Transfer matrix method for free and forced vibrations of multi-level functionally graded material stepped beams with different boundary conditions

Functionally graded materials(FGMs)are a novel class of composite materials that have attracted significant attention in the field of engineering due to their unique mechanical properties.This study aims to explore the dynamic behaviors of an FGM stepped beam with different boundary conditions based on an efficient solving method.Under the assumptions of the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory,the governing differential equations of an individual FGM beam are derived with Hamilton’s principle and decoupled via the separation-of-variable approach.Then,the free and forced vibrations of the FGM stepped beam are solved with the transfer matrix method(TMM).Two models,i.e.,a three-level FGM stepped beam and a five-level FGM stepped beam,are considered,and their natural frequencies and mode shapes are presented.To demonstrate the validity of the method in this paper,the simulation results by ABAQUS are also given.On this basis,the detailed parametric analyses on the frequencies and dynamic responses of the three-level FGM stepped beam are carried out.The results show the accuracy and efficiency of the TMM.

INTERACTION OF A SOLITARY WAVE AND A FRONT STEP SIMULATED BY LEVEL SET METHOD

As a new method, the Level Set method had been developed to compute the interface of two-phase flow. The basic mathematical theory and the detailed method to solve the free surface hydrodynamic problem had been investigated. By using the Level Set method, the transformation of a solitary wave over a front step was simulated. The results were in good agreement with laboratory experiments.

Fractional four-step finite element method for analysis of thermally coupled fluid-solid interaction problems

An integrated fluid-thermal-structural analysis approach is presented. In this approach, the heat conduction in a solid is coupled with the heat convection in the viscous flow of the fluid resulting in the thermal stress in the solid. The fractional four-step finite element method and the streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin （SUPG） method are used to analyze the viscous thermal flow in the fluid. Analyses of the heat transfer and the thermal stress in the solid axe performed by the Galerkin method. The second-order semi- implicit Crank-Nicolson scheme is used for the time integration. The resulting nonlinear equations are lineaxized to improve the computational efficiency. The integrated analysis method uses a three-node triangular element with equal-order interpolation functions for the fluid velocity components, the pressure, the temperature, and the solid displacements to simplify the overall finite element formulation. The main advantage of the present method is to consistently couple the heat transfer along the fluid-solid interface. Results of several tested problems show effectiveness of the present finite element method, which provides insight into the integrated fluid-thermal-structural interaction phenomena.

Design,preparation,application of advanced array structured materials and their action mechanism analyses for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur battery(LSB)has brought much attention and concern because of high theoretical specific capacity and energy density as one of main competitors for next-generation energy storage systems.The widely commercial application and development of LSB is mainly hindered by serious“shuttle effect”of lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),slow reaction kinetics,notorious lithium dendrites,etc.In various structures of LSB materials,array structured materials,possessing the composition of ordered micro units with the same or similar characteristics of each unit,present excellent application potential for various secondary cells due to some merits such as immobilization of active substances,high specific surface area,appropriate pore sizes,easy modification of functional material surface,accommodated huge volume change,enough facilitated transportation for electrons/lithium ions,and special functional groups strongly adsorbing Li PSs.Thus many novel array structured materials are applied to battery for tackling thorny problems mentioned above.In this review,recent progresses and developments on array structured materials applied in LSBs including preparation ways,collaborative structural designs based on array structures,and action mechanism analyses in improving electrochemical performance and safety are summarized.Meanwhile,we also have detailed discussion for array structured materials in LSBs and constructed the structure-function relationships between array structured materials and battery performances.Lastly,some directions and prospects about preparation ways,functional modifications,and practical applications of array structured materials in LSBs are generalized.We hope the review can attract more researchers'attention and bring more studying on array structured materials for other secondary batteries including LSB.

Noether＇s theorem and one-step corrections method for holonomic system

In this paper, a new computational method for improving the accuracy of numerically computed solutions is introduced. The computational method is based on the one-step method and conserved quantities of holonomic systems are considered as kinematical constraints in this method.

On“The Five-Step Method”in Teaching Junior English for China

Junior English for China’ is based on the ’Five-Step’ teachingmethod: Revision, Presentation, Drilling, Practice, Consolidation. Each step has itsown particular methodology and requires the teacher to adopt a certain role. Thispaper is a discussion of the "Five-Step Method".

Adaptive split-step Fourier method for simulating ultrashort laser pulse propagation in photonic crystal fibres

In this paper, the generalized nonlinear Schrodinger equation （GNLSE） is solved by an adaptive split-step Fourier method （ASSFM）. It is found that ASSFM must be used to solve GNLSE to ensure precision when the soliton selffrequency shift is remarkable and the photonic crystal fibre （PCF） parameters vary with the frequency considerably. The precision of numerical simulation by using ASSFM is higher than that by using split-step Fourier method in the process of laser pulse propagation in PCFs due to the fact that the variation of fibre parameters with the peak frequency in the pulse spectrum can be taken into account fully.

Numerical Solution of the Rotating Shallow Water Flows with Topography Using the Fractional Steps Method

The two-dimensional nonlinear shallow water equations in the presence of Coriolis force and bottom topography are solved numerically using the fractional steps method. The fractional steps method consists of splitting the multi-dimensional matrix inversion problem into an equivalent one dimensional problem which is successively integrated in every direction along the characteristics using the Riemann invariant associated with the cubic spline interpolation. The height and the velocity field of the shallow water equations over irregular bottom are discretized on a fixed Eulerian grid and time-stepped using the fractional steps method. Effects of the Coriolis force and the bottom topography for particular initial flows on the velocity components and the free surface elevation have been studied and the results are plotted.

A class of twostep continuity Runge-Kutta methods for solving singular delay differential equations and its convergence

An idea of relaxing the effect of delay when computing the Runge-Kutta stages in the current step and a class of two-step continuity Runge-Kutta methods （TSCRK） is presented. Their construction, their order conditions and their convergence are studied. The two-step continuity Runge-Kutta methods possess good numerical stability properties and higher stage-order, and keep the explicit process of computing the Runge-Kutta stages. The numerical experiments show that the TSCRK methods are efficient.

A LOW-PRESSURE AND ONE-STEP METHOD FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF ALKYLIDYNETRICOBALT NONACARBONYL CLUSTERS:RCCo_8(CO)_9

Metal clusters RCCo_3(CO)_9(R-H,C1,Br,CH_3,Ph) were prepared in 18.8-57.3% yields from the reaction of cobalt(Ⅱ)salt and RCX_a under mild PTC conditions(latm CO,25℃).The cobalt salt was reduced to Co(CO)_4 in the presence of Na_3S_2O_4.

Constraint Stabilization and One-Step Correction Method for Dynamical Systems

A computational method of constraint stabilization and correction is introduced. The method is based on the Baumgart＇s one-step method. Constraint conditions are addressed to stabilize and correct the solution. Two examples are given to illustrate the results of the method.

ELEMENT－BY－ELEMENT MATRIX DECOMPOSITION ANDSTEP－BY－STEP INTEGRATION METHOD FOR TRANSIENTDYNAMIC PROBLEMS

In this paper a general matrix decomposition scheme as well as an element-by-clement relaxation algorithm combined with step-by -step integration method is presented for transient dynamic problems thus the finite element method can be fromforming global stiffness matrix global mass matrix as well as solyin large scale sparse equations Theory analysis and numerical results show that the presented matrix decomposition scheme is the optimal one The presented algoithm has else physicalmeaning and can be busily applied to finite element codes

The convergence ball and error analysis of the two-step Secant method

Under the assumption that the nonlinear operator has Lipschitz continuous divided differences for the first order,we obtain an estimate of the radius of the convergence ball for the two-step secant method.Moreover,we also provide an error estimate that matches the convergence order of the two-step secant method.At last,we give an application of the proposed theorem.

Signal-to-noise ratio comparison of angular signal radiography and phase stepping method

Grating-based x-ray phase contrast imaging has the potential to be applied in future medical applications as it is compatible with both laboratory and synchrotron source. However, information retrieval methods are important because acquisition speed, scanning mode, image quality, and radiation dose depend on them. Phase-stepping （PS） is a widely used method to retrieve information, while angular signal radiography （ASR） is a newly established method. In this manuscript, signal-to-noise ratios （SNRs） of ASR are compared with that of PS. Numerical experiments are performed to validate theoretical results. SNRs comparison shows that for refraction and scattering images ASR has higher SNR than PS method, while for absorption image both methods have same SNR. Therefore, our conclusions would have guideline in future preclinical and clinical applications.

Modified One Step Isolation of RNA,DNA and Protein from Plant Tissues

[Objective] The aim of this study was to extract RNA,DNA and protein from plants by using modified one step method.[Method]CTAB was used for the modifying of Biozol-based one step extraction method,which was then used for the isolation of RNA,DNA and protein from the roots of maize（Zea mays L.）,soybean（Glycine max L.）,alfalfa（Medicago sativa L.）and cucumber（Cucumis sativus L.）.And the heme oxygenase-1 gene（HO-1）and calcium-dependent protein kinase-1 gene（CDPK1）,as well as HO-1 protein were identified.[Result]The result of UV spectrophotometer determination and agarose gel electrophoresis analysis showed that the purity of obtained RNA and DNA sample was relatively high;HO-1 and CDPK1 gene exhibited the positive signals checked by RT-PCR;the extracted protein could be used for western blotting analysis;the whole isolation procedure cost 3 h.[Conclusion]This method can be used as a good reference for researcher and will offer a better value with a wide range of applications.

WAVE TRANSFORMATION AND BREAKING OVER A RECTANGULAR STEP

An idealized numerical wave flume has been established by finite element method on the bases of Navier Stokes equations through prescribing the appropriate boundary conditions for the open boundary,incident boundary,free surface and solid boundary in this paper.The characteristics of waves propagating over a step have been investigated by this numerical model.The breaker wave height is determined depending on the kinetic criterion.The numerical model is verified by laboratory experiments,and the empirical formula for the damping of wave height due to breaking is also given by experiments.

An Action Research Project Aiming to Improve the Students' Reading Skills and Performance in an EFL Reading Class

As is universally acknowledged,educators have endeavored for ages to seek the more effective teaching method.Then action research has become a tool which is frequently applied to the teaching practice aiming to locate the teaching mode satisfactory to both teachers and students.The English majors are required to pass the TEM-4 exam when they are sophomores.It is essential for them to acquire the effective learning skills from reading classes.But it seems that vocabulary and grammar study—so called the traditional teaching method prove boring to students.Therefore,the tapestry approach is put forward.But the question is though the tapestry approach stimulates students’interest,can it can improve their English level?In order to figure out the result,two classes will be chosen in this research—one is controlled class,the other is experimental class.The traditional teaching method and the tapestry approach will be used in these two classes respectively.The experiment will last one semester.The students will be tested on two same TEM-4 papers at the beginning and at the end of the semester.The data will be collected for comparison.If the experimental class get the higher scores in the TEM-4 paper,it demonstrates that the tapestry approach is successful in balancing the need for interests and the need for English improvement.

A Higher Order BEM for Wave-Current Action on Structures—Direct Computation of Free-Term Coefficient and CPV Integrals

A higher order boundary dement method （HOBEM） is implemented for wave-current action on structures. The freeterm coefficient and Cauchy principal value （ GPV） integrals are computed by direct methods. Numerical experiments are carried out to validate the computation of free-term coefficient and GPV integrals. The results show that the computation precision of free-term coefficient is very high for various bodies, even with edges and corners, and the convergence speed is fast for CPV integrals for different meshes. The comparison of the second order mean drift force due to wave-current action on a uniform cylinder is made with an analytic solution. It is found that good agreement exists between the present calculation and the analytic solutions. Finally, the numerical code is applied for computing wave-current action on Snorrc TLP.

Synthesis of Vanadium Nitride by a One Step Method

Vanadium nitrides were prepared via one step method of carbothermal reduction and nitridation of vanadium trioxide. Thermalgravimetric analysis （TGA） and X-ray diffraction were used to determine the reaction paths of vanadium carbide, namely the following sequential reaction： V2O3→V8C7 in higher temperature stage, the rule of vanadium nitride synthesized was established, and defined conditions of temperature for the production of the carbides and nitrides were determined. Vanadium oxycarbide may consist in the front process of carbothermal reduction of vanadium trioxide. In one step method for vanadium nitride by carbothermal reduction and nitridation of vanadium trioxide, the nitridation process is simultaneous with the carbothermal reduction. A one-step mechanism of the carbothermal reduction with simultaneous nitridation leaded to a lower terminal temperature in nitridation process for vanadium nitride produced, compared with that of carbothermal reduction process without nitridation. The grain size and shape of vanadium nitride were uniform, and had the shape of a cube. The one step method combined vacuum carborization and nitridation （namely two step method） into one process. It simplified the technological process and decreased the costs.

Modified precise time step integration method of structural dynamic analysis

The precise time step integration method proposed for linear time-invariant homogeneous dynamic systems can provide precise numerical results that approach an exact solution at the integration points. However, difficulty arises when the algorithm is used for non-homogeneous dynamic systems, due to the inverse matrix calculation and the simulation accuracy of the applied loading. By combining the Gaussian quadrature method and state space theory with the calculation technique of matrix exponential function in the precise time step integration method, a new modified precise time step integration method （e.g., an algorithm with an arbitrary order of accuracy） is proposed. In the new method, no inverse matrix calculation or simulation of the applied loading is needed, and the computing efficiency is improved. In particular, the proposed method is independent of the quality of the matrix H. If the matrix H is singular or nearly singular, the advantage of the method is remarkable. The numerical stability of the proposed algorithm is discussed and a numerical example is given to demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the algorithm.