Effects of Fly Ash/Diatomite Admixture with Variable Particle Sizes on the Mechanical Properties and Porosity of Concrete

Fly ash and diatomite were mixed uniformly and ground within various time scale and fly ash/diatomite admixtures with variable particle sizes were obtained. Effects of particle size distributions of the admixtures on the mechanical properties and porosity of concrete were studied. The relationship between the size distribution of the admixture and the concrete porosity was obtained based on the regression analysis of the data. The results show that compressive and flexural strengths of the concrete at 3 d and 7 d increase with the decrease of the admixture particle size. With regards to the concrete at 14 d, lowering the particle size of fly ash/diatomite admixture leads to the increasing of the compressive and flexural strength of the concrete, before decreasing afterwards again. At the d50 value of 15.2 μm, the mechanical properties of concrete were greatly improved. In addition, finer particle of the fly ash/diatomite admixture leads to significant micro-aggregate effect and volcanic ash effect and thus obtains denser pore structure, smaller porosity and higher hydration degree of the cementitious material. Especially for the samples curing at the early stage, the improving effect on the pore structure was obvious.

Factors influencing physical property evolution in sandstone mechanical compaction:the evidence from diagenetic simulation experiments

In order to analyze the factors influencing sandstone mechanical compaction and its physical property evolution during compaction processes, simulation exper- iments on sandstone mechanical compaction were carried out with a self-designed diagenetic simulation system. The experimental materials were modem sediments from dif- ferent sources, and the experiments were conducted under high temperature and high pressure. Results of the exper- iments show a binary function relation between primary porosity and mean size as well as sorting. With increasing overburden pressure during mechanical compaction, the evolution of porosity and permeability can be divided into rapid compaction at an early stage and slow compaction at a late stage, and the dividing pressure value of the two stages is about 12 MPa and the corresponding depth is about 600 m. In the slow compaction stage, there is a good exponential relationship between porosity and overburden pressure, while a good power function relationship exists between permeability and overburden pressure. There is also a good exponential relationship between porosity and permeability. The influence of particle size on sandstone mechanical compaction is mainly reflected in the slowcompaction stage, and the influence of sorting is mainly reflected in the rapid compaction stage. Abnormally high pressure effectively inhibits sandstone mechanical com- paction, and its control on sandstone mechanical com- paction is stronger than that of particle size and sorting. The influence of burial time on sandstone mechanical compaction is mainly in the slow compaction stage, and the porosity reduction caused by compaction is mainly con- trolled by average particle size.

Laser Welding of TC-1 Titanium Alloy

The technology of CO2 laser welding and joint properties of titanium alloy were investigated. The problem of molten pool protection was resolved by designing a shielding trailer and a special clamp. Joints with silvery appearance were obtained, which have no pore and crack. In addition, the welding speed could reach 3 m/min for the plate of 1.5 mm thickness being penetrated. The reason of the porosity formation in partial penetration joints is that the keyholes can be easily cut apart in the radial direction, which makes the gas enclosed in the molten pool. The surface oxide of specimens can not affect the porosity formation in welds directly.