Research status and prospects of the fractal analysis of metal material surfaces and interfaces

As a mathematical analysis method,fractal analysis can be used to quantitatively describe irregular shapes with self-similar or self-affine properties.Fractal analysis has been used to characterize the shapes of metal materials at various scales and dimensions.Conventional methods make it difficult to quantitatively describe the relationship between the regular characteristics and properties of metal material surfaces and interfaces.However,fractal analysis can be used to quantitatively describe the shape characteristics of metal materials and to establish the quantitative relationships between the shape characteristics and various properties of metal materials.From the perspective of two-dimensional planes and three-dimensional curved surfaces,this paper reviews the current research status of the fractal analysis of metal precipitate interfaces,metal grain boundary interfaces,metal-deposited film surfaces,metal fracture surfaces,metal machined surfaces,and metal wear surfaces.The relationship between the fractal dimensions and properties of metal material surfaces and interfaces is summarized.Starting from three perspectives of fractal analysis,namely,research scope,image acquisition methods,and calculation methods,this paper identifies the direction of research on fractal analysis of metal material surfaces and interfaces that need to be developed.It is believed that revealing the deep influence mechanism between the fractal dimensions and properties of metal material surfaces and interfaces will be the key research direction of the fractal analysis of metal materials in the future.

Mesoscopic fracture damage evolution and fractal damage constitutive model of heat-treated red sandstone under direct tensile impact loadings

Understanding the mesoscopic tensile fracture damage of rock is the basis of evaluating the deterioration process of mechanical properties of heat-damaged rock. For this, tensile tests of rocks under high-temperature treatment were conducted with a ϕ75 mm split Hopkinson tension bar (SHTB) to investigate the mesoscopic fracture and damage properties of rock. An improved scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experimental method was used to analyze the tensile fracture surfaces of rock samples. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed to assess evolution of mesoscopic damage of heat-damaged rock under tensile loading. A constitutive model describing the mesoscopic fractal damage under thermo-mechanical coupling was established. The results showed that the high temperatures significantly reduced the tensile strength and fracture surface roughness of the red sandstone. The three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the fracture surface of the samples that experienced tensile failure at 900 °C showed a flat surface. The standard deviation of elevation and slope angle of specimen fracture surface first increased and then decreased with increasing temperature. The threshold for brittle fracture of the heat-damaged red sandstone specimens was 600 °C. Beyond this threshold temperature, local ductile fracture occurred, resulting in plastic deformation of the fracture surface during tensile fracturing. With increase of temperature, the internal meso-structure of samples was strengthened slightly at first and then deteriorated gradually, which was consistent with the change of macroscopic mechanical properties of red sandstone. The mesoscopic characteristics, such as the number, mean side length, maximum area, porosity, and fractal dimension of crack, exhibited an initial decline, followed by a gradual increase. The development of microcracks in samples had significant influence on mesoscopic fractal dimension. The mesoscopic fractal characteristics were used to establish a mesoscopic fractal damage constitutive model for red sandstone, and the agreement between the theoretical and experimental results validated the proposed model.

Study on the Spatial Pattern Changes of Land Use Based on Fractal Dimensions in Tianjin New Coastal Area

[Objective] The aim was to discuss the spatial pattern changes of land use in Tianjin new coastal area based on fractal dimensions.[Method] By dint of remote and geographic information system technology to obtain the data of urban land use in new coastal area from 1993 to 2008,the boundary dimension,radius dimension and information dimension of each land use type were calculated based on fractal dimension.In addition,the revealed land use spatial dimension changes characteristics were analyzed.[Result] The spatial distribution of each land use type in new costal area had distinct fractal characteristics.And,the amount and changes of three types of dimension values effectively revealed the changes of complicatedness,centeredness and evenness of spatial pattern of land use in the study area.The boundary dimension of unused land and salty earth increased incessantly,which suggested its increasing complicatedness.The boundary of the port and wharf and shoal land was getting simpler.The radius dimension of the cultivated land was larger than 2,which suggested that its area spread from center to the surroundings;the one in salty land and waters distributed evenly within different radius space to the center of the city;the one in other land use types reduced gradually from center to the surroundings.The information dimension value in the woodland and orchard land,unused land and shoal land was small,and was in obvious concentrated distribution;the spatial distribution of cultivated and salty land concentrated in the outside area;the construction area in the port and wharf spread gradually on the basis of original state;the spatial distribution of waters and residents and mines were even.[Conclusion] Applying fractal dimensions to the study of spatial pattern changes of urban land use can make up for some disadvantages in classical urban spatial pattern quantitative research,which has favorable practical value.

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ORDER OF FRACTIONAL CALCULUS AND FRACTIONAL DIMENSIONS OF A TYPE OF FRACTAL FUNCTIONS

The linear relationship between fractal dimensions of a type of generalized Weierstrass functions and the order of their fractional calculus has been proved. The graphs and numerical results given here further indicate the corresponding relationship.

Upper Bound Estimation of Fractal Dimensions of Fractional Integral of Continuous Functions

Fractional integral of continuous functions has been discussed in the present paper. If the order of Riemann-Liouville fractional integral is v, fractal dimension of Riemann-Liouville fractional integral of any continuous functions on a closed interval is no more than 2 - v.

ON STAR PRODUCTFRACTAL SURFACES AND THEIR DIMENSIONS

In this paper, by using fractal curves, a family of fractal surfaces are defined. Each fractal surface of this family is called Star Product Fractal Surface (SPFS). A theorem of the dimensions of the SPFS is strictly proved. The relationship between the dimensions of the SPFS and the dimensions of the fractal curves constructing the SPFS is obtained.

A Successive Shift Box-Counting Method for Calculating Fractal Dimensions and Its Application in Identification of Faults

Fractal dimensions of a terrain quantitatively describe the self-organizedstructure of the terrain geometry. However, the local topographic variation cannot be illustrated bythe conventional box-counting method. This paper proposes a successive shift box-counting method,in which the studied object is divided into small sub-objects that are composed of a series of gridsaccording to its characteristic scaling. The terrain fractal dimensions in the grids are calculatedwith the successive shift box-counting method and the scattered points with values of fractaldimensions are obtained. The present research shows that the planar variation of fractal dimensionsis well consistent with fault traces and geological boundaries.

INFLUENCE OF SERIES OF SQUARE GRIDS ON FRACTAL DIMENSIONS-A Case Study of Mountains of China's Mainland

MANDELBROT enunciated the uncertainty of the length of a coastline in his paper "How long is the coastline of Britain?" published in Science in 1967. The fractal concept was presented for the first time in that paper and has been applied to many fields ever since. Although fractal dimensions of lots of phenomena were calculated by the box-counting method,the quantitative influence of series of square grids on them is ignored. The issue is systematically discussed as a case study of the mountains of China′s Mainland in this paper. And some significant conclusions are drawn as follows: 1) Although the fractal character objectively exists in the mountains of China′s Mainland,and it does not vary with the changes of series of square grids,the fractal dimensions of the mountains of China′s Mainland are different with these changes. 2) The fractal dimensions of the mountains of China′s Mainland vary with the average lengths of sides of series of square grids. The fractal dimension of the mountains of China′s Mainland is the function of the average length of side of square grid. They conform to the formula D=f(r) (where D is the fractal dimension,and r is the average length of side of square grid). 3) Different dots of data collection can affect the fractal dimension of the mountains of China′s Mainland. 4) The same range of length of side of square grid and dots of data collection can ensure the comparison of fractal dimensions of the mountains of China′s Mainland. The research is helpful to get the more understanding of fractal and fractal dimension,and ensure that the fractal studies would be scientific.

Fractal dimensions of flocs between clay particles and HAB organisms

The impact of harmful algal blooms （HABs） on public health and related economics have been increasing in many coastal regions of the world. Sedimentation of algal cells through flocculation with clay particles is a promising strategy for controlling HABs. Previous studies found that removal efficiency （RE） was influenced by many factors, including clay type and concentration, algal growth stage, and physiological aspects of HAB cells. To estimate the effect of morphological characteristics of the aggregates on HAB cell removal, fractal dimensions were measured and the RE of three species of HAB organism, Heterosigma akashiwo, Alexandrium tamarense, and Skeletonema eostatum, by original clay and modified clay, was determined. For all HAB species, the modified clay had a higher RE than original clay. For the original clay, the two-dimensional fractal dimension （D2） was 1.92 and three-dimensional ffactal dimension （D3） 2.81, while for the modified clay, D2 was 1.84 and D3 was 2.50. The addition of polyaluminum chloride （PAC1） lead to a decrease of the repulsive barrier between clay particles, and resulted in lower D2 and D3. Due to the decrease of D3, and the increase of the effective sticking coefficient, the flocculation rate between modified clay particles and HAB organisms increased, and thus resulted in a high RE. The fractal dimensions of flocs differed in HAB species with different cell morphologies. For example, Alexandrium tamarense cells are ellipsoidal, and the D3 and D2 of flocs were the highest, while for Skeletonema costatum, which has filamentous cells, the D3 and D2 of flocs were the lowest.

The Global Attractors and Their Hausdorff and Fractal Dimensions Estimation for the Higher-Order Nonlinear Kirchhoff-Type Equation with Strong Linear Damping

In this paper, we study the longtime behavior of solution to the initial boundary value problem for a class of strongly damped Higher-order Kirchhoff type equations: . At first, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution by priori estimation and the Galerkin method. Then, we obtain to the existence of the global attractor. At last, we consider that the estimation of the upper bounds of Hausdorff and fractal dimensions for the global attractors are obtained.

A Method for Quantifying the Emotional Intensity and Duration of a Startle Reaction with Customized Fractal Dimensions of EEG Signals

The assessment of emotions with fractal dimensions of EEG signals has been attempted before, but the quantification of the intensity and duration of sudden and short emotions remains a challenge. This paper suggests a method for this purpose, by using a new fractal dimension algorithm and by adjusting the amplitude of the EEG signal in order to obtain maximal separation of high and low fractal dimensions. The emotion was induced by embedding a scary image at 20 seconds in landscape videos of 60 seconds length. The new method did not only detect the onset of the emotion correctly, but also revealed its duration and intensity. The intensity is based on the magnitude and impulse of the fractal dimension signal. It is also shown that Higuchi’s method does not always detect emotion spikes correctly;on the contrary, the region of the expected emotional response can be represented by fractal dimensions smaller than the rest of the signal, whereas the new method directly reveals distinct spikes. The duration of these spikes was 10 - 11 seconds. The magnitude of these spikes varied across the EEG channels. The build-up and cool-down of the emotions can occur with steep and flat gradients.

Comparative Evaluation of Fractal Dimensions of CBCT Images Obtained with i-CAT Next Generation and PreXion 3D Elite Scanners

Comparing Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) exams with different fields of view (FOV) are relevant to understand the impact of the inherent image quality on the reliability and accuracy of the diagnostic outcome. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the results of the fractal analysis of images of the same structure taken in two cone beam computerized scanners with different FOVs. The initial selection of the images used, from two CBCT of the same individual jaw performed in two different scanners, was conducted in the Radiant program (RadiAnt DICOM Viewer) and exported to DICOM format. The selected images were processed in the ImageJ software (US National Institutes of Health), correcting the rotation of the images before conducting fractal analysis. In order to verify the normality of the data, the Shapiro-Wilk test was applied. The Mann-Whitney U, Levene and T tests were applied in order to compare the fractal analysis obtained by the two CBCT scanners. The intraclass correlation coefficient result was 0.988. The mean of the samples in the three comparisons (mentum samples, mental foramen samples and all included mentum and mental foramen samples) was higher for the PreXion 3D scanner. The p value of the tests was 0.000, for the three comparisons, at a 5% confidence level. The comparison of the fractal dimension averages of the images obtained with i-CAT and PreXion 3D scanners showed statistically significant differences, and higher averages were observed in the fractal analysis of images from PreXion 3D scanner. These results point to the need for a careful analysis of the parameters involved in the acquisition of images when results of fractal analysis resulting from different equipment are compared.

Speaker Identification Based on Fractal Dimensions

This paper discusses application of fractal dimensions to speech processing. Generalized dimensions of arbitrary orders and associated fractal parameters are used in speaker identification. A characteristic vactor based on these parameters is formed, and a recognition criterion definded in order to identify individual speakers. Experimental results show the usefulness of fractal dimensions in characterizing speaker identity.

Responses of fractal dimensions of Picea koraiensis seedlings to different light environments

The changes of fractal dimension ofPicea koraiensis seedlings under different light intensities in natural secondary forests was studied. The results showed that with the change of light environment, crown characters ofPicea koraiensis seedlings exhibited a greater plastic in lateral number, lateral increment, lateral dry weight, and specific leaf area. The range of calculated fractal dimensions of seedling crowns was confined between 2.5728 and 2.1036, but maximum of fractal dimension achieved in term moderate shading and in extreme low light conditions fractal dimension was least.

Fractal Dimensions of Hydrogen Induced Brittle Fracture of Titanium Aluminide

The relationship between the stress intensity factor K_1~* required for brittle crack initiation and propa- gation and the fractal dimension D_F of the fracture surface was derived,i.e, InK_1~*=(1/2)In2γE'+(1/2)In(d_f/L_0)(1-D_F) The real surface energy can be calculated based on the measured linear relation of the InK_1~* vs D_F, The equation is not only suitable for the overload fracture but also for the delayed fracture,e.g. hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) and stress corrosion cracking (SCC).The experiment results showed that the hydrogen induced delayed cracking occurred in the Ti-24AI-11 Nb alloy during dy- namic charging,and the threshold stress intensity factor was very low,i.e..K_(IH)/K_(IC)= 0.43.The ex- perimental relationship between the stress intensity factor K_1~* and D_F was consistent with the theo- retical equation.

A semi-analytical model for coupled flow in stress-sensitive multi-scale shale reservoirs with fractal characteristics

A large number of nanopores and complex fracture structures in shale reservoirs results in multi-scale flow of oil. With the development of shale oil reservoirs, the permeability of multi-scale media undergoes changes due to stress sensitivity, which plays a crucial role in controlling pressure propagation and oil flow. This paper proposes a multi-scale coupled flow mathematical model of matrix nanopores, induced fractures, and hydraulic fractures. In this model, the micro-scale effects of shale oil flow in fractal nanopores, fractal induced fracture network, and stress sensitivity of multi-scale media are considered. We solved the model iteratively using Pedrosa transform, semi-analytic Segmented Bessel function, Laplace transform. The results of this model exhibit good agreement with the numerical solution and field production data, confirming the high accuracy of the model. As well, the influence of stress sensitivity on permeability, pressure and production is analyzed. It is shown that the permeability and production decrease significantly when induced fractures are weakly supported. Closed induced fractures can inhibit interporosity flow in the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV). It has been shown in sensitivity analysis that hydraulic fractures are beneficial to early production, and induced fractures in SRV are beneficial to middle production. The model can characterize multi-scale flow characteristics of shale oil, providing theoretical guidance for rapid productivity evaluation.

Entropy Production and Fractal Dimensions in Heavy Ion Nuclear Reaction at Intermediate Energies

The characteristics of the nonlinear dynamics in the Heavy Ion Collision (HIC) at intermediate energies have been studied by evaluating the productions of the Generalized Entropy (GE) and the Multifragmentation Entropy (ME) as well as the features of the information and fractal dimensions within the Isospin Quantum Molecular Dynamical Model compensated by the lattice methods. Results demonstrate from various views that the existence of deterministic chaos in the dynamical process of reaction.

ON THE GRAPHS OF PRODUCTS OF CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS AND FRACTAL DIMENSIONS

In this paper,we consider the graph of the product of continuous functions in terms of Hausdorff and packing dimensions.More precisely,we show that,given a real number 1≤β≤2,any real-valued continuous function in C([0,1])can be decomposed into a product of two real-valued continuous functions,each having a graph of Hausdorff dimensionβ.In addition,a product decomposition result for the packing dimension is obtained.This work answers affirmatively two questions raised by Verma and Priyadarshi[14].

Experimental investigation on coal pore-fracture variation and fractal characteristics synergistically affected by solvents for improving clean gas extraction

Chemical solvents instead of pure water being as hydraulic fracturing fluid could effectively increase permeability and improve clean methane extraction efficiency.However,pore-fracture variation features of lean coal synergistically affected by solvents have not been fully understood.Ultrasonic testing,nuclear magnetic resonance analysis,liquid phase mass spectrometry was adopted to comprehensively analyze pore-fracture change characteristics of lean coal treated by combined solvent(NMP and CS_(2)).Meanwhile,quantitative characterization of above changing properties was conducted using geometric fractal theory.Relationship model between permeability,fractal dimension and porosity were established.Results indicate that the end face fractures of coal are well developed after CS2and combined solvent treatments,of which,end face box-counting fractal dimensions range from 1.1227 to 1.4767.Maximum decreases in ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity of coal affected by NMP,CS_(2)and combined solvent are 2.700%,20.521%,22.454%,respectively.Solvent treatments could lead to increasing amount of both mesopores and macropores.Decrease ratio of fractal dimension Dsis 0.259%–2.159%,while permeability increases ratio of NMR ranges from 0.1904 to 6.4486.Meanwhile,combined solvent could dissolve coal polar and non-polar small molecules and expand flow space.Results could provide reference for solvent selection and parameter optimization of permeability-enhancement technology.

A Comparison of Fractal Dimensions of EEG Time Series of Partial Epilepsy

In order to develop a new diagnostic method for partial epilepsy using fractaldimension measurement of theory of nonlinear dynamics, two kinds of EEG fractaldimensions (correlation dimension Dc and wave form dimension Dw) were calculatedand compared. It was observed that most of the EEG fractal dimension values of Dcand Dw at the epileptic electrodes were smaller than those at the non-epilepticelectrodes. The results showed that the fractal dimension could be a special parameterto diagnose epilepsy diseases and are worthy to study further.