Optimal slag content for geopolymer composites under freeze-thaw cycles with different freezing temperatures

Improving the freeze-thaw resistance of geopolymers is of great significance to ensure their durability in cold regions. This study presents an experimental investigation of optimal slag content for geopolymer composites under freeze-thaw cycles with different freezing temperatures. Firstly, five kinds of geopolymer composites with 10.0%, 20.0%, 30.0%, 40.0%,and 50.0% slag contents and 1.0% fiber content were prepared. Freeze-thaw cycle tests at-1.0 ℃,-20.0 ℃, and-40.0 ℃ were carried out for these geopolymer composites and their physical and mechanical properties after the freeze-thaw cycle were tested. The results show that the porosity of the geopolymer composites decreases as the slag content increases. Their mass loss ratio and strength loss ratio increase gradually as the freezing temperature decreases. The mass loss ratio and strength loss ratio of geopolymer composites after freeze-thaw cycles all decrease as the slag content increases. Considering the physical and mechanical properties of geopolymers after freeze-thaw cycles, the optimal slag contents are 40.0% and 50.0%.

Electrocaloric effect and freezing temperature in(Pb_(0.8)Ba_(0.2))[(Zn_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))_(0.7)Ti_(0.3)]O_(3) relaxor ferroelectric ceramic

The electrocaloric effect(ECE)is studied in(Pb_(0.8)Ba_(0.2))[(Zn_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))_(0.7)Ti_(0.3)]O_(3) relaxor ferroelectric ceramic by using an“indirect method”.The electric dependence for the polarization(hysteresis loops)has been obtained for several temperatures showing typical relaxor characteristics.The temperature change△T,which is associated with the ECE,is calculated by using the temperature dependence for the polarization.A maximum value for△T is observed for temperatures close above the freezing temperature,showing an indirect evidence of that critical temperature.The results are discussed considering the contribution of the polar nanoregions to the polarization.

On the determination and simulation of seawater freezing point temperature under high pressure

At present,it is believed that the freezing point temperature of seawater is a function of salinity and pressure,and the freezing point is a key parameter in a coupled air-sea-ice system.Generally,empirical formulas or methods are used to calculate the freezing point of seawater.Especially in high-pressure situations,e.g.,under a thick ice sheet or ice shelf,the pressure term must be taken into account in the determination of seawater freezing point temperature.This study summarized various methods that have been used to calculate seawater freezing point with high pressure.The methods that were employed in two ocean-ice models were also assessed.We identified the disadvantages of these methods used in these two models and addressed the corresponding uncertainties of the freezing point temperature formulas.This study provides useful information on the calculation of the freezing point temperature in numerical modeling and indicates a need to investigate the sensitivity of numerical simulations to the uncertainties in the freezing point temperature in future.

Experiment and constitutive modelling of creep deformation in the frozen silt-concrete interface

To ensure the long-term safety and stability of bridge pile foundations in permafrost regions,it is necessary to investigate the rheological effects on the pile tip and pile side bearing capacities.The creep characteristics of the pile-frozen soil interface are critical for determining the long-term stability of permafrost pile foundations.This study utilized a self-developed large stress-controlled shear apparatus to investigate the shear creep characteristics of the frozen silt-concrete interface,and examined the influence of freezing temperatures(−1,−2,and−5°C),contact surface roughness(0,0.60,0.75,and 1.15 mm),normal stress(50,100,and 150 kPa),and shear stress on the creep characteristics of the contact surface.By incorporating the contact surface’s creep behavior and development trends,we established a creep constitutive model for the frozen silt-concrete interface based on the Nishihara model,introducing nonlinear elements and a damage factor.The results revealed significant creep effects on the frozen silt-concrete interface under constant load,with creep displacement at approximately 2-15 times the instantaneous displacement and a failure creep displacement ranging from 6 to 8 mm.Under different experimental conditions,the creep characteristics of the frozen silt-concrete interface varied.A larger roughness,lower freezing temperatures,and higher normal stresses resulted in a longer sample attenuation creep time,a lower steady-state creep rate,higher long-term creep strength,and stronger creep stability.Building upon the Nishihara model,we considered the influence of shear stress and time on the viscoelastic viscosity coefficient and introduced a damage factor to the viscoplasticity.The improved model effectively described the entire creep process of the frozen silt-concrete interface.The results provide theoretical support for the interaction between pile and soil in permafrost regions.

Effects of freezing intensity on soil solution nitrogen and microbial biomass nitrogen in an alpine grassland ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau,China

The change of freeze-thaw pattern of the Tibetan Plateau under climate warming is bound to have a profound impact on the soil process of alpine grassland ecosystem;however,the research on the impact of the freeze-thaw action on nitrogen processes of the alpine grassland ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau has not yet attracted much attention.In this study,the impact of the freezing strength on the soil nitrogen components of alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau was studied through laboratory freeze-thaw simulation experiments.The 0–10 cm topsoil was collected from the alpine marsh meadow and alpine meadow in the permafrost region of Beilu River.In the experiment,the soil samples were cultivated at –10℃,–7℃,–5℃,–3℃ and –1℃,respectively for three days and then thawed at 2℃ for one day.The results showed that after the freeze-thaw process,the soil microbial biomass nitrogen significantly decreased while the dissolved organic nitrogen and inorganic nitrogen significantly increased.When the freezing temperature was below –7℃,there was no significant difference between the content of nitrogen components,which implied a change of each nitrogen component might have a response threshold toward the freezing temperature.As the freeze-thaw process can lead to the risk of nitrogen loss in the alpine grassland ecosystem,more attention should be paid to the response of the soil nitrogen cycle of alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau to the freeze-thaw process.

Experimental study on freezing of liquids under static magnetic field

Freezing processes of several liquids under static magnetic field(SMF) less than 50 mT were investigated. Central temperature of liquid samples held in glass test tubes immersed in a liquid bath was measured and collected. Nucleation temperature and phase transition time were obtained from freezing curves. Normality tests were performed for nucleation temperature of these liquids with/without magnetic field and normality distributions were justified. Analysis of variances was carried out for nucleation temperature of these liquids with magnetic field flux density as the influencing factor. Results showed that no significant difference was found for deionized water with or without SMF. However, differences exist in 0.9% NaCl solution and 5% ethylene glycol solution with and without SMF. Nucleation temperature of 0.9% NaCl with SMF is lower than that without SMF, while its phase transition time is shorter than that without SMF. Nucleation temperature of 5% ethylene glycol with SMF is higher than that without SMF, while its phase transition time is not modified with SMF.

Test on dynamic characteristics of subgrade of heavy-haul railway in cold regions

Dynamic characteristics of heavy-haul railway subgrade under vibratory loading in cold regions are investigated via low-temperature dynamie triaxial tests with multi-stage eyelic loading process. The relationship between dynamic shear stress and dynamic shear strain of frozen soil of subgrade under train loading and the influence of freezing temperatures on dynamic constitutive relation, dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio are observed in this study. Test results show that the dynamic constitutive relations of the frozen soils with different freezing temperatures comply with the hyperbolic model, in which model parameters a and b decrease with increasing freezing temperature. The dynamic shear modulus of the frozen soils decreases with increasing dynamic shear strains initially, followed by a relatively smooth attenuation tendency, whereas increases with decreasing freezing temperatures. The damping ratios decrease with decreasing freezing temperatures. Two linear functions are defined to express the linear relationships between dynamic shear modulus （damping ratio） and freezing temperature, respectively, in which corresponding linear coefficients are obtained through multiple regression analysis of test data.

Energy storage and relaxor behavior in(Pb_(0.8)Ba_(0.2))[(Zn_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))_(0.7)Ti_(0.3)]O_(3)ferroelectric ceramic

(Pb_(0.8)Ba_(0.2))[(Zn_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))_(0.7)Ti_(0.3)]O_(3)relaxor-type ferroelectric ceramics was obtained via classical solid-state reaction.The hysteresis loop results were discussed in the frame of ergodicity criterium around the characteristic ferroelectric relaxor freezing temperature.Slimer hysteresis loops were observed below the freezing temperature reflecting an ergodic relaxor behavior.Above this temperature,estimated around 223K for the studied system,larger and unsaturated like ferroelectric hysteresis loops were observed.This temperature also coincides with the slope change on maximum polarization and inflection point of remnant polarization curves.Energy storage,energy loss and efficiency values were determined in a wide temperature range.While the recoverable energy density shows relatively low values(0.23 J/cm^(3)),there are interesting behaviors for this parameter and for the efficiency,since the two physical quantities increase versus temperature and the efficiency even reaches the value of 97%.

Effect of Freeze-Thaw on Water Stability of Aggregates in a Black Soil of Northeast China

Soil aggregate stability,an important index of the physical characteristics of a soil,can provide a good indication of a soil’s erodibility,and deserves special consideration in regions with cold climate.The objective of this study was to study the effect of freeze-thaw on soil water-stable aggregates in the black soil region of Northeast China.Samples of a typical black soil in the region were collected to measure water-stable aggregates after freeze-thaw under different conditions(i.e.,initial moisture contents,freezethaw cycles and freezing temperatures)by wet-sieving into eight particle size groups(>10,10–6,6–5,5–3,3–2,2–1,1–0.5,and0.5–0.25 mm).Freeze-thaw had the most effect on aggregate stability when the samples had an initial moisture content of 400 g kg-1.The water-stable aggregates of the four larger particle size groups(>5,5–3,3–2,and 2–1 mm)reached a peak stability value,but those of the two smaller particle size groups(1–0.5 and 0.5–0.25 mm)reached a minimum value when the soil moisture content was 400 g kg-1.Water-stable aggregates of the four larger particle size groups decreased while those of the two smaller particle size groups increased with the increase of freeze-thaw cycles.As temperatures fell,the water-stable aggregates of the four larger particle size groups decreased while those of the two smaller particle size groups increased.

ON THE ROLE OF SULFATE ION IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Drop freezing experiments with ammonium sulfate water solutions have shown the existence of the temperature maxima that are a function of the salt concentration.The maxima were:-12℃ for 10-4 M solution on filter,-9℃ for 10^(-4) to 10^(-3)M solution in contact with particles of continental origin,and -4℃ for 10^(-4) M solution in contact with particles of marine origin. It was speculated that the presence of ice-forming nuclei active at high temperature (-4℃) should extend the for- mation of ice in clouds toward lower latitudes,increase their albedos,and provide additional cooling during daytime for the earth.The microphysics of clouds must be included in studying climate.