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This report documents the fabrication and thermal test of a full-scale prototype of the revised TRUPACT-I design. The fire test demonstrated that the response of the Test Article to a jet-fueled pool fire, subsequent to the impact and puncture tests, meets the impact, puncture, and thermal performance requirements of the regulations governing transport of radioactive materials. The Test Article was a replica of the front half (closure end) of the revised TRUPACT-I design. To simulate the cumulative effect of the regulatory hypothetical accident sequence, the Test Article included the structural damage found in TRUPACT-I, Unit 0 after regulatory drop and puncture testing. The Test Article was totally engulfed in a pool fire fueled by JP-4 jet fuel for 46 minutes. The maximum temperature reached at the inner door seals was 149/degree/C (300/degree/F) and the maximum temperature at the inner door filters was 171/degree/C (340/degree/F). Both temperatures are within the normal working range for these components. Post-test leak rate measurements of 0.0041 atm-cm/sup 3//s (ANSI standard air) between the innermost pair of door seals and 0.0046 atm-cm/sup 3//s (ANSI standard air) between the outermost pair of door seals verified that the performance of the silicone seals met the design requirements. Sincemore » no detectable leakage was measured to a sensitivity of 1.0E-7 atm-cm/sup 3//s for the filter installation seal or quick-connect valve seal post-test, the total leak rate for the containment system was less than the maximum allowable 0.01 atm-cm/sup 3//s (ANSI standard air). 10 refs., 52 figs., 5 tabs.« less

A short review on the analysis and the design of prestressed flat slabs is given. Some new aspects concerning flexural behavior, punching, reinforcement arrangement and detailing are presented. Different possible tendon layouts are compared. A new model for slabs with unbonded tendons and additional reinforcement is described.

Findings are reported of punching tests conducted on the deck slabs of model composite steel-concrete bridges. These tests formed part of an investigation to determine more economical use of reinforcement in such systems. The study has indicated that orthotropic decks reinforced in accordance with existing AASHTO specifications have extremely high safety factors against failure in punching. It is suggested that adequate safety factors can be achieved by using isotropic reinforcement equal to the amount necessary to limit shrinkage and temperature cracking. This gives a reduction of over 60 percent in the reinforcement for a conventional 7 in. (17.8 cm) deck slab.

THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND PRINCIPLES THAT MAKE UP THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RADIAL PLY TIRE ARE EXAMINED. HARSHNESS, TREAD WEAR, SKID AND TRACTION ARE DISCUSSED AS ARE STABILITY, PUNCTURE RESISTANCE, STANDING HEIGHT, AND POWER CONSUMPTION. ALSO DISCUSSED IS THE NECESSITY FOR VIEWING TIRE PERFORMANCE ONLY IN RESPECT TO A PARTICULAR VEHICLE. /RRL/FESA/A/

A study was made to evaluate the performance of wax/resin impregnated fiberboards and containers for applicability for use in shipment overseas under all environmental conditions, and as a substitute for conventional weather resistant materials which may become critical and are in short supply during periods of emergency. Sixteen different tests were performed conforming to ASTM Standards or to the requirements of Federal Specifications, utilizing up to 5 different environmental conditions: standard, arctic, hot desert, rain and tropical. It was found that wax impregnation contributes significantly to increased compression strength through increased resistance to water absorption, and containers of wax impregnated board were superior to other grades of fiberboard in compression resistance. Differences in rough handling were negligible. This was related to the findings that wax impregnation had little effect on dry puncture resistance and on the Mullen bursting strength. Test results indicate that 275 pound test is the minimum grade which should be considered for the wax impregnation process for Military use in overseas shipment.

Reference EPFL-ARTICLE-102755View record in Web of Science Record created on 2007-04-23, modified on 2016-08-08

International audience; The purpose of this study is to evaluate the durability of an EPDM geomembrane installed 18 years ago in the water reservoir of El Boquerón (Canary Islands, Spain). To do so, samples were regularly taken from different places of the water reservoir. Samples were laboratory tested as follows: foldability at low temperature, static and dynamic puncture resistance, Shore-A hardness, tensile strength and elongation at break, seam strength and microscopic techniques. The obtained results confirm the EPDM geomembrane is still in good condition.

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While there exist many types of mechanical tests for use on geosynthetics, most seem to be more suitable for one type of system or another. This paper focuses on a test which may have widespread applicability to assess the strength of all types of geosynthetics. It is the forcing of a 50-mm (2.0-in.) diameter plunger through a horizontally fixed geosynthetic of 150-mm (6.0-in.) diameter. Such dimensions are common to the California bearing ratio (CBR) test apparatus used in assessing soil strength for road subgrades. In actuality, the test is not a puncture test, but is an axisymmetric strength test and should be considered as such. The unsupported geosynthetic is indeed in a state of tension. The stress conditions are well defined, which allow for stress and strain to be calculated and compared to the actual value as obtained in a plane strain (wide width) tension test. This approach has been followed in this study wherein a wide range of geosynthetics (geotextiles, geomembranes, geonets, and geocomposites) have been tested for CBR (puncture) strength and then calculations performed to determine stress and strain. These calculated values were then compared to those obtained in wide width tests. Results are interesting in that the average values of percent variation between wide width tensile strength and CBR calculated tensile strength for those geosynthetics tested are as follows: (1) geotextiles ±12%, (2) geomembranes ±33%, (3) geonets ±17%, and (4) geocomposites ±10%. It is felt that this type of test (which is basically an index test) is helpful in a number of situations, not the least of which is in assessing strength changes before and after exposure of various geosynthetic materials to chemical or biological incubation.