Theoretical research and experimental validation of quasi-static load spectra on bogie frame structures of high-speed trains

One of the major problems in structural fatigue life analysis is establishing structural load spectra under actual operating conditions.This study conducts theoretical research and experimental validation of quasi-static load spectra on bogie frame structures of high-speed trains.The quasistatic load series that corresponds to quasi-static deformation modes are identified according to the structural form and bearing conditions of high-speed train bogie frames.Moreover,a force-measuring frame is designed and manufactured based on the quasi-static load series.The load decoupling model of the quasi-static load series is then established via calibration tests.Quasi-static load–time histories,together with online tests and decoupling analysis,are obtained for the intermediate range of the Beijing—Shanghai dedicated passenger line.The damage consistency calibration of the quasi-static discrete load spectra is performed according to a damage consistency criterion and a genetic algorithm.The calibrated damage that corresponds with the quasi-static discrete load spectra satisfies the safety requirements of bogie frames.

Sandwich structures with tapered tubes as core:A quasi-static investigation

In this article,the experimental and finite element analysis is utilized to investigate the quasi-static compression features of sandwich constructions built with tapered tubes.3D printing technology was utilized to create the hollow centers of the tapering tubes,with and without corrugations.The results demonstrate that the energy absorption(EA)and specific energy absorption(SEA)of the single corrugated tapered tube sandwich are 51.6% and 19.8% higher,respectively,than those of the conical tube sandwich.Furthermore,the results demonstrate that energy absorbers can benefit from corrugation in order to increase their efficiency.Additionally,the tapered corrugated tubes'resistance to oblique impacts was studied.Compared to a straight tube,the tapered tube is more resistant to oblique loads and has a lower initial peak crushing force(PCF),according to numerical simulations.After conducting a parametric study,it was discovered that the energy absorption performance of the sandwich construction is significantly affected by the amplitude,number of corrugations,and wall thickness.EA and SEA of DTS with corrugation number of 8 increased by 17.4%and 29.6%,respectively,while PCF decreased by 9.2% compared to DTS with corrugation number of 10.

Quasi-static and dynamic compressive behaviour of additively manufactured Menger fractal cube structures

This paper presents the first-ever investigation of Menger fractal cubes'quasi-static compression and impact behaviour.Menger cubes with different void ratios were 3D printed using polylactic acid(PLA)with dimensions of 40 mm×40 mm×40 mm.Three different orders of Menger cubes with different void ratios were considered,namely M1 with a void ratio of 0.26,M2 with a void ratio of 0.45,and M3with a void ratio of 0.60.Quasi-static Compression tests were conducted using a universal testing machine,while the drop hammer was used to observe the behaviour under impact loading.The fracture mechanism,energy efficiency and force-time histories were studied.With the structured nature of the void formation and predictability of the failure modes,the Menger geometry showed some promise compared to other alternatives,such as foams and honeycombs.With the increasing void ratio,the Menger geometries show force-displacement behaviour similar to hyper-elastic materials such as rubber and polymers.The third-order Menger cubes showed the highest energy absorption efficiency compared to the other two geometries in this study.The findings of the present work reveal the possibility of using additively manufactured Menger geometries as an energy-efficient system capable of reducing the transmitting force in applications such as crash barriers.

Experimental crushing behavior and energy absorption of angular gradient honeycomb structures under quasi-static and dynamic compression

The high variability of shock in terrorist attacks poses a threat to people's lives and properties,necessitating the development of more effective protective structures.This study focuses on the angle gradient and proposes four different configurations of concave hexagonal honeycomb structures.The structures'macroscopic deformation behavior,stress-strain relationship,and energy dissipation characteristics are evaluated through quasi-static compression and Hopkinson pressure bar impact experiments.The study reveals that,under varying strain rates,the structures deform starting from the weak layer and exhibit significant interlayer separation.Additionally,interlayer shear slip becomes more pronounced with increasing strain rate.In terms of quasi-static compression,symmetric gradient structures demonstrate superior energy absorption,particularly the symmetric negative gradient structure(SNG-SMS)with a specific energy absorption of 13.77 J/cm~3.For dynamic impact,unidirectional gradient structures exhibit exceptional energy absorption,particularly the unidirectional positive gradient honeycomb structure(UPG-SML)with outstanding mechanical properties.The angle gradient design plays a crucial role in determining the structure's stability and deformation mode during impact.Fewer interlayer separations result in a more pronounced negative Poisson's ratio effect and enhance the structure's energy absorption capacity.These findings provide a foundation for the rational design and selection of seismic protection structures in different strain rate impact environments.

Design,Development and Testing of the JTech Bolt for Use in Static,Quasi-Static and Dynamic Domains

Designing a rock reinforcement element requires knowledge of:geomechanical behaviour,interaction of the reinforcement element with rock mass and the element’s mechanistic response in static and dynamic environments.Using this knowledge the JTech bolt was developed and subjected to a thorough program to test,gather data and validate the bolt performance in varying domains.By conducting FE(finite element)modeling,the simulation reviews the JTech bolt design evaluating the effects of threadbar geometric variation,threadbar and nut engagement results under high stress,coating friction response and effects of thread tolerance extremes on the failure mode.These results determine safety factors,tolerances and quality management criteria.Once manufactured,in-situ system testing,laboratory and underground short encapsulation testing,resin mixing testing,double shear testing and dynamic testing at varying velocity and mass,determine the system’s capacity and effectiveness in static,quasi-static and dynamic mining environments.In this paper,the process and results are described.

Quasi-static Analysis of Thrust-loaded Angular Contact Ball Bearings Part Ⅰ:Theoretical Formulation

Ball bearings play an important role in various rotating machineries,but the complicated kinematic and tribological features of ball bearings make many aspects of their operating behaviors still inconclusive.Most theoretical analyses of ball bearings up to date are based on either the hypothesis of race control or other empirical models to determine the ball motion of ball bearings,but none of these strategies can reveal and consequently employ the intrinsic coupling mechanism between the spin and the tangential traction of contacting bodies rolling upon one another.To remedy the deficiency of current analytical models for ball bearing analysis,the rolling contact theory is employed to establish an explicit link between motions and interactions within ball bearings.A differential slip model is established to precisely define the slip component due to the significant curvature of the common contact patches between the ball and inner/outer raceways.The creepage and the spin ratio are formulated to accurately define the relative rigid motion between the ball and the inner/outer raceway.Then a quasi-static analytical model is established that can accurately determine the motions of the balls and races of the ball bearing.It can also give a vivid description of the slip and traction distributions within the contact area.The analytical model can be effectively used to analyze the operational conditions and tribological features of solid-lubricated ball bearings.It can also be used optimize the construction of ball bearings for specific applications.

Mechanical responses of anchoring structure under triaxial cyclic loading

Dynamic load on anchoring structures(AS)within deep roadways can result in cumulative damage and failure.This study develops an experimental device designed to test AS under triaxial loads.The device enables the investigation of the mechanical response,failure mode,instability assessment criteria,and anchorage effect of AS subjected to combined cyclic dynamic-static triaxial stress paths.The results show that the peak bearing strength is positively correlated with the anchoring matrix strength,anchorage length,and edgewise compressive strength.The bearing capacity decreases significantly when the anchorage direction is severely inclined.The free face failure modes are typically transverse cracking,concave fracturing,V-shaped slipping and detachment,and spallation detachment.Besides,when the anchoring matrix strength and the anchorage length decrease while the edgewise compressive strength,loading rate,and anchorage inclination angle increase,the failure intensity rises.Instability is determined by a negative tangent modulus of the displacement-strength curve or the continued deformation increase against the general downward trend.Under cyclic loads,the driving force that breaks the rock mass along the normal vector and the rigidity of the AS are the two factors that determine roadway stability.Finally,a control measure for surrounding rock stability is proposed to reduce the internal driving force via a pressure relief method and improve the rigidity of the AS by full-length anchorage and grouting modification.

Quasi-static Analysis of Thrust-loaded Angular Contact Ball Bearings Part Ⅱ:Results and Discussion

Ball bearings are widely employed mechanical components characterized by high precision and quality,and usually play important roles in various rotary machines and mechanisms.Many advanced applications require a deep understanding of their various kinematic and tribological characteristics that are essential to predict the fatigue endurance,relieve the vibration and minimize the power dissipation of ball bearings in particular applications.An angular contact ball bearing under a specified operating condition is simulated with the quasi-static/creepage analytical model proposed in the preceding article.The results demonstrate that the ball bearing is a statically determinate system.That the balls spin on both inner and outer races means the ball is controlled by neither the inner nor the outer raceway.The friction between the ball and raceway renders the inner and outer contact angles unequal.The larger the coefficient of friction is,the larger the angle deviation.The tangential traction perpendicular to the rolling direction due to the spin induces a gyro-like rotation of the ball with respect to the raceway even if no inertial effects are considered.The tangential elastic compliance of contacting surfaces gives rise to locked areas within the contact patch and transforms the sliding lines from circles into spirals.The differential slip due to the close conformity of the ball and raceway makes the sliding and traction distributions asymmetric,which will influence the location of the spinning center of the ball with respect to the raceway.The quasi-static/creepage model can be used to reveal the operating behaviors of ball bearings running under steady conditions and to optimize the design of ball bearings for specific applications.

Temperature Effect on the Mechanical Behavior of Acrylic Polymers under Quasi-static and Dynamic Loading

In this paper, the mechanical behavior of acrylic polymers at elevated temperature was investigated. Four acrylic polymers were tested at high strain rate by using compression Hopkinson bar and at quasi-static strain rate by using an Instron servo hydraulic axial testing machine with the testing temperature from 218K to 393K. The results show that the mechanical property of acrylic polymers depends heavily on the testing temperature. The yield stress and Young's modulus were found to decrease with increasing temperature at low strain rate. At very low temperature, the materials display typical brittle fracture; however their plasticity improves remarkably at high temperatures. The predictions of the mechanical behavior including the effect of temperature and strain rate using a proposed theoretical model have a good agreement with experimental results.

State-of-the-art on the anchorage performance of rock bolts subjected to shear load

Rock bolts are extensively utilized in underground engineering as a means of offering support and stability to rock masses in tunnels,mines,and other underground structures.In environments of high ground stress,faults or weak zones can frequently arise in rock formations,presenting a significant challenge for engineering and potentially leading to underground engineering collapse.Rock bolts serve as a crucial structural element for the transmission of tensile stress and are capable of withstanding shear loads to prevent sliding of weak zones within rock mass.Therefore,a complete understanding of the behavior of rock bolts subjected to shear loads is essential.This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the research progress of rock bolts subjected to shear load in three categories:experiment,numerical simulation,and analytical model.The review focuses on the research studies and developments in this area since the 1970s,providing a comprehensive overview of numerous factors that influence the anchorage performance of rock bolts.These factors include the diameter and angle of the rock bolt installation,rock strength,grouting material,bolt material,borehole diameter,rock bolt preload,normal stress,joint surface roughness and joint expansion angle.The paper reviews the improvement of mechanical parameter setting in numerical simulation of rock bolt shear.Furthermore,it delves into the optimization of the analytical model concerning rock bolt shear theory,approached from the perspectives of both Elastic foundation beam theory coupled with Elastoplasticity theory and Structural mechanic methods.The significance of this review lies in its ability to provide insights into the mechanical behavior of rock bolts.The paper also highlights the limitations of current research and guidelines for further research of rock bolts.

Mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of rock bolts subjected to static-dynamic loads

This study explores the effects of dynamic and static loading on rock bolt performance a key factor in maintaining the structural safety of coal mine roadways susceptible to coal bursts.Employing a housemade load frame to simulate various failure scenarios,pretension-impact-pull tests on rock bolts were conducted to scrutinize their dynamic responses under varied static load conditions and their failure traits under combined loads.The experimental results denote that with increased impact energy,maximum and average impact loads on rock bolts escalate significantly under pretension,initiating plastic deformation beyond a certain threshold.Despite minor reductions in the yield load due to impactinduced damage,pretension aids in constraining post-impact deformation rate and fluctuation degree of rock bolts.Moreover,impact-induced plastic deformation causes internal microstructure dislocation,fortifying the stiffness of the rock bolt support system.The magnitude of this fortification is directly related to the plastic deformation induced by the impact.These findings provide crucial guidance for designing rock bolt support in coal mine roadway excavation,emphasizing the necessity to consider both static and dynamic loads for improved safety and efficiency.

A drug-loaded flexible substrate improves the performance of conformal cortical electrodes

Cortical electrodes are a powerful tool for the stimulation and/or recording of electrical activity in the nervous system.However,the inevitable wound caused by surgical implantation of electrodes presents bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction risks associated with foreign body exposure.Moreover,inflammation of the wound area can dramatically worsen in response to bacterial infection.These consequences can not only lead to the failure of cortical electrode implantation but also threaten the lives of patients.Herein,we prepared a hydrogel made of bacterial cellulose(BC),a flexible substrate for cortical electrodes,and further loaded antibiotic tetracycline(TC)and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone(DEX)onto it.The encapsulated drugs can be released from the BC hydrogel and effectively inhibit the growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.Next,therapeutic cortical electrodes were developed by integrating the drug-loaded BC hydrogel and nine-channel serpentine arrays;these were used to record electrocorticography(ECoG)signals in a rat model.Due to the controlled release of TC and DEX from the BC hydrogel substrate,therapeutic cortical electrodes can alleviate or prevent symptoms associated with the bacterial infection and inflammation of brain tissue.This approach facilitates the development of drug delivery electrodes for resolving complications caused by implantable electrodes.

Reinforcing effects of polypropylene on energy absorption and fracturing of cement-based tailings backfill under impact loading

Polypropylene(PP)fiber-reinforced cement-based tailings backfill(FRCTB)is a green compound material with superior crack resistance and has good prospects for application in underground mining.However,FRCTB exhibits susceptibility to dynamic events,such as impact ground pressure and blast vibrations.This paper investigates the energy and crack distribution behavior of FRCTB under dynamic impact,considering the height/diameter(H/D)effect.Split Hopkinson pressure bar,industrial computed tomography scan,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)experiments were carried out on six types of FRCTB.Laboratory outcomes confirmed fiber aggregation at the bottom of specimens.When H/D was less than 0.8,the proportion of PP fibers distributed along theθangle direction of80°-90°increased.For the total energy,all samples presented similar energy absorption,reflectance,and transmittance.However,a rise in H/D may cause a rise in the energy absorption rate of FRCTB during the peak phase.A positive correlation existed between the average strain rate and absorbed energy per unit volume.The increase in H/D resulted in a decreased crack volume fraction of FRCTB.When the H/D was greater than or equal to 0.7,the maximum crack volume fraction of FRCTB was observed close to the incidence plane.Radial cracks were present only in the FRCTB with an H/D ratio of 0.5.Samples with H/D ratios of 0.5 and 0.6 showed similar distributions of weakly and heavily damaged areas.PP fibers can limit the emergence and expansion of cracks by influencing their path.SEM observations revealed considerable differences in the bonding strengths between fibers and the FRCTB.Fibers that adhered particularly well to the substrate were attracted together with the hydration products adhering to surfaces.These results show that FRCTB is promising as a sustainable and green backfill for determining the design properties of mining with backfill.

Conservation genomic investigation of an endangered conifer,Thuja sutchuenensis,reveals low genetic diversity but also low genetic load

Endangered species generally have small populations with low genetic diversity and a high genetic load.Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered conifer endemic to southwestern China.It was once considered extinct in the wild,but in 1999 was rediscovered.However,little is known about its genetic load.We collected 67 individuals from five wild,isolated T.sutchuenensis populations,and used 636,151 SNPs to analyze the level of genetic diversity and genetic load in T.sutchuenensis to delineate the conservation units of T.sutchuenensis,based on whole transcriptome sequencing data,as well as target capture sequencing data.We found that populations of T.sutchuenensis could be divided into three groups.These groups had low levels genetic diversity and were moderately genetically differentiated.Our findings also indicate that T.sutchuenensis suffered two severe bottlenecks around the Last Glaciation Period and Last Glacial Maximum.Among Thuja species,T.sutchuenensis presented the lowest genetic load and hence might have purged deleterious mutations efficiently through purifying selection.However,distribution of fitness effects analysis indicated a high extinction risk for T.sutchuenensis.Multiple lines of evidence identified three management units for T.sutchuenensis.Although T.sutchuenensis possesses a low genetic load,low genetic diversity,suboptimal fitness,and anthropogenic pressures all present an extinction risk for this rare conifer.This might also hold true for many endangered plant species in the mountains all over the world.

Transient response of doubly-curved bio-inspired composite shells resting on viscoelastic foundation subject to blast load using improved first-order shear theory and isogeometric approach

Investigating natural-inspired applications is a perennially appealing subject for scientists. The current increase in the speed of natural-origin structure growth may be linked to their superior mechanical properties and environmental resilience. Biological composite structures with helicoidal schemes and designs have remarkable capacities to absorb impact energy and withstand damage. However, there is a dearth of extensive study on the influence of fiber redirection and reorientation inside the matrix of a helicoid structure on its mechanical performance and reactivity. The present study aimed to explore the static and transient responses of a bio-inspired helicoid laminated composite(B-iHLC) shell under the influence of an explosive load using an isomorphic method. The structural integrity of the shell is maintained by a viscoelastic basis known as the Pasternak foundation, which encompasses two coefficients of stiffness and one coefficient of damping. The equilibrium equations governing shell dynamics are obtained by using Hamilton's principle and including the modified first-order shear theory,therefore obviating the need to employ a shear correction factor. The paper's model and approach are validated by doing numerical comparisons with respected publications. The findings of this study may be used in the construction of military and civilian infrastructure in situations when the structure is subjected to severe stresses that might potentially result in catastrophic collapse. The findings of this paper serve as the foundation for several other issues, including geometric optimization and the dynamic response of similar mechanical structures.

Energy mechanism of bolt supporting effect to fissured rock under static and dynamic loads in deep coal mines

The stability control of fissured rock is difficult,especially under static and dynamic loads in deep coal mines.In this paper,the dynamic mechanical properties,strain rate evolution and energy dissipation of fissured and anchored rocks were respectively obtained by SHPB tests.It was found that bolt can provide supporting efficiency-improving effect for fissured rock against dynamic disturbance,and this effect increased quadratically with decrease in anchoring angles.Then,the energy dissipation mechanism of anchored rock was obtained by slipping model.Furthermore,bolt energy-absorbing mechanism by instantaneous tensile-shear deformation was expressed based on material mechanics,which was the larger the anchoring angle,the smaller the energy absorption,and the less the contribution to supporting efficiency improvement.On this basis,the functional relationship between energy dissipation of anchored rock and energy absorption of bolt was established.Taking the coal-gangue separation system of Longgu coal mine as an example,the optimal anchoring angle can be determined as 57.5°–67.5°.Field monitoring showed fissured rock with the optimal anchoring angle,can not only effectively control the deformation,but also fully exert the energy-absorbing and efficiency-improving effect of bolt itself.This study provides guidance to the stability control and supporting design for deep engineering under the same or similar conditions.

Damage evolution of rock-encased-backfill structure under stepwise cyclic triaxial loading

Rock-encased-backfill(RB)structures are common in underground mining,for example in the cut-andfill and stoping methods.To understand the effects of cyclic excavation and blasting activities on the damage of these RB structures,a series of triaxial stepwise-increasing-amplitude cyclic loading experiments was conducted with cylindrical RB specimens(rock on outside,backfill on inside)with different volume fractions of rock(VF=0.48,0.61,0.73,and 0.84),confining pressures(0,6,9,and 12 MPa),and cyclic loading rates(200,300,400,and 500 N/s).The damage evolution and meso-crack formation during the cyclic tests were analyzed with results from stress-strain hysteresis loops,acoustic emission events,and post-failure X-ray 3D fracture morphology.The results showed significant differences between cyclic and monotonic loadings of RB specimens,particularly with regard to the generation of shear microcracks,the development of stress memory and strain hardening,and the contact forces and associated friction that develops along the rock-backfill interface.One important finding is that as a function of the number of cycles,the elastic strain increases linearly and the dissipated energy increases exponentially.Also,compared with monotonic loading,the cyclic strain hardening characteristics are more sensitive to rising confining pressures during the initial compaction stage.Another finding is that compared with monotonic loading,more shear microcracks are generated during every reloading stage,but these microcracks tend to be dispersed and lessen the likelihood of large shear fracture formation.The transition from elastic to plastic behavior varies depending on the parameters of each test(confinement,volume fraction,and cyclic rate),and an interesting finding was that the transformation to plastic behavior is significantly lower under the conditions of 0.73 rock volume fraction,400 N/s cyclic loading rate,and 9 MPa confinement.All the findings have important practical implications on the ability of backfill to support underground excavations.

Liquefaction susceptibility and deformation characteristics of saturated coral sandy soils subjected to cyclic loadings-a critical review

Coral sandy soils widely exist in coral island reefs and seashores in tropical and subtropical regions.Due to the unique marine depositional environment of coral sandy soils,the engineering characteristics and responses of these soils subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings have been a subject of intense interest among the geotechnical and earthquake engineering communities.This paper critically reviews the progress of experimental investigations on the undrained behavior of coral sandy soils under monotonic and cyclic loadings over the last three decades.The focus of coverage includes the contractive-dilative behavior,the pattern of excess pore-water pressure(EPWP)generation and the liquefaction mechanism and liquefaction resistance,the small-strain shear modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus and damping,the cyclic softening feature,and the anisotropic characteristics of undrained responses of saturated coral sandy soils.In particular,the advances made in the past decades are reviewed from the following aspects:(1)the characterization of factors that impact the mechanism and patterns of EPWP build-up;(2)the identification of liquefaction triggering in terms of the apparent viscosity and the average flow coefficient;(3)the establishment of the invariable form of strain-based,stress-based,or energy-based EPWP ratio formulas and the unique relationship between the new proxy of liquefaction resistance and the number of cycles required to reach liquefaction;(4)the establishment of the invariable form of the predictive formulas of small strain modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus;and(5)the investigation on the effects of stress-induced anisotropy on liquefaction susceptibility and dynamic deformation characteristics.Insights gained through the critical review of these advances in the past decades offer a perspective for future research to further resolve the fundamental issues concerning the liquefaction mechanism and responses of coral sandy sites subjected to cyclic loadings associated with seismic events in marine environments.

Failure behavior of highly stressed rocks under quasi-static and intensive unloading conditions

Unloading failure of rocks,especially highly stressed rocks,is one of the key issues in construction of underground structures.Based on this,analytical models for rocks under quasi-static and intensive unloading conditions are established to study the failure behavior of highly stressed rocks.In case of rock failure under quasi-static unloading,the rock mass ahead of working face is regarded as an elasto-brittle material,and the stress-displacement curves are used to characterize the tensile fracture of peak-stress area.It is observed that,when intensive unloading happens,there is an elastic unloading wave（perturbation wave） propagating in the rock mass.If the initial stress exceeds the critical stress,there will be a fracture wave,following the elastic unloading wave.To study the propagation feature of fracture wave,the conservation laws of mass,momentum and energy are employed.Results show that the post-peak deformation,strength and energy dissipation are essential to the failure process of highly stressed rocks.

Lateral earth pressure of granular backfills on retaining walls with expanded polystyrene geofoam inclusions under limited surcharge loading

Existing studies have focused on the behavior of the retaining wall equipped with expanded polystyrene(EPS)geofoam inclusions under semi-infinite surcharge loading rather than limited surcharge loading.In this paper,the failure mode and the earth pressure acting on the rigid retaining wall with EPS geofoam inclusions and granular backfills(henceforth referred to as EPS-wall),under limited surcharge loading are investigated through two-and three-dimensional model tests.The testing results show that different from the sliding of almost all the backfill in the EPS-wall under semi-infinite surcharge loading,only an approximately triangular backfill slides in the wall under limited surcharge loading.The distribution of the lateral earth pressure on the EPS-wall under limited surcharge loading is non-linear,and the distribution changes from the increase of the wall depth to the decrease with the increase of the limited surcharge loading.An approach based on the force equilibrium of a differential element is developed to predict the lateral earth pressure behind the EPS-wall subjected to limited surcharge loading,and its performance was fully validated by the three-dimensional model tests.