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In order to explore the methods of recycling waste paper, reduce environment pollution, and develop a circular economy, the application of waste corrugated paper to the strengthening of polylactic acid (PLA) was studied. Plant fiber from waste corrugated paper (WCPF) was used to prepare WCPF/PLA composite via co-extrusion. The WCPF was extracted from the waste corrugated paper by beating in a Valli beating machine and grinding in a disc grinder. KH-550 coupling agent was used to modify the surface of WCPF to improve the interface adhesive strength between the WCPF and PLA matrix. The effects of the contents of WCPF and KH-550 coupling agent on the mechanical properties, microstructure, crystallization properties, and thermostability of the WCPF/PLA composite were studied. The results show that the WCPF can be well separated from each other. The WCPF can be uniformly dispersed in the PLA matrix through a co-extrusion process. WCPF can increase the mechanical strength and deformation resistance ability of WCPF/PLA composite, and KH-550 coupling agent can further improve that of the WCPF/PLA composite. This study is of obvious significance to the recycling of waste paper and the development of a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research results and evaluation of the applicability of the original composition of hybrid paper based on silver nanowires (AgNWs), cellulose pulp (CP), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are presented and discussed. The material tested was used to manufacture sensors for mechanical deformation resulting from external influences or related to human activity interactions. The sensors were fabricated using an AgNWs + CP suspension and additives by the vacuum filtration method. The substrate obtained was machined and then laminated with a layer of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The recorded responses to selected types of imposed mechanical interactions in the form of changes in the relative resistance of the sensor throughout the tests showed a close cause-and-effect relationship. The response of the tested systems when applying an alternating magnetic field was also observed. The results indicate that the proposed solutions can find application in the monitoring of mechanical interactions resulting from the dynamic behavior of physical objects, as well as derived from selected human vital functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Description: A multi-layer wrinkled structure of MWCNTs/polyimide aerogel-based paper was prepared using a simple method. This paper exhibits excellent responsiveness, thermal stability, and mechanical properties, and can detect the movement of mechanical devices through generated responsiveness. [Display omitted] • Multilayer wrinkled structure MWCNTs/polyimide aerogel-based paper (CPs) was prepared via a single freeze-drying-thermal extrusion-thermal imidization method. • CPs can stably generate electrical responses in high-temperature environments up to 300 °C. • CPs exhibit good tensile strength (CP-1: 117.1 MPa at 25 °C) and stability (1000 cycles). • The response generated by CPs can be utilized to monitor changes in the mechanical device. In recent years, as the electronics industry has driven the development of human civilization, flexible responsive materials have become highly favored in sensing applications. However, most flexible materials are not stable under high-temperature conditions, so only a few flexible responsive materials are suitable for high-temperature and high-strength applications. In this paper, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were added as conductive material into poly(amic acid) ammonium salt (PAAS) solutions to prepare MWCNTs/polyimide aerogel-based papers (CPs) by a simple method. The introduction of MWCNTs into the ordered multilayer folded structure of the CPs provided a conductive pathway and improved their thermal stability. When the multilayer folded structure was deformed, the MWCNTs between the layers contacted each other, increasing the number of electron transport channels and providing a larger contact area for the conductive network. When the deformation was removed, the MWCNTs in the interlayer contact zone rapidly separated, providing stable and excellent responsiveness at high temperatures (CP-2: ΔR/R 0 value of up to −0.45 at 300 °C) and favorable stability after 1000 cycles (CP-2: RV retention of 92.4 % at 25 °C and 80.5 % at 300 °C). Therefore, the prepared CPs have great application prospects in the fields of high-temperature mechanical device monitoring, sensing, and alarms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present a methodology to assess wrist pressure during the handwriting process. Using optical coherence tomography, it was possible to determine the deformation suffered by the paper during the handwriting process. A calibration of the deformation suffered by the paper as a function of the pressure exerted by the pen was performed, making it possible to determine several parameters of interest, such as the radius of the pen tip sphere R = 488 ± 2 ¡im, the Poisson coefficient v = 0.30 ± 0.02 and the effective Young's modulus of bond paper 75 g/m2. To this end, we developed a method for determining the Hooke modulus for a spring, with which we built a device for applying a known force to a ballpoint pen during the handwriting process. We also performed the study depending on the type of substrate, with five volunteers trying to copy the same signature on four different types of paper. Using the optical coherence tomography technique, we demonstrate that it is possible to differentiate the authorship of a signature also by the depth of deformation on the paper. The experimental procedure also made it possible to determine the Poisson's coefficient and determine the effective Young's Modulus of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Developing a superhydrophobic, kirigami, stretchable pencil-on-paper device platform. • Simultaneously detecting gas, temperature, electrophysiological signals, and providing treatments via thermal therapy and electrical stimulation. • The gas sensor exhibits a large response to NO 2 gas at elevated temperature from self-heating. • The integrated temperature sensor and electrodes accurately detect temperature and electrophysiological signals. • The thermal therapy and electrical stimulation deliver effective means to battle against inflammation/infection and treat chronic wounds. Wearable electronics with applications in healthcare, human–machine interfaces, and robotics often explore complex manufacturing procedures and are not disposable. Although the use of conductive pencil patterns on cellulose paper provides inexpensive, disposable sensors, they have limited stretchability and are easily affected by variations in the ambient environment. This work presents the combination of pencil-on-paper with the hydrophobic fumed SiO 2 (Hf-SiO 2) coating and stretchable kirigami structures from laser cutting to prepare a superhydrophobic, stretchable pencil-on-paper multifunctional sensing platform. The resulting sensor exhibits a large response to NO 2 gas at elevated temperature from self-heating, which is minimally affected by the variations in the ambient temperature and relative humidity, as well as mechanical deformations such as bending and stretching states. The integrated temperature sensor and electrodes with the sensing platform can accurately detect temperature and electrophysiological signals to alert for adverse thermal effects and cardiopulmonary diseases. The thermal therapy and electrical stimulation provided by the platform can also deliver effective means to battle against inflammation/infection and treat chronic wounds. The superhydrophobic pencil-on-paper multifunctional device platform provides a low-cost, disposable solution to disease diagnostic confirmation and early treatment for personal and population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An advanced stability analysis of surrounding rock can assure safe construction in tunnels. However, in traditional analysis methods, geometric information on the rock mass discontinuities is obtained by a geological compass and treated as an infinitely expanded plane in a numerical simulation, which is inaccurate in both geometric and numerical models. To solve this problem, this paper studied a control network and an image stitch method to assess the accuracy of a geometric model and proposed a more accurate method to obtain the geometric information of rock mass discontinuities based on digital photogrammetry. Based on discrete fracture network and discrete element method (DFN-DEM), this paper treated the rock mass discontinuities obtained by digital photogrammetry as finite disk planes and simulated the excavation process of the Qianyu tunnel. According to the simulation results, this paper determined the specific location of the collapse disaster on the tunnel face, which is of great significance to tunnel support design. Comparing the deformation of the surrounding rock mass on the tunnel face in the simulation results with the actual situation, this paper verified the feasible accuracy of this method in analysing the stability of the surrounding rock mass on a tunnel face in advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The welded joints of high/medium entropy alloys (H/MEAs) have shown sound mechanical properties, indicating high promise for the industrial application of this new type of metal alloy. However, these joints possess either relatively low strength or low ductility. In this paper, we used ultrasonic-assisted laser welding to weld CrCoNi MEA with the nitrogen as shielding gas. The results showed that the tensile strength of the joint at room and cryogenic temperature is 686 MPa and 1071 MPa, respectively. The elongation at room and cryogenic temperature is 26.8% and 27.7%, respectively. The combination of the strength and ductility in our joints exceeds that of other welded H/MEA joints. We attributed this excellent combination to the refined dendrite, the solution of nitrogen into the matrix, and the low stacking fault energy of the CrCoNi MEA. The findings in this paper not only provide a novel way to weld H/MEAs with high strength and ductility, also are useful for additively manufacturing the high-performance component of H/MEAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the water entry process of a trans-domain morphing aircraft, significant impact forces are generated when the aircraft hits the water surface, which will potentially cause the deformation of the cabin structure and might damage the structure or onboard devices. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the water entry process of the cabin structure. This paper analyses changes in fluid loads and the corresponding structural responses during the water entry process. Firstly, the numerical model is established for the water entry process and the modeling method is validated by comparing the results to the experimental data. An empirical formula is developed to correlate the impact loads with the water entry velocities. Then, fluid–structure interaction analysis of the water entry process is performed using a two-way coupling approach. The relationship between structural deformation and the water entry process is then investigated. The results are compared with those without considering the structural deformation. The empirical formula is then modified to reflect the effects of the deformation. The results show that structural deformation will disperse the impact load, which represents different responses compared to the rigid cabin structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural planes decrease the strength and stability of rock masses, severely affecting their mechanical properties and deformation and failure characteristics. Therefore, investigation and analysis of structural planes are crucial tasks in mining rock mechanics. The drilling camera obtains image information of deep structural planes of rock masses through high-definition camera methods, providing important data sources for the analysis of deep structural planes of rock masses. This paper addresses the problems of high workload, low efficiency, high subjectivity, and poor accuracy brought about by manual processing based on current borehole image analysis and conducts an intelligent segmentation study of borehole image structural planes based on the U2-Net network. By collecting data from 20 different borehole images in different lithological regions, a dataset consisting of 1,013 borehole images with structural plane type, lithology, and color was established. Data augmentation methods such as image flipping, color jittering, blurring, and mixup were applied to expand the dataset to 12,421 images, meeting the requirements for deep network training data. Based on the PyTorch deep learning framework, the initial U2-Net network weights were set, the learning rate was set to 0.001, the training batch was 4, and the Adam optimizer adaptively adjusted the learning rate during the training process. A dedicated network model for segmenting structural planes was obtained, and the model achieved a maximum F-measure value of 0.749 when the confidence threshold was set to 0.7, with an accuracy rate of up to 0.85 within the range of recall rate greater than 0.5. Overall, the model has high accuracy for segmenting structural planes and very low mean absolute error, indicating good segmentation accuracy and certain generalization of the network. The research method in this paper can serve as a reference for the study of intelligent identification of structural planes in borehole images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the deformation of long-span bridges is essential for assessing structural health and safety. The existing single-camera deformation measurement method is unable to meet the high-precision measurement requirement for the deformation of large-span bridges. This paper proposes a real-time deformation measurement method for the long-span bridge using multi-inertial camera system. The method is based on visual measurement which the target deformation is measured by multiple cameras. Meanwhile, inertial measurement is used to estimate the relative pose of the camera to compensate for camera motion errors. It is applied to the health monitoring system of a long-span bridge. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper is highly consistent with the hydrostatic leveling measurement, with a RMSE of 4.83mm. The method can accurately and real-time measure the deformation of large-span bridges with a promising engineering value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uneven settlement phenomenon is very easy to occur in the sandy pulverized ground stratum, the underground pipe corridor longitudinal and transverse stiffness difference is obvious, so that it is easy to crack and deformation due to uneven settlement in this type of stratum. This paper carries out research on uneven settlement and cracking and deformation of Qihe tube corridor, analyzes the reasons leading to uneven settlement and the factors affecting the deformation and cracking of the tube corridor, and provides guidance for foundation treatment and tube corridor repair and mixing and reinforcement. It was found that the concrete structure of the corridor itself had exposed reinforcement, pockmarks and holes, and that cracks on the structure of the corridor sprouted and expanded from these defects. Defects and damages on the concrete structure of the pipeline corridor are contributing factors to the deformation and cracking of the members, and the uneven settlement of the foundation is the main initiating factor for the cracking and deformation. The analysis of the numerical simulation results of similar underground pipeline corridors is carried out, and it is found that the simulation results are consistent with the deformation characteristics of the Qihe pipeline corridor, which further supports the conclusions of this paper. The main stratigraphic factors contributing to the inhomogeneous settlement were found to be the water-rich and loose bodies in the lower part of the strata, as revealed by the physical means and the experimental verification boreholes. Localized hydraulic effects such as pumping further accelerate the uneven settlement of the foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformation effectively represents the structural integrity of concrete dams and acts as a clear indicator of their operational performance. Predicting deformation is critical for monitoring the safety of hydraulic structures. To this end, this paper proposes an artificial intelligence-based process for predicting concrete dam deformation. Initially, using the principles of feature engineering, the preprocessing of deformation safety monitoring data is conducted. Subsequently, employing a stacking model fusion method, a novel prediction process embedded with multiple artificial intelligence algorithms is developed. Moreover, three new performance indicators—a superiority evaluation indicator, an accuracy evaluation indicator, and a generalization evaluation indicator—are introduced to provide a comprehensive assessment of the model's effectiveness. Finally, an engineering example demonstrates that the ensemble artificial intelligence method proposed herein outperforms traditional statistical models and single machine learning models in both fitting and predictive accuracy, thereby providing a scientific and effective foundation for concrete dam deformation prediction and safety monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time series dynamic prediction of surface deformation in mining areas can provide reference data for coal mine safety and production, which has important impacts. The combination of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology and the probability integral method (PIM) is commonly used for predicting deformation. However, most surface subsidence prediction in mining areas is based on the static PIM parameters, failing to achieve the three-dimensional (3D) dynamic deformation prediction. This paper proposed a 3D deformation dynamic prediction model (InSAR-3D-CTPIM) between InSAR deformation observations and dynamic coordinate-time PIM (CTPIM) parameters, which can realize the prediction of east–west, north–south, and vertical series deformation caused by mining. The method has been validated by simulation experiments and real experiments in the mining area of Jiansheng Coal Mine in Baisha Reservoir, Henan Province, China. The results showed that the modeling accuracy was improved by 34.3% compared to the traditional multi-rate model, and the accuracy was improved by 28.5% compared to the vertical deformation obtained by the traditional static PIM method. The InSAR-3D-CTPIM model can be used to predict the evolutionary history of basin-wide surface deformation dynamics in coal mining areas, and provide a reference for the early warning and prediction of geological hazards in coal mining areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of horizontal well construction, the working environment in the well is very complicated. It is difficult to determine the actual deformation and force of the coiled tubing in the wellbore from the load change at the wellhead along. In addition, the coiled tubing wrapped around the reel and entering the wellbore through the injection head may cause an initial residual bending. In this paper, the mathematical model of the coiled tubing under axial load during buckling deformation is established, and the analytical solution with the time term is derived by reasonable simplification of the model. The effect of residual bending on the post-sinusoidal buckling of the coiled tubing in the horizontal well was investigated using the separation variable method. The effect of residual bending variations on the well wall contact forces is analyzed. The research shows that the initial parameter Г is the main factor influencing the post-sinusoidal buckling of the coiled tubing with residual bending. The larger the parameter value Г, the greater the effect of the residual bending on the post-sinusoidal buckling deformation of the coiled tubing, and the earlier the critical point of the mixed sinusoidal-helical buckling of the coiled tubing appears. The compression velocity of the coiled tubing has a significant effect on the well wall contact force. The faster the compression, the greater the contact force. By introducing the time term and the separation variable, this paper provides a new method and theoretical basis for further study of the process of entering sinusoidal-helical buckling of the coiled tubing with initial residual bending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent Scatterer InSAR (PS-InSAR) technology enables the monitoring of displacement in millimeters. However, without the use of external parameter correction, radar scatterers exhibit poor geopositioning precision in meters, limiting the correlation between observed deformation and the actual structure. The integration of PS-InSAR datasets and building databases is often overlooked in deformation research. This paper presents a novel strategy for matching between PS points and building contours based on spatial distribution characteristics. A convex hull is employed to simplify the building outline. Considering the influence of building height and incident angle on geometric distortion, an adaptive buffer zone is established. The PS points on a building are further identified through the nearest neighbor method. In this study, both ascending and descending TerraSAR-X orbit datasets acquired between 2016 and 2019 were utilized for PS-InSAR monitoring. The efficacy of the proposed method was evaluated by comparing the PS-InSAR results obtained from different orbits. Through a process of comparison and verification, it was demonstrated that the matching effect between PS points and building contours was significantly enhanced, resulting in an increase of 29.2% in the number of matching PS points. The results indicate that this novel strategy can be employed to associate PS points with building outlines without the need for complex calculations, thereby providing a robust foundation for subsequent building risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced composite cementitious materials with multifunctional properties can be created by incorporating fillers and inclusions via appropriate production, characterization, and assembly processes. These composites have unique characteristics tailored for specific applications. Particularly, cementitious composites with conductive particles possess enhanced electrical and mechanical capabilities. They can assess structural integrity, being able to monitor stress, strain, and load variations, detecting incipient hazardous conditions throughout building lifespans. This improves maintenance, renovations, and structural modifications, ensuring safer and longer-lasting facilities. This paper presents experimental results of cement-based materials with carbon microfibers for structural beam elements. The samples self-diagnose internal non-uniformities, defects, fractures, and evaluate deformation variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the changes in corrosion behaviour of severely deformed by accumulative roll bonding aluminium alloy AA1050. Design/methodology/approach: To determine the influence of the accumulative roll bonding on microstructure, texture, and grain size, electron backscattered diffraction was used. Corrosion behaviour was evaluated in a 3.5 wt.% sodium chloride water solution using anodic polarisation. Findings: It was found out that accumulative roll bonding up to eight cycles led to an increase in corrosion rate compared to annealed alloy, but the increase in the number of cycles of accumulative roll bonding from two to eight shows a tendency toward lowering corrosion rates. It has a beneficial influence on pitting corrosion susceptibility. Research limitations/implications: The presented research focuses only on the influence of texture and grain size on severely deformed aluminium alloy AA1050 corrosion. Other factors, such as accumulated during deformation stresses, could also play their role in the corrosion process. Originality/value: The paper reports results on the influence of two factors - texture and grain size, on the corrosion of severely deformed aluminium alloy AA1050. Most reports on the topic include only the influence of texture or grain size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propulsion system for an aircraft is one of its most crucial systems; therefore, its reliable work must be ensured during all operational conditions and regimes. Modern materials, techniques and methods are used to ensure this goal; however, there is still room for improvement of this complex system. The proposed manuscript describes a progressive approach for the mechanical properties prediction of the turbine section during jet engine operation using an artificial neural network, and it illustrates its application on a small experimental jet engine. The mechanical properties are predicted based on the measured temperature, pressure and rpm during the jet engine operation, and targets for the artificial neural network are finite element analyses results. The artificial neural network (ANN) is trained using training data from the experimental measurements (temperatures, pressure and rpm) and the results from finite element analyses of the small experimental engine turbine section proposed in the paper. The predicted mechanical stress by ANN achieved high accuracy in comparison to the finite element analyses results, with an error of 1.38% for predicted mechanical stress and correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. Mechanical stress and deformation prediction of the turbine section is a time-consuming process when the finite element method is employed; however, the method with artificial neural network application presented in this paper decreased the solving time significantly. Mechanical structural analyses performed in ANSYS software using finite element modeling take around 30–40 min for one load step. In contrast, the artificial neural network presented in this paper predicts the stress and deformation for one load step in less than 0.00000044 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the sleeper substructure design for a speed of 200 kph according to the Czech SŽ S4 standard. The paper includes the design of sub-ballast and capping layers. The second part of the paper is focused on transition area design. The conclusion brings recommendations of alterations which would be appropriate to incorporate into the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation behavior of deep excavations is affected by many factors, among which the geological conditions are greatly affected. Hangzhou Bay is affected by marine siltation and river alluvium, and the geological conditions within the urban area of Hangzhou are quite different. In this paper, the geological and deformation data of 79 deep excavation cases in the Hangzhou urban area were collected, and the statistical analysis showed that the deformation control of excavations in the silt area was poor. The average maximum lateral wall displacement of deep excavations of the Hangzhou urban area was 0.41%H (H was the depth of the excavation), the average value of the alluvial area was 0.22%H, and the average value of the silted area was 0.55%H. The influence of geological conditions, wall type, and construction period on the deformation of excavations was compared, and the deformation behavior of excavations in the silted area was clearly affected by various factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we propose proof-of-concept methods to detect malfunctions of the braking system in passenger vehicles. In particular, we investigate the problem of detecting deformations of the brake disc based on data recorded by acceleration sensors mounted on the suspension of the vehicle. Our core hypothesis is that these signals contain vibrations caused by brake disc deformation. Since faults of this kind are typically monitored by the driver of the vehicle, the development of automatic fault-detection systems becomes more important with the rise of autonomous driving. In addition, the new brake boosters separate the brake pedal from the hydraulic system which results in less significant effects on the brake pedal force. Our paper offers two important contributions. Firstly, we provide a detailed description of our novel measurement scheme, the type and placement of the used sensors, signal acquisition and data characteristics. Then, in the second part of our paper we detail mathematically justified signal representations and different algorithms to distinguish between deformed and normal brake discs. For the proper understanding of the phenomenon, different brake discs were used with measured runout values. Since, in addition to brake disc deformation, the vibrations recorded by our accelerometers are nonlinearly dependent on a number of factors (such as the velocity, suspension, tire pressure, etc.), data-driven models are considered. Through experiments, we show that the proposed methods can be used to recognize faults in the braking system caused by brake disc deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered rock slope exists widely. Because of its special slope structure, it is prone to bending deformation and toppling failure, which is a serious threat to engineering construction and safety operation. At present, the research of layered rock slope still has great innovation potential. During the construction of Wudongde Hydropower Station on Jinsha River, safety and stability problems such as slope geological structure development, face rock unloading and relaxation, and even slip and large deformation were encountered. Through field exploration, it is found that the rock and soil stratification of the slope on both sides of Wudongde Hydropower Station is highly obvious. At present, there is a lack of research on-site long-term displacement monitoring of layered rock high-steep slope, especially for layered slope in complex hydrogeology and construction environment. In order to strengthen the research on the deformation and stability of layered rock slope, this paper analyzes the measured displacement data of Wudongde hydropower station slope, and establishes three-dimensional geological finite element model with the help of numerical simulation software. The stability of the slope is calculated by combining the finite difference method and the strength reduction method. Finally, the evolution mechanism of the deformation of the layered rock slope is explained according to the geological structure characteristics. The main conclusions of this paper are as follows: the layered slope in the dam reservoir area is prone to deformation under the combined action of long-term construction disturbance and fissure water seepage, and the construction disturbance has a strong influence on the artificial excavation area below 1070 m, and the maximum rock mass deformation and surface displacement in the artificial excavation area of the slope reach 92.2 mm and 312.5 mm, respectively. However, the influence of construction disturbance on the natural mountain above 1070 m is limited, the valley deformation of the natural mountain on the left bank of the reservoir area is higher than that on the right bank, and the cumulative deformation is still less than 20 mm. The influence of seepage on the displacement of the area with higher elevation at the top of the slope is more obvious, and the influence of excavation and other disturbances on the displacement of the artificial excavation area with lower elevation is more obvious. The deformation of the river valley in the water cushion pond behind the dam increases slowly, and the change trend of the field deformation data is mostly consistent with that of the numerical calculation. The horizontal shrinkage of the mountains on both sides shows a contraction trend on the whole, and the maximum horizontal shrinkage calculated by numerical simulation is close to 20 mm, which is located at the elevation of 990 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the performance of a braced deep excavation in soft soil based on field monitoring and numerical modeling. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the soil parameters used in the modified Cam-Clay (MCC) model. Intelligent field monitoring means were adopted and a three-dimensional model was established. Spatial and temporal effects induced by the excavation are investigated for the deep-large foundation pit in soft soil. Deformation characteristics of the enclosure structure and the surrounding environment throughout the excavation process are presented. The behaviors of diaphragm walls, columns, the maximum wall deflection rate, ground surface settlement, and utility pipelines were focused on and investigated during the whole excavation process. Besides, the axial forces of the internal supports are analyzed. Based on the measured and simulated data, the following main conclusions were obtained: the numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the measured values, which proves the accuracy of the model parameters; the wall and the ground surface showed the maximum displacement increment at stage 9, which was a coupled product of the "creep effect" of the soft soil in Nanjing, China and the "depth effect" of the excavation; as the excavation progressed, the ground settlement changed from a "rising" to a "spoon-shaped" trend, dvm was measured between dvm = 0.0686%H and dvm = 0.1488%H; the rebound deformation curve of the pit bottom was corrugated, and the depth of disturbance of the pit bottom after the completion of soil unloading was 2-3 times the excavation depth; the closer the pipeline is to the corner of the pit, the less the excavation process will affect the settlement of the pipeline and the less the obvious pit corner effect will occur; the support strength of the buttress and the longest corner brace should be strengthened during the actual construction process to ensure the stability of the foundation deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pipe curtain structure method (PSM) is a novel construction method to control ground deformation strictly. Compared with the traditional pipe-roofing and pipe jacking method, the connection between pipes in large spacings using PSM is widely acknowledged as a unique construction procedure. Further study on this connection procedure is needed to resolve similar cases in that the pipes are inevitably constructed on both sides of existing piles. Cutting the steel plate during the connection procedure is the first step, which is crucial to control the safety and stability of the surrounding environment and existing structures. The deformation mechanism and limit support pressure of the cutting steel plate during the connection between pipes in large spacings are studied in this paper, relying on the undercrossing Yifeng gate tower project of Jianning West Road River Crossing Channel in Nanjing, China. A modified 3D wedge-prism failure model is proposed using the 3D discrete element method. Combined with Terzaghi loose earth pressure theory and the limit equilibrium theory, the analytical solutions for the limit support pressure of the excavation face of the cutting steel plate are derived. The modified 3D wedge-prism failure model and corresponding analytical solutions are categorised into two cases: (a) unilateral cutting scheme, and (b) bilateral cutting scheme. The analytical solutions for the two cases are verified from the numerical simulation and in-situ data and compared with the previous solutions. The comparative analysis between the unilateral and bilateral cutting schemes indicates that the bilateral cutting scheme can be adopted as a priority. The bilateral cutting scheme saves more time and induces less ground deformation than the unilateral one due to the resistance generated from the superimposed wedge. In addition, the parametric sensitivity analysis is carried out using an orthogonal experimental design. The main influencing factors arranged from high to low are the pipe spacing, the cutting size, and the pipe burial depth. The ground deformation increases with the increased cutting size and pipe spacing. The pipe burial depth slightly affects the ground deformation if the other two factors are minor. Cutting steel plates in small sizes, excavating soil under low disturbance, and supporting pipes for high frequency can effectively reduce the ground surface subsidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concentrates on the sensitivity and dynamic simulation of randomly distributed karst cave groups on tunnel stability and connectivity extended ratio based on water-rock interaction using a novel contact dynamic method (CDM). The concept of karst cave group connectivity extended ratio during tunneling and water inrush is proposed. The effects of cave shape and spatial distribution on Qiyueshan tunnel are investigated. Tunnel deformation and damage index, and connectivity extended ratio with uniform random karst cave groups are evaluated. The results demonstrate that the connectivity extended ratio is verified as a crucial judgment in predicting the safe distance and assessing the stability of the tunnel with the karst cave group. CDM model captures the fracture propagation and contact behavior of rock mass, surface flow, as well as the bidirectional water-rock interaction during the water inrush of Qiyueshan tunnel with multiple caves. A larger cave radius and smaller minimum distance between the cave and tunnel increase the deformation and damage index of the surrounding rock. When the cave radius and cave area ratio increase, the failure pattern shifts from overall to local failure. These findings potentially have broad applications in various surface and subsurface scenarios involving water-rock interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Springs are fundamental components in mechanical systems, crucial for ensuring the safety and functionality of mechanisms. Timoshenko's stiffness formula accounts for both bending and torsional energy effects, providing accurate results for small deformations. However, when the deformation becomes large, the spring stiffness becomes a nonlinear problem due to the changing inclination angle and radius during deformation. In this study, we derive a formula for the cylindrical spring stiffness under nonlinear large deformation by considering two assumptions: the invariability of the polar angle at any point and spring wire length during deformation. This formula incorporates the effects of inclination and radius changes on the spring wire. We analyze the stiffness of the cylindrical spring with different initial inclinations using the finite element method (FEM). FEM results were compared with those obtained from Timoshenko's formula, Hiroyuki's formula, and the derived formula. For small deformations, the FEM results matched well with all three formulas. However, for nonlinear large deformations, the calculated results from Timoshenko's formula showed a discrepancy of up to 32.58% compared to the FEM results. The modified Hiroyuki formula also exhibited slightly poorer agreement with the FEM results than the formula proposed in this paper. On the other hand, our derived formula demonstrated excellent agreement with the FEM results for nonlinear large deformations. Therefore, our stiffness formula for cylindrical springs is recommended for mechanical engineering spring design applications involving nonlinear large deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aviation regulations mandate that high-energy rotor components must possesses adequate containment capabilities. Ensuring the containment of the turbine wheel of the air turbine starter is of paramount importance. In this paper, the design thickness of the containment ring was determined and the containment ring deformation was given. Based on the design thickness and deformation of the containment ring, an outer casing structure design method was proposed by using FEM. Then, two containment tests were conducted for different distances between the containment ring and outer casing to validate the outer casing structure design method. The errors of the containment ring deformation are smaller than 7.5%, and the experimental results of the containment process are in accordance with the simulation, validating correctness of the outer casing structure design method. The containment ring deformation rate with the design thickness T = 10 mm is 115%. A safety margin of 1.05 is designed by considering the uniformity of containment ring deformation and the containment ring assembly error. The results illustrate that the deformed containment ring does not damage the outer casing, when the inner diameter of the outer casing is designed as 1.2 times the outer diameter of the containment ring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of the pit causes displacement of the surrounding soil, and the excessive deformation causes damage to the existing support structure, which in turn affects the safety of the pit. Reasonable calculation of structural deformation and internal force is crucial for design and construction. Most of the existing theoretical methods simplify the diaphragm wall(DW) as an Euler-Bernoulli beam acting on the Winkler foundation, consider beam-soil interaction, and simplify the soil as isotropic and continuous. However, the shear effects due to the differential deformation of the structure, the unloading stresses acting on the structure due to foundation excavation, and the discontinuous nature of the multilayered soil are neglected. In this paper, an improved analysis method is proposed based on the elastic foundation beam theory. The DW is simplified as a Timoshenko beam and the foundation is simplified as a Vlasov two-parameter model, and a proposed model considering the shear effect of the DW and the interaction of adjacent springs is established, and the proposed method for the deformation and internal force of the DW is obtained by the finite-difference method. The correctness and applicability of the proposed method are verified by numerical simulation and field monitoring data. The effects of equivalent bending stiffness, equivalent shear stiffness, soil elastic modulus, and excavation depth on the deformation and internal force of the DW were further analyzed. The results show that the proposed method can accurately solve the deformation and internal force of the DW, and the maximum errors between the proposed method and the numerical simulation results are only 4.5 % and 1.3 %, respectively. The equivalent bending stiffness of the DW and the elastic modulus of the soil have more significant effects on the horizontal deformation and internal force. The excavation depth is more sensitive to the deformation of the DW, and there is an exponential decay trend between the two. When the equivalent shear and bending stiffnesses reach 6.8×107 kN·m2 and 2.9×107 kN/m, the effect on the horizontal deformation is no longer obvious. The proposed method in this paper can accurately calculate the internal force and deformation of the DW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the operation of the drill string, it displays a degree of flexibility. Simultaneously, its dynamic properties, influenced by complex stress conditions, manifest nonlinearity and uncertainty. A comprehensive investigation into the dynamics of flexible drill strings is imperative for deep well drilling. This paper presents a model that simulates random interactions between a flexible drill string and the borehole wall, simplifying the actual drill string model using analogous principles. Dynamic simulation software is utilized for analysis, and an indoor experimental setup has been established. The results reveal that with a constant weight on bit (WOB), higher drill string rotational speeds correlate with increased susceptibility to buckling deformation. Additionally, the critical time for deformation onset exhibits a nearly linear relationship with rotational speed. Maintaining a constant rotational speed, an increase in WOB enhances the likelihood of buckling deformation. The experimental findings suggest a correlation between the drill string's rotation frequency and the WOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a near-net discrete clamp motion path control (SF-CMPC)-based stretch-forming method is proposed as a solution for the low-cost high-quality machining of highly curved surfaces. In this approach, the clamps are discretized, the motion paths are designed to control deformation distribution and avoid forming defects, the stretch-forming transition zone can be effectively reduced, the material utilization rate can be increased, and the near-net formation of large surfaces can be achieved. To investigate this method's feasibility, the conventional stretch-forming (SF-C) and SF-CMPC processes are numerically analyzed. The results indicate that, upon increasing the transition zone length via SF-CMPC, the maximum thickness reduction and strain value are reduced by 0.010 mm and 0.0249, respectively, with the dependence of the forming quality on the transition zone length being significantly reduced compared to SF-C. In the formation of surfaces with large curvatures, SF-CMPC's crack risk is lower than SF-C's crack risk, with better adaptability. Through controlling the contact process with a die, the sheet metals' constraint state is improved, the transverse compressive strain can be effectively reduced via friction, and the wrinkling defects can be suppressed. A stretch-forming experiment was carried out on a spherical surface, using self-developed equipment. The feasibility of achieving surfaces' near-net stretch forming by controlling the clamps' motion paths was hereby proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When shield tunnels are under complex geological conditions, tunnel damage, decreased structural performance, and shield tunnel deformation and destruction may occur. Therefore, a new type of composite segment and combined splicing joint were suggested and experimentally investigated in this study. According to the test results, the new composite segment effectively enhanced the load capacity of the segment, and the yield and ultimate loads of the segment were increased. Compared with the reference specimen, the ultimate load capacities of the proposed segments with different numbers were 23.8%, 50.0%, and 64.3% greater. Moreover, the combined splicing joint enhanced the initial bending stiffness and load capacity of the segment joint, reduced the opening displacement, and improved the rotational stiffness of the segment joint. The addition of a plug-in joint at the segment joint increased its load capacity by approximately 25%. A parametric study showed that the number and posit ion of the plug-in joint clearly affected the load capacity of the segment joint. In addition to the above test results, reasonable theoretical formulas for the new composite segment and combined splicing joint are given in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of pits will induce the vertical displacement of tunnels and lead to engineering problems. The shape as well as size of a pit, and the complex spatial position relationship between the pit and tunnel will induce different deformation responses of tunnel structures; however, the degree to which each factor influences tunnel structure deformation is still unclear. This paper studied the impact of excavation on the deformation of tunnels via a combination of numerical simulation and orthogonal tests. The deformation of tunnels induced by excavation was studied using a numerical method, after which the sensitivity of influencing factors to tunnel deformation was studied by means of range and variance analyses through a four-factor and three-level orthogonal test. The results show that, for a foundation pit with a long side perpendicular to the tunnel longitude, the excavation has the least influence on tunnel deformation. Tunnel deformation increased with an increase in the excavation depth and decreased with an increase in tunnel–pit vertical and horizontal distance. As the plane shape of the foundation pit is 20 m × 45 m, the depth of excavation is 4 m, the pit tunnel vertical distance is 13 m, and the pit tunnel horizontal distance is 28 m, the tunnel has the least deformation. Based on the results of this study, the position relationship between the pit and the tunnel can be optimized in terms of design and construction, and the aim of controlling tunnel deformation can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a forging tool of a new design is proposed, which allows to implement shear and alternating strain in the entire volume of the deformed billet with a smaller change in its initial dimensions. To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed new forging tool in obtaining billets and forgings of the plates and slabs type of the required quality, a laboratory experiment was conducted. During the laboratory experiment, the forging of billets made of the steel 45 was carried out in such forging tools as step-wedge dies of two different variants (proposed and previously known) and in step dies. Analysis of the shape change of billets and the evolution of the microstructure of steel after two deformation cycles showed that the use of the step-wedge dies with a wedge protrusion on the upper die and a wedge cavity on the lower die is more promising for forging billets and forgings of the plates and slabs type with a given level of mechanical properties, since it allows to obtain a fine-grained structure with a smaller change in the initial dimensions of the billet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of anomalies in dam deformation is paramount for evaluating structural integrity and facilitating early warnings, representing a critical aspect of dam health monitoring (DHM). Conventional data-driven methods for dam anomaly detection depend extensively on historical data; however, obtaining annotated data is both expensive and labor-intensive. Consequently, methodologies that leverage unlabeled or semi-labeled data are increasingly gaining popularity. This paper introduces a spatiotemporal contrastive learning pretraining (STCLP) strategy designed to extract discriminative features from unlabeled datasets of dam deformation. STCLP innovatively combines spatial contrastive learning based on temporal contrastive learning to capture representations embodying both spatial and temporal characteristics. Building upon this, a novel anomaly detection method for dam deformation utilizing STCLP is proposed. This method transfers pretrained parameters to targeted downstream classification tasks and leverages prior knowledge for enhanced fine-tuning. For validation, an arch dam serves as the case study. The results reveal that the proposed method demonstrates excellent performance, surpassing other benchmark models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new variable structure controller designed for depth control of an autonomous underwater sensor platform equipped with a variable buoyancy module. To that end, the prototype linear model is presented, and a finite element-based method is used to estimate one of its parameters, the hull deformation due to pressure. To manage potential internal disturbances like hull deformation or external disturbances like weight changes, a disturbance observer is developed. An analysis of the observer steady-state estimation error in relation to input disturbances and system parameter uncertainties is developed. The locations of the observer poles according to its parameters are also identified. The variable structure controller is developed, keeping energy savings in mind. The proposed controller engages when system dynamics are unfavorable, causing the vehicle to deviate from the desired reference, and disengages when dynamics are favorable, guiding the vehicle toward the target reference. A detailed analysis determines the necessary switching control actions to ensure the system reaches the desired reference. Finally, simulations are run to compare the proposed controller's performance with that of PID-based controllers recently developed in the literature, assessing dynamic response and energy consumption under various operating conditions. Both the VBM- and propeller-actuated vehicles were evaluated. The results demonstrate that the proposed controller achieves an average energy consumption reduction of 22% compared to the next most efficient PID-based controller for the VBM-actuated vehicle, though with some impact on control performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrinkling is a typical failure mode of sandwich structures with thin skins, where the bending deformation of face skins occurs simultaneously in conjunction with transverse stretching deformation of core layer. To analyze the three-dimensional (3D) deformation of wrinkling, a model is required to possess a capability describing completely different deformations at each ply. Therefore, by utilizing the Chebyshev polynomial at each layer of sandwich panels, this paper focuses on proposing a higher-order model to individually illustrate deformations of the skins and the core. By means of the proposed model, a refined triangular element has been constructed. By analyzing the stability of a sandwich plate without stiffeners, the finite-element formulation has been verified by comparing it to the quasi-3D elasticity solutions. In addition, it is anticipated that wrinkling failure can be effectively restrained by designing the stiffener layout. To this end, the influence of stiffener layouts on wrinkling behaviors of sandwich plates has been investigated in detail, and it is found that the capability of resisting the wrinkling deformation can be obviously improved by designing reasonable stiffener layouts. Moreover, the translation between buckling and wrinkling behaviors of sandwich panels with different stiffeners has been also explored, which can help to better understand wrinkling deformation mechanism. In summary, the proposed model can be used to design a reasonable arrangement of stiffeners to resist the wrinkling failure of sandwich panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A steel brace is effective to retrofit old reinforcement concrete (RC) buildings by increasing the horizontal load capacity of structures. However, concrete cracks that easily occur in the surrounding RC members under tension initiate early strength degradation, so this research aimed to develop a new self-centering brace (SCB) with the compression-only capacity such that no tension force is developed in the brace or to the adjoining RC members. Original SCBs have been developed to reduce the residual deformation of structures with a symmetrically flag-shaped hysteretic response. By altering the force transfer mechanism in the original SCB, a compression-only self-centering brace (C-SCB) can be developed under a symmetrically reversed cyclic loading, providing an alternative for the RC building retrofit. This paper first introduces the mechanics and deformation mechanism of the proposed C-SCB. A test program is then conducted on the cyclic tests of a buckling-restrained energy dissipating bar (EDB) to evaluate the energy dissipation. A 3,695-mm-long C-SCB is composed of posttensioning high-strength steel tendons, steel compression members, and buckling-restrained EDBs for the energy dissipation. The C-SCB in tests showed a good compression-only self-centering capability up to an axial displacement of 31 mm, with a maximum axial force of 1,530 kN. No damage of the steel tendons, compression members, or EDBs was found after three phase tests. Finite element analysis further validated the compression-only hysteretic response and mechanics of the C-SCB in a symmetrically reversed cyclic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) antenna arrays are pivotal components in modern wireless communication systems, offering high data rates and improved spectrum efficiency. However, the performance of mmWave antenna arrays can be significantly affected by structural distortions, such as mechanical deformations and environmental conditions, which may lead to deviations in beamforming characteristics and radiation patterns. In this paper, we present a comprehensive sensitivity study of mmWave antenna arrays to structural distortion, employing a coupled structural–electromagnetic statistical concept. The proposed model integrates structural analysis techniques with electromagnetic simulations to assess the impact of structural distortions on the performance of mmWave antenna arrays. In addition, the model incorporates random element positioning, making it easy to analyze radiation pattern sensitivity to structural deformation. Demonstrating the applicability of the model, a 10 × 10 microstrip patch antenna array is designed to assess the performance of the model with a random position error and saddle shape distortion. The results of the model are then compared against the acceptable results from the HFSS software (version 13.0), where a good agreement is observed between the two results. The results show the gain variation and sidelobe level under various degrees of distortion and random errors, respectively. These results provide a guide for design, deployment, and optimization of mmWave communication networks in real-world environments. In addition, the model provides valuable insights into the trade-offs between antenna performance, structural integrity, and system reliability, paving the way for more efficient and dependable mmWave communication systems in the era of 5G and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Important connections in representation theory arise from resolving a finite-dimensional algebra by an endomorphism algebra of a generator-cogenerator with finite global dimension; for instance, Auslander's correspondence, classical Schur–Weyl duality and Soergel's Struktursatz. Here, the module category of the resolution and the module category of the algebra being resolved are linked via an exact functor known as the Schur functor. In this paper, we investigate how to measure the quality of the connection between module categories of (projective) Noetherian algebras, B, and module categories of endomorphism algebras of generator-relative cogenerators over B which are split quasi-hereditary Noetherian algebras. In particular, we are interested in finding, if it exists, the highest degree n so that the endomorphism algebra of a generator-cogenerator provides an n-faithful cover, in the sense of Rouquier, of B. The degree n is known as the Hemmer–Nakano dimension of the standard modules. We prove that, in general, the Hemmer–Nakano dimension of standard modules with respect to a Schur functor from a split highest weight category over a field to the module category of a finite-dimensional algebra B is bounded above by the number of non-isomorphic simple modules of B. We establish methods for reducing computations of Hemmer–Nakano dimensions in the integral setup to computations of Hemmer–Nakano dimensions over finite-dimensional algebras, and vice-versa. In addition, we extend the framework to study Hemmer–Nakano dimensions of arbitrary resolving subcategories. In this setup, we find that the relative dominant dimension over (projective) Noetherian algebras is an important tool in the computation of these degrees, extending the previous work of Fang and Koenig. In particular, this theory allows us to derive results for Schur algebras and the BGG category \mathcal {O} in the integral setup from the finite-dimensional case. More precisely, we use the relative dominant dimension of Schur algebras to completely determine the Hemmer–Nakano dimension of standard modules with respect to Schur functors between module categories of Schur algebras over regular Noetherian rings and module categories of group algebras of symmetric groups over regular Noetherian rings. We exhibit several structural properties of deformations of the blocks of the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand category \mathcal {O} establishing an integral version of Soergel's Struktursatz. We show that deformations of the combinatorial Soergel's functor have better homological properties than the classical one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of blade flexibility on the aerodynamics and wake of large offshore turbines using a flexible actuator line method (ALM) coupled to the structural solver BeamDyn in large-eddy simulations. The study considers the IEA 15 MW reference wind turbine in close-to-rated operating conditions. The flexible ALM is first compared to OpenFAST simulations and is shown to consistently predict the rotor aerodynamics and the blade structural dynamics. However, the effect of blade flexibility on the loads is more pronounced when predicted using the ALM compared with using the blade element momentum theory. The wind turbine is then simulated in a neutral turbulent atmospheric boundary layer with flexible and rigid blades. The significant flapwise and torsional mean displacements lead to an overall decrease of 14 % in thrust and 10 % in power compared to a rotor with no deformation. These changes influence the wake through a reduced time-averaged velocity deficit and turbulent kinetic energy. The unsteady loads induced by the rotation in the sheared wind and the turbulent velocity fluctuations are also substantially affected by the flexibility and exhibit a noticeably different spectrum. However, the influence of these load variations on the wake is limited, and the assumption of rigid blades in their deformed geometry is shown to be sufficient to capture the wake dynamics. The influence of the resolution of the flow solver is also evaluated, and the results are shown to remain consistent between different spatial resolutions. Overall, the structural deformations have a substantial impact on the turbine performance, loads, and wake, which emphasizes the importance of considering the flexibility of the blades in simulations of large offshore wind turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high-speed and heavy-load conditions, ordinary rigid tilting pad journal bearings experience significant contact stress at the pad pivot points, leading to severe pad deformation and increased wear. A flexible structure tilting pad bearing (FSTPB) is presented in this paper, using spring supports to replace the traditional pivot supports and flexible hinge supports. A theoretical calculation model for tilting pad radial journal bearings considering flexible structure deformation is established, and the impact of elastic deformation on the performance of the flexible structure tilting pad bearings is discussed. Based on theoretical research, vibration experiments on flexible tilting pad bearings under different loading conditions were conducted. The influence of various structural parameters on the vibration characteristics of the flexible tilting pad radial bearings was studied. The results indicate that, compared to ordinary tilting pad bearings, flexible structure tilting pad bearings exhibit excellent vibration reduction characteristics at high speeds. Reducing the bearing clearance, lowering the stiffness of the flexible structure, and increasing the offset angle of the flexible structure contribute to enhancing the operational stability of the bearing–rotor system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground hub of Xinghuo Station of M3 Line of Beijing Metro is an integral part of the underground comprehensive hub of Xinghuo Station of high-speed railway, and it is constructed by open-excavation method. Due to the different requirements of the main structure function inside the foundation pit of the hub, the foundation pit adopts the three-level layout. One side of the foundation pit is adjacent to the existing high-speed railway Xinghuo station, and the other side is adjacent to the urban road, the foundation pit is affected by four layers of groundwater. In order to solve the difficulties encountered in the design of the multi-stage foundation pit support structure of the underground hub of the Xinghuo Station on the metro line M3, this paper carries out the research of the foundation pit composite support structure system. Firstly, the spatial layout characteristics, surrounding environment and groundwater occurrence characteristics of the hub foundation pit are analyzed, and the problems of the conventional support structure system are discussed. Based on the concept of graded support and graded water stop, the combined foundation pit support structure system is developed. The paper presents in detail the layout, structural parameters and step sequence of multi-stage foundation pit excavation and support structure system at all stages, then establishes the three-dimensional numerical calculation model of multi-stage foundation pit excavation and support, analyzes the pit bottom uplift and the deformation of the retaining structure, and finally discusses the deformation characteristics of the combined retaining structure of the foundation pit based on the measured results of the deformation of the retaining structure at all stages. The results of numerical simulation and on-site monitoring show that the uplift of pit bottom and the deformation of supporting structure meet the requirements of control values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-centering braces are an attractive new type of brace able to reduce structural residual deformations after earthquakes, with no requirement of major modifications to structural joints. One primary challenge in widespread implementations of self-centering braces is their high demands of prestressing forces, in order to counteract the anti-recentering resistance induced by their energy-dissipation system. This paper introduces a novel self-centering (SC) brace, denoted as a viscoelastic low-prestressing self-centering (VE-LPSC) brace, that needs only a low level of prestressing force to achieve self-centering. The proposed brace incorporates a novel frequency-independent viscoelastic damper (VED) as its energy-dissipation system. The new VED behaves similarly to displacement-based dampers that provide stable stiffness and damping across various frequencies. Meanwhile, as loading ends, the VED does not generate residual anti-recentering forces, unlike conventional velocity-based dampers. Performance tests on the VEDs were first conducted using three specimens to examine the material's deformation capacity, frequency-independent characteristic, fatigue-resistance capacity, and recovery capacity. Then, six full-scale brace prototype specimens were manufactured and tested, considering three levels of prestressing forces (15, 50, and 100 kN). Test results revealed that the brace achieved complete self-centering and consistent stiffness and strength under various frequencies, even with a prestressing force of 15 kN. With conventional steel strand and Belleville springs as its prestressed elements, the new brace was able to elongate 2.27% (corresponding to a story drift of 4.54%) while maintaining its recentering capacity. The VE-LPSC brace may experience some strength degradation after loading lower to 90%, but its capacity can recover to 98% of the original strength after 2 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the concepts of moments and couples in mechanics are examined from a fundamental perspective. Representing a couple by its moment vector is very useful in rigid body mechanics, where the states of internal stresses and deformation are not studied. This is because only the moment of couples appears in the governing equation of moment equilibrium. On the other hand, when considering the state of internal stresses and deformation in continuum mechanics, not only the moment of couples but also the line of action of their constituent parallel opposite forces must be specified. In defining a well-posed problem for a continuum, including the governing equations of moment equilibrium or motion, boundary conditions, and constitutive relations, only the moment of couples (e.g., body couples, couple tractions, couple stresses) appear without specifying the line of action of the constituent parallel forces. Nevertheless, the physical state of stress and deformation in the continuum must be unique and determinate. Therefore, this physical requirement imposes some restrictions on the form of body couples, couple tractions, and couple stresses. Here, the uniqueness of interactions in the continuum is used to establish that the continuum does not support a distribution of body couples or a distribution of surface twisting couple tractions with normal moments. Furthermore, the mechanism of action of the couple traction as a double layer of shear force tractions is established, along with the skew-symmetric character of the couple stress moment tensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture network generated by hydraulic fracturing in unconventional shale reservoirs contains numerous microfractures that are connected to macroscopic fractures. These microfractures serve as crucial pathways for shale gas to flow out from micro- and nano-scale pores, playing a critical role in enhancing shale gas recovery. Currently, more attention is being given by academia and industry to the evolution of macroscopic fracture networks, while the understanding of the microfracture mechanisms and evolution is relatively limited. A significant number of microfractures are generated during the hydraulic fracturing process of shale. These microfractures subsequently propagate, merge, and interconnect to form macroscopic fractures. Therefore, studying the fracture process of rock masses from a microscale perspective holds important theoretical significance and engineering value. Based on the authors' research experience and literature review, this paper provides a brief overview of current progress in shale microfracture research from five aspects: in situ observation experiments of microfractures in shale, formation and evolution processes of discontinuous microfractures, the impact of inhomogeneity on microfracture propagation, measurement methods for microscale mechanical parameters and deformation quantities in shale, and numerical simulation of shale microfractures. This paper also summarizes the main challenges and future research prospects in shale microfracture studies, including: (1) quantitative characterization of in situ observation experimental data on shale microfractures; (2) formation and evolution laws of macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic multi-scale discontinuous fractures; (3) more in-depth and microscale characterization of shale heterogeneity and its deformation and fracture mechanisms; (4) acquisition of shale micro-mechanical parameters; (5) refinement and accuracy improvement of the numerical simulation of microfractures in shale. Addressing these research questions will not only contribute to the further development of microfracture theory in rocks but also provide insights for hydraulic fracturing in shale gas extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusions are important phases affecting material properties in complicated ways. In this paper, a quantitative study of the addition of HfO2 inclusions to DZ125 nickel-based superalloys was performed. Experimental results showed that the introduction of HfO2 inclusions caused a loss of strength and ductility. The carbide morphology also changed significantly from skeletal-shaped to block-shaped, resulting in a remarkable discrepancy in the fracture behavior under quasi-in-situ tensile testing. The SEM dynamic observations showed that cracks were initiated from the skeletal carbides and almost failed to propagate into the matrix. In contrast, the damage behavior of block-shaped carbides also involved internal cracking but with a tendency to form interconnected microcracks during propagation. A crystal plasticity finite element model (CPFEM) method was further developed to study the stress/strain behavior during the deformation process, considering the crystal orientations and microstructure morphologies from the EBSD data. Those elastoplastic parameters were determined through nanoindentation experiments. Simulation results verified that blocky carbides produced a pronounced strain concentration at the interface of the carbides and matrix, thereby increasing the tendency of crack formation. This paper provides a fundamental understanding of the role of inclusions in material recycling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the numerical simulation of earth-rock dam, accurate and reliable mechanical parameters of the dam material are the important basis for dam deformation predictions and dam safety evaluations. Based on the deformation monitoring data of Luding core wall rockfill dam, the rheological parameters of rockfill and core wall materials are inverted in this paper. Combined with the actual filling and impoundment process of the dam, the numerical simulation is carried out, and the stress deformation and differential settlement of the dam after completion and impoundment are analyzed. The results showed that the stress deformation results of the dam based on the inversion parameters were in good agreement with the actual deformation. The horizontal displacement, settlement, and principal stress of the dam during the completion period were symmetrically distributed along the core wall. The maximum horizontal displacement occurred at the main dam on both sides of the core wall and the upstream and downstream dam slopes, and the maximum settlement occurred in the middle of the core wall. During the impoundment period, under the action of reservoir water pressure and upstream rockfill wetting deformation, the deformation and stress of the dam body no longer met the symmetrical distribution law, and the maximum horizontal displacement of the dam body during the impoundment period was located at 2/3 of the upstream dam slope. The maximum settlement of the dam body was located at 1/2 of the dam height. The maximum principal stress on the upstream side of the core wall was located on the left side of the bottom of the core wall, and the minimum principal stress was also located on the left side of the bottom of the core wall. The simulation results of the deformation and stress met the general law of earth-rock dam engineering. During the completion period, the deformation inclination of the dam crest was less than 1%. During the impoundment period, the deformation inclination of the dam crest area increased due to the wetting deformation of the upstream rockfill material. At the same time, the deformation inclination of the dam crest axis was larger than that of the upstream and downstream sides, and the deformation inclination of the dam crest at the middle of the valley was the largest, but it did not exceed 3%, that is, there would be no longitudinal cracks, which is consistent with the actual situation. The research results can better predict the stress deformation and crack of the dam body, and provide important support for dam safety evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chirality and porosity are characteristic properties of nanostructured materials. Their effects on the mechanical behaviour of structural elements, such as shells, plates and beams, cannot be disregarded. In this paper, we study the thermoelastic deformation of a chiral porous circular beam loaded with an axial force and torque. The beam is also under the action of a constant temperature field. The analytical solution is obtained using the results established in a paper recently published by the Author within the context of the strain gradient theory proposed by Papanicopolous. In the constitutive equations, the chirality is introduced by a material constant parameter and the porosity is described by means of a scalar function. Displacements, microdilatation function, and stress and strain fields are expressed in explicit form and in terms of engineering constants. Explicit formulas of the stiffness of chiral porous circular beams are presented and the effects of right and left chirality are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The side pile is a crucial mechanical component in station construction using the PBA (pile-beam-arch) method, and its stability during the construction process cannot be overstated. The mechanical differences between single-row and double-row side piles in this construction method have garnered significant attention, yet few studies have been conducted on this matter. Therefore, this paper employs numerical simulation to compare the deformation and mechanical properties of single-row and double-row side piles (the adopted pile type is micro steel pipe pile, abbreviated as MSPP) in a metro station using the PBA method. The findings are validated through the model experiment. It is found that the soil arch effect created by the front-row pile of the double-row piles serves as the primary lining, offering a certain shielding effect to the soil stress behind the back-row pile. Notably, the soil stress values in double-row pile conditions are slightly higher compared to single-row pile condition, leading to a noticeably smaller final deformation of the pile top. The combined bending moments and axial forces of the front-row and back-row piles in double-row piles exceed those of a single-row pile. Specifically, bending moments are highest in single-row piles, followed by front-row piles and then back-row piles, while axial forces are highest in single-row piles, followed by back-row piles and then front-row piles. This suggests that the bending moments and axial forces of double-row piles are smaller than those of a single-row pile. The internal force distribution within the double-row pile is more balanced, thereby enhancing the lining strength and improving the station's safety through the PBA method. The findings in this paper can serve as valuable references for the design and construction of similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The No.4 tailings pond of the Dexing Copper Mine is the second largest in Asia. The tailing pond is a dangerous source of man-made debris flow with high potential energy. In view of the lack of effective and low-cost global safety monitoring means in this region, in this paper, the time-series InSAR technology is innovatively introduced to monitor the deformation of tailings dam and significant key findings are obtained. First, the surface deformation information of the tailings pond and its surrounding areas was extracted by using SBAS-InSAR technology and Sentinel-1A data. Second, the cause of deformation is explored by analyzing the deformation rate, deformation accumulation, and three typical deformation rate profiles of the representative observation points on the dam body. Finally, the power function model is used to predict the typical deformation observation points. The results of this paper indicated that: (1) the surface deformation of the tailings dam can be categorized into two directions: the upper portion of the dam moving away from the satellite along the Line of Sight (LOS) at a rate of −40 mm/yr, whereas the bottom portion approaching the satellite along the LOS at a rate of 8 mm/yr; (2) the deformation of the dam body is mainly affected by the inventory deposits and the construction materials of the dam body; (3) according to the current trend, deformation of two typical observation points in the LOS direction will reach the cumulative deformation of 80 mm and −360 mm respectively. The research results can provide data support for safety management of No.4 tailings dam in the Dexing Copper Mine, and provide a method reference for monitoring other similar tailings dams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]