Field testing of stiffened deep cement mixing piles under lateral cyclic loading

Construction of seaside and underground wall bracing often uses stiffened deep cement mixed columns （SDCM）. This research investigates methods used to improve the level of bearing capacity of these SDCM when subjected to cyclic lateral loading via various types of stiffer cores. Eight piles, two deep cement mixed piles and six stiffened deep cement mixing piles with three different types of cores, H shape cross section prestressed concrete, steel pipe, and H-beam steel, were embedded though soft clay into medium-hard clay on site in Thailand. Cyclic horizontal loading was gradually applied until pile failure and the hysteresis loops of lateral load vs. lateral deformation were recorded. The lateral carrying capacities of the SDCM piles with an H-beam steel core increased by 3-4 times that of the DCM piles. This field research clearly shows that using H-beam steel as a stiffer core for SDCM piles is the best method to improve its lateral carrying capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capacity.

Field Load Test Based SHM System Safety Standard Determination for Rigid Frame Bridge

The deteriorated continuous rigid frame bridge is strengthened by external prestressing. Static loading tests wereconducted before and after the bridge rehabilitation to verify the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process. Thestiffness of the repaired bridge is improved, and the maximum deflection of the load test is reduced from 37.9 to27.6 mm. A bridge health monitoring system is installed after the bridge is reinforced. To achieve an easy assessmentof the bridge’s safety status by directly using transferred data, a real-time safety warning system is createdbased on a five-level safety standard. The threshold for each safety level will be determined by theoretical calculationsand the outcomes of static loading tests. The highest risk threshold will be set at the ultimate limit statevalue. The remaining levels, namely middle risk, low risk, and very low risk, will be determined usingreduction coefficients of 0.95, 0.9, and 0.8, respectively.

Field testing of geosynthetic-reinforced and column-supported earth platforms constructed on soft soil

This paper is focused on the behavior of geosynthetic-reinforced and column-supported （GRCS） earth platforms in soft soil. By analyzing the data of a 15-month long field monitoring project, the bearing behavior and effectiveness of GRCS earth platforms are discussed in detail. It can be found that the soil arching is generated when the filling reaches a certain height. The measured pressure acting on the soil in the center of four piles was smaller than that acting on the soil between two piles. The elongation and the tension of the geogrid located in the soil between piles are both larger than the corresponding values on the pile top. The skin friction of piles is relatively small in the soil layer with low strength and the load transfer of the axial force in those layers is significant; meanwhile, the opposite situation occurs in the soil layer with high strength. The pore water pressure at shallow locations increases slightly with the filling height and is greatly affected by the increasing filling load. The layered settlement is directly proportional to the filling height, and the corresponding amount is relevant to the locations and the properties of specific soil layers. Additionally, the lateral displacement of the embankment increases with greater loading and decreases with increased depth. These suggest that the use of GRCS system can reduce lateral displacements and enhance the stability of an embankment significantly.

Evaluation and application of an efficient plant DNA extraction protocol for laboratory and field testing

Nucleic acids in plant tissue lysates can be captured quickly by a cellulose filter paper and prepared for amplification after a quick purification.In this study,a published filter paper strip method was modified by sticking the filter paper on a polyvinyl chloride resin(PVC)sheet.This modified method is named EZ-D,for EASY DNA extraction.Compared with the original cetyl trimethylammonium bromide(CTAB)method,DNA extracted by EZ-D is more efficient in polymerase chain reaction(PCR)amplification due to the more stable performance of the EZ-D stick.The EZ-D method is also faster,easier,and cheaper.PCR analyses showed that DNA extracted from several types of plant tissues by EZ-D was appropriate for specific identification of biological samples.A regular PCR reaction can detect the EZ-D-extracted DNA template at concentration as low as 0.1 ng/μL.Evaluation of the EZ-D showed that DNA extracts could be successfully amplified by PCR reaction for DNA fragments up to 3000 bp in length and up to 80%in GC content.EZ-D was successfully used for DNA extraction from a variety of plant species and plant tissues.Moreover,when EZ-D was combined with the loop-mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP)method,DNA identification of biological samples could be achieved without the need for specialized equipment.As an optimized DNA purification method,EZ-D shows great advantages in application and can be used widely in laboratories where equipment is limited and rapid results are required.

Nondestructive Testing and Characterization of Residual Stress Field Using an Ultrasonic Method

To address the difficulty in testing and calibrating the stress gradient in the depth direction of mechanical components, a new technology of nondestructive testing and characterization of the residual stress gradient field by ultrasonic method is proposed based on acoustoelasticity theory. By carrying out theoretical analysis, the sensitivity coefficients of different types of ultrasonic are obtained by taking the low carbon steel（12%C） as a research object. By fixing the interval distance between sending and receiving transducers, the mathematical expressions of the change of stress and the variation of time are established. To design one sending-one receiving and oblique incidence ultrasonic detection probes, according to Snell law, the critically refracted longitudinal wave（LCR wave） is excited at a certain depth of the fixed distance of the tested components. Then, the relationship between the depth of LCR wave detection and the center frequency of the probe in Q235 steel is obtained through experimental study. To detect the stress gradient in the depth direction, a stress gradient LCR wave detection model is established, through which the stress gradient formula is derived by the relationship between center frequency and detecting depth. A C-shaped stress specimen of Q235 steel is designed to conduct stress loading tests, and the stress is measured with the five group probes at different center frequencies. The accuracy of ultrasonic testing is verified by X-ray stress analyzer. The stress value of each specific depth is calculated using the stress gradient formula. Accordingly, the ultrasonic characterization of residual stress field is realized. Characterization results show that the stress gradient distribution is consistent with the simulation in ANSYS. The new technology can be widely applied in the detection of the residual stress gradient field caused by mechanical processing, such as welding and shot peening.

Field load testing of copper extraction aeration pipes under simulated high heap pile

Recently a research team at Ohio University,USA,conducted a unique full-scale feld load test to simulate the aeration pipe installations at a copper extraction mine operated in Chile.The overliner material taken from the mine was used in recreating the in situ conditions.Electric heaters were utilized to raise the temperature inside each pipe to simulate the essential element of the copper extraction process.The maximum vertical deflection reached by the test pipes was close to 20%,when the simulated heap pile height was 80 m.The plastic pipes and the overliner material were also tested in the laboratory.Based on the results,the maximum heap pile fll depth was recommended for the aeration system.The results indicated that the vertical deflection was the primary performance index for the aeration pipes installed in heap piles at mines.Lastly,the pipe made of polypropylene resin was super.

VISUALIZATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL DATA FIELD AND ITS APPLICATION IN MACHINE TESTING

In order to realize visualization of three-dimensional data field （TDDF） in instrument, two methods of visualization of TDDF and the usual manner of quick graphic and image processing are analyzed. And how to use OpenGL technique and the characteristic of analyzed data to construct a TDDF, the ways of reality processing and interactive processing are described. Then the medium geometric element and a related realistic model are constructed by means of the first algorithm. Models obtained for attaching the third dimension in three-dimensional data field are presented. An example for TDDF realization of machine measuring is provided. The analysis of resultant graphic indicates that the three-dimensional graphics built by the method developed is featured by good reality, fast processing and strong interaction

Study on Load Bearing Characteristics of Novel Expandable Deepwater Drilling Conductor Based on Laboratory Experiment and Field Test

A novel expandable conductor was designed and applied in deep-water drilling to improve the vertical and lateral bearing capacity with a significant reduction of conductor jetting depth and soaking time. The vertical and lateral bearing capability of expandable conductors was depicted based on the ultimate subgrade reaction method and pile foundation bearing theory. The load-bearing characteristics of a laboratory-scale expandable conductor were analyzed through laboratory experiments. The serial simulation experiments are accomplished to study the bearing characteristics(vertical ultimate bearing capacity, lateral soil pressure, and lateral displacement) during the conductor soaking process. The laboratory experimental results show that the larger the length and thickness of expandable materials are,the higher the bearing capacity of the wellhead will be. During the conductor soaking process, the soil pressure around the three expandable conductors increases faster, strings representing a stronger squeezing effect and resulting in higher vertical bearing capacity. Furthermore, the lateral displacement of novel expandable conductor is smaller than that of the conventional conductor. All the advantages mentioned above contributed to the reduction of conductor’s jetting depth and soaking time. Lastly, the application workflow of a novel expandable deep-water drilling conductor was established and the autonomous expandable conductor was successfully applied in the South China Sea with a significant reduction of conductor’s jetting depth and soaking time. According to the soil properties and designed installation depth of the surface conductor, the arrangement of expandable materials should be designed reasonably to meet the safety condition and reduce the construction cost of the subsea wellhead.

Research on casing deformation prevention technology based on cementing slurry system optimization

The casing deformation prevention technology based on the optimization of cement slurry is proposed to reduce the casing deformation of shale oil and gas wells during hydraulic fracturing. In this paper, the fracture mechanism of hollow particles in cement sheath was firstly analyzed by discrete element method, and the effect of hollow particles in cement on casing deformation was investigated by laboratory experiment method. Finally, field test was carried out to verify the improvement effect of the casing deformation based on cement slurry modification. The results show that the formation displacement can be absorbed effectively by hollow particles inside the cement transferring the excessive deformation away from casing. The particles in the uncemented state provide deformation space during formation slipping. The casing with diameter of 139.7 mm could be passed through by bridge plug with the diameter of 99 mm when the mass ratio of particle/cement reaches 1:4. According to the field test feedback, the method based on optimization of cement slurry can effectively reduce the risk of casing deformation, and the recommended range of hollow microbeads content in the cement slurry is between 15% and 25%.

Theoretical analysis and engineering application of controllable shock wave technology for enhancing coalbed methane in soft and low‑permeability coal seams

Coalbed methane(CBM)is a significant factor in triggering coal and gas outburst disaster,while also serving as a clean fuel.With the increasing depth of mining operations,coal seams that exhibit high levels of gas content and low permeability have become increasingly prevalent.While controllable shockwave(CSW)technology has proven effective in enhancing CBM in laboratory settings,there is a lack of reports on its field applications in soft and low-permeability coal seams.This study establishes the governing equations for stress waves induced by CSW.Laplace numerical inversion was employed to analyse the dynamic response of the coal seam during CSW antireflection.Additionally,quantitative calculations were performed for the crushed zone,fracture zone,and effective CSW influence range,which guided the selection of field test parameters.The results of the field test unveiled a substantial improvement in the gas permeability coefficient,the average rate of pure methane flowrate,and the mean gas flowrate within a 10 m radius of the antireflection borehole.These enhancements were notable,showing increases of 3 times,13.72 times,and 11.48 times,respectively.Furthermore,the field test performed on the CSW antireflection gas extraction hole cluster demonstrated a noticeable improvement in CBM extraction.After antireflection,the maximum peak gas concentration and maximum peak pure methane flow reached 71.2%and 2.59 m^(3)/min,respectively.These findings will offer valuable guidance for the application of CSW antireflection technology in soft and low-permeability coal seams.

The Effect of Preloading on the Cyclic Liquefaction Strength Measured in the Laboratory

The effect of preloading on the liquefaction cyclic strength was investigated by cyclic shear tests where horizontal shear stress oscillated about a zero mean value on sands with varying fines content and at varying prestress ratios, densities and verticalstresses. Test results showed a marked increase of the cyclic soil strength with the prestress ratio. The effect is more pronounced for the looser specimens. An empirical expression predicting this effect is proposed. This expression is validated from results of a field test.

Oxidation Modification of Polyacrylonitrile-Based Carbon Fiber and Its Electro-Chemical Performance as Marine Electrode for Electric Field Test

A novel sensor for ocean electric field testing has been fabricated by polyacrylonitrile-based on carbon fibers with electro-chemical oxidation.The surface profile characteristics of the carbon fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope,Fourier transform infrared spectra and contact angle.Cyclic voltammetry and Tafel curves have been used to study its electro-chemical performances.Two identical electrodes in sea water as the electric field sensor will swiftly respond to applied electric field which causes positive and negative ions to move in opposite direction,resulting in a electric potential difference(ΔE).Test result indicates that the offset potential is typically below 1 m V with a drift of 60-170μVd^-1.Typical self noise level is 1.07 nV√Hz^(1/2)@1 Hz.The electric field response indicates that the modified electrode pair shows better response to AC sine signal of amplitude and frequency(5 mV and 1 mHz)respectively than its blank.The electric field response model of the modified electrodes is creatively presented according to its electric double layer capacitance and Faraday pseudo-capacitance.Many advantages of the carbon fiber electric field electrode will make it have potential application prospect.

Field Efficacy Trial and Optimum Control Period of Rice False Smut(Ustilaginoidea virens) in Single Cropping Middle-late Rice

[Objective]The paper was to study optimum chemical agents and control periods against rice false smut( Ustilaginoidea virens) in single cropping middle-late rice. [Method]Taking chemical agents( triadimefon,armure,Jinggangmycin) as main treatments and spraying periods( within 7 d before initial heading stage,within 7 d before initial heading stage + initial heading stage,initial heading stage) as assisted treatments,the field efficacy trial and optimum control period of U. virens in single cropping middle-late rice were studied using Huanghuazhan and Jinnongsimiao as experimental materials in 2013. [Result] Three chemical agents,triadimefon,armure,Jinggangmycin,extremely reduced diseased panicle rate and disease index of U. virens,but there was no significant difference among three chemical agents. Spraying period did not have significant impact on diseased panicle rate and disease index of U. virens,whereas spraying within7 d before initial heading stage and during initial heading stage had relatively good control effect. Yield increased significantly after application of three chemical agents,and armure led to greater increase. The reason for yield increase was that seed setting rate was significantly increased,and the number of filled grains per panicle was significantly increased. Although spraying period influenced yield,the difference was not significant. [Conclusion] Triadimefon,armure and Jinggangmycin had good control effects against U. virens in single cropping middle-late rice,of which armure had better control effects. Spraying chemical agents increased seed setting rate,and further increased the number of filled grains per panicle and yield. Spraying within 7 d before initial heading stage and during initial heading stage had relatively better control effect against U. virens.

Field Application of Mulberry Straw Arch in Ecological Bank Revetment

With the growing level of awareness and increasing demand for environmental protection,timber pile revetments with significant ecological effects have experienced increasingly wide application in China.The current timber pile revetment system has two problems:continuous dense piles have high construction costs and require large timber consumptions,while the discrete pile-bamboo fence systems have poor retaining effects.Considering these problems,an original revetment structure form is proposed:a discrete pile-mulberry straw arch structure.To investigate the mechanical properties of the mulberry straw,some mechanical tests are conducted on mulberry straw and its arch structure.It is found that the average compressive strength of mulberry straw is 2.30 MPa,the bending strength is 20.08 MPa and the shear strength is 2.99 MPa;considering the structural characteristics of arches,mulberry straw arches have a high bending strength,which affords immense potential for their application in revetment structures.Furthermore,by doing field study of the discrete timber pile-mulberry straw arch structure for bank revetment,it is found that the arch height of the mulberry straw arch changes 1.4–1.6 cm after 489 d observation.The soil settlement before the straw arch is 0.13–0.18 cm and the settlement of the pile is 0.66–0.72 mm.Compared with bamboo fence structure,the cost of using mulberry straw arch structure as revetment material can save up to 27.07%.Therefore,the discrete timber pile-mulberry straw arch has a rational and stable structure that provides effective support for protecting the riverbank and the toe of gentle slopes and effectively prevents the collapse of bank slopes in the rear.The new revetment structure proposed in this paper has signifi-cant ecological and economic effects,is easy to construct and feasible for standard production,and consequently has great application potential.

Resistance and Reactance of Monopole Fields Induced by a Test Charge Drifting Off-Axis in a Cold and Collisional Cylindrical Plasma

We study the interaction of a uniform, cold and collisional plasma with a test charged particle moving off-axis at a constant speed down a cylindrical tube with a resistive thick metallic wall. Upon matching the electromagnetic field components at all interfaces, the induced monopole electromagnetic fields in the plasma are obtained in the frequency domain. An expression for the plasma electric resistance and reactance is derived and analyzed numerically for some representative parameters. Near the plasma resonant frequency, the plasma resistance evolves with frequency like a parallel RLC resonator with peak resistance at the plasma frequency pe, while the plasma reactance can be capacitive or inductive in nature depending on the frequency under consideration.

Novel Test Approach for Interconnect Resources in Field Programmable Gate Arrays

A novel test approach for interconnect resources （IRs） in field programmable gate arrays （FPGA） has been proposed.In the test approach,SBs （switch boxes） of IRs in FPGA has been utilized to test IRs.Furthermore,configurable logic blocks （CLBs） in FPGA have also been employed to enhance driving capability and the position of fault IR can be determined by monitoring the IRs associated SBs.As a result,IRs can be scanned maximally with minimum configuration patterns.In the experiment,an in-house developed FPGA test system based on system-on-chip （SoC） hardware/software verification technology has been applied to test XC4000E family of Xilinx.The experiment results revealed that the IRs in FPGA can be tested by 6 test patterns.

Field Test of Concrete Impermeability of Side Wall of Lakeside Highway Tunnel

The impermeability of concrete of the exterior wall of the underground tunnel in water-rich stratum is a key concern of engineers.Taking the Aixihu highway tunnel in Nanchang city as an example,the impermeability of the concrete in the side wall of the highway tunnel is tested,through multiple tests,such as the embedded steel pipe,water injection,and field observation.The results show that,under the action of 2mpa of water pressure,no water flow permeates from the side wall of the concrete tunnel,indicating that the impermeable performance of concrete tunnel in this section meets the engineering requirements,and hoping that this research can be used as a reference for other similar projects.

The Test Area of Suizhong 36-1 Oil Field Fully Under Commission

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A case study of blasting vibration attenuation based on wave component characteristics

A typical blasting vibration wave is a composite wave,and its attenuation law is affected by the type of dominant wave component.The purpose of the present study is to establish an attenuation equation of the peak particle velocity(PPV),taking into account the attenuation characteristics of P-,S-and R-waves in the blasting vibration wave.Field blasting tests were carried out as a case to specifically apply the proposed equation.In view of the fact that the discrete properties of rock mass will inevitably cause the uncertainty of blasting vibration,we also carried out a probability analysis of PPV uncertainty,and introduced the concept of reliability to evaluate blasting vibration.The results showed that the established attenuation equation had a higher prediction accuracy,and can be considered as a promising equation implemented on more complex sites.The adopted uncertainty analysis method can comprehensively take account of the attenuation law of blasting vibration measured on site and discrete properties of rock masses.The obtained distribution of the PPV uncertainty factor can quantitatively evaluate the reliability of blasting vibration,which is a powerful and necessary supplement to the PPV attenuation equation.

Full-scale pullout tests of rock anchors in a limestone quarry focusing on bond failure at the anchor-grout and grout-rock interfaces

Rock anchors are a common safety measure for stabilising large-scale infrastructure,such as bridge towers,retaining walls,rock slopes and windmills.There are four principal failure modes for rock anchors:(a)tensile failure of the steel anchor,(b)anchor-grout interface failure,(c)grout-rock interface failure,and(d)rock mass uplift.Field tests were performed in a limestone quarry.These tests were designed to test failure modes B and C through pullout.In the tests of failure mode B,the shear stress on the anchor-grout interface is the largest at the top of the grout column and attenuates towards the distal end for small loads.The shear stress becomes uniformly distributed when the applied load is approximately 50%of the ultimate pullout load.The anchors designed to test failure mode C were installed with an endplate and had a higher toughness than the straight bar anchors.The shear stress on the grout-rock interface is the largest at the endplate and attenuates upward before slip starts along the interface.When the ultimate pullout load is reached,and the grout column starts to slip,the shear stress is approximately constant.The bond shear strength on the anchor-grout interface was approximately 20%of the uniaxial compressive strength of the grout,and the bond strength of the grout-rock interface was around 5%for that of the grout.The grout-rock interface is likely determined by whichever is weaker,the grout or the rock.