Search

Technological advancements in flexible and wearable electronics have driven a boom in high-performance flexible electrodes. In this study, a simple and low-cost bio-inspired filter paper (FP) template method using the interfacial-aided polyethyleneimine-functionalized filter paper (FP-PEI) was developed to fabricate highly flexible silver-based conductive films. The FP was modified through amination to obtain FP-PEI with the rigid cellulose backbone and the flexible side chain of grafted amino groups, which played a key role as an interfacial layer during the chemical deposition of fractal-structured silver particles (FSSPs). The naturally porous and rough network structures of FP templates provided structural support and network for the deposition of conductive materials. In addition, the high porosity of FP facilitated the effective transfer of electrons, and its nano- or micro-scale rough surface structure promoted the formation of strong adhesion between the cellulose substrate and the conductive layer, which was crucial for the conductive stability of the device. The obtained conductive films (FP-PEI/FSSPs) exhibited a low sheet resistance of 1.47 Ω sq−1, a conductivity of 3401 S m−1, and good mechanical properties with a stress strength of 6.17 MPa. Moreover, FP-PEI/FSSPs exhibited a stable electrical conductivity (the sheet resistance only increased by 0.06 Ω sq–1 through 500 bending cycles), thermal stability (the maximum thermal decomposition rate increased from 349.3 to 357.8 °C), and oxidation resistance (the sheet resistance increased by only 0.04 Ω sq–1 after FP was exposed to the air for 15 days). The results indicate that FP-PEI/FSSP conductive films can be a potential green flexible electronic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Alessandrina Library was founded in 1667 by pope Alexander VII Chigi and is nowadays housed in the Campus of Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). Within its Ancient (mostly made of rag paper) and Modern (mostly made of contemporary paper) collections, it includes more than one million books produced from the XVI to the XXI century. In 2019, six thermo-hygrometers were deployed in its multi-storey repository to monitor temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). Hourly T and RH data collected over 2 years allowed us to evaluate spatial and temporal thermo-hygrometric distributions and to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the climate-induced risks (mechanical, chemical, and biological deterioration mechanisms). Vertical temperature gradients associated with unstable conditions occurred in winter, resulting in upraising air flows up to the ceiling. The risky short-term RH fluctuations (EN 15757:2010) were determined to avoid mechanical stress in case of loans, relocation, and consultation. The Time Weighted Expected Lifetime (TWEL) index was used to evaluate the chemical risk for different paper-based collections as a function of their acidity and degree of polymerisation, also considering the typical response time of paper books to T and RH changes. The TWEL calculation estimated that the durability of acidic paper was around 300 years and highlighted that rag paper could be subject to cellulose hydrolysis only in summer and autumn, while contemporary paper was mostly at no risk. The risk of mould germination (Sedlbauer diagram) was possible on few days in Autumn, while the production of insect eggs (Brimblecombe empirical function) was favoured during approximately 42% of time over the year. In addition, illuminance and colorimetric measurements (performed on selected book covers) showed that light-sensitive objects could be exposed to the photodeterioration risk in the east-facing side of the repository. Although the investigation focussed on a specific case study, a similar approach could be effectively adapted to most library and archival repositories conserving paper-based collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Materials Science awards the annual Robert W. Cahn Prize to recognize the best paper published in the journal each year. The winner of the 2023 Cahn Prize is a research paper titled "Molecular modelling of graphene nanoribbons on the effect of porosity and oxidation on the mechanical and thermal properties." The paper presents molecular simulation models of graphene nanoribbons and examines the impact of porosity and oxidation on their mechanical and thermal conductivity properties. The paper is well-written and provides valuable insights for researchers in this field. Two other papers were selected as runners-up for the prize. All the monthly finalists for the Cahn Prize can be downloaded for free on the journal's website. [Extracted from the article]

Mechanical fields over thin elastic surfaces can develop singularities at isolated points and curves in response to constrained deformations (e.g., crumpling and folding of paper), singular body forces and couples, distributions of isolated defects (e.g., dislocations and disclinations), and singular metric anomaly fields (e.g., growth and thermal strains). With such concerns as our motivation, we model thin elastic surfaces as von Kármán plates and generalize the classical von Kármán equations, which are restricted to smooth fields, to fields which are piecewise smooth, and can possibly concentrate at singular curves, in addition to being singular at isolated points. The inhomogeneous sources to the von Kármán equations, given in terms of plastic strains, defect induced incompatibility, and body forces, are likewise allowed to be singular at isolated points and curves in the domain. The generalized framework is used to discuss the singular nature of deformation and stress arising due to conical deformations, folds, and folds terminating at a singular point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To model advanced 3-D forming strategies for paper materials, the effects of environmental conditions on the mechanical behavior must be quantitatively and qualitatively understood. A tensile test method has been created, verified, and implemented to test paper at various moisture content and temperature levels. Testing results for one type of paper for moisture contents from 6.9 to 13.8 percent and temperatures from 23 to 168 degrees Celsius are presented and discussed. Coupled moisture and temperature effects have been discovered for maximum stress. Uncoupled effects have been discovered for elastic modulus, tangent modulus, hardening modulus, strain at break, tensile energy absorption (TEA), and approximate plastic strain. A hyperbolic tangent function is also utilized which captures the entire one-dimensional stress-strain response of paper. The effects of moisture and temperature on the three coefficients in the hyperbolic tangent function may be assumed to be uncoupled, which may simplify the development of moisture- and temperature-dependent constitutive models. All parameters were affected by both moisture and temperature with the exception of TEA, which was found to only be significantly dependent on temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The quality of a wound roll is highly dependent upon the in-roll stress distribution, which is controlled by the operating parameters of the center-wind torque, nip and tension. With increasing demands for higher performance of paper winding systems in terms of higher winding speeds, wider web widths and larger wound roll diameters, it becomes of vital importance to determine and understand the optimum operating conditions of these machines. In this paper, a numerical formulation for estimating the in-roll stress of a wound roll is proposed with taking account of the effect of nonlinearity in web compressibility, air-entrainment and permeance. The in-roll stress is calculated as the superposition of the stress increments caused by each winding. The theory of elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication with the compressibility of air is introduced to evaluate the effect of air-entrainment at the roll-inlet. Permeance of air is newly incorporated into the winding model, which is expressed under the assumption that permeance is proportional to the pressure difference of both sides of a web. In order to assure the applicability of the proposed theory, winding tests were conducted using the dry-end section of the paper-making pilot machine. The numerical analysis and experimental observation show the significant effect of the air-entrainment and permeance upon the in-roll stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical fields over thin elastic surfaces can develop singularities at isolated points and curves in response to constrained deformations (e.g., crumpling and folding of paper), singular body forces and couples, distributions of isolated defects (e.g., dislocations and disclinations), and singular metric anomaly fields (e.g., growth and thermal strains). With such concerns as our motivation, we model thin elastic surfaces as von Kármán plates and generalize the classical von Kármán equations, which are restricted to smooth fields, to fields which are piecewise smooth, and can possibly concentrate at singular curves, in addition to being singular at isolated points. The inhomogeneous sources to the von Kármán equations, given in terms of plastic strains, defect induced incompatibility, and body forces, are likewise allowed to be singular at isolated points and curves in the domain. The generalized framework is used to discuss the singular nature of deformation and stress arising due to conical deformations, folds, and folds terminating at a singular point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-mode fracture is a common failure phenomenon of materials, while its experiment requires at least a material test machine, test materials and special machining procedures. In this paper, a simple but effective mixed-mode fracture experiment using office paper is proposed, so one can easily conduct the mixed-mode fracture experiment and understand its fracture criteria such as the maximum tensile stress (MTS) criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scott bond test method has been used extensively in the paper industry over the years as a means to assess the bond strength of paper. The method has been a subject of some controversy lately since it does not always correlate to the sensitivity of the material to fracture by delamination. To gain some further insight into which parameters govern the fracture process in a Scott bond test a simplified approach has been chosen in order to formulate an analytical mathematical/mechanical model of the test. The model is dynamic in the sense that inertia effects are included. The material model utilised is a simple cohesive theory that assumes a linear behaviour between stress and crack opening when the material has started to degrade. This choice of material model makes the mathematical model very nonlinear. In fact, a system of three coupled nonlinear second order partial differential equations have to be solved and adjusted to the correct initial conditions. The material parameters needed for the model are the elastic modulus in the thickness direction, the transverse shear (elastic) modulus, the tensile strength (in the thickness direction) and the fracture work (per unit area) for a delamination crack. To investigate the ability of the model, a Scott bond testing apparatus have been equipped with a piezoelectric load sensor. The load cell was mounted on the apparatus’ pendulum so that the load acting on the sample holder could be recorded during the whole impact stage. This was done for a number of different initial velocities of the pendulum and it is found that the model gives a fair prediction of the contact load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microindentation as a method for determining important material properties of paper coating materials is studied experimentally and numerically. The bulk of the investigation is concentrated upon the short-lived elastic part of a spherical indentation test, but determination of the failure stress of the coating is also discussed. The results indicate that microindentation can be a powerful tool for material characterization of these materials, but only if careful efforts are made to account for the influence from plasticity as well as from boundary effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burning of a sheet of cellulose-based material, such as paper or cloth, involves uneven shrinkage which causes wrinkling. We simulate this geometrically complicated phenomenon by modeling the effects of heat transfer, shrinkage and partial ablation on a thin shell. A strain-limitation technique is applied to a two-layer structure of springs arranged as a body-centered square. Although this structure is over-constrained, convergence can be achieved using a new successive fast projection method. We also remesh the shells dynamically to deal with the topological changes that occur as regions burn away. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this commentary, we try to make clearer the state of the art concerning the relation between mechanical contact interactions and the different notions of stresses. We emphasize the importance of the concept of virtual displacements. Its role has been recognized in Mechanics and in Continuum Mechanics long ago (see e.g., Vailati in Il principio dei lavori virtuali da Aristotele a Erone d'Alessandria, 113-128, ; Russo in The forgotten revolution, Springer, Berlin, , or Cosserat and Cosserat in Sur la Théorie des Corps Déformables, Herman, Paris, ; Cosserat and Cosserat in Note sur la théorie de l.action euclidienne, Gauthier-Villars, Paris, ), and it is central as well when starting with an expression of the power expended by internal stresses and deducing the form of contact interactions as when starting with some form of the contact interactions and developing a representation theorem for these contact interactions based on the Cauchy tetrahedron construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of a “peeling front” or an elastic line is studied under creep (constant load) conditions. Our experiments show in most cases an exponential dependence of the creep velocity on the inverse force (mass) applied. In particular, the dynamical correlations of the avalanche activity are discussed here. We compare various avalanche statistics to those of a line with non-local elasticity, and study various measures of the experimental avalanche-avalanche and temporal correlations such as the autocorrelation function of the released energy and aftershock activity. From all these we conclude, that internal avalanche dynamics seems to follow “line depinning”-like behavior, in rough agreement with the depinning model. Meanwhile, the correlations reveal subtle complications not implied by depinning theory. Moreover, we also show how these results can be understood from a geophysical point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial comments on the multi-scale predictive modelling of the composite materials' behavior. Transition of composite materials from nano to micron to meter-size is examined keeping in view the accuracy of computation and fabrication methods. The article probes the physical behavior of complex material systems under stress in terms of size, time and environment.

The Fenshui River Bridge is a steel–concrete composite girder bridge with a main span of 90 m. Due to the topographical constraints, the steel box girder was constructed without the use of auxiliary piers, employing incremental launching techniques. This article focuses on the construction technology used for the steel box girder of the Fenshui River Bridge. Firstly, using the influence matrix method, the cable force is determined based on the maximum cantilever state of the structure, with the vertical deformation of the front end of the guide beam and the horizontal deformation of the top of the tower as the control objectives. The unstressed cable length is then calculated based on the mechanical relationship between cable deformation and cable force. A calculation method for adaptive cable force is proposed, which is based on the variation of the stress-free cable length within the adaptive structural system. Next, the finite element analysis method was employed to determine the optimal layout position for the tower. The results indicate that during the incremental launching construction of the steel box girder, the calculated cable forces using the method proposed in this paper are in close agreement with the measured cable forces. At the maximum cantilever state of the structure, the calculated and measured values of the cable force resulted in a percentage difference of 3.96%. The calculated values of deformation and stress in key sections showed a percentage difference of 6.4% for deformation and 6.6% for stress. To maximize the effectiveness of the tower and cable, the tower should be positioned above the bridge pier when the guide beam crosses the maximum span. The findings of this paper can serve as a reference for the construction of similar types of bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacitive and optical-based pressure sensors are considered for wide application in industries and R&D labs due to their superior performance. In general, these sensors use a diaphragm as a sensing element that needs to be designed accurately to achieve the desired level of accuracy for a higher operating range of the sensor. To design such a diaphragm, the conventional strain-based model cannot be used efficiently as the strain gradient starts dominating to introduce non-linear deformation with respect to the applied load when the diaphragm thickness reduces or the operating range increases beyond a certain value. Thus, there is a need to establish a comprehensive understanding and accurate modeling method to establish the underlying mechanism of the strain gradient. In view of this, a finite element analysis is carried out with moving-mesh to investigate the effect of the strain gradient phenomenon extensively in this paper. For the investigation, a few parameters are studied such as strain, strain gradient, bending rigidity, and deflection. It shows that the strain gradient spreads radially on the diaphragm and its zone of influence depends on the thickness as well as the applied pressure. This increases the bending rigidity significantly and the diaphragm deflection becomes non-linear as compared to the classical theory of bending. For validation of the present model, the bending rigidity and the deflection behavior are also compared with an earlier developed mathematical model as well as experimental results, and the same is discussed in this paper. The present work is useful for an accurate design and optimization of a diaphragm or a flexure for small size or/and higher operating range of pressure sensors and actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the frequent failure of hydraulic seals under high-pressure and high-flow continuous working conditions, optimizing the seal structure through intelligent optimization algorithms can improve performance. This paper proposes an improved intelligent optimization algorithm and finite element analysis to determine the optimal design parameters for the seal. Initially, a visual inspection and analysis of the failed Y-shaped seal revealed causes such as wear failure, damage failure, and leakage. Finite element analysis of the seal under actual working conditions confirmed the previous analysis. The study considered six control design parameters: lip base height, short-long lip length, short lip height, short lip angle, long lip angle, and lip base fillet radius. Using ANSYS, 50 parameter combinations were selected through Latin hypercube sampling for finite element simulation runs, with the maximum shear stress and maximum contact stress as optimization targets. A BP neural network was established and optimized using a genetic algorithm to design the unequal height Y-shaped seal structure based on NSGA-II, with optimization of the root chamfer to increase net pump backflow. The research results show a 7.29% reduction in maximum contact stress of the seal, a 21.4% decrease in maximum shear stress, and an increase of 0.066 mm3 in net pump backflow through chamfer optimization. The results indicate that this method effectively addresses design issues of seals in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep rock are often in a true triaxial stress state. Studying the impacts of varying unloading speeds on their strain energy (SE) density is highly significant for predicting rock stability. Through true triaxial unloading principal stress experiments and true triaxial stress equilibrium unloading experiments on sandstone, this paper proposes a method to compute the SE density in a true triaxial compressive unloading principal stress test. This method aims to analyze the SE variation in rocks under the action of true triaxial unloading principal stresses. Acoustic emission is used to verify the correctness of the SE density calculation method in this paper. This study found that: (1) Unloading in one principal stress direction causes the SE density to rise in the other principal stress directions. This rise in SE, depending on its reversibility, can be categorized into elastic and dissipated SE. (2)When unloading principal stresses, the released elastic SE density in the unloading direction is influence by the stress path and rate. (3) The higher the unloading speed will leads to greater increases in the input SE density, elastic SE density, and dissipative SE density in the other principal stress directions. (4) The dissipated SE generated under true triaxial compression by unloading the principal stress is positively correlated with the damage to the rock; with an increase in unloading rate, there is a corresponding increase in the formation of cracks after unloading. (5) Utilizing the stress balance unloading test, we propose a calculation method for SE density in true triaxial unloading principal stress tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a translation of Michael Sadowsky's original paper 'Theorie der elastisch biegsamen undehnbaren Bänder mit Anwendungen auf das Möbius'sche Band' in 3. internationaler Kongress für technische Mechanik, Stockholm, 1930. The translation is augmented by an Appendix containing an interpretation of the last section of Sadowsky's original paper, including figures generated from recent numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to propose an experimental procedure for determining the characteristic length of a strain gradient model. The identification problem is studied through a virtual pull-out test of a rigid bar along the symmetry axis of a cylindrical strain gradient elastic domain. To allow an accurate parameter identification based on measured data, we investigate the effect of the characteristic length on the mechanical fields for this problem. We see a significant sensitivity of the inflection point of the displacement profile evaluated on the cross section of the cylinder, with respect to the characteristic length. By adjusting the characteristic length of the strain gradient such that the theoretical models match best with experimental measurements of the surface displacement fields, the characteristic length of the strain gradient can be estimated. In order to allow for more efficient analysis and an almost real-time parameter identification, the initial three-dimensional (3D) problem is reduced to a one-dimensional (1D) problem by exploiting the cylindrical symmetry of the problem. As will be shown, an accurate 1D finite element method (FEM) strain gradient solution can be obtained for this simplified problem. Since the cylindrical symmetry is only true in an infinitely long cylinder, specific boundary conditions are constructed on a cylinder of finite length, which is then used for the comparison of the 1D and 3D problems. Results show, however, that the structural response at the inflection point is insensitive to whether the specific boundary conditions are considered or not, which is why the 1D model can be used for parameter identification. Since the proposed approach is methodological, it can be applied to any material. As a prototype problem in this paper, we consider the case of a bar embedded in Portland cement concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract?? In order to investigate the way in which fibre properties affect the mechano-sorptive creep phenomenon in paper, single wood fibres were exposed to tensile stresses at a constant humidity of 80% relative humidity (RH) and in a cyclic humidity environment varying between 80 and 30% RH. Contrary to earlier claims, it was demonstrated that single wood fibres exposed to a cyclic RH show a considerably higher creep than that corresponding to the highest RH experienced in the cycle, i.e., a mechano-sorptive behaviour. The creep strain rate at cyclic humidity was shown to be a function of the creep rate at constant climate, and to be an apparent linear function of the applied stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous construction of urban traffic roads, more and more new roads are cut off by existing roads to form "dead end roads". There is an urgent need for a trenchless method suitable for urban ultra-shallow overburden to build the undercrossing tunnel. To solve this problem, this paper proposed the micro pipe jacking and joint assembly structure (MPJ & JAS) method, which has the characteristics of shallow burial depth, low cost, short construction time, flexible cross-section setting and high space utilization. The MPJ & JAS method construct a large cross-section tunnel through assembling small cross-section elements, quite different from traditional methods. Therefore, this paper designed a CT-shaped integrated joint, the mechanical performance of which was verified and clarified by tensile test. The bending test and finite element (FE) analysis proved the reliability of MPJ & JAS tunnel structure, and confirmed the structure performances such as the failure models, crack behaviors, load–deflection response and stress–strain distribution. Moreover, the influences of the steel plate thickness, concrete strength and shear connector spacing were determined by the FE analysis. On the basis of test results and reasonable assumptions, a theoretical design method considering the influence of the CT-shaped integrated joint was proposed, which can effectively predict the bending strength of the MPJ & JAS tunnel structure with an error of less than 10%. Finally, in view of the characteristics of the MPJ & JAS method, the suitable micro pipe jacking machine, soil reinforcement measure, hydraulic traction construction technology, high-precision guidance system and concrete construction quality detection method based on the phased array ultrasonic imaging technology were developed, supporting the accurate and efficient construction of the MPJ & JAS tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock cores retrieved from deep rock masses may be permanently damaged on account of the stress release occurring during the drilling process. The quantification of core damage is important for accurate evaluation of the rock strength at depth. This paper presents a laboratory simulation of the core drilling process under high in situ stress conditions. The study aims to quantitatively evaluate sampling damage from both macro and micro perspectives using mechanics tests and microscopic observations. The observed decrease in core specimen integrity with increasing sampling confining pressure is in line with practical engineering findings, thus validating the experimental method utilized in this paper. The test results show that the porosity of the core increases and P-wave velocity decreases as the sampling confining pressure increases, which indicates that the structure of the core is significantly changed by the sampling damage. The stress–strain curve exhibited increased nonlinearity and acoustic emission events at the initial stage of loading, indicating an increase in sampling damage with rising sampling pressure. The uniaxial compressive strength and Brazilian tensile strength of the cores drilled at 40 MPa are reduced by about 21% and 28%, respectively, compared to the undamaged rock, indicating that the effect of core damage on the rock strength cannot be ignored. Microstructural observations further reveal that the crack density of the cores drilled at 40 MPa is four times higher than that of the intact rock. Additionally, the development of microcracks shows obvious directionality, with microcracks preferentially developing perpendicular to the drilling direction. Stress path analysis of the cores indicates that the sampling damage may be primarily caused by tensile stresses. This study provides a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying sampling damage and core disking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a metamodelling technique that employs gradient-enhanced Gaussian process regression (GPR) to emulate diverse internal energy densities based on the deformation gradient tensor F and electric displacement field D 0 . The approach integrates principal invariants as inputs for the surrogate internal energy density, enforcing physical constraints like material frame indifference and symmetry. This technique enables accurate interpolation of energy and its derivatives, including the first Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor and material electric field. The method ensures stress and electric field-free conditions at the origin, which is challenging with regression-based methods like neural networks. The paper highlights that using invariants of the dual potential of internal energy density, i.e., the free energy density dependent on the material electric field E 0 , is inappropriate. The saddle point nature of the latter contrasts with the convexity of the internal energy density, creating challenges for GPR or Gradient Enhanced GPR models using invariants of F and E 0 (free energy-based GPR), compared to those involving F and D 0 (internal energy-based GPR). Numerical examples within a 3D Finite Element framework assess surrogate model accuracy across challenging scenarios, comparing displacement and stress fields with ground-truth analytical models. Cases include extreme twisting and electrically induced wrinkles, demonstrating practical applicability and robustness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to derive the motion equations for a small-scale flexoelectric-multilayer plate and move deep through its vibrational response to several determining variable variations. Flexoelectricity indicates the electrical polarization induction in response to the non-uniform strain gradient. As moving toward small scales, the importance and the role of this property comes more to the picture. The under-examination structure is fabricated of three layers; a mid-layer which is assumed to be composed of the porous exponential and power law-functionally graded materials, two flexoelectric face sheets, and the Vlasov foundation. The motion equations are derived mathematically based on the new EP of porous material, Hamilton's principle, and modified couple stress theory. Utilizing the new EP power law besides evaluating the influence of the variables, length scale parameter, materials composition, geometrical characteristics, porosity, foundation parameter, and boundary conditions (B.C.s) on the dimensionless natural frequency (DNF) of such a sandwich model is the novelty of this paper. It is revealed that the lateral ratio enhancement causes DNF and stiffness reduction in the model. Furthermore, among all considered B.C.s, simply support and clamped support refer to the lowest and the highest DNF, respectively. The content of the recent paper serves as a good source to provide a better understanding of the vibrational response of high stiffness-to-weight ratio structures to different variable variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of atomic force microcode (AFM) probes work based on piezoelectric actuation. However, some undesirable phenomena such as creep and hysteresis may appear in the piezoelectric actuators that limit their applications. This paper proposes a novel AFM probe based on dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). The DE is modeled via the use of a hyperelastic Cosserat model. Size effects and geometric nonlinearity are included utilizing the modified couple stress theory and the von-Kármán strains. A non-contact interaction condition is adopted for AFM, which is taken into account via the van der Waals force. Governing equations are derived employing Hamilton's principle, and a reduced model is obtained using an extended Galerkin scheme. The free vibration of the system is formulated when a static voltage is applied to the elastomer. The forced vibration is then formulated when the system is under a combination of static and dynamic voltages. The ordinary differential equations of the free and forced vibrations are numerically and analytically solved by the backward differentiation method and multiple time scales method, respectively. Results are presented in time histories, phase portraits, Poincaré maps, fast Fourier transforms, and frequency amplitude curves. Overall, the obtained information displays that the system undergoes quasiperiodic and periodic motions. Moreover, the resonant response of the DE-based AFM is softening-type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture behavior of welding material at elevated temperatures can significantly affect the performance of steel welded connections in fires. Therefore, this paper investigates the fracture behavior and fracture model of welding material in steel welded connections exposed to elevated temperatures up to 700°C. Firstly, using the standard tension test data and numerical analysis method, the true stress–strain model of E7018 welding materials at elevated temperatures was derived for fracture prediction of steel welded connections. The fracture parameters of the welding materials at elevated temperatures in tension and shear were calibrated from the results of the standard tension test and longitudinal fillet-welded connection tension test, respectively. The 2D fracture models of welds at elevated temperatures were developed considering the relationship between stress triaxiality and equivalent plastic strain at fracture. The 3D fracture models of welds at elevated temperatures were then established from the 2D fracture model by considering the effect of Lode angle parameters in tension and shear. The 3D fracture models of welds were validated against the tension tests on the fillet welded connections at elevated temperatures under different load angles including 0°, 45°, and 90°. Finally, the fracture model as the function of temperature, stress triaxiality, Lode angle parameter, and plastic strain at fracture was proposed for E7018 welding material. According to the results, the welding material demonstrates ductile fracture behavior at elevated temperatures. The developed 3D fracture model can reasonably predict the fracture behavior of the welding material in steel welded connections at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-dependent effects in steel-concrete composite beam bridges can intensify track irregularities, subsequently leading to amplified train-bridge coupling vibrations. This phenomenon may increase the stress amplitudes in the bridge steel, thereby impacting the fatigue performance of the composite structures. This paper employs multiple rigid body dynamics to construct a high-speed train model and utilizes the finite element method to develop a steel-concrete composite beam element model that accounts for time-dependent effects, interfacial slip, and shear hysteresis. This approach enables the computational analysis of the train-bridge coupling system, facilitating an investigation into the influence of concrete's time-dependent effects on the fatigue performance of railway steel-concrete composite bridges. Focusing on a 40-m simply supported composite bridge, the train-bridge coupling dynamic responses were computed for each operational year within a decade of the completion of construction. Applying the P-M linear fatigue damage accumulation theory, statistical analysis of stress history data across various operational periods was conducted to quantify the fatigue damage induced by a single eight-car high-speed train on the lower flange of the mid-span steel beam and the beam-end studs. The findings reveal that the beam-end studs sustain greater damage than the mid-span steel beam. Moreover, the detrimental impact of time-dependent effects diminishes with the increase of operational years. Notably, compared to the initial year, the fatigue damage to the lower flange of the mid-span steel beam by an eight-car train in the tenth year has surged by 39.3%. Conversely, the damage to the beam-end studs has decreased by 47.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rail profile milling process allows considerable thickness to be removed in a single pass. However, the residual waviness formation law after milling and its subsequent effect on rail performance remains uncertain. In this paper, the wavelength and wave height of the residual waviness are identified as the key characteristics. The relationship between milling speed and residual waviness is determined, and a numerical model of the residual waviness formed on the surface after milling is established based on the commonly used three milling speeds of 300, 600, and 1000 m/h, and its accuracy is verified using the parameters of the residual waviness detected by the milling experiments. A three-dimensional finite element analysis model of wheel-rail contact was employed to analyze the contact stresses and low fatigue cycles at a wheel load of 11.5 tons with no residual waviness on the rail profile surface and with three types of residual waviness, respectively. The results show that the residual waviness changes the wheel-rail contact position and the morphology of the contact area, reduces the maximum contact stress and increases the strain fatigue cycles. The application of elevated milling speeds reduces the wheel-rail contact stresses after milling, thereby increasing the low fatigue cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider isotropic Mindlin–Toupin strain gradient elasticity theory, in which the equilibrium equations contain two additional length-scale parameters and have the fourth order. For this theory, we developed an extended form of Boussinesq–Galerkin (BG) and Papkovich–Neuber (PN) general solutions. The obtained form of BG solution allows to define the displacement field through a single vector function that obeys the eight-order bi-harmonic/bi-Helmholtz equation. The developed PN form of the solution provides an additive decomposition of the displacement field into the classical and gradient parts that are defined through the standard Papkovich stress functions and modified Helmholtz decomposition, respectively. Relations between different stress functions and the completeness theorem for the derived general solutions are established. As an example, it is shown that a previously known fundamental solution within the strain gradient elasticity can be derived by using the developed PN general solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The revolutionary technology of smartphone-based retinal imaging has been consistently improving over the years. Smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices are designed to be portable, easy to use, and cost-efficient, which enables eye care to be more widely accessible especially in geographically remote areas. This enables early disease detection for those who are in low- and middle- income population or just in general has very limited access to eye care. This study investigates the limitation of smartphone compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Additionally, this study aims to propose a universal adapter design that is usable with an existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition device known as the PanOptic ophthalmoscope. This study also aims to simulate the reliability, validity, and performance overall of the developed prototype. Methods: A literature review has been conducted that identifies the limitation of smartphone compatibility among existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Designing and modeling of proposed adapter were performed using the software AutoCAD 3D. For the proposed performance evaluation, finite element analysis (FEA) in the software Autodesk Inventor and 5-point scale method were demonstrated. Results: Published studies demonstrate that most of the existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices have compatibility limited to specific older smartphone models. This highlights the benefit of a universal adapter in broadening the usability of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. A functional universal adapter design has been developed that demonstrates its compatibility with a variety of smartphones regardless of the smartphone dimension or the position of the smartphone's camera lens. The proposed performance evaluation method generates an efficient stress analysis of the proposed adapter design. The end-user survey results show a positive overall performance of the developed universal adapter. However, a significant difference between the expert's views on the developed adapter and the quality of images is observed. Conclusion: The compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices is still mostly limited to specific smartphone models. Besides this, the concept of a universal and suitable adapter for retinal imaging using the PanOptic ophthalmoscope was presented and validated in this paper. This work provides a platform for future development of smartphone-based ophthalmoscope that is universal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the large deformation of surrounding rock during tunnel construction under high ground stresses, this paper takes a high ground stress soft rock tunnel project in Yunnan Province as the background. According to the uniaxial and triaxial compression and creep experiments of rock, a creep constitutive damage model suitable for this project is built. Then, this creep damage constitutive model is applied in FLAC3D numerical analysis software to analyze the deformation characteristics of each monitoring point of the tunnel and the plastic zone change characteristics of the surrounding rock during tunnel excavation during tunnel excavation, and a support optimization scheme is proposed for the project. The results show that the numerical calculation results are consistent with the actual monitoring data, which confirms the accuracy and rationality of the proposed creep constitutive model. In addition, when the tunnel is under different stress states, the location of the largest displacement deformation of the tunnel varies. Under self-weight stress, the maximum deformation is located at the vault and invert, while under tectonic stress, the maximum deformation is located near the spandrel and haunch. Finally, according to the numerical calculation results under different working conditions, the optimized support schemes for the two working conditions are proposed respectively. Adopting combined group anchor surrounding rock reinforcement technology and constructing the inverted arch pipe pile, so that the shallow surrounding rock and deep surrounding rock together to form a complete system of coordinated deformation, and the use of large stiffness double-layer primary support technology to improve the ability of the primary support to absorb the deformation, which effectively reduces the creep characteristics of the surrounding rock, to control the large deformation of the tunnel. The research results of this paper can provide a reference for the support design of high geostress tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of segmented hydraulic fracturing in the coal seam roof has proven to be an efficient technique for coalbed methane exploitation. However, the behavior of hydraulic fractures in multilayer formations with significant differences in mechanical properties is still unclear. This paper studied the variation in hydraulic fracture width at the coal-rock interface by employing experimental method with a true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experimental system and numerical simulation method. Results revealed that the hydraulic fracture more likely to expanded along the coal-rock interface instead of break through it with the small horizontal stress difference and low flow rate injection condition. And improving the injection flow rate lager than a critical value, the hydraulic fracture tends to break through the coal-rock interface. Hydraulic fractures in both mudstone and coal beds exhibited a trend of increasing and then decreasing of fracture width at the interface. Since the strength of the coal seam was lower compared to that of the mudstone, maintaining high pressure was no longer necessary when the hydraulic fracture crossed the interface and entered the coal seam, leading to a reduction in fracture width within the mudstone. During the later stages of fracturing, the entry of proppant into the coal seam became challenging, resulting in a phenomenon characterized by excessive fluid but insufficient sand. The time required for the fracture width to traverse the proppant was found to be inversely proportional to the difference in horizontal ground stress and the flow rate of the fracturing fluid. And it was directly proportional to the modulus of elasticity, permeability of the coal seam, and interface strength. The interface strength has the greatest influence on the width of hydraulic fractures. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the behavior of hydraulic fractures in multilayer formations with varying mechanical properties. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the factors affecting hydraulic fracture width within coal seams, which can ultimately enhance the efficiency of coalbed methane exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  From the non-Gaussian model that has very recently been developed in the paper [I], new stress-strain equations have been derived. They have been examined in comparison with mechanical data taken from the literature for unswollen and swollen rubbers. It is found that the model can well explain the literature data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interaction between screw dislocations and a partially debonded interface in cylindrically anisotropic composites subjected to uniform stress at infinity is investigated in this paper. Using Muskhelishvili’s complex variable method, the closed forms of complex potentials are obtained for a screw dislocation and a screw dislocation dipole located inside either matrix or inhomogeneity. Explicit expressions of stress intensity factors at the crack tips, image forces and image torques acting on dislocation or the center of dipole are provided. The results show that the crack and dislocation geometry combination plays an important role in the interaction between screw dislocations and interface crack. Furthermore, it is found that the anisotropy of solids may change the shielding and anti-shielding effects arising from screw dislocations and the equilibrium position of screw dislocations. The presented solutions are valid for anisotropic, orthotropic or isotropic composites and can be reduced to some novel or previously known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firstly, the authors have not included in their paper the correlation between the undrained shear strength of the sand-fines mixtures and different void ratios as (intergranular void ratio " I e i SB g sb ", equivalent void ratio " I e i *"). As concluded by Rahman et al. [[9]], the existence a good correlation between the instability stress ratio and the equivalent state parameter of the sand-fines content under study (Fig. The authors have presented very interesting experimental research on the influence of fines content ((kaolin and calcigel bentonite) on the liquefaction susceptibility of Hostun sand, with varying amount of (0-20%). [Extracted from the article]

technique of numerical solution of boundary-value problems is expounded for elastic homogeneous fiber-reinforced bodies of revolution, which is based on equations obtained previously and employs the methods of finite differences and continuation of solutions with respect to loading parameters of the bodies. Results for the torsion of highly elastic toroidal clutches with a semiannular profile are presented. The paper continues the investigation on large deformations of all-rubber and rubber-cord clutches initiated in its first part. The deformations are caused by centrifugal forces in their rotation around the symmetry axis and by the rotary movement in a combination with torsion caused by a relative rotation of their butt-end sections around the axis. The effect of imposition sequence of butt-end torsion and rotary movement on the deformational behavior of the clutches is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of rock pillar is crucial for ensuring the construction safety of twin tunnels with small clearance, especially when transitioning from the traditional left–right tunnel layouts to the up-down configurations due to complex and variable site constraints. However, there are limited researches on the evaluation and comparative study of the stability of these two types of rock pillars in twin tunnels. This paper introduces the yield approach index (YAI) as a measure to assess the stability of rock pillar in twin tunnels with small clearance, and various influencing factors including side pressure coefficient (SPC), stress release rate (SRR), and the thickness of rock pillar (characterised by the ratio of rock pillar thickness to tunnel diameter, RPT/TD) are considered in the analysis. The study compares and analyzes the stability differences of the rock pillar in different situations. It is observed that the two sides of up-down tunnels pose a higher risk while the rock pillar in the left–right configuration being the most vulnerable. The stability of the rock pillar between the up-down tunnels is significantly higher than that of the left–right tunnels under similar conditions. Moreover, the up-down tunnels exhibit greater sensitivity to SPC, whereas the left–right tunnels are more sensitive to SRR. Additionally, the study reveals that increasing the RPT/TD can effectively improve the stability of the rock pillar within a specific range (1/4 to 2/3). The research method and obtained results of this paper can provide some important references for the stability evaluation and design of twin tunnels with small clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent paper Abeyaratne et al. (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 167:104958, 2022) concerning the stability of surface growth of a pre-stressed elastic half-space with surface tension, it was shown that steady growth is never stable, at least not for all wave numbers of the perturbations, when the growing surface is traction-free. On the other hand, steady growth was found to be always stable when growth occurred on a flat frictionless rigid support and the stretch parallel to the growing surface was compressive. The present study is motivated by these somewhat unexpected and contrasting results. In this paper the stability of a pre-compressed neo-Hookean elastic half-space undergoing surface growth under plane strain conditions is studied. The medium outside the growing body resists growth by applying a pressure on the growing surface. At each increment of growth, the incremental change in pressure is assumed to be proportional to the incremental change in normal displacement of the growing surface. It is shown that surface tension stabilizes a homogeneous growth process against small wavelength perturbations while the compliance of the surrounding medium stabilizes it against large wavelength perturbations. Specifically, there is a critical value of stretch, λ cr ∈ (0 , 1) , such that growth is linearly stable against infinitesimal perturbations of arbitrary wavelength provided the stretch parallel to the growing surface exceeds λ cr . This stability threshold, λ cr , is a function of the non-dimensional parameter σ κ / G 2 , which is the ratio between two length-scales σ / G and G / κ , where G is the shear modulus of the elastic body, σ is the surface tension, and κ is the stiffness of the surrounding compliant medium. It is shown that (a) λ cr → 1 as κ → 0 and (b) λ cr → 0 + as κ → ∞ , thus recovering the results in Abeyaratne et al. (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 167:104958, 2022) pertaining to the respective limiting cases where growth occurs (a) on a traction-free surface and (b) on a frictionless rigid support. The results are also generalized to include extensional stretches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-situ stress measurement is an important prerequisite for underground engineering excavation design and surrounding rock stability analysis. However, it is still a difficult problem to complete in-situ stress measurement quickly and accurately, especially in deep vertical borehole with more complex environment. Aiming at the existing problems, a new in-situ stress measurement method is proposed in this study. The principle of in-situ stress calculation based on the borehole diametrical deformation analysis is established, and a borehole diametrical deformation measurement equipment which can realize the directional measurement of multi-directional borehole wall displacement is developed according to this principle. The traditional single action double-tube drilling tool is optimized, and the corresponding in-situ stress measurement process is formulated, forming a rapid in-situ stress measurement method with the cooperation of drilling tools. The measurement method has been applied to the in-situ stress measurement at − 410 m and − 500 m levels in Zhangfushan deposit of Jinshandian Iron Mine, and effective diametrical deformation data of 6 measuring points were obtained. The measurement results show that the optimized single action double-tube drilling tool has the ability of accurate drilling and complete coring, and can assist in the rapid measurement of in-situ stress. The principal stress at the 6 measuring points basically increases with the increase of depth, and the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress is about SN, which is basically consistent with the existing in-situ stress data. The results show that the method proposed in this paper can realize the rapid and accurate measurement of in-situ stress in vertical borehole. Highlights: A principle for calculating in-situ stress based on the analysis of diametrical deformation characteristics of boreholes has been established. A device has been developed that can measure diametrical displacement of borehole in multiple directions. The method was used for in-situ measurement and the accuracy of the measurement results was verified through historical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, dynamic stability of a smart sandwich nanotube is investigated. The core of the nanostructure is made from a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), which is coated with two ZnO piezoelectric layers. The inner piezoelectric layer is taken as a sensor and the outer layer as an actuator. The sandwich nanotube is embedded in an elastic visco-Pasternak medium. The modified couple stress theory is utilized to consider the small-scale effect, and the Kelvin-Voigt model is used to model the carbon nanotube and the ZnO layers. The surface tension is taken into account using the Gurtin–Murdoch theory. The nonlinear governing equations, derived by the Hamilton principle, are solved using differential quadrature method (DQM), to investigate dynamic stability range, and to calculate natural frequencies. The results of this study are compared against existing similar data in the literature, presented for some simpler cases. Then, the effect of various parameters, including the small scale parameter, the ratio of piezoelectric layer thickness to nanotube thickness, surface stresses, the visco-elastic foundation effect, the magnetic field effect, and the electrical polarity are scrutinized on the system dynamic stability range. The results indicate that consideration of the small scale can reduce the transverse displacement and frequency while increasing the thickness of the piezoelectric layer leads to a higher frequency. Moreover, incorporating the surface stresses into the model can increase the stability. Using the modified couple stress theory can be considered the main novelty of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper applies the Structure from Motion photogrammetry technique to measure three-dimensional shrinkage deformations of a cylindrical specimen during drying. A clay–binder mixture was statically compacted, and its shrinkage behaviour was observed for four weeks with a newly established photogrammetric system. The complete surface information including XYZ coordinates and RGB values was then reconstructed and formed into dense point cloud data, with which the volume change and shrinkage deformations are computed. In volume change determination, the reconstructed dense point cloud achieves a fine reproduction of the specimen surface, leading to satisfactory accuracy. The computed volume deviation was within 495.3 mm3 (0.24%) and 4170 mm3 (1.83%) for the dummy cylinder and clay specimen, respectively. Both values are significantly smaller than the volume deviations computed with a classical approach that involves artificially creating markers on the specimen surface. In the computation of shrinkage deformations, the paper proposes a novel method that detects the fast point feature histogram of the point clouds and then matches the detected descriptors, leading to an improvement in three-dimensional deformation determination. The compacted sample shrinks, and the computed axial deformations increase quasi-linearly with height. However, due to the noticeable tilt that occurred during drying, the calculated radial deformations are scattered at the same height and appear misleading. Circumferential deformations and strains are therefore adopted to represent the true material behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slab track is a recent technology used to cope up with the train high axle loads and speed, it has replaced the ballast material in classical ballasted track with either reinforced concrete slab or asphalt layer in order to increase both stability and durability of the railway lines. This paper aims to propose a new slab track design model which can be used to design/analyze any slab track systems under vertical loads using AREMA and EN specifications for high-speed systems (300 kmph). This model has been validated through experimental work held in Heriot-Watt University then applied to the most common slab track systems (BÖGL, Shinkansen, and RHEDA 2000) in the world. The standard section of RHEDA 2000 slab track has shown the best structural performance and efficiency compared with BÖGL and Shinkansen standard sections regarding the rail deflection, stresses of rails, and stress of replacement soil layer and subgrade soil. This paper has concluded the rail deflection is the most critical factor for the slab track design regarding EN specifications while the subgrade stresses is the vital criterion concerning AREMA specifications. Furthermore, EN-Specifications are found to be more conservative than AREMA specifications for the design or analysis of all the slab track types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research investigates the topological optimisation of the metal brackets that connect curtain wall panelling to the floor slabs of a building. As is typically the case with standard building components, the brackets are overdesigned with higher load margins than real applied loads. Optimising them results in reduced mass and a more evenly spread stress distribution. Correspondingly, the question that the project asks is whether the optimised designs have a comparable structural performance to the standard bracketry used in construction, and a lower embodied carbon. To answer this, several optimisations of a standard facade bracket are performed, resulting in a total of six converged design options, with three of them progressed for fabrication. The manufactured designs are then horizontal and vertical load and residual stress tested to assess their performance, and an embodied carbon analysis is performed to calculate the corresponding emissions for raw material extraction, processing, and component fabrication. The results indicate the presence of compressive yield magnitude residual stresses, and that structural performance is comparable to a standard bracket, but embodied carbon is in most cases higher. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings, and possible next steps in the optimisation, structural testing, and embodied carbon analysis workflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twinning is an important deformation mechanism for magnesium alloys, which has a significant impact on the texture evolution and mechanical properties. Pre-twinning deformation has been considered as an effective method for texture regulation. For each twinning mode, there are six crystallographically equivalent variants. Properly identifying the activated twin and understanding its variant selection criteria are essential for the development of high-performance magnesium alloys. As summarized in this paper, the observed twin variant by the commonly employed electron backscatter diffraction technique can be identified by several approaches, including misorientation analysis, trace analysis and matrix method. Schmid factor analysis was commonly performed to explain the selection of twin variants. To broaden the application scope under complex stress state, a generalized Schmid factor was derived by introducing a stress tensor. The efficiency of Schmid criteria to assess twin variant selection was confirmed to be influenced by the type of the applied stress. To consider the local effect on twin activation, in particular twin-twin transfer and slip-induced twinning, displacement gradient tensor calculation and geometrical compatibility factor analysis have been employed. It was demonstrated that local strain accommodation played a critical role in selecting the variants of cross-boundary twins in magnesium alloys. Assisted with crystal plasticity finite element modeling, the resolved shear stress on twinning and a composite Schmid factor combining the global Schmid factor and geometrical compatibility factor were obtained to better explain the activated twin variants in magnesium alloys. All the above-mentioned Schmid law based criteria and some energy based criteria as well are summarized in this paper. Their applications in evaluating twin variant selection in magnesium alloys are critically reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have studied the behaviour of two symmetric mode-III collinear cracks in a functionally graded material (FGM). The fundamental goal of this paper is to provide insight on the interaction of two cracks in FGMs with the strain gradient effect. To assess the influence of gradient elasticity, we have considered two key parameters ℓ and ℓ ′ , which describe the size scale effect caused by the underlying microstructure and are related to volumetric and surface strain energy, respectively. The crack boundary value problem have been solved by the approach involving Fourier transforms and the innovative hyper-singular integro-differential equation method, where the integral equation contains the two terms in integrals for the both cracks. A system of equations has been constructed by employing the Chebyshev polynomial expansion and then by choosing the suitable collocation points the system of equation have been solved. Our investigation involves the determination of stress intensity factors at both crack tips. These factors are vital for understanding the material's fracture behavior and structural integrity. Furthermore, we explore the variations in the displacement profile when the distance between the cracks is reduced to close proximity. This particular scenario is of significant interest as it provides insights into how the interaction between the cracks impacts the overall structural response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During continuous casting, accurate real-time prediction of strand solidification ensures the effective implementation of reduction. Due to the influences of the continuous casting production environment, equipment, and other factors, the calculations from a thermal tracking model deviate; these deviations are difficult to find and correct in real time, affecting the effective implementation of the casting process. In this paper, the online calculation processes are explored for the stress–strain and force–reduction relationships during reduction. Based on the calculation results of the finite element model for the cross-sectional strain distribution during reduction, the influences of certain parameters, such as reduction, dimension, steel, and reduction position, on the strain distribution of the bloom cross section during reduction are analyzed. Reduction amount is the main factor affecting the strain distribution; within a certain range, the element strain is linear with the reduction. Based on this finding, a real-time bloom force prediction model is proposed in this paper. The model combines the strain distribution trend of the finite element model of thermal–mechanical coupling and calculates the strain and strain rate of each element of the cross section according to the actual reduction process. By combining the real-time temperature results of the thermal tracking model with the constitutive characteristics of the steel determined in the experiment, the stress–strain and force–reduction relationships during continuous casting are accurately predicted. According to a comparison with the actual force of the on-site reduction process, the error is generally less than 5 pct; however, the error differs for equipment problems. The calculation results show that the ambient temperature (5 °C and 10 °C) also affects the actual compaction force during the reduction process. The force deviation at different ambient temperatures is about 5 to 10 pct. Through a comparison of bloom temperature and force data, the on-site thermal tracking model can be verified in real time, and the conditions of the reduction equipment can be preliminarily diagnosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessively high pore water pressure presents unpredictable risks to the safety of rock tunnels in mountainous regions that are predominantly composed of limestone. Investigating the creep characteristics and permeability evolution of limestone under varying hydrated conditions is crucial for a better understanding of the delayed deformation mechanisms of limestone rock tunnels. To this end, this paper initially conducts a series of multi-stage triaxial creep tests on limestone samples under varying pore water pressures. The experiment examines how pore water pressure affects limestone's creep strain, strain rate, long-term strength, lifespan, and permeability, all within the context of hydraulic-mechanical (HM) coupling. To better describe the creep behavior associated with pore water pressure, this paper proposes a new nonlinear fractional creep constitutive model. This constitutive model depicts the initial, steady-state, and accelerated phases of limestone's creep behavior. Finally, the proposed model is applied to the numerical realization of deformation in limestone tunnel, validating the effectiveness of the proposed constitutive model in predicting tunnel's creep deformation. This research enhances our understanding of limestone's creep characteristics and permeability evolution under HM coupling, laying a foundation for assessing the long-term stability of mountain tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of rockfill materials are not only influenced by microscopic factors such as particle morphology and gradation, but also closely related to different loading stress paths. It is of great significance to study the microscopic mechanical properties of rockfill materials under different stress paths for revealing the macroscopic mechanical properties as well as the microscopic deformation and failure mechanisms of rockfill materials. In this paper, based on the results of triaxial tests, a series of numerical triaxial simulation tests under different stress paths were carried out using the discrete element particle flow method, and the deformation, strength change rules, and fine structure evolution mechanism under three stress paths were explored. The results demonstrated that there were significant differences in the effects of stress paths on the stress–strain and strain-volume change characteristics of the rockfill materials. Stress paths exhibited little effect on the strength characteristics. The anisotropy of strong contact number and strong contact force was the microscopic source of macroscopic strength. The contact situation between the particles was the main microscopic factor affecting the macroscopic deformation. The intrinsic mechanism of macroscopic deformation properties could be revealed by the average coordination number and porosity. The stress path affected the growth rate of the number of bond failures and the total number of failures. The relationship between macroscopic mechanical properties and microstructural evolution under different stress paths was also discussed. The findings can provide meaningful insights into the deformation control and stability analysis of rockfill engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]