and sides for string instruments (violin family). This species of wood is valued for both acoustic qualities but mostly for aesthetic, using a natural defect of maple wood characterized by wavy grain. The paper presents the research on visco-elasticity behavior of maple wood with different types of grain deviation in wood from very curly maple to common maple. The storage modulus, loss modulus, damping capacity in varying temperature conditions and for different loading frequencies were determined using dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). It was found that specimens characterized by very wavy grain shows a high damping capacity of frequency range between 33.33 to 50Hz, unlike specimens of common maple which do not have the capacity of frequency selectivity.

This paper presents the results of numerical analysis of stress and strain states which develop in wind turbine blades, modeled from various lignocellulosic composites. A blade structure type NACA 44XX with length 1.5m, power of 2.5kW and a rotational speed of 636 rpm, based on numerical calculations and the aerodynamic theory was designed in Catia program. The model was imported in finite element analysis program - HyperMesh, which were successively awarded four types of elastic properties corresponding to solid wood - oak, lignocellulose composites based on mixture of polyurethane resin and wood particle, glass fiber composite and carbon fibers. Four types of external loads were placed successively in different areas of the longitudinal axis of the blade, simulating wind force. The variation of stress and strain states expressing the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed materials, noting that risk areas of the blade structure can be reduced through various technological ways - through the addition of material thicknesses, changes to the reinforcement of composite layers by introducing layers with higher elastic properties, the introduction of local or global reinforcing elements.

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the improvement of Zr-based ceramics properties as a function of addition of Ce ions in the structure of the original ceramics. The structural investigations proposed in this paper cover X-ray, and neutron diffraction offered the first indication of the variation of the phase composition and the structural parameters, micro-hardness measurements as well as non-destructive evaluations in order to analyze the structural properties of these materials with utmost importance in fields such as medicine, where these composite materials are used in hip-implants or dental implants/coatings. In combination of Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy, which makes use of the resonance frequencies corresponding to the normal vibrational modes of a solid in order to evaluate the elastic constants of the materials, we emphasize a unique approach on evaluating the physical properties of these ceramics, which could help in advancing the understanding of properties and applications in medical fields.

The current stage of non-destructive evaluation techniques imposes the development of new electromagnetic methods that are based on high spatial resolution and increased sensitivity. Printed circuit boards, integrated circuit boards, composite materials with polymeric matrix containing conductive fibers, as well as some types of biosensors are devices of interest in using such evaluation methods. In order to achieve high performance, the work frequencies must be either radiofrequencies or microwaves. At these frequencies, at the dielectric/conductor interface, plasmon polaritons can appear, propagating between conductive regions as evanescent waves. Detection of these waves, containing required information, can be done using sensors with metamaterial lenses. We propose in this paper the enhancement of the spatial resolution using electromagnetic methods, which can be accomplished in this case using evanescent waves that appear in the current study in slits of materials such as the spaces between carbon fibers in Carbon Fibers Reinforced Plastics or in materials of interest in the nondestructive evaluation field with industrial applications, where microscopic cracks are present. We propose herein a unique design of the metamaterials for use in nondestructive evaluation based on Conical Swiss Rolls configurations, which assure the robust concentration/focusing of the incident electromagnetic waves (practically impossible to be focused using classical materials), as well as the robust manipulation of evanescent waves. Applying this testing method, spatial resolution of approximately λ/2000 can be achieved. This testing method can be successfully applied in a variety of applications of paramount importance such as defect/damage detection in materials used in a variety of industrial applications, such as automotive and aviation technologies.

This paper proposes the study and implementation of a sensor with a metamaterial (MM) lens in electromagnetic nondestructive evaluation (eNDE). Thus, the use of a new type of MM, named Conical Swiss Rolls (CSR) has been proposed. These structures can serve as electromagnetic flux concentrators in the radiofrequency range. As a direct application, plates of composite materials with carbon fibers woven as reinforcement and polyphenylene sulphide as matrix with delaminations due to low energy impacts were examined. The evaluation method is based on the appearance of evanescent modes in the space between carbon fibers when the sample is excited with a transversal magnetic along z axis (TMz) polarized electromagnetic field. The MM lens allows the transmission and intensification of evanescent waves. The characteristics of carbon fibers woven structure became visible and delaminations are clearly emphasized. The flaws can be localized with spatial resolution better than λ/2000.

Metallic strip gratings (MSG) have different applications, ranging from printed circuits to filters in microwave domains. When they are under the influence of an electromagnetic field, evanescent and/or abnormal modes appear in the region between the traces, their utilization leading to the development of new electromagnetic nondestructive evaluation methods. This paper studies the behavior of MSGs in the sub-subwavelength regime when they are excited with TEz or TMz polarized plane waves and the slits are filled with different dielectrics. The appearance of propagating, evanescent and abnormal modes is emphasized using an electromagnetic sensor with metamaterials lens realized with two conical Swiss rolls, which allows the extraction of the information carried by the guided evanescent waves. The evanescent waves, manipulated by the electromagnetic sensor with metamaterial lenses, improve the electromagnetic images so that a better spatial resolution is obtained, exceeding the limit imposed by diffraction. Their theoretical and experimental confirmation opens the perspective for development of new types of sensors working in radio and microwave frequencies.

Metamaterials are special one-, two- or three-dimensional artificial structures with electromagnetic properties generally not found in nature. Due to the simultaneous negative values of permittivity (ε) and permeability (μ), the wave vector and the vectors of electric- and magnetic-field intensity form a left-handed triplet with the result of antiparallel phase and group velocity and backwave propagation. These unique properties of the left-handed materials have allowed novel applications and devices to be developed. In this paper the metamaterial structures based on the split ring resonator approach for optimization of microwave applicator characteristic are used. The main field of the study is absorption of microwave-frequency field in human arm model and improvement of microwave applicator properties such a directivity and gain by means of simulations performed in CST Microwave Studio environment.