Influence of fly ash on early-age cracking behavior of high-flowing concrete

The effects of quality and content of fly ash on the early-age cracking behavior of high-flowing concrete （HFC） were investigated. The early-age cracking behavior of the HFC was analyzed by combining the tests of evaporation capacity and electrical resistivity of the HFC. In these tests, a modified flat-type specimen was adopted. The results show that the HFC will have a lower evaporation capacity when it is mixed with fine fly ash, while it will have a higher evaporation capacity when grade II! fly ash is used as mineral admixture. And the electrical resistivity rate of HFC reduces with the increase of the content of fly ash. A nonlinear relationship exists between the cracking time of HFC and the minimum electrical resistivity. The early-age cracking behavior of HFC with fly ash can be enhanced by appropriately increasing the fine particle content and MgO, K2O, and SO3 contents of fly ash. The optimal content of fly ash, which makes a satisfied early-age cracking behavior of HFC, is obtained. And when the content of fly ash exceeds a critical value, the early-age cracking behavior of HFC will rapidly decrease.

Thermally-induced cracking behaviors of coal reservoirs subjected to cryogenic liquid nitrogen shock

The benefits of using cryogenic liquid nitrogen shock to enhance coal permeability have been confirmed from experimental perspectives.In this paper,we develop a fully coupled thermo-elastic model in combination with the strain-based isotropic damage theory to uncover the cooling-dominated cracking behaviors through three typical cases,i.e.coal reservoirs containing a wellbore,a primary fracture,and a natural fracture network,respectively.The progressive cracking processes,from thermal fracture initiation,propagation or cessation,deflection,bifurcation to multi-fracture interactions,can be well captured by the numerical model.It is observed that two hierarchical levels of thermal fractures are formed,in which the number of shorter thermal fractures consistently exceeds that of the longer ones.The effects of coal properties related to thermal stress levels and thermal diffusivity on the fracture morphology are quantified by the fracture fractal dimension and the statistical fracture number.The induced fracture morphology is most sensitive to changes in the elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient,both of which dominate the complexity of the fracture networks.Coal reservoir candidates with preferred thermal-mechanical properties are also recommended for improving the stimulation effect.Further findings are that there exists a critical injection temperature and a critical in-situ stress difference,above which no thermal fractures would be formed.Preexisting natural fractures with higher density and preferred orientations are also essential for the formation of complex fracture networks.The obtained results can provide some theoretical support for cryogenic fracturing design in coal reservoirs.

Assessment of early-age cracking of high-performance concrete in restrained ring specimens

High-performance concrete （HPC） is stronger and more durable than conventional concrete. However, shrinkage and shrinkage cracking are common phenomena in HPC, especially early-age cracking. This study assessed early-age cracking of HPC for two mixtures using restrained ring tests. The two mixtures were produced with water/binder mass ratio （mw/mB） of 0.22 and 0.40, respectively. The results show that, with greater steel thickness, the higher degree of restraint resulted in a higher interface pressure and earlier cracking. With steel thickness of 6 mm, 19 mm, and 30 mm, the age of cracking were, respectively, 12 days, 8 days, and 5.4 days with the mw/mB = 0.22 mixture; and 22.5 days, 12.6 days, and 7.1 days with the mw/mB= 0.40 mixture. Cases of the same steel thickness show that the ring specimens with a thicker concrete wall crack later. With the mw/mB = 0.22 mixture, concrete walls with thicknesses of 37.5 mm, 75 mm, and 112.5 mm cracked at 3.4 days, 8.0 days, and 9.8 days, respectively; with the mw/mB = 0.40 mixture, the ages of cracking were 7.1 days, 12.6 days, and 16.0 days, respectively.

Mechanical properties and cracking behaviors of limestone-like samples with two parallel fissures before and after grouting

In the present work,uniaxial compressive tests were carried out on limestone-like samples containing two parallel open fissures or cement-infilled fissures with different geometries.Mechanical property and crack behavior of limestone-like samples with two parallel open fissures or cement-infilled fissures were affected by bridge inclination angle and fissure inclination angle.Four types of coalescence of rock bridge for samples containing open fissures or cement-infilled fissures were summarized and classified.The closure of tensile crack was observed in the samples with small fissure inclination angle.This is a new phenomenon which is not mentioned in previous studies.Test results show that the peak strength,crack initiation stress,and coalescence type are different between open fissures and cement infilled fissures.The reason for this phenomenon is that grouting of cement can transfer stress and reduce stress concentration at the flaw tip and rock bridge area.

Improvement of Cracking-resistance and Flexural Behavior of Cement-based Materials by Addition of Rubber Particles

By ring test and bend test, the improvement of waste tire rubber particles on the crack- resistance and flexural behaviors of cement-based materials were investigated. Test results show that the cracking time of the ring specimens can be retarded by the incorporation of rubber particles in the cement paste and mortar. The improvement in the crack-resistance depended on the rubber fraction. When the rubber fraction was 20% in volume, the cracking time was retarded about 15 h for the paste and 24 d for the mortar respectively. Flexural properties were evaluated based on the bend test results for both mortar and concrete containing different amount of rubber particles. Test results show that rubberized mortar and concrete specimens exhibit ductile failure and significant deformation before fracture. The ultimate deformations of both mortar and concrete specimen increase more than 2-4 times than control specimens.

Surface Cracking Behaviors of Ultra-Fine Grained Tungsten Under Edge Plasma Loading in the HT-7 Tokamak

Tests of the candidate plasma facing materials（PFMs） used in experimental fusion devices are essential due to the direct influence of in-situ plasma loading.A type of ultrafine grained（UFG） tungsten sintered by resistance sintering under ultra-high pressure（RSUHP） method has been exposed in the edge plasma of the HT-7 tokamak to investigate its performance under plasma loading.Under cychc edge plasma loading,the UFG tungsten develops both macro and micro cracks.The macro cracks are attributed to the low temperature brittleness of the tungsten material itself,while the micro cracks are generated from local intense power flux deposition.

Cracking behaviors and strength of rock-like samples with steps of different geometries under shear stress

Steps are distinctive features for estimating the movement of the upper and lower block of faults.However,studies about the influence of steps as a special type of discontinuity on cracking behaviors and strength of rock masses are limited.In this research,rock-like samples with steps and preexisting flaws were fabricated.Step height h and the inclination angle of gentle slope of the stepαwere set to different values.Direct shear tests were conducted on these samples under different normal stresses.The experimental results reveal that the inclination angle of the gentle slope of the stepα,step height h,and normal stress have an influence on the strength,crack initiation,and crack propagation of the samples.The experimental results show that crack behaviors and shear strength were affected by step inclination anglesαand step height h.As the normal stress increases,the improvement of the strength of samples with a large step height is larger than that of samples with a small step height,the improvement of the strength of samples withαof 10°is larger than that of samples withαof 0°and-10°.The discrete element method was used to simulate the shear test.Numerical results show five different types of displacement vectors,which can be used to determine whether the cracks are tensile cracks or shear cracks.The above conclusions can provide help for estimating mechanical properties and failure modes of rock masses with steps of different geometries.

DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF A CRACKED FLEXIBLE ROTOR SUPPORTED ON JOURNAL BEARINGS

The dynamic behavior of a cracked flexible rotor supported on three kinds ofjournal bearings is presented. Numerical experiments show that nonsynchronous responseswill happen due to the rotor crack, and the amplitudes of the nonsynchronous componentsbecome larger with the increase of crack. On the other hand, the fluid forces of journalbearings can suppress the nonsynchronous response. The (1/2) × or (3/2) × harmoniccomponent rarely appears for small crack near the rotating speed ratio Ω = 2Ωc or Ω =(2/3)Ωc. In the case of supercritical rotating speed, the additional 0× harmonic component is increased as the crack increases. The bearing parameters affect greatly the occur-rence of the nonsynchronous responses by means of exerting innuence on the critical spedand the stabi1ity of the system.

Crack evolution behavior of rocks under confining pressures and its propagation model before peak stress

The understanding of crack propagation characteristics and law of rocks during the loading process is of great significance for the exploitation and support of rock engineering.In this study,the crack propagation behavior of rocks in triaxial compression tests was investigated in detail.The main conclusions were as follows:1)According to the evolution characteristics of crack axial strain,the differential stress?strain curve of rocks under triaxial compressive condition can be divided into three phases which are linear elastic phase,crack propagation phase,post peak phase,respectively;2)The proposed models are applied to comparison with the test data of rocks under triaxial compressive condition and different temperatures.The theoretical data calculated by the models are in good agreement with the laboratory data,indicating that the proposed model can be applied to describing the crack propagation behavior and the nonlinear properties of rocks under triaxial compressive condition;3)The inelastic compliance and crack initiation strain in the proposed model have a decrease trend with the increase of confining pressure and temperature.Peak crack axial strain increases nonlinearly with the inelastic compliance and the increase rate increases gradually.Crack initiation strain has a linear relation with peak crack axial strain.

Discrete Element Modeling of Asphalt Concrete Cracking Using a User-def ined Three-dimensional Micromechanical Approach

We established a user-defined micromechanical model using discrete element method （DEM） to investigate the cracking behavior of asphalt concrete （AC）. Using the ＂Fish＂ language provided in the particle flow code in 3-Demensions （PFC3D）, the air voids and mastics in asphalt concrete were realistically built as two distinct phases. With the irregular shape of individual aggregate particles modeled using a clump of spheres of different sizes, the three-dimensional （3D） discrete element model was able to account for aggregate gradation and fraction. Laboratory uniaxial complex modulus test and indirect tensile strength test were performed to obtain input material parameters for the numerical simulation. A set of the indirect tensile test were simulated to study the cracking behavior of AC at two levels of temperature, i e, -10 ℃ and 15 ℃. The predicted results of the numerical simulation were compared with laboratory experimental measurements. Results show that the 3D DEM model is able to predict accurately the fracture pattern of different asphalt mixtures. Based on the DEM model, the effects of air void content and aggregate volumetric fraction on the cracking behavior of asphalt concrete were evaluated.

Fatigue Cracking Characterization of High Grade Non-oriented Electrical Steels

The fatigue behavior of 30 WGP1600 non-oriented electrical steel, which is generally used in the motors for electrical vehicles, was investigated. The detailed microstructure and dislocation configurations of the fatigue specimens were examined by OM, SEM, and TEM. The test results showed that fatigue cracks were commonly initiated from the surface grain boundaries, crystals plane, and inclusions. The rapid fatigue crack propagation was characterized by transgranular cleavage fracture, while most transient fracture exhibited ductile tearing characteristics. After cyclic deformation of the non-oriented electrical steels, various dislocation structures, such as short and thick lines, veins, persistent slip bands, cells, and labyrinth, were observed.

Crack growth behavior of SRR99 single crystal superalloy under thermal fatigue

The thermal fatigue behavior of a single crystal superalloy SRR99 was investigated. Specimens with V-type notch were tested at the peak temperatures of 900, 1000, and 1100℃. The crack growth curves as a function of the number of cycles were plotted. With the increase of peak temperature, the crack initiation life was shortened dramatically. Through optical microscopy （OM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） observation, it was found that multiple small cracks nucleated at the notch tip region but only one or two of them continued to develop in the following thermal cycles. The primary cracks generally propagated along a preferential direction. Microstructure changes after thermal fatigue were also discussed on the basis of SEM observation.

Metallurgical modeling of microcrack repairment during welding nonferrous materials: non-equilibrium solidification behavior of weld pool (Ⅰ)

Metallurgical modeling of synergistic microcrack self-repairmen during welding single crystal and polycrystalline superalloys of high-temperature aerospace materials has been properly established. The idea of improvement of nickel-based superalloys weldability through non-equilibrium solidification behavior of backfill to self-repair arterial crack network is usefully proposed. Crystallographic control strategy of crack self-repairmen of fusion zone interdendritic solidification cracking and heat-affected zone （HAZ） intergranular liquation cracking is technically achievable, indicating that optimal niobium alloying beneficially refines weld microstructure, stabilizes the primary solidification path, increases the solidification temperature and concomitantly decreases the weld pool geometry. High-carbon grain boundary is more thermal stable and less contributes to incipient intergranular liquid film than that of low-carbon grain boundary. The theoretical predictions of cracking susceptibility are indirectly verified in a rather satisfactory manner. Additionally, the metallurgical modeling enhances predicative capabilities and thereby is readily applicable for other alloy systems.

Crack propagation behavior of inhomogeneous laminated Ti-Nb metal-metal composite

In order to investigate the real-time cracking behavior of each component of a composite with strong interfacial bonding among lamellae, Ti-18 Nb(at.%) composite was prepared by spark plasma sintering(SPS), followed by hot-rolling, annealing, and quenching. The microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS), micro-region X-ray diffractometry(MRXRD), nanoindentation, and in-situ scanning electron microscopy tensile testing. The results show that the Ti-18 Nb consists of Ti-enriched, diffusion and Nb-enriched zones, and the sharp Nb gradient across different zones leads to inhomogeneous distribution of phase and mechanical properties. A remarkable finding is that the diffusion zones not only enable the cooperative deformation between the brittle Ti-enriched zones and the ductile Nb-enriched zones but also act as the crack-arresters to prevent the local cracks in the Ti-enriched zones from further propagating across the composite.

GROWTH BEHAVIOR OF SHORT FATIGUE CRACKS FOR ALUMINUM- LITHIUM ALLOY 8090

The growth behaviors of short through cracks (0.2 < △a < 2.2mm) and long cracks are compared using CT type specimens in aluminum-lithium alloy 8090 T651. It is found that the short cracks grow much more than long ones and are observed to grow at the stress intensity ranges far below the long crack threshold. The distinction of growth bahavior between short and long cracks is attributed to the difference of their crack closure effect. The growth behavior of short cracks can be rationalized with that of long ones in terms of effective stress intensity ranges. The upper demarcation value of short through cracks for aluminum-lithium alloy 8090 is presented.

Prevalence and Incidence of HIV and Sexual Risk Behaviors in Crack Users in the San Salvador Metropolitan Area, El Salvador

Objective: It is in order to estimate the prevalence and incidence of HIV, the frequency of sexual risk behaviors, and perceptions of available resources to prevent and treat HIV among crack users in the San Salvador Metropolitan Area. Methods: We conducted a survey of 420 crack users by using respondent-driven sampling to measure demographic characteristics, the quantity and frequency of drug use, history of STIs, including HIV, and experiences with organizations which provide prevention and treatment of HIV. Each participant offered a free and voluntary HIV test and was asked permission to share the results of the test with the study. Bernoullian modeling was used to estimate the prevalence and incidence of HIV among heterosexual males in this population. Results: The estimated prevalence was 7% (95% CI: 2.3% -9.8%) among participants who agreed to take the test and share the results, and 4.9% (95% CI: 2.8% -7.8%) assuming that those who did not take the test or share results were seronegative. Participants reported a high frequency of sexual risk behaviors. In addition, participants were reported to have little knowledge of organizations to prevent or treat HIV/AIDS;58% had never taken an HIV test prior to survey administration. Conclusions: Crack users in San Salvador are at high risk for HIV acquisition. HIV prevention interventions are urgently needed, especially interventions increasing access to HIV testing and prevention.

The Crack of Turbine Blade Effect on the Dynamic Behavior of Turbine

In this report, the finite element method is applied to study the crack effect on the dynamic behavior of the turbine blade. There are four subjects reported in this paper. The first subject describes the material properties, the visual observation of the blade crack, the geometric dimensional measurement of the turbine blade. The second part will present the finite element models included single blade and a group of 6 blades. The third section will build up the full model of 60 blades. The full model will have four different types: the first type that has no crack in the blade root named “No crack”, the second type has the 126 mm2 crack area in the blade root and it is named “1 Line crack”, the 3rd type has 364 mm2 crack area in the crack root (named 2 Lines Crack), and the fourth type has 598 mm2 crack area in the root (named 3 Lines Crack). The location of crack area is modeled by applying the spring elements. The vibration frequencies for single blade and a group of 6 blades are higher without the crack in the blade root. For full model of 60 blades, the vibration frequencies are lower with the crack area in the blade root. When the crack area becomes bigger, the lower frequencies of the full blade system are observed.

Numerical Simulation of the Behavior of Cracked Reinforced Concrete Members

Refined non-linear static or dynamic analyses of reinforced concrete structures require the knowledge of the actual force-displacement or bending moment-rotation curves of each structural member, which depend on the crack widths and on the crack pattern, and after all on the slip between concrete and reinforcing steel. For this reason the definition of improved local models taking into account all these local aspects is a fundamental prerequisite for advanced assessment of r.c. structures. A numerical procedure which allows to predict the relative displacement between steel reinforcement and the surrounding concrete in a reinforced concrete element, once assigned the stress in the naked steel bar and the bond-slip law is discussed. The method provides as final outcomes the sequence of crack openings and the individual crack widths, regardless of the particular bond-slip correlation adopted. The proposed procedure is implemented referring to two relevant experimental case studies, demonstrating that it is able to predict satisfactorily actual strain fields and slips along the investigated reinforced concrete elements.

Fatigue Crack Propagation Behavior of TiNi_(50.6)Shape Memory Alloy

The fatigue crack propagation behavior of TiNi50.6 shape memory alloy was studied. The ex- periment results showed that the crack propagation properties of this alloy display difference and similarity in comparison with common metallic materials. Because of the stress concentra- tion there was stress induced martensite transformation (SIMT) near the crack tip though the nominal stress was lower than the threshold stress of SIMT. The position and the amount of SIMT was in situ observed by a quester remote measurement system (QRMS). The observation results showed that the position of SIMT was beside the crack tip and was not in the plastic zone of common metallic materials (in front of the crack tip). The SIMT zone at an angle of about 45°to the direction of the crack propagation, like a butterfly,appeared in the loading process, disappeared in the unloading process and grew larger with the increase of K. The crack propagation rate(da/dN) followed the linear law in lg-lg plot. Observation of the crack surface showed fatigue striation clearly. The relationship between the site and the size of the plastic zone and the SIMT zone is discussed and a model is given to explain both the similarity and the difference of the crack propagation property of TiNi50.6 to common metal materials.

Very High Cycle Fatigue Behaviors and Surface Crack Growth Mechanism of Hydrogen-Embrittled AISI 304 Stainless Steels

The influence of hydrogen embrittlement on the fatigue behaviors of AISI 304 stainless steel is investigated. The fatigue endurance limits of the untreated and hydrogen-embrittled materials were almost the same at 400 MPa, and hydrogen embrittlement had little influence even though the sample contained about 8.1 times more hydrogen. Thus, the sensitivity of hydrogen gas in this material is very low. A surface crack initiation, growth, coalescence, and micro ridge model is proposed in this study. Slip line formation?&rArr;microcrack formation?&rArr;increases in the crack width, and blunting of the crack tip as it grows?&rArr;formation of many slip lines because of deformation in the shear direction?&rArr;growth of the crack in the shear direction, forming micro ridges, coalescence with adjacent cracks &rArr;?continuous initiation, growth, coalescence, and ridge formation of surface cracks and specimen breakage.