Search

This study investigates the structural characteristics of SFRC with different amounts of steel fibers following exposure to freeze–thaw cycles, while taking into account various levels of confinement pressure and rates of deformation. The focus of the research is to examine the dynamic mechanical properties of SFRC exposed to freeze–thaw cycles. The inclusion of steel fibers improves the strength of concrete during freeze–thaw cycles, with 1% steel fiber content being the most effective. Strain rate and confining pressure significantly impact the strength and failure mode of SFRC. The strength of concrete increases linearly with the strain rate. With no confining pressure, the cracks in the concrete specimen align with the direction of the applied stress. And with confining pressure, concrete exhibits diagonal shear failure. Microstructural analysis results from scanning electron microscopy are consistent with the macroscopic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of freeze–thaw damage on the mechanical properties of concrete, this study utilized Python in combination with ABAQUS 2016 to generate a two-dimensional meso-scale model of concrete. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on the concrete after freeze–thaw cycles to study the evolution of its mechanical properties. Using "relative compressive strength" as a variable, the relationships between this variable and the parameters of the freeze–thaw damage model were determined, leading to the establishment of the freeze–thaw damage model and the simulation of compressive tests on concrete after freeze–thaw cycles. This study also explored the changes in the mechanical properties of concrete with variations in ITZ parameters and coarse aggregate content. The conclusions drawn are as follows: A comparison with experimental data showed that the model ensures that the relative error of each mechanical property parameter does not exceed 7%, verifying the model's rationality. Increasing the ratio of ITZ parameters improved the mechanical properties of the ITZ, enhancing the overall mechanical performance, but had almost no effect on the elastic modulus. Compared to ratios of 0.7 and 0.8, concrete with a ratio of 0.9 showed slower rates of decrease in compressive strength and elastic modulus and slower rates of increase in peak compressive strain after freeze–thaw cycles. The increase in coarse aggregate content had a similar effect on the strength and freeze–thaw resistance of concrete as the ratio of ITZ parameters. Concrete with a coarse aggregate content of 60% exhibited slower rates of change in mechanical properties after freeze–thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With large-scale grid-connected renewable energy, new power systems require more flexible and reliable energy storage power sources. Pumped storage stations play an important role in peak shaving, valley filling, and promoting renewable energy consumption. This paper presents the reasonable energy-abandonment operation of a combined power generation system (CPGS), in which a pumped storage station is the core control power, with an ultra-high proportion of renewable energy. Firstly, based on the seasonal characteristics of wind, solar, and load demand, typical days are selected through improved clustering analysis algorithms. Then, a daily optimal scheduling model for combined power generation systems (CPGS) is developed with the goals of economy, low-carbon, and stable operation. Finally, the correlation between the energy-abandonment rate and pumped storage station peak shaving and system optimization operation indicators is obtained by a reasonable energy-abandonment calculation method considering source-grid-load coordination. Taking the operation data of an energy base in the western region of China as an example, when the penetration rate of renewable energy is 60–70% in the future, the operating cost on the power side is greatly affected by the construction of the source side. When the system operates at a planned reasonable energy-abandonment rate of 2%, electricity regulation, load tracking, and daily operating costs all show better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of bridge construction is accompanied by many uncertainties. These uncertainties can have an impact on the quality of bridge construction and are thus directly related to the safe operation of the bridge. Therefore, it is very important to conduct bridge construction quality control evaluations for safe bridge construction and operation. In this paper, a three-tier bridge construction quality control evaluation system is established. This study uses a combination of subjective and objective assignment methods and TOPSIS theory to carry out an evaluation calculation of bridge construction quality. The CWM-TOPSIS theory was applied to the actual engineering calculation by taking the construction process of a mega bridge across the Yellow River as an example. After a series of calculations, the bridge construction quality evaluation results were obtained as level IV. This showed that a construction quality control method was needed for this bridge as soon as possible, and inspection and protection of the bridge should be started to avoid the emergence of bigger quality problems. Finally, the accuracy and applicability of the method proposed in this paper were proved by comparing and analyzing the evaluation results with the standard element theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]