Tensile Strain Capacity Prediction of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) Using Soft Computing Techniques

Plain concrete is strong in compression but brittle in tension,having a low tensile strain capacity that can significantly degrade the long-term performance of concrete structures,even when steel reinforcing is present.In order to address these challenges,short polymer fibers are randomly dispersed in a cement-based matrix to forma highly ductile engineered cementitious composite(ECC).Thismaterial exhibits high ductility under tensile forces,with its tensile strain being several hundred times greater than conventional concrete.Since concrete is inherently weak in tension,the tensile strain capacity(TSC)has become one of the most extensively researched properties.As a result,developing a model to predict the TSC of the ECC and to optimize the mixture proportions becomes challenging.Meanwhile,the effort required for laboratory trial batches to determine the TSC is reduced.To achieve the research objectives,five distinct models,artificial neural network(ANN),nonlinear model(NLR),linear relationship model(LR),multi-logistic model(MLR),and M5P-tree model(M5P),are investigated and employed to predict the TSCof ECCmixtures containing fly ash.Data from115 mixtures are gathered and analyzed to develop a new model.The input variables include mixture proportions,fiber length and diameter,and the time required for curing the various mixtures.The model’s effectiveness is evaluated and verified based on statistical parameters such as R2,mean absolute error(MAE),scatter index(SI),root mean squared error(RMSE),and objective function(OBJ)value.Consequently,the ANN model outperforms the others in predicting the TSC of the ECC,with RMSE,MAE,OBJ,SI,and R2 values of 0.42%,0.3%,0.33%,0.135%,and 0.98,respectively.

Theoretical Analysis on Deflection and Bearing Capacity of Prestressed Bamboo-Steel Composite Beams

A theoretical analysis of upward deflection and midspan deflection of prestressed bamboo-steel composite beams is presented in this study.The deflection analysis considers the influences of interface slippage and shear deformation.Furthermore,the calculation model for flexural capacity is proposed considering the two stages of loading.The theoretical results are verified with 8 specimens considering different prestressed load levels,load schemes,and prestress schemes.The results indicate that the proposed theoretical analysis provides a feasible prediction of the deflection and bearing capacity of bamboo-steel composite beams.For deflection analysis,the method considering the slippage and shear deformation provides better accuracy.The theoretical method for bearing capacity matches well with the test results,and the relative errors in the serviceability limit state and ultimate limit state are 4.95%and 5.85%,respectively,which meet the accuracy requirements of the engineered application.

Experimental study on ultimate flexural capacity of steel encased concrete composite beams

Based on the experimental study and inelastic theory, the ultimate flexuralcapacity of steel encased concrete composite beams are derived. The difference between steel encasedconcrete composite beams with full shear connection and beams with partial shear connection,together with the relationship between the inelastic neutral axis of steel parts and concrete parts,are considered in the formulae. The calculation results of the eight specimens with full shearconnection and the three specimens with partial shear connection are in good agreement with theexperimental data, which validates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed calculationmethods. Furthermore, the nonlinear finite element analysis of the ultimate flexural capacity of thesteel encased concrete composite beams is performed. Nonlinear material properties and nonlinearcontact properties are considered in the finite element analysis. The finite element analyticalresults also correlate well with the experimental data.

Ultimate negative bending-moment capacity of outer-plated steel-concrete continuous composite beams

Static load tests and bearing capacity analyses are carried out for two outer-plated steel-concrete continuous composite beams. The load-deflection curve and the load-strain curve of specimens are obtained and analyzed. The test results indicate that effective cooperation can be achieved by the shearresistant connection between the reinforcement in the negative moment area and the outer-plated steel beam, and the overall working performance of the composite beams is favorable. At the load-bearing limiting state, the plastic strain on the maximum negative and positive moment section becomes fully developed so as to form relatively ideal plastic hinges. With the increase in the reinforcement ratio, the moment-carrying capacity of the composite beams improves significantly, but the ductility of the beams and the rotation ability of the plastic hinges decrease. The formulae for calculating the limit bending capacity in the negative moment area of outer-plated steel-concrete composite beams are proposed based on the test data. The calculated results agree well with the test results.

Electric Vehicle Charging Capacity of Distribution Network Considering Conventional Load Composition

At present,the large-scale access to electric vehicles(EVs)is exerting considerable pressure on the distribution network.Hence,it is particularly important to analyze the capacity of the distribution network to accommodate EVs.To this end,we propose a method for analyzing the EV capacity of the distribution network by considering the composition of the conventional load.First,the analysis and pretreatment methods for the distribution network architecture and conventional load are proposed.Second,the charging behavior of an EVis simulated by combining the Monte Carlo method and the trip chain theory.After obtaining the temporal and spatial distribution of the EV charging load,themethod of distribution according to the proportion of the same type of conventional load among the nodes is adopted to integrate the EV charging load with the conventional load of the distribution network.By adjusting the EV ownership,the EV capacity in the distribution network is analyzed and solved on the basis of the following indices:node voltage,branch current,and transformer capacity.Finally,by considering the 10-kV distribution network in some areas of an actual city as an example,we show that the proposed analysis method can obtain a more reasonable number of EVs to be accommodated in the distribution network.

Bearing Capacity and Technical Advantages of Composite Bucket Foundation of Offshore Wind Turbines

Based on mechanical characteristics such as large vertical load, large horizontal load, large bending moment and complex geological conditions, a large scale composite bucket foundation （CBF） is put forward. Both the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation are employed to study the bearing capacity of CBF and the relationship between loads and ground deformation. Furthermore, monopile, high-rise pile cap, tripod and CBF designs are compared to analyze the bearing capacity and ground deformation, with a 3-MW wind generator as an example. The resuits indicate that CBF can effectively bear horizontal load and large bending moment resulting from upper structures and environmental load.

Highly Thermally Conductive Polymer/Graphene Composites with Rapid Room‑Temperature Self‑Healing Capacity

Composites that can rapidly self-healing their structure and function at room temperature have broad application prospects.However,in view of the complexity of composite structure and composition,its self-heal is facing challenges.In this article,supramolecular effect is proposed to repair the multistage structure,mechanical and thermal properties of composite materials.A stiff and tough supramolecular frameworks of 2-[[(butylamino)carbonyl]oxy]ethyl ester(PBA)–polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)were established using a chain extender with double amide bonds in a side chain to extend prepolymers through copolymerization.Then,by introducing the copolymer into a folded graphene film(FGf),a highly thermally conductive composite of PBA–PDMS/FGf with self-healing capacity was fabricated.The ratio of crosslinking and hydrogen bonding was optimized to ensure that PBA–PDMS could completely self-heal at room temperature in 10 min.Additionally,PBA–PDMS/FGf exhibits a high tensile strength of 2.23±0.15 MPa at break and high thermal conductivity of 13±0.2 W m^(−1)K^(−1);of which the self-healing efficiencies were 100%and 98.65%at room temperature for tensile strength and thermal conductivity,respectively.The excellent self-healing performance comes from the efficient supramolecular interaction between polymer molecules,as well as polymer molecule and graphene.This kind of thermal conductive self-healing composite has important application prospects in the heat dissipation field of next generation electronic devices in the future.

A Novel TiNi/AlSi Composite with High Strength and High Damping Capacity

A novel TiNi/AlSi composite with high compressive strength and high damping capacity was obtained by infiltrating Al-12%Si alloy into porous TiNi alloy.It had been found that the high compressive strength (440 MPa) of TiNi/AlSi composite is due to the increase of effective carrying area after infiltrating Al-12%Si alloy,while the high damping capacity is contributed to TiNi carcass,Al-12%Si filling material and micro- slipping at the interface.

Experimental research on shear carrying capacity of H-steel concrete composite beam with small shear span ratio

In order to investigate shear carrying capacity of H-steel concrete beam with small shear span ratio,shear test on 5 H-steel concrete composite beams with small span ratio (from 0.7 to 1.1) are reported,including test design,test scheme,test method,failure characteristics and test results. Influences of shear span ratio,web of H steel and concrete on shear carrying capacity of this kind of beam are investigated. The main components comprising shear bearing capacity are analyzed. The results show that with the shear span ratio increasing,the contribution of web of H steel and concrete on shear carrying capacity decrease. Based on test data,the calculation formula of shear carrying capacity for this beam is established by curve fitting.

Study of the Bearing Capacity at the Variable Cross-Section of A Riser- Surface Casing Composite Pile

Reducing the cost of offshore platform construction is an urgent issue for marginal oilfield development.The offshore oil well structure includes a riser and a surface casing.The riser,surface casing and oil well cement can be considered special variable cross-section piles.Replacing or partially replacing the steel pipe pile foundation with a variable cross-section pile to provide the required bearing capacity for an offshore oil platform can reduce the cost of foundation construction and improve the economic efficiency of production.In this paper,the finite element analysis method is used to investigate the variable cross-section bearing mode of composite piles composed of a riser and a surface casing in saturated clay under a vertical load.The calculation formula of the bearing capacity at the variable section is derived based on the theory of spherical cavity expansion,the influencing factors of the bearing capacity coefficient N_(c) are revealed,and the calculation method of N_(c) is proposed.By comparing the calculation results with the results of the centrifuge test,the accuracy and applicability of the calculation method are verified.The results show that the riser composite pile has a rigid core in the soil under the variable cross-section,which increases the bearing capacity at the variable cross-section.

Lateral load-carrying capacity analyses of composite shear walls with double steel plates and filled concrete with binding bars

A method is developed to predict the lateral load-carrying capacity of composite shear walls with double steel plates and filled concrete with binding bars(SCBs). Nonlinear finite element models of SCBs were established by using the finite element tool, Abaqus. Tie constraints were used to connect the binding bars and the steel plates. Surface-to-surface contact provided by the Abaqus was used to simulate the interaction between the steel plate and the core concrete. The established models could predict the lateral load-carrying capacity of SCBs with a reasonable degree of accuracy. A calculation method was developed by superposition principle to predict the lateral load-carrying capacity of SCBs for the engineering application. The concrete confined by steel plates and binding bars is under multi-axial compression; therefore, its shear strength was calculated by using the Guo-Wang concrete failure criterion. The shear strength of the steel plates of SCBs was calculated by using the von Mises yielding criterion without considering buckling. Results of the developed method are in good agreement with the testing and finite element results.

Bearing capacity and mechanical behavior of CFG pile composite foundation

CFG pile (i.e., pile constructed by granular materials of cement, fly-ash and gravel) composite foundation is applied in subsoil treatment widely and successfully. In order to have a further study of this kind of subsoil treatment technology, the influencing factors and calculation methods of the vertical bearing capacity of single CFG pile and the CFG pile composite foundation were discussed respectively. And based on the obtained solutions, effects by the cushion and measurements to reduce negative friction area were analyzed. Moreover, the developing law of settlement and bearing capacity eigenvalue controlled by the material strength with the increase of load were given for the CFG composite foundation. The in-situ static load test was tested for CFG pile. The results of test show that the maximum test load or half of the ultimate load is used from all the points of test, the average bearing capacity eigenvalue of single pile is 390 kN, and slightly greater than the design value of bearing capacity. The bearing capacity eigenvalues of composite foundation for 3 piles are greater than 300 kPa, and the mechanical properties of CFG pile composite foundation are almost identical in the case of the same load and cushion thickness. The pile-soil stress ratio and the load-sharing ratio can be adjusted through setting up cushion thickness.

Damping capacity of in situ TiC_p/2024 composites

The internal friction and the damping behaviors of in situ TiC p/2024 composites have been investigated in comparison with those of 2024 matrix alloy. The results showed that the damping properties of the TiC p/2024 composites are superior to those of the matrix alloy and increase with increasing temperature and volume fraction of TiC. It was found that the damping properties were sensitive to frequency and temperature, and the dislocation damping and interface damping were the main factors which influence the damping behaviors of the composites. When the temperature was lower than 200 ℃, the dislocation damping was the main factor; when the temperature was higher than 200 ℃, the interface and boundary damping was the main factor.

Damping capacity of amorphous carbon fiber/aluminum matrix composites at room temperature

The influence of volume fraction on damping capacities at room temperature for amorphous carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composites was investigated.At room temperature,the dislocation damping is the primary damping mechanism.Meanwhile,the dislocation damping exhibits dynamic hysteresis at low strain amplitudes and static hysteresis at high strain amplitudes.Moreover,the damping capacity is rather sensitive to the volume fraction.Compared to unreinforced aluminum alloy,the additions of amorphous carbon fibers into the aluminum matrix can improve damping capacity below the volume fraction of 30%,whereas worsen above the volume fraction of 40%.

Average Channel Capacity of Composite κ-μ/Gamma Fading Channels

A new analytical expression is presented for the instantaneous power Probability Density Function （PDF） of receiver signals over composite K-u/gamma fading channels. Moreover, the exact expression of channel capacity is derived in the form of an infinite series, while an accurate approximation expression is obtained in closed form. To reveal the implications of the model parameters on capacity, we provide an expression for the case of a high-SNR environment. The relationship of the presented results with previously reported results on generalised-K and K fading channels is also discussed. Finally, numerical and simulation results are presented to prove the correctness of our derived expressions.

Capacity Contribution Mechanism of rGO for SnO_(2)/rGO Composite as Anode of Lithium-ion Batteries

Compared with ordinary graphite anode,SnO_(2) possesses higher theoretical specifc capacity,rich raw materials and low price.While the severe volume expansion of SnO_(2) during lithium-ion extraction/intercalation limits its further application.To solve this problem,in this work the reduced graphene oxide(rGO)was introduced as volume bufer matrix of SnO_(2).Herein,SnO_(2)/rGO composite is obtained through one-step hydrothermal method.Three-dimensional structure of rGO could efectively hinder the polymerization of SnO_(2) nanoparticles and provide more lithium storage sites attributed to high specifc surface area and density defects.The initial discharge capacity of the composite cathode is 959 mA·h·g^(-1) and the capacity remained at 300 mA·h·g^(-1) after 1000 cycles at 1 C.It proved that the rGO added in the anode has a capacity contribution to the lithium-ion battery.It changes the capacity contribution mechanism from difusion process dominance to surface driven capacitive contribution.Due to the addition of rGO,the anode material gains stable structure and great conductivity.

Experimental Investigation on Low-Velocity Impact Response and Residual Compressive Bearing Capacity of Composite Stringers

Three types of composite stringers were impacted from two different directions.Relationships between impact energy and visible defect length were found.The critical impact energy corresponding to barely visible impact damage(BVID)of each stringer was determined.Specimens with BVID were then compressed to obtain the residual strength.Experimental results showed that for all types of stringers,the critical energy of in-plane impact is always much lower than out-plane ones.In-plane impact causes much more decrement of stringers'bearing capacity than outplane impact.For both impact directions,I-stringers own the highest defect detectability,T-stringers come second.Meanwhile,I-stringers own the better residual strength ratio than I-stringers and I-stringers.Synthetic considering impact defect detectability and residual bearing capacity after impact,T-stringers own the best compression-afterimpact(CAI)behaviors.

Influence of B4C particle size on microstructure and damping capacities of(B_(4)C+Ti)/Mg composites

To study the influence of B4C particle size on the microstructure and damping capacities of(B_(4)C+Ti)/Mg composites,in situ reactive infiltration technique was utilized to prepare Mg-matrix composites.The microstructure,produced phases and damping capacities of the composites prepared with different particle size of B4C were characterized and analyzed.The results show that the reaction between B4C and Ti tends to be more complete when finer B_(4)C particle was used to prepare the composites.But the microstructure of the as-prepared composites is more homogenous when B4C and Ti have similar particle size.The strain-dependent damping capacities of(B_(4)C+Ti)/Mg composites improve gradually with the increase of strain amplitude,and composites prepared with coarser B4C particles tend to have higher damping capacities.The temperature-dependent damping capacities improve with increasing the measuring temperatures,and the kind of damping capacities of the composites prepared with 5mm B4C are inferior to those of coarser particles.The dominant damping mechanism for the strain-damping capacity is dislocation damping and plastic zone damping,while that for the temperature-damping capacity is interface damping or grain boundary damping.

Structure-function integrated magnesium alloys and their composites

Magnesium-based materials not only exhibit desirable characteristics such as low density and high specific strength, but also possess exceptional functional properties, including high damping capacity, high thermal conductivity, high electromagnetic interference shielding capacity, flame retardancy, and dissolvability. However, achieving a balance between strength and functional properties remains a significant challenge in Mg alloys community. Typically, strength depends on the pinning effect of defects, such as solute atoms and second phases,which hinder dislocation motion. On the other hand, optimal functional properties usually necessitate relative perfect crystal structures, as the presence of solute atoms and second phases can have adverse effects on damping capacity and thermal conductivity. Balancing these conflicting requirements is difficult. The trade-off between strength and functional properties of the Mg alloys should be broken to meet the urgent need in aerospace, automotive, 3C(computers, communications, and consumer electronics) and energy industries for high performance structural-functional integrated Mg-based materials. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the mechanisms and influencing factors for the functional properties of Mg alloys. The mechanisms underlying the trade-off between strength and functional properties of Mg alloys is discussed. The latest developed structural-functional integrated Mg alloys and their composites are summarized, including high strength Mg-based materials with high damping capacity/high thermal conductivity/strong electromagnetic shielding capability/excellent flame-resistance/high dissolution rate. The future works of developing structure-function integrated Mg-based materials are proposed.

Long-Term Frozen Storage Impact on the Antioxidant Capacity and Chemical Composition of Sardinian Myrtle （Myrtus communis L,） Berries

The effects of frozen storage at -18 ℃ up to 6 months, on the antioxidant properties, chemical composition and other physicochemical properties of myrtle berries （Myrtus comrnunis L.） has been evaluated. Berries showed a good resistance to storage decay, and weight loss remained after six months in the 15% range. Results showed that frozen storage up to 6 months affect individual antocyanins content in different ways. Nevertheless the total anthocyanins content was at the end of storage higher than in fresh fruits. The antioxidant capacity calculated with 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhidrazyl （DPPH） and 2,2＇-Azino-bis （3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid） （ABTS） increased during storage and the calculated r2 showed a positive correlation with the total anthocyanins content. Gluconic and fumaric acid did not changed, quinic acid decreased while malic and shikimic acid increased. The total organic acid content during storage was higher than in fresh fruits causing a slight decrease in pH. Fructose and glucose increased with the same rate and the ratio fructose/glucose remained unchanged （1.06 ± 0.01）, CIE L^＊a^＊b^＊ coordinates showed a shift of the colour to tawny brown after six months storage.