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Purpose The introduction of novel endoscopic instruments is essential to reduce trauma in visceral surgery. However, endoscopic device development is hampered by challenges in respecting the dimensional restrictions, due to the narrow access route, and by achieving adequate force transmission. As the overall goal of our research is the development of a patient adaptable, endoscopic anastomosis manipulator, biomechanical and size-related characterization of gastrointestinal organs are needed to determine technical requirements and thresholds to define functional design and load-compatible dimensioning of devices. Methods We built an experimental setup to measure colon tissue compression piercing forces. We tested 54 parameter sets, including variations of three tissue fixation configurations, three piercing body configurations (four, eight, twelve spikes) and insertion trajectories of constant velocities (5 mms−1, 10 mms−1,15 mms−1) and constant accelerations (5 mms−2, 10 mms−2, 15 mms−2) each in 5 samples. Furthermore, anatomical parameters (lumen diameter, tissue thickness) were recorded. Results There was no statistically significant difference in insertion forces neither between the trajectory groups, nor for variation of tissue fixation configurations. However, we observed a statistically significant increase in insertion forces for increasing number of spikes. The maximum mean peak forces for four, eight and twelve spikes were 6.4 ± 1.5 N, 13.6 ± 1.4 N and 21.7 ± 5.8 N, respectively. The 5th percentile of specimen lumen diameters and pierced tissue thickness were 24.1 mm and 2.8 mm, and the 95th percentiles 40.1 mm and 4.8 mm, respectively. Conclusion The setup enabled reliable biomechanical characterization of colon material, on the base of which design specifications for an endoscopic anastomosis device were derived. The axial implant closure unit must enable axial force transmission of at least 28 N (22 ± 6 N). Implant and applicator diameters must cover a range between 24 and 40 mm, and the implant gap, compressing anastomosed tissue, between 2 and 5 mm.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate mathematically the impossibility of achieving a utopian society. Demonstrate that any attempt to correct deviations from a hypothetical trajectory whose ultimate goal is the utopia, increasingly demands more work, including measures that lead to terror, which may even be absolute, leading to the horrible paradox that in seeking paradise hell is constructed. Design/methodology/approach Scientific tools that the authors have used are: the theory of the system linkage, alysidal algebra, kinematic theory and vector analysis. Findings Myths are the substrate of some complex systems of beliefs and utopia is its ultimate goal. The use of the combination of the theory of trajectories, belonging to the alysidal algebra, the theorem of unintended effects and kinematics theory provides an approximation to deviations suffering utopian ideological currents and their corrections. Originality/value This paper is a continuation of other previous papers developing the theory of complex societies.

Being able to probe electrolyte structures and ion mobility in nanometer confined cavities/pores is central for the fundamental understanding and steering of various processes in biologic and material systems. Here, we review how force probe experiments were utilized for studying interfacial physics at solid/liquid/solid interfaces. We discuss recent technological achievements and show how micro-to-nano and ultimately subnanometer confinement can be achieved and probed using the surface forces apparatus. We discuss ion-mobility and structuring in confined spaces during reactive and nonreactive conditions. This includes ion-layering and confinement induced effects, such as enhanced reactivity, decreased ion-mobility, electric double layer overlapping and more. We limit the discussion to electrochemical and ionic liquid systems, yet we discuss the broader perspective how to develop the technique further, and how recent advances can already find new exciting applications, across sometimes unexpected fields. These range from studying physiologic processes to technologic application in catalysis, microfluidics, or geology.

Considered current issues of automatic monitoring of high-rise buildings. A review of currently implemented monitoring methods is given. An analytical study of the effect of the ratio of the rigidity of the vertical and horizontal structural elements of buildings of various structural systems on the deformation of the vertical axis of the building was performed. The basis of the research is the solution of the differential equation of the elastic vertical axis of the building. By finding the extrema of the deformation function of the vertical axis, critical points of control of its angles of rotation are determined. As a result of the study, it was concluded that it is advisable to minimize the number of control points, with limited control at certain critical points. The position of the control points dividing the vertical axis of the building through ¼ of its length at the corners of the perimeter of the floors has been determined. It is shown that minimization is necessary due to difficulties in processing and analyzing big data (Big Data). As a result of the traditional manual calculation with the accepted design methods, it was found that the box-barrel structural system has the greatest deformations, the frame-link frame with the stiffness core has the smallest deformations, and outriggers do not always allow to radically increase the building stiffness. Studies were conducted on computer models of the same types of buildings, which confirmed this dependence. However, here the maximum rigidity was shown by the cross-wall model. This testifies to the features of modeling buildings in various ways and confirms once again the need to monitor not only high-rise buildings, but all non-standard ones. It is concluded that it is necessary to accumulate data on the deformations of buildings using automatic monitoring methods. It is shown that information on the technical condition of the building is complemented by information on the longitudinal deformations of vertical structures - columns, stiffness cores, measured by tensiometers on concrete, as well as dynamic stiffness, determined by the natural oscillation frequency of accelerometers. The principle of sensor grouping and the need to use integrated, integrated monitoring are shown.

Ion specific effects of ionic liquid (IL) constituents on the surface charge and aggregation properties of two types of particles (positively charged amidine (AL) and polyimidazolium-functionalized sulfate (SL-IP-2) latexes) were investigated in IL solutions containing different anions and the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium cation. For the AL systems, the affinity of IL anions to the particle surface followed the sequence chloride < bromide < nitrate < acetate. The critical coagulation concentration values decreased in the same order indicating that ion specific adsorption determines the surface charge density and the extent of the repulsive interparticle forces. In contrast, no tendencies were observed for the SL-IP-2 particles, i.e., both charge and aggregation features were insensitive to the type of anions. This surprising behavior sheds light on that surface functionalization with the polyimidazolium compound effectively masks interfacial ion specific effects. These results indicate new possible routes to the design of processable particle dispersions in ILs irrespective of their composition.

In this study, a novel approach to create arbitrarily shaped 3D hydrogel objects is presented, wherein freeform two-photon polymerization (2PP) is enabled by the combination of a photosensitive hydrogel and an intrinsic support matrix. This way, topologies without physical contact such as a highly porous 3D network of concatenated rings were realized, which are impossible to manufacture with most current 3D printing technologies. Micro-Raman and nanoindentation measurements show the possibility to control water uptake and hence tailor the Young's modulus of the structures via the light dosage, proving the versatility of the concept regarding many scaffold characteristics that makes it well suited for cell specific cell culture as demonstrated by cultivation of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes.

The quality of friction stir welding joints is intimately related to the correct mixing of the stirred material. The material flow is strongly dependent on the plastic behavior of the welded alloy. For this reason, the friction stir weldability depends on the structure, microstructure, and chemical composition of the base material. In this work, in-plane forces and acoustic emission signals were monitored while welding two heat-treatable aluminum alloys. The force evolutions suggested possible continuous and intermittent material flow during friction stir welding depending on the welding parameters. The differences observed in the in-plane forces were corroborated by acoustic emission, confirming the modification in the material flow phenomenology. Therefore, differences observed in aluminum alloys’ friction stir weldability are due to the plastic behavior at high temperature and medium-high strain rate. The higher the deformability of the aluminum alloys, the wider the weldability window in friction stir welding because of continuous material flow in an extended range of process parameters.

Oral biofilm accumulation in pets is a growing concern. It is desirable to address this problem via non-invasive teeth cleaning techniques, such as through friction between teeth and food during chewing. Therefore, pet food design tools are needed towards optimising cleaning efficacy. Developing such tools is challenging, as several parameters affecting teeth cleaning should be considered: the food’s complex mechanical response, the contacting surfaces topology as well as the wide range of masticatory and anatomical characteristics amongst breeds. We show that Finite Element (FE) models can efficiently account for all these parameters, through the simulation of food deformation and fracture during the first bite. This reduces the need for time consuming and costly in-vivo or in-vitro trials. Our in-silico model is validated through in-vitro tests, demonstrating that the initial oral processing stage can be engineered through computers with high fidelity., Oral care based foods are of great interest for increasing the dental health of animals. Here, the authors report on computer simulations to optimise the texture and geometry of food in order to maximise tooth abrasion and enhance cleaning efficiency.

In this paper, we present a simple control framework for online push recovery on biped robots with dynamic stepping properties. Owing to relatively heavy legs in our humanoid robot COMAN, we use a linear model called 3LP, which is composed of three pendulums to take swing and torso dynamics into account. Based on 3LP equations, we formulate discrete linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controllers and use a particular time-projection method to adjust footstep locations during the motion continuously. This process, which is based on pelvis and swing foot tracking errors, naturally considers swing dynamics and leads to leg-retraction properties. Suggested adjustments are added to the Cartesian 3LP gaits and converted into joint-space trajectories through inverse kinematics. Fixed and adaptive foot lift strategies are also used to ensure enough ground clearance in perturbed walking conditions. The proposed control architecture is robust, yet uses very simple state estimation and basic position tracking. We rely on series elastic actuators to absorb impacts while introducing simple laws to compensate for spring compressions. Extensive experiments on COMAN (real) and Atlas (simulated) robots demonstrate the functionality of different control blocks and prove the effectiveness of time-projection in extreme push recovery scenarios. We also show self-produced and emergent walking gaits when the robot is subject to continuous dragging forces. These gaits feature dynamic walking robustness with minimal reliance on the ankles and avoiding any active zero moment point (ZMP) control. The proposed architecture is therefore generic, computationally very fast and yet with no critical parameter to tune.

The major objective of the present study is to evaluate the performance of a range of turbulent eddy viscosity models in the prediction of macro-parameters (flow coefficient (CQ) and force coefficient (CF)), for certain types of valve, including the conic valve, the disk valves, and the compensated valve. This has been achieved by comparison of numerical predictions with experimental measurements available in the literature. The examined turbulence models include most of the available turbulent eddy viscosity models in STAR-CCM+ 12.04. They are the standard k-e model, realizable k-e model, k-ω-sst model, V2F model, EB k-e model and the Lag EB k-e models. The low-Re turbulence models (k-ω-sst, V2F, EB k-e and Lag EB k-e) perform worse than the high-Re models (standard k-e and realizable k-e). For the conic valve, the performance of different turbulent models varies little; the standard k-e model shows a marginal advantage over the others. The performance of the turbulence models changed greatly, however, for prediction of CQ and CF of the disk and compensated valves. In general, the realizable k-e model is demonstrated to be a robust choice for both valve types. Although the EB k-e may marginally outperform it in the prediction of CF at large disk valve opening. The effects of the unknown entry flow and initialization conditions are also studied. The predictions are more sensitive to the entry flow condition when the valve opening is large. Additionally, the uncertainties caused by unknown entry conditions are comparable to overall modelling errors in some cases. For flow systems with multiple stable flow-states coexisting in the flow domain, the output of the numerical models can also be affected by the initialization conditions. When the streamline curvature and secondary flow is modest like conical valve flow, the nonlinear modification of the standard k-e model and k-ω-sst model, as well as the curvature correction in the realizable k-e model, will not have visible effects on the numerical prediction. Once the strong streamline curvature and secondary flow exit in the domain, such as the disk valve flow, the non-linear modification of the standard k-e model will greatly improve the numerical outputs, however, the non-linear modifications of k-ω-sst model only have minor effects. Moreover, the curvature correction in the realizable k-e model will jeopardise the accuracy of outputs in the same case.

International audience; A current challenge in nanomedicine is to develop innovative strategies to fight infections caused by multiresistant bacterial pathogens. A striking example is antiadhesion therapy, which represents an attractive alternative to antibiotics to prevent and treat biofilm-associated infections on medical devices. By means of single-cell force nanoscopy, we demonstrate that sophorolipid (SL) biosurfactants feature unusually strong antiadhesion properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, two nosocomial pathogens involved in catheter-related infections, which represent a major public health problem worldwide. We find that the nanoscale adhesion forces of single bacteria are much weaker on SL monolayers than on abiotic alkanethiol monolayers. The remarkable antifouling efficacy of SL-surfaces is likely to involve repulsive hydration forces associated with sophorose headgroups. We also show that, owing to their surfactant properties, soluble SLs block bacterial adhesion forces towards abiotic surfaces. Collectively, our single-cell experiments demonstrate that sophorolipids exhibit strong and versatile antiadhesion properties, making them promising candidates to design anti-infective biomaterials.

Public health organisations typically recommend a minimum amount of moderate intensity activities such as walking or cycling for two and a half hours a week, combined with some more demanding physical activity on at least 2 days a week to maintain a healthy musculoskeletal condition. For populations at risk of bone loss in the lumbar spine, these guidelines are particularly relevant. However, an understanding of how these different activities are influential in maintaining vertebral bone health is lacking. A predictive structural finite element modelling approach using a strain-driven algorithm was developed to study mechanical stimulus and bone adaptation in the lumbar spine under various physiological loading conditions. These loading conditions were obtained with a previously developed full-body musculoskeletal model for a range of daily living activities representative of a healthy lifestyle. Activities of interest for the simulations include moderate intensity activities involving limited spine movements in all directions such as, walking, stair ascent and descent, sitting down and standing up, and more demanding activities with large spine movements during reaching and lifting tasks. For a combination of moderate and more demanding activities, the finite element model predicted a trabecular and cortical bone architecture representative of a healthy vertebra. When more demanding activities were removed from the simulations, areas at risk of bone degradation were observed at all lumbar levels in the anterior part of the vertebral body, the transverse processes and the spinous process. Moderate intensity activities alone were found to be insufficient in providing a mechanical stimulus to prevent bone degradation. More demanding physical activities are essential to maintain bone health in the lumbar spine.

The present paper aims to study the behaviour of Metal Active Gas (MAG) tailor welded blanks during the single point incremental forming process (SPIF) from an experimental point of view. The single point incremental forming process was chosen for manufacturing truncated cone and truncated pyramid shaped parts. The same material (S355) and the same thickness (0.9 mm) were selected for the joining of blank sheets because the main goal of the paper was to study the influence of the MAG welding process throughout the SPIF process. A Kuka robot, equipped with a force transducer and an optical measurement system were used for manufacturing and evaluating the parts by SPIF. The selected output data were major and minor strain, thickness reduction, forces and springback at the SPIF process. Another line test was performed to evaluate the formability in SPIF. The main conclusion of the paper is that during the SPIF process, fractures occur in one side welded blanks even at moderate wall angles, while in the case of double side welded blanks there is a decrease of formability but parts can still be produced at moderate angles (55 degrees) without any problems.

Several fields of applications require a reliable characterization of the photothermal response and heat dissipation of nanoscopic systems, which remains a challenging task for both modeling and experimental measurements. Here, we present an implementation of anti-Stokes thermometry that enables the in situ photothermal characterization of individual nanoparticles (NPs) from a single hyperspectral photoluminescence confocal image. The method is label-free, potentially applicable to any NP with detectable anti-Stokes emission, and does not require any prior information about the NP itself or the surrounding media. With it, we first studied the photothermal response of spherical gold NPs of different sizes on glass substrates, immersed in water, and found that heat dissipation is mainly dominated by the water for NPs larger than 50 nm. Then, the role of the substrate was studied by comparing the photothermal response of 80 nm gold NPs on glass with sapphire and graphene, two materials with high thermal conductivity. For a given irradiance level, the NPs reach temperatures 18% lower on sapphire and 24% higher on graphene than on bare glass. The fact that the presence of a highly conductive material such as graphene leads to a poorer thermal dissipation demonstrates that interfacial thermal resistances play a very significant role in nanoscopic systems and emphasize the need for in situ experimental thermometry techniques. The developed method will allow addressing several open questions about the role of temperature in plasmon-assisted applications, especially ones where NPs of arbitrary shapes are present in complex matrixes and environments.

Musculoskeletal simulations are used in many different applications, ranging from the design of wearable robots that interact with humans to the analysis of patients with impaired movement. Here, we introduce OpenSim Moco, a software toolkit for optimizing the motion and control of musculoskeletal models built in the OpenSim modeling and simulation package. OpenSim Moco uses the direct collocation method, which is often faster and can handle more diverse problems than other methods for musculoskeletal simulation. Moco frees researchers from implementing direct collocation themselves—which typically requires extensive technical expertise—and allows them to focus on their scientific questions. The software can handle a wide range of problems that interest biomechanists, including motion tracking, motion prediction, parameter optimization, model fitting, electromyography-driven simulation, and device design. Moco is the first musculoskeletal direct collocation tool to handle kinematic constraints, which enable modeling of kinematic loops (e.g., cycling models) and complex anatomy (e.g., patellar motion). To show the abilities of Moco, we first solved for muscle activity that produced an observed walking motion while minimizing squared muscle excitations and knee joint loading. Next, we predicted how muscle weakness may cause deviations from a normal walking motion. Lastly, we predicted a squat-to-stand motion and optimized the stiffness of an assistive device placed at the knee. We designed Moco to be easy to use, customizable, and extensible, thereby accelerating the use of simulations to understand the movement of humans and other animals., Author summary Computer simulation has become an increasingly popular tool for studying the musculoskeletal system. Simulations are used to study the role of muscles in walking and running, to analyze the gait of individuals with neurological disease, and to design prostheses and exoskeletons. Historically, researchers have relied on experimental data to generate simulations and estimate muscle activity. Modern simulation approaches based on the direct collocation optimal control method allow researchers to not only estimate muscle activity, but also predict new motions without the need for experimental data. However, direct collocation methods are difficult and time-consuming to implement and require expertise in optimal control and optimization theory. Here we introduce OpenSim Moco, an open source software package that makes predicting new motions accessible to those without an optimal control background. Moco leverages the existing modeling tools offered by the OpenSim musculoskeletal modeling package and provides an easy-to-use interface that facilitates generating and sharing simulation pipelines. Moco is modular and easily extensible and includes a testing suite that solves problems with known solutions. We provide examples including predicting muscle activity that minimizes knee loading, predicting how muscle weakness affects normal walking, and optimizing a knee exoskeleton to assist a squat-to-stand motion.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to compare the in vitro, laboratory aging, fracture strength, failure mode and reparability of molars restored with lithium disilicate inlays and overlays in conjunction with or without immediate dentin sealing (IDS). Methods: Forty extracted, sound human molars were selected and divided into four groups: 1) Inlays with IDS; 2) Inlays without IDS; 3) Overlays with IDS; 4) Overlays without IDS. Standard MOD preparations were made (3 mm wide, 5 mm deep) and in groups 2 and 4, all the cusps were reduced by 2 mm. Directly following tooth preparation, IDS was applied in specimens belonging to groups 1 and 3. The indirect restorations were luted with a heated composite. The restored teeth were subsequently challenged during aging (1.2 million cycles) and thermocycling loading (8000 cycles, 5–55 degrees C). Subsequently, the fracture strength was tested by a load to failure test at 45°. A failure analysis was performed using light- and scanning electron microscopy. The results were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and a Fisher exact test. Results: Mean fracture load + SD (N) were: Group 1 (n = 12): 1610 ± 419; Group 2 (n = 12): 1115 ± 487; Group 3 (n = 12): 2011 ± 496; Group 4 (n = 12): 1837 ± 406. Teeth restored with an onlay were stronger than those restored with an inlay restoration (p

The paper presents an algorithm to set the parameters of the dynamics of the classic mechanism the main of internal combustion. It shows the distribution of the forces (on the main mechanism of the engine) on engines with internal combustion. Dynamic, the gears can be distributed in the same way as forces. Practically, in the dynamic regimes, the velocities have the same synchronization as forces. The method shall be applied separately for two distinct situations: when the engine is working on a compressor and in the system of the motor. For the two individual cases, two independent formulae are obtained for the dynamic cinematic forces (gearbox). The calculations shall be made for an engine with a single cylinder. The change of speed in the dynamics feels like a variation of the angular speed of the engine. It is more difficult to be taken into account (theoretically) effect on an engine with several cylinders.

Recently, the urgency of improved machining performance and environmental sustainability has forced the manufacturer to seek for alternative cooling and lubricating agent/technique such as nano-fluid (NF)-assisted minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). In this context, the performances of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and graphite (C) NF-impinged MQL in turning of Ti alloy (grade II) using CBN tool were evaluated regarding the cutting force, cutting temperature and surface roughness. The cutting speed, feed rate, approaching angle and cutting conditions (i.e., NFs) were oriented following the Box–Behnken design-of-experiment. The experimental results showed that the graphite NF, compared to Al2O3 and MoS2, revealed the lowest cutting force, temperature and roughness. Moreover, it is evident from SEM images that graphite NF revealed a smoother machined surface and tool profile. This smooth tool and workpiece surface profile can be accredited to graphite’s role as a nano-lubricant and its breaking ability into smaller NFs under pressure. To make the study complete, the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was employed to predict, the response surface methodology (RSM) was used to mathematically model, and the composite desirability approach (CDA) was used to optimize the responses. A good agreement between the experimental and modeled observations was found; however, the ANFIS outperformed the RSM. Moreover, the analysis of variance exhibited that the cutting force and temperature were primarily influenced by the cutting speed and the surface roughness was afflicted mostly by the feed.

This study proposes two path generation algorithms to diminish the superposition of the convolution effect on the polishing path in computer-controlled optical surfacing. According to the polishing of aluminum-alloy based hyperboloid optical components, different proportions of polishing agents were blended. Then, the surface roughness of the optical components were determined through a validation experiment of the algorithms. Furthermore, the relationship between surface roughness and the polishing agent concentration, and the compensation strategies for surface roughness were analyzed. The results show that the two algorithms effectively compensated for surface waviness. The findings support the strategies for improving the surface quality of optical components with aspherical surfaces. ispartof: MATERIALS vol:13 issue:5 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

[EN] Rubble mound breakwaters usually present a crest wall to increase the crest freeboards without a large increase of the consumption of material. Methods in the literature to design crest walls are based on estimates of the wave loads. These methods are focused on the maximum loading that attacks a single position of the crest wall. In practice, crest walls have a finite length. Since the maximum loading does not occur at the same instant over the entire length of the crest wall for oblique waves, these methods overestimate the loading in the situation of oblique waves. Wave loads under oblique wave attack have been measured in physical model tests. A method to account for the effect of the finite length of crest walls has been developed, and design guidelines have been derived. The results of this study in combination with the existing methods in the literature to estimate the wave forces enable a more advanced design of crest walls., The first author was financially supported by the Ministerio de Educacion, Ciencia y Deporte through the FPU program (Formacion de Profesorado Universitario) under grant FPU16/05081.

Splinting techniques are widely used in medicine to inhibit the movement of arthritic joints. Studies into the effectiveness of splinting as a method of pain reduction have generally yielded positive results, however, no significant difference has been found in clinical outcomes between splinting types. Tactile sensing has shown great promise for the integration into splinting devices and may offer further information into applied forces to find the most effective methods of splinting. Hall effect-based tactile sensors are of particular interest in this application owing to their low-cost, small size, and high robustness. One complexity of the sensors is the relationship between the elastomer geometry and the measurement range. This paper investigates the design parameters of Hall effect tactile sensors for use in hand splinting. Finite element simulations are used to locate the areas in which sensitivity is high in order to optimise the deflection range of the sensor. Further simulations then investigate the mechanical response and force ranges of the elastomer layer under loading which are validated with experimental data. A 4 mm radius, 3 mm-thick sensor is identified as meeting defined sensing requirements for range and sensitivity. A prototype sensor is produced which exhibits a pressure range of 45 kPa normal and 6 kPa shear. A proof of principle prototype demonstrates how this can be integrated to form an instrumented splint with multi-axis sensing capability and has the potential to inform clinical practice for improved splinting.

In native tissues, the interaction between cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) is reciprocal, as cells not only receive signals from the ECM but also actively remodel it through secretion of cell-derived ECM. However, very little is known about the reciprocal interaction between cells and their secreted ECM within synthetic biomaterials that mimic the ECM for use in engineering of tissues for regenerative medicine or as tissue models. Here, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels with fully defined biomaterial properties are used to investigate the emerging role of cell-derived ECM on culture outcomes. It is shown that human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) secrete ECM proteins into the pericellular space early after encapsulation and that, even in the absence of material-presented cell adhesion motifs, cell-derived fibronectin enables cell spreading. Then, it is investigated how different culture conditions influence MSC ECM expression in hydrogels. Most strikingly, it is found by RNA sequencing that the fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) changes ECM gene expression and, in particular, decreases the expression of structural ECM components including fibrillar collagens. In summary, this work shows that cell-derived ECM is a guiding cue in 3D hydrogels and that FGF-2 is a potentially important ECM regulator within bioengineered cell and tissue systems.

In this article, using numerical simulations we investigate the self-assembly of rod-like particles in suspension due to depletion forces which naturally emerge due to the presence of smaller spherical depletant particles. We characterize the type of clusters that are formed and the evolution of aggregation departing from a random initial configuration. We show that eventually the system reaches a thermodynamic equilibrium state in which the aggregates break and reform dynamically. We investigate the equilibrium state of aggregation, which exhibits a strong dependence on depletant concentration. In addition, we provide a simple thermodynamic model inspired on the theory of self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules which allows us to understand qualitatively the equilibrium aggregate size distributions that we obtain in simulation.

The dynamic heat transfer between two half-spaces separated by a vacuum gap due to the coupling of their surface modes is modeled using the theory that describes the dynamic energy transfer between two coupled harmonic oscillators, each separately connected to a heat bath and with the heat baths maintained at different temperatures. The theory is applied for the case when the two surfaces are made up of a polar crystal that supports surface polaritons that can be excited at room temperature and the predicted heat transfer is compared to the steady-state heat transfer value calculated from the standard fluctuational electrodynamics theory. It is observed that for small time intervals the value of heat flux can be significantly higher than that of steady-state value.

The variation of forces, torque, absorbed energy, and temperature distribution during friction stir welding process is investigated. Friction stir welding experiments were performed on an aluminum Al-Si-Mg alloy varying the tool rotation speed and the welding speed. An instrumented milling machine equipped with 3-axis load cell was adopted to measure the forces during the process. Temperature measurements were performed by means of an IR camera. A significant increase in temperature was observed during the process due to a “process preheating effect.” This resulted in the variation of the main forces. Phenomenological models were developed to describe these trends. The results indicated that processing conditions involving higher energy produced higher variation of temperature during the process, up to 2.3 °C mm−1.

A material database for JETHETE-M152 was developed applying a novel methodology for improving the precision of cutting forces. This approach defines a variable specific edge force depending on the feed rate and cutting edge geometry. Applying this methodology, accurate predictions could be obtained when using complex shape inserts with different micro-geometries or with feed rates lower than the cutting edge radius. These predictions showed an improvement compared to those of the strategy of keeping constant the specific edge coefficient. Furthermore, an orthogonal to oblique transformation technique was applied to predict the cutting forces in face and side milling. The results showed good agreement with experimental results.

The employment of a rotating tool when joining thin aluminum sheets with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates by means of clinching is investigated. This new process, named friction-assisted clinching, was aimed at increasing the aluminum formability and at the same time reducing the joining forces. An instrumented servo-drilled machine was employed to measure the plunging force and torque during the joining process. The influence of the main process parameters (hole diameter in the CFRP sheet, die anvil depth, tool fillet radius and residual sheet thickness) on quality of the joints and strength was determined. Morphological analysis and mechanical characterization based on single lap shear tests were performed to evaluate the difference among the joints. According to the achieved results, the employment of friction clinching allowed increasing dramatically the material formability and enabled the production of joints without fractures even with sharp pin tools. The advantages of this advanced joining process can be potentially applied to conventional clinching of materials with poor ductility either friction clinching allows increasing the undercut dimension by using sharper tools, which produces higher material flow and leads to an increase in the joint strength.

Hypothesis on electrostatic attraction mechanisms involving the hairy adhesion of climbing animals has been a matter of controversy for several years. The detection of tribocharge and forces at attachment organs of animals is a practical method of clarifying the dispute with respect to electrostatic attraction in the attachment of animals. Nonetheless, the tribo-electrification is rarely examined in the contact-adhesion of animals (especially in their free and autonomous attachment) due to the lack of available devices. Therefore, the present study involves establishing a method and an apparatus that enables synchronous detection of tribocharge and contact forces to study tribo-electrification in the free locomotion of geckos. A type of a combined sensor unit that consists of a three-dimensional force transducer and a capacitor-based charge probe is used to measure contact forces and tribocharge with a magnitude corresponding to several nano-Coulombs at a footpad of geckos when they climb vertically upward on an acrylic oligomer substrate. The experimental results indicate that tribocharge at the footpads of geckos is related to contact forces and contact areas. The measured charge allows the expectation of an exact attraction with magnitude corresponding to dozens of newtons per square meter and provides a probability of examining tribo-electrification in animal attachment from a macro level.

It is well acknowledged that the opposing thumbgranted humans advanced manipulation capabilities. However,such feature is not statistically quantified and its representationis not formally addressed in robotics yet. This paper studieswhether the displacement of the opposing thumb in humansis a determining factor for shaping the grip. Using statisticalanalysis of the variability of motion capture data from theGRASP database, we found that the displacement of the thumbplays a leading role on the shaping of the grip, independentlyfrom the specific object being grasped. Furthermore, we map andcompare the reachability spaces of the human thumb and twostate-of-the-art robotic thumbs - the Shadow and the iCub hands.We conclude that the kinematics of robotic thumbs does notevenly span the reachability space of the human thumb, favouringprecision grasping motions. Hence our findings contributes to thediscussion of the optimal modelling of robotic hands.

The sparsity of examination of seismic passive earth pressure acting on retaining wall holding soil backfill with full submergence, which is more common in waterfront areas, can be noticed from the literature. In the current study, a closed-form solution to compute the seismic passive earth pressure on nonvertical rigid retaining wall retaining a backfill with full submergence is proposed using the modified pseudo-dynamic approach. A nonlinear rupture surface (logarithmic spiral+straight line) in a submerged backfill of viscoelastic nature has been assumed. The presented modified pseudo-dynamic method overcomes the limitations of the existing pseudo-dynamic method for submerged soils. The proposed methodology has been thoroughly validated with the available literature. The influences of seismic acceleration coefficients, excess pore water pressure ratio, wall inclination, and soil and wall friction angles have been studied. It has been noticed that the consideration of excess pore pressure ratio leads to significant decrease in seismic passive resistance of the soil which in turn lead to extra hydraulic pressure acting on the wall in submerged backfill. There is a 57% decrease in seismic passive earth pressure coefficient as the wall inclination changes from -15 degrees to 15 degrees.

Objectives: Load reduction is an important consideration in conservative management of tendon overuse injuries such as Achilles tendinopathy. Previous research has shown that the use of rocker shoes can reduce the positive ankle power and plantar flexion moment which might help in unloading the Achilles tendon. Despite this promising implication of rocker shoes, the effects on hip and knee biomechanics remain unclear. Moreover, the effect of wearing rocker shoes on different running strike types is unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate biomechanics of the ankle, knee and hip joints and the role of strike type on these outcomes.Design: Randomized cross-over study.Methods: In this study, 16 female endurance runners underwent three-dimensional gait analysis wearing rocker shoes and standard shoes. We examined work, moments, and angles of the ankle, knee and hip during the stance phase of running.Results: In comparison with standard shoes, running with rocker shoes significantly (p Conclusions: These findings indicate that although running with rocker shoes might lower mechanical load on the Achilles tendon, it could increase the risk of overuse injuries of the knee joint. (C) 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Finite element modeling (FEM) can predict hip cartilage contact mechanics. This study investigated how subject-specific boundary conditions and joint geometry affect acetabular cartilage contact mechanics using a multi-scale workflow. For two healthy subjects, musculoskeletal models calculated subject-specific hip kinematics and loading, which were used as boundary conditions for FEM. Cartilage contact mechanics were predicted using either generic or subject-specific FEM and boundary conditions. A subject-specific mesh resulted in a more lateral contact. Effects of subject-specific boundary conditions varied between both subjects. Results highlight the complex interplay between loading and kinematics and their effect on cartilage contact mechanics. ispartof: COMPUTER METHODS IN BIOMECHANICS AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING vol:22 issue:16 pages:1323-1333 ispartof: location:England status: published

Introduction Knowledge of internal finger loading during human and non-human primate activities such as tool use or knuckle-walking has become increasingly important to reconstruct the behaviour of fossil hominins based on bone morphology. Musculoskeletal models have proven useful for predicting these internal loads during human activities, but load predictions for non-human primate activities are missing due to a lack of suitable finger models. The main goal of this study was to implement both a human and a representative non-human primate finger model to facilitate comparative studies on metacarpal bone loading. To ensure that the model predictions are sufficiently accurate, the specific goals were: (1) to identify species-specific model parameters based on in vitro measured fingertip forces resulting from single tendon loading and (2) to evaluate the model accuracy of predicted fingertip forces and net metacarpal bone loading in a different loading scenario. Materials & Methods Three human and one bonobo (Pan paniscus) fingers were tested in vitro using a previously developed experimental setup. The cadaveric fingers were positioned in four static postures and load was applied by attaching weights to the tendons of the finger muscles. For parameter identification, fingertip forces were measured by loading each tendon individually in each posture. For the evaluation of model accuracy, the extrinsic flexor muscles were loaded simultaneously and both the fingertip force and net metacarpal bone force were measured. The finger models were implemented using custom Python scripts. Initial parameters were taken from literature for the human model and own dissection data for the bonobo model. Optimized model parameters were identified by minimizing the error between predicted and experimentally measured fingertip forces. Fingertip forces and net metacarpal bone loading in the combined loading scenario were predicted using the optimized models and the remaining error with respect to the experimental data was evaluated. Results The parameter identification procedure led to minor model adjustments but considerably reduced the error in the predicted fingertip forces (root mean square error reduced from 0.53/0.69 N to 0.11/0.20 N for the human/bonobo model). Both models remained physiologically plausible after the parameter identification. In the combined loading scenario, fingertip and net metacarpal forces were predicted with average directional errors below 6° and magnitude errors below 12%. Conclusions This study presents the first attempt to implement both a human and non-human primate finger model for comparative palaeoanthropological studies. The good agreement between predicted and experimental forces involving the action of extrinsic flexors—which are most relevant for forceful grasping—shows that the models are likely sufficiently accurate for comparisons of internal loads occurring during human and non-human primate manual activities.

The formation of a bridging gas meniscus via cavitation or nanobubbles is considered the most likely origin of the submicrometer long-range attractive forces measured between hydrophobic surfaces in aqueous solution. However, the dynamics of the formation and evolution of the gas meniscus is still under debate, in particular, in the presence of a thin air layer on a superhydrophobic surface. On superhydrophobic surfaces the range can even exceed 10 μm. Here, we report microscopic images of the formation and growth of a gas meniscus during force measurements between a superhydrophobic surface and a hydrophobic microsphere immersed in water. This is achieved by combining laser scanning confocal microscopy and colloidal probe atomic force microscopy. The configuration allows determination of the volume and shape of the meniscus, together with direct calculation of the Young-Laplace capillary pressure. The long-range attractive interactions acting on separation are due to meniscus formation and volume growth as air is transported from the surface layer.

The objective of the article was to present the state of the problem of physical modelling of the hot-working processes with plasticine as the model material. It was stated that the aforementioned method can prove helpful in analyzing complex plastic forming processes such as cross rolling and helical rolling of balls. In order to confirm this hypothesis, an attempt at forming steel balls with diameters of 40 mm (cross rolling) and 57 mm (helical rolling) under laboratory conditions was made. Further on, these processes were conducted in model form using special model rolling mills and 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) tools. The comparison of the test results regarding shape and manufacturing accuracy, as well as force parameters, confirmed the validity of using physical modelling in the investigation of the process of cross rolling and helical rolling of balls.

The tunnel-boring machine ( TBM) is a common piece of equipment used in tunneling projects. For planning a mechanical excavation project, prediction of TBM performance and the specification of design elements such as required forces are critical. The specific energy of excavation (SE), i.e. drilling energy consumption per unit volume of rock mass, is a crucial parameter for performance prediction of a TBM. In this study, the effect of variation of tunnel depth on SE by considering the post-failure behavior of rock mass was investigated. Several new relations between SE and tunnel depth are proposed according to the statistical analysis obtained from Karaj–Tehran Water Conveyance Tunnel real data. The results showed that there is a direct relation between both parameters and .A polynomial equations are proposed as the best expression of the correlation between these parameters.

This paper presents a coupled Finite Element Model in order to study the vibrations in induction motors under steady-state. The model utilizes a weak coupling strategy between both magnetic and elastodynamic fields on the structure. Firstly, the problem solves the magnetic vector potential in an axial cut and secondly the former solution is coupled to a three dimensional model of the stator. The coupling is performed using projection based algorithms between the computed magnetic solution and the three-dimensional mesh. The three-dimensional model of the stator includes both end-windings and end-shields in order to give a realistic picture of the motor. The present model is validated using two steps. Firstly, a modal analysis hammer test is used to validate the material characteristic of this complex structure and secondly an array of accelerometer sensors is used in order to study the rotating waves using multi-dimensional spectral techniques. The analysis of the radial vibrations presented in this paper firstly concludes that slot harmonic components are visible when the motor is loaded. Secondly, the multidimensional spectrum presents the most relevant mechanical waves on the stator such as the ones produced by the space harmonics or the saturation of the iron core. The direct retrieval of the wave-number in a multi-dimensional spectrum is able to show the internal current distribution in a non-intrusive way. Experimental results for healthy induction motors are showing mechanical imbalances in a multi-dimensional spectrum in a more straightforward form.

Radial and tangential grinding forces were presented as four components connected with workpiece material microcutting and plastic deformation, and friction of cutting and abrasive grains (AGs) with the workpiece. The depth of abrasive grain penetration in the workpiece and the cutting width are determined with regard to ultrasonic vibrations (USV) amplitude and frequency. Summing up of the forces from single grains was conducted by using a multiple integral, provided that one of the integration limits is a function describing change of the depth of the AGs penetration in the workpiece material which depends on the USV parameters. Dependencies were obtained for calculation of all grinding force components at different vibration amplitudes and frequencies when various number of USV waves fits the contact arc of the grain and the workpiece. Experimental values of grinding forces turned out to be 10 – 15% lower than those when USV waves are not applied.

Flow forming is gradually employed in production of high precision seamless components in the field of aerospace and defense. Rocket & missile casing, rocket motor case, cartridge case, rocket nose cones are few examples of flow forming process. The nature of process is non linear with complex deformation behavior. There are mainly two strategies used during the process viz. forward and backward/reverse. In forward method, the direction of roller feed and material deformation is same and in reverse method, the direction of roller feed and material deformation is opposite. Usually there are three force components encountered during the process i.e. axial, radial and circumferential. The understanding and knowledge of forces are crucial for tooling design for various geometrical and material conditions. The online force measurement during the process is quite difficult in commercial machines. Therefore, a simulation model is developed to estimate forces during the process. Taguchi L9 design has been used to develop the model because it is a well established design of experiment method to solve complex and time consuming problems. Three levels of three operating variables (rotational speed, axial feed and depth of forming) along with friction factor have been used during the study. The material utilized as Aluminum Alloy 6063 due to its light weight, excellent corrosion resistance, recyclable, cost effectiveness, ease of availability, durability etc. It has been observed that axial force is found to be highest followed by the radial and circumferential force. Also it has been discerned that axial feed and friction factor are the most prominent factors affecting axial and circumferential forces during the process. Further, radial force is influenced by friction factor only. The effect on von mises stress and equivalent plastic strain also studied and reported.

Objective: Musculoskeletal modeling has been used to predict the effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on the mechanics of the musculoskeletal system. However, validation of the resulting muscle activations due to FES is challenging as conventional electromyography (EMG) recording of signals from the stimulated muscle is affected by stimulation artefacts. A validation approach using a combination of musculoskeletal modeling and EMG was proposed, whereby the effect on nonstimulated muscles is assessed using both techniques. The aim is to quantify the effect of FES on biceps femoris long head (BFLH) and validate this directly against EMG of gluteus maximus (GMAX). The hypotheses are that GMAX activation correlates with BFLH activation; and the muscle activation during FES gait can be predicted using musculoskeletal modeling. Methods: Kinematics, kinetics, and EMG of healthy subjects were measured under four walking conditions (normal walking followed by FES walking with three levels of BFLH stimulation). Measured kinematics and kinetics served as inputs to the musculoskeletal model. Results: Strong positive correlations were found between GMAX activation and BFLH activation in early stance peak (R = 0.78, p = 0.002) and impulse (R = 0.63, p = 0.021). The modeled peak and impulse of GMAX activation increased with EMG peak (p

Author(s): Das, J; Bales, GL; Kong, Z; Linke, B | Abstract: Due to its high versatility and scalability, manual grinding is an important and widely used technology in production for rework, repair, deburring, and finishing of large or unique parts. To make the process more interactive and reliable, manual grinding needs to incorporate "skill-based design," which models a person-based system and can go significantly beyond the considerations of traditional human factors and ergonomics to encompass both processing parameters (e.g., feed rate, tool path, applied forces, material removal rate (MRR)), and machined surface quality (e.g., surface roughness). This study quantitatively analyzes the characteristics of complex techniques involved in manual operations. A series of experiments have been conducted using subjects of different levels of skill, while analyzing their visual gaze, cutting force, tool path, and workpiece quality. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate regression analysis were performed and showed that the unique behavior of the operator affects the process performance measures of specific energy consumption and MRR. In the future, these findings can be used to predict product quality and instruct new practitioners.

The transmission of bacteria in biofilms from donor to receiver surfaces precedes the formation of biofilms in many applications. Biofilm transmission is different from bacterial adhesion, because it involves biofilm compression in between two surfaces, followed by a separation force leading to the detachment of the biofilm from the donor surface and subsequent adhesion to the receiver surface. Therewith, the transmission depends on a balance between donor and receiver surface properties and the cohesiveness of the biofilm itself. Here, we compare bacterial transmission from biofilms of an extracellular-polymeric-substance (EPS)-producing and a non-EPS-producing staphylococcal strain and a dual-species oral biofilm from smooth silicon (Si) donor surfaces to smooth and nanopillared Si receiver surfaces. Biofilms were fully covering the donor surface before transmission. However, after transmission, the biofilms only partly covered the donor and receiver surfaces regardless of nanopillaring, indicating bacterial transmission through adhesive failure at the interface between biofilms and donor surfaces as well as through cohesive failure in the biofilms. The numbers of bacteria per unit volume in EPS-producing staphylococcal biofilms before transmission were 2-fold smaller than in biofilms of the non-EPS-producing strain and of dual species. This difference increased after transmission in the biofilm left behind on the donor surfaces due to an increased bacterial density for the non-EPS-producing strain and a dual-species biofilm. This suggests that biofilms of the non-EPS-producing strain and dual species remained compressed after transmission, while biofilms of the EPS-producing strain were induced to produce more EPS during transmission and relaxed toward their initial state after transmission due to the viscoelasticity conferred to the biofilm by its EPS.IMPORTANCE Bacterial transmission from biofilm-covered surfaces to surfaces is mechanistically different from bacterial adhesion to surfaces and involves detachment from the donor and adhesion to the receiver surfaces under pressure. Bacterial transmission occurs, for instance, in food processing or packaging, in household situations, or between surfaces in hospitals. Patients admitted to a hospital room previously occupied by a patient with antibiotic-resistant pathogens are at elevated infection risk by the same pathogens through transmission. Nanopillared receiver surfaces did not collect less biofilm from a smooth donor than a smooth receiver, likely because the pressure applied during transmission negated the smaller contact area between bacteria and nanopillared surfaces, generally held responsible for reduced adhesion. Biofilm left behind on smooth donor surfaces of a non-extracellular-polymericsubstance (EPS)-producing strain and dual species had undergone different structural changes than an EPS-producing strain, which is important for their possible further treatment by antimicrobials or disinfectants.

How changes in anatomy affect joint biomechanics can be studied using musculoskeletal modelling, making it a valuable tool to explore joint function in healthy and pathological joints. However, gathering the anatomical, geometrical and physiological data necessary to create a model can be challenging. Very few integrated datasets exist and even less raw data is openly available to create new models. Therefore, the goal of the present study is to create an integrated digital forearm and make the raw data available via an open-access database. An un-embalmed cadaveric arm was digitized using 7T MRI and CT scans. 3D geometrical models of bones, cartilage, muscle and muscle pathways were created. After MRI and CT scanning, physiological muscle parameters (e.g. muscle volume, mass, length, pennation angle, physiological cross-sectional area, tendon length) were obtained via detailed dissection. After dissection, muscle biopsies were fixated and confocal microscopy was used to visualize and measure sarcomere lengths. This study provides an integrated anatomical dataset on which complete and accurate musculoskeletal models of the hand can be based. By creating a 3D digital human forearm, including all relevant anatomical parameters, a more realistic musculoskeletal model can be created. Furthermore, open access to the anatomical dataset makes it possible for other researchers to use these data in the development of a musculoskeletal model of the hand. ispartof: Journal of Anatomy vol:233 issue:5 pages:557-566 ispartof: location:England status: published

The broad topic of the present work is Statics and Kinematics of masonry structures, made of monolithic blocks, modelled a la Heyman, that is rigid bodies loaded by external forces, submitted to unilateral constraints, and undergoing small displacements, under the simplifying assumption that sliding on rough interfaces is prevented. Specifically, in this work, we study the effect, in terms of internal forces, of specified loads, by using given settlements/eigenstrains to trigger special regimes of the internal forces. Although our scope here is the analysis of masonry structures composed by monolithic pieces, and whose blocks are not likely to break at their inside, the method we propose can also be applied to generic masonry structures, such as those made of bricks or small stones. Heyman’s assumptions translate, for unilateral continua, into a normality assumption which allows to employ the two theorems of Limit Analysis. These continuous structures may actually fracture everywhere at their inside, forming rigid blocks in relative displacement among each other. Such piecewise rigid-body displacements in masonry are physiological, and rather than the result of over-loading, are most likely the direct product of small changes of the displacement type boundary conditions. However, when in a part of the structure a specific piecewise rigid-body displacement nucleates, that part of the structure exhibits a one degree of freedom mechanism, and becomes statically determined. Therefore, the internal forces can be computed, despite the original uncracked structure being abundantly overdetermined, and then admitting infinite many statically admissible stress regimes. With these assumptions, in the present paper we study the equilibrium and the effect of settlements in a masonry structure made of monolithic blocks. In particular, the triple helical stair of the convent of San Domingos de Bonaval, located in the Bonaval district of Santiago de Compostela, is considered as case study.

The aim of this article is to study the influence of a Ti6Al4V microstructure on cutting forces during the micromilling process. Samples were annealed above the β-transus at three different temperatures—1020, 1050, 1080°C—and then cooled in a furnace, air, and water, in order to produce different Widmastatten microstructures. Micromilling tests were carried out on heat-treated samples, and the cutting forces were measured by means of a load cell. The results were correlated to the sample microstructures, which were thoroughly investigated by means of an optical microscope, X-ray diffraction, and microhardness measurements.The highest cutting forces were observed for soft and ductile furnace-cooled samples, suggesting that the most important factor affecting workability is the material ductility, while hardness is a less relevant parameter.

The dynamic characteristics and energy loss in a shifting control system is important and necessary in the performance improvement of an automatic transmission. The direct operating solenoid valve has been considered as a potential component applying in the shifting control system in vehicle. The previous method can solve only a specific physical field or use the test results of the magnetic force as input curve. The paper presents a numerical approach for solving the multi-domain physical problem of the valve. A precise model of the direct acting solenoid valve considering different physical field is developed. An experimental study is also performed to evaluate and confirm the simulation. Based on the model, the influences on the dynamic characteristics of the valve are analyzed by calculating forces acting on the valve. The systematic analysis of forces and energy loss characteristics are performed for three different flow conditions varying clearance height from 10 µm to 30 µm. The results demonstrate that the pressure response time can be improved with smaller clearance between the spool and the sleeve. Moreover, the leakage of the shifting control system employing the direct acting solenoid valve can be reduced by 60% compared to the conventional two-stage pilot valve in our previous product.

The current conceptual picture of steady-state multiphase Darcy flow in porous media is that the fluid phases organize into separate flow pathways with stable interfaces. Here we demonstrate a previously unobserved type of steady-state flow behavior, which we term “dynamic connectivity,” using fast pore-scale X-ray imaging. We image the flow of N2 and brine through a permeable sandstone at subsurface reservoir conditions, and low capillary numbers, and at constant fluid saturation. At any instant, the network of pores filled with the nonwetting phase is not necessarily connected. Flow occurs along pathways that periodically reconnect, like cars controlled by traffic lights. This behavior is consistent with an energy balance, where some of the energy of the injected fluids is sporadically converted to create new interfaces.

The influence of surface roughness and contact adhesion on the rolling behaviour of dry particles has been investigated. Rough particle surfaces are approximated using an array of spheres, the properties of which are informed by random processes. An analytical model has been derived by considering the torques that a particle experiences. Two mechanisms of rolling resistance are explored – a stationary particle experiencing a tangential force, and a dynamically rolling particle. The analytical model is found to agree well with simulations of the equivalent system using the discrete element model. Adhesive forces are found to increase rolling resistance in all cases. The complex consequences of varying the height variance and length scale of the surface roughness are reproduced accurately by the analytical model.

The mixing of fuel particles is a key issue on the performance of fluidized bed reactors. In this work, the motion of a non-reactive fuel particle in a pseudo-2D bubbling fluidized bed operated at ambient conditions is simulated employing a hybrid-model and introducing a new friction term that accounts for the effect of the bed vessel front and rear walls. The hybrid-model, implemented in the code MFIX, simulates the dense and gas phases using a Two-Fluid Model (TFM) whereas the fuel particles are modeled using a Discrete Element Method (DEM). The importance of the present hybrid-model is that the interaction of the continuum phases with the fuel particles behavior is fully coupled. To improve the accuracy of the simulated fuel particle motion in a bubbling fluidized bed, a model accounting for the effect of the bed front and rear walls on the continuum solid phase is combined with the hybrid-model. The rising and sinking velocity of the fuel particles, the circulation time and statistical parameters associated to the location of the fuel particle in the bed were obtained from the simulations and compared with experimental measurements. According to the results, the prediction of these parameters is clearly improved when the friction term is included in the simulation. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by Fundación Iberdrola under the “Programa de Ayudas a la Investigación en Energía y Medioambiente”.

By using the modified pseudo-dynamic method for submerged soils this paper explores the seismic stability of seawall for the active condition of earth pressure. Different forces such as seismic active earth pressure, seismic inertia forces of the wall, non-breaking wave pressure, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures are considered in the stability analysis. Limit equilibrium has been used, and expressions for the factor of safety against sliding and overturning mode of failure have been proposed. The proposed methodology overcomes the limitations of existing pseudo-dynamic method for submerged soils. A detailed parametric study has been conducted by varying different parameters and results are presented in the form of design charts for computation of factor of safety against sliding and overturning mode of failures. It was noticed that the influences of soil friction angle, seismic acceleration coefficient, wall inclination and excess pore pressure are significant when compared to the other parameters. The value of factor of safety against the sliding mode of failure is increasing by about 62% when the value of soil frictional angle is increased from 30 to 40. It was also found that the factor of safety against overturning mode of failure is decreasing by about 22% as the value of excess pore pressure ratio increases from 0 to 0.75. The proposed method with closed-form solutions can be used for the seismic design of seawalls. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.