Effects of thawing-induced softening on fracture behaviors of frozen rock

Due to the presence of ice and unfrozen water in pores of frozen rock,the rock fracture behaviors are susceptible to temperature.In this study,the potential thawing-induced softening effects on the fracture behaviors of frozen rock is evaluated by testing the tension fracture toughness(KIC)of frozen rock at different temperatures(i.e.-20℃,-15℃,-12℃,-10℃,-8℃,-6℃,-4℃,-2℃,and 0℃).Acoustic emission(AE)and digital image correlation(DIC)methods are utilized to analyze the microcrack propagation during fracturing.The melting of pore ice is measured using nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)method.The results indicate that:(1)The KIC of frozen rock decreases moderately between-20℃ and-4℃,and rapidly between-4℃ and 0℃.(2)At-20℃ to-4℃,the fracturing process,deduced from the DIC results at the notch tip,exhibits three stages:elastic deformation,microcrack propagation and microcrack coalescence.However,at-4℃e0℃,only the latter two stages are observed.(3)At-4℃e0℃,the AE activities during fracturing are less than that at-20℃ to-4℃,while more small events are reported.(4)The NMR results demonstrate a reverse variation trend in pore ice content with increasing temperature,that is,a moderate decrease is followed by a sharp decrease and-4℃ is exactly the critical temperature.Next,we interpret the thawing-induced softening effect by linking the evolution in microscopic structure of frozen rock with its macroscopic fracture behaviors as follow:from-20℃ to-4℃,the thickening of the unfrozen water film diminishes the cementation strength between ice and rock skeleton,leading to the decrease in fracture parameters.From-4℃ to 0℃,the cementation effect of ice almost vanishes,and the filling effect of pore ice is reduced significantly,which facilitates microcrack propagation and thus the easier fracture of frozen rocks.

A dynamic soil freezing characteristic curve model for frozen soil

The soil freezing characteristic curve(SFCC)plays a fundamental role in comprehending thermohydraulic behavior and numerical simulation of frozen soil.This study proposes a dynamic model to uniformly express SFCCs amidst varying total water contents throughout the freezing-thawing process.Firstly,a general model is proposed,wherein the unfrozen water content at arbitrary temperature is determined as the lesser of the current total water content and the reference value derived from saturated SFCC.The dynamic performance of this model is verified through test data.Subsequently,in accordance with electric double layer(EDL)theory,the theoretical residual and minimum temperatures in SFCC are calculated to be-14.5℃to-20℃for clay particles and-260℃,respectively.To ensure that the SFCC curve ends at minimum temperature,a correction function is introduced into the general model.Furthermore,a simplified dynamic model is proposed and investigated,necessitating only three parameters inherited from the general model.Additionally,both general and simplified models are evaluated based on a test database and proven to fit the test data exactly across the entire temperature range.Typical recommended parameter values for various types of soils are summarized.Overall,this study provides not only a theoretical basis for most empirical equations but also proposes a new and more general equation to describe the SFCC.

Experimental and numerical interpretation on composite foundation consisting of soil-cement column within warm and ice-rich frozen soil

Affected by climate warming and anthropogenic disturbances, the thermo-mechanical stability of warm and ice-rich frozen ground along the Qinghai-Tibet engineering corridor(QTEC) is continuously decreased, which may delay the construction of major projects in the future. In this study, based on chemical stabilization of warm and icerich frozen ground, the soil-cement column(SCC) for ground improvement was recommended to reinforce the foundations in warm and ice-rich permafrost regions. To explore the validity of countermeasures mentioned above, both the original foundation and the composite foundation consisting of SCC with soil temperature of -1.0℃ were prepared in the laboratory, and then the plate loading tests were carried out. The laboratory investigations indicated that the bearing capacity of composite foundation consisting of SCC was higher than that of original foundation, and the total deformation of original foundation was greater than that of composite foundation, meaning that overall stability of foundation with warm and ice-rich frozen soil can be improved by SCC installation. Meanwhile, a numerical model considering the interface interaction between frozen soil and SCC was established for interpretating the bearing mechanism of composite foundation. The numerical investigations revealed that the SCC within composite foundation was responsible for the more applied load, and the applied load can be delivered to deeper zone in depth due to the SCC installation, which was favorable for improving the bearing characteristic of composite foundation. The investigations provide the valuable guideline for the choice of engineering supporting techniques to major projects within the QTEC.

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.

Mechanical behaviors of warm and ice-rich frozen soil stabilized with sulphoaluminate cement

The warm and ice-rich frozen soil is characterized by high unfrozen water content, low shear strength and large compressibility, which is unreliable to meet the stability requirements of engineering infrastructures and foundations in permafrost regions. In this study, a novel approach for stabilizing the warm and ice-rich frozen soil with sulphoaluminate cement was proposed based on chemical stabilization. The mechanical behaviors of the stabilized soil, such as strength and stress-strain relationship, were investigated through a series of triaxial compression tests conducted at -1.0℃, and the mechanism of strength variations of the stabilized soil was also explained based on scanning electron microscope test. The investigations indicated that the strength of stabilized soil to resist failure has been improved, and the linear Mohr-Coulomb criteria can accurately reflect the shear strength of stabilized soil under various applied confining pressure. The increase in both curing age and cement mixing ratio were favorable to the growth of cohesion and internal friction angle. More importantly, the strength improvement mechanism of the stabilized soil is attributed to the formation of structural skeleton and the generation of cementitious hydration products within itself. Therefore, the investigations conducted in this study provide valuable references for chemical stabilization of warm and ice-rich frozen ground, thereby providing a basis for in-situ ground improvement for reinforcing warm and ice-rich permafrost foundations by soil-cement column installation.

抗冻蛋白对冷冻猪肉品质的影响

研究抗冻蛋白(antifreeze proteins,AFP)对猪肉冷冻过程中品质变化的影响。以商业抗冻剂海藻糖(4 mg/m L)的抗冻效果为参考,以未添加AFP组为对照组,研究不同添加量(0.05、0.1、0.2、0.3 mg/mL)AFP对冷冻猪肉品质、肌原纤维蛋白理化性质、微观结构和水分分布的影响。结果表明:AFP可以减少冷冻猪肉的水分损失,有利于维持猪肉色泽和微观结构;在冷冻贮藏过程中,0.3 mg/mL AFP组猪肉的蒸煮损失、解冻损失及色泽的保护效果最好,其次是0.2 mg/mL AFP组和4 mg/mL海藻糖组;0.2、0.3 mg/mL AFP组剪切力和肌原纤维蛋白总巯基含量显著高于未添加AFP组(P<0.05);核磁共振成像验证了AFP的渗入降低了猪肉中结合水和不易流动水损失;扫描电子显微镜结果显示,0.2 mg/mL AFP使猪肉肌纤维排列整齐,更加紧凑和致密。总体而言,添加AFP对改善冷冻猪肉品质有积极作用,是一种潜在的安全、高效冷冻保护方法。

基于北方寒地冻土的螺旋式挖坑机设计与试验

针对目前市场上缺少适宜冻土环境作业挖坑机械的问题,以适用于北方寒地的螺旋式挖坑机为研究对象,通过测量哈尔滨的冻土参数并与硬质土壤进行对比,获得工作对象土壤参数。结合移栽白桦树苗所需穴坑尺寸,对挖坑机工作部件进行参数设计。根据运动学分析确定了升运土壤的临界转速,对挖坑机的工作参数进行分析,并得到了装置所需的功率。为便于开展试验验证,运用相似理论对试验装置和作业穴坑进行了等比例缩放,试验用钻头长度为400 mm,叶片长度为200 mm,钻尖半径为100 mm,转速大于155 r/min,动力源额定功率为4 kW。试验结果表明:当刀片组合方式为平刀-锯齿刀时,可以获得最短的挖坑时间。研究结果可为北方寒地秋冬季节冻土条件下,树苗移栽时螺旋式挖坑机的设计提供参考。

REVIEW OF ACUPUNCTURE FOR FROZEN SHOULDER

Objective To assess the efficacy and possible adverse effects of acupuncture on frozen shoulder. Methods Based on the key words, i.e. acupuncture, electroacupuncture, acupuncture-moxibustion, frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis, shoulder disorders etc., the Chinese databases were retrieved, including Oochrane Musculoskeleta Group, Oochrane Controlled Trials Register, Oochrane Complementary Medicine Field, and the central database of the Oochrane Library as well as MEDLINE, EMBASE and Chinese Biomedical CD （OBM-disc）. 20 Chinese medical journals and relevant academic conference proceedings have been searched manually. The reference lists of identified documents were checked as the supplementary retrieval. Results 6 randomized controlled trials on frozen shoulder with acupuncture and electroacupuncture were included, indicating quite advanced study quality. There were 34 to 257 participants in the trials, 668 in total. The total OR of CMS/OSA was OR 3.49 （95 % CI - 2.64 to 9.63）, the total OR of VAS was OR - 1.24 （95% CI -3.50 to 1.01）, the total OR of ROM was OR 35.70 （95% CI 22.91 to 48.49）; the total OR of MELLE was OR 4.30 （95% OI 2.32 to 7.98）. Conclusion It is shown in the present limited inclusive trials on frozen shoulder that acupuncture is the safe therapy and effective on improving the global function, relieving pain, and improving the range of motion of shoulder. All the therapeutic effects of acupuncture are superior to those in control group. However, much more high quality trials are required to provide much stronger evidence. Additionally, much more evidences on validity of frozen shoulder with other assessing indexes involved are required in the treatment with acupuncture.

小麦Glu-D1位点高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基对面条品质影响研究

小麦高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(HMW-GSs)是影响面条产品质量的关键蛋白组分,其中Glu-D1位点编码的HMW-GSs对面团及面制品的品质贡献效应最大。为明确Glu-D1位点不同HMW-GS对3类主要面条产品品质的影响规律,本研究以小偃22遗传背景下Glu-D1位点HMW-GSs分别为2+12、3+12、4+12和5+10的4个BC6F4代近等基因系为试验材料,系统研究比较了4种亚基对鲜湿面、挂面以及冷冻熟面品质的影响规律。结果表明,与其他亚基相比,含有3+12亚基的鲜湿面具有较好的烹调吸水率和较低的烹调损失率,同时硬度、弹性、回复性、咀嚼性等较好;含有3+12亚基的挂面最佳煮制时间短、烹调吸水率较高、烹调损失率较低,而含有2+12亚基的挂面硬度和咀嚼性适中、黏附性低、回复性较高;含有3+12和2+12亚基的冷冻熟面冻藏稳定性较好,含有3+12亚基的冷冻熟面硬度适中,咀嚼性较高,整体质构特性表现较好。本研究结果可为面条专用小麦品种选育、专用加工原粮选择、专用粉开发等提供参考。

冷冻胚胎主体性证成及认定规则的建构

体外受精-胚胎移植技术不断完善,给不孕不育家庭带来了福音,然而由于立法的不完善,冷冻胚胎的法律属性尚未明确规定,实践中极易产生纠纷。以人类辅助生殖技术获取的冷冻胚胎,承载着不孕夫妻的情感寄托,基于法律天理人情,应当具有“准主体”和“准客体”的双重法律属性。在对冷冻胚胎的主体性权益受到损害进行认定时,应当以胚胎移植时间作为其权利能力的赋予依据,可以有效地解决“冷冻胚胎究竟是偏物多一点,还是偏人多一点”的问题,不仅有利于统一司法决策,也有助于限制法官的自由裁量权。

Dynamic property tests of frozen red sandstone using a split hopkinson pressure bar

In this study, frozen red sandstone specimens were impacted by a Split Hopkinson bar (SHPB), with a velocity of 4.558 ~ 6.823 ms-1. The temperature of the specimens was maintained at -15℃ during the experiment. For comparison purposes, static uniaxial compression tests were conducted in advance using a freezing triaxial test machine. Four stress-strain curves were obtained in diff erent average strain rates. The test results suggested that when the average strain rate is low, the specimen strength changes gradually;but when it is high, its strength changes rapidly. When the average strain rate is 120.73 s-1, the peak value of stress is as high as 82.96 MPa, which is about two times that of the static compressive strength of 44.1 MPa. A constitutive model was established that was composed of the damaged, viscoelastic and spring bodies, and revealed the variations of compressive strength and strain for the frozen red sandstone under diff erent high strain rates. The test results also showed that the failure form was correlated to the average strain rate of the frozen red sandstone. When the average strain rate is low, the damage was only distributed on the specimen’s edges. However, as the average strain rate increases, the damage range extended to the central parts of the specimen. When the average strain rate reached 107.34s-1, the specimen was smashed.

Frozen shoulder:A systematic review of therapeutic options

Frozen shoulder is a common disease which causes significant morbidity. Despite over a hundred years of treating this condition the definition, diagnosis, pathology and most efficacious treatments are still largely unclear. This systematic review of current treatments for frozen shoulder reviews the evidence base behind physiotherapy, both oral and intra articular steroid, hydrodilatation, manipulation under anaesthesia and arthroscopic capsular release. Key areas in which future research could be directed are identified, in particular with regard to the increasing role of arthroscopic capsular release as a treatment.

内服活络效灵丹联合肩关节镜下松解术治疗冻结肩临床观察

目的探究内服活络效灵丹联合肩关节镜下松解术治疗冻结肩的临床效果。方法选取2017年7月—2022年11月江西省泰和县中医院骨科收治的46例冻结肩患者,随机分为研究组和对照组,各23例。研究组采取内服活络效灵丹联合肩关节镜下松解术治疗,对照组采取单纯的肩关节镜下松解术治疗,并进行为期6个月的随访。比较两组治疗前后视觉模拟量表(VAS)、加州大学肩关节评分系统(UCLA)评分、美国肩肘外科医师协会(ASES)评分、Constant-Murley评分与肩关节活动度差异,评价两组患者肩关节活动功能;观察治疗后6个月内患者冻结肩康复情况。结果研究组VAS评分显著低于对照组(P<0.05);研究组UCLA评分、ASES评分、Constant-Murley评分显著高于对照组(P<0.05);研究组肩关节活动程度显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论内服活络效灵丹联合肩关节镜下松解术在冻结肩治疗中能取得优良的效果,手术以微创为主,以其创伤小、住院周期短、恢复快的特点使得患者容易接受,再结合中药活络效灵丹内服可起到治病求本的作用,中西医结合,标本兼治,在临床中是值得大范围推崇的一种行之有效的方案,能够解决冻结肩患者肩关节疼痛伴活动受限带来的苦恼。

Field experiment of subgrade vibration induced by passing train in a seasonally frozen region of Daqing

The vibration characteristics and attenuation of the subgrade caused by passing trains in a seasonally frozen region of Daqing, China are investigated. Three field experiments were conducted during different times through the year, in normal, freezing and thawing periods, respectively, and the influence of the season, train speed and train type, is described in this paper. The results show that： （1） the vertical component is the greatest among the three components of the measured vibration near the rail track, and as the distance to the railway track increases, the dominant vibration depends on the season. （2） Compared with the vibration in the normal period, the vertical and longitudinal vibrations increase while the lateral vibration decreases in the freezing period. However, in the thawing period, the vertical and longitudinal vibrations decrease, and the lateral vibration increases. （3） As train speeds increase, the subgrade vibration increases. （4） The vibration induced by a freight train is greater than by a passenger train. These observations provide a better understanding of the vibration and dynamic stability of the subgrade and may be useful in developing criteria for railway and building construction in cold regions.

Fresh frozen plasma transfusion does not affect outcomes following hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To investigate whether fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion affects outcomes following hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of liver function,postoperative complications and cancer prognosis.METHODS:We retrospectively compared the incidence of postoperative complications between 204 patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC with routine FFP transfusion in an early period (1983-1993,Group A) and 293 with necessity for FFP transfusion during a later period (1998-2006,Group B),and also between two subgroups of Group B [22 patients with FFP transfusion (Group B1) and 275 patients without FFP transfusion (Group B2)].Additionally,only in limited patients in Group B1 and Group B2 with intraoperative blood loss≥ 2000 mL (Group B1 ≥ 2000 mL and Group B2 ≥ 2000 mL),postoperative complications,liver function tests,and cancer prognosis were compared.RESULTS:No mortality was registered in Group B,compared to 8 patients (3.9%) of Group A.The incidence of morbidity in Group B2 [23.2% (64/275)] was not significantly different from Group B1 [40.9% (9/22)] and Group A [27.0% (55/204)].The incidence of complications and postoperative liver function tests were comparable between Group B1 ≥ 2000 mL vs Group B2 ≥ 2000 mL.Postoperative prognosis did not correlate with administration of FFP,but with tumor-related factors.CONCLUSION:The outcome of hepatectomy for HCC is not influenced by FFP transfusion.We suggest FFP transfusion be abandoned in patients who undergo hepatectomy for HCC.

Microstructure and strength features of warm and ice-rich frozen soil treated with high-performance cements

Warm and ice-rich frozen soil(WIRFS) exhibits lower shear strength due to the weak binding forces between soil particles and ice crystals. To enhance the strength of WIRFS, frozen soil was treated separately with Portland, Phosphate, Sulphoaluminate, Portland-Phosphate and PortlandSulphoaluminate cements. After the samples were cured under -1.0°C for 7 days, the microscopic pore distribution characteristics and the macro-mechanical properties of WIRFS were investigated using mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and unconfined compressive strength(UCS) tests. To quantitatively analyze the laws of pore-size transformation and the variation of Hausdorff volumetric fractal dimensions for pre-and post-treated WIRFS, the CURVEEXTRACT and Image-Pro Plus(IPP) image analysis system has been developed for analysing SEM images of the soil samples. Statistics of the pore-area dimension and pore-volume dimension were calculated. The results reveal that the cement-based treatment of WIRFS can improve the cementation fill of soil pores and the bond forces between soil particles. There is an evident correlation between the microstructure characteristics and the mechanical properties of the treated WIRFS. As the fractal dimensions of pore-area decrease, the unconfined compressive strength of cement-treated WIRFS increases significantly. In contrast, as the fractal dimensions of pore-volume increases, the unconfined compressive strength decreases remarkably.

Studies on frozen ground of China

Permafrost in China includes high latitude permafrost in northeastern China, alpine permafrost in northwestern China and high plateau permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau. The high altitude permafrost is about 92% of the total permafrost area in China. The south boundary or lower limit of the seasonally frozen ground is defined in accordance with the 0 ℃ isothermal line of mean air temperature in January, which is roughly corresponding to the line extending from the Qinling Mountains to the Huaihe River in the east and to the southeast boundary of the Tibetan Plateau in the west. Seasonal frozen ground occurs in large parts of the territory in northern China, including Northeast, North, Northwest China and the Tibetan Plateau except for permafrost regions, and accounting for about 55% of the land area of China. The southern limit of short-term frozen ground generally swings south and north along the 25° northern latitude line, occurring in the wet and warm subtropic monsoon climatic zone. Its area is less than 20% of the land area of China.

Frozen subduction in the Yangtze block:insights from the deep seismic profiling and gravity anomaly in east Sichuan fold belt

The Sichuan basin is the main part of the middle-upper Yangtze block, which has been experienced a long-term tectonic evolution since Archean. The Yangtze block was regarded as a stable block until the collision with the Cathaysia block in late Neoproterozoic. A new deep seismic reflection profile conducted in the eastern Sichuan fold belt（ESFB） discovered a serials of south-dipping reflectors shown from lower crust to the mantle imply a frozen subduction zone within the Yangtze block. In order to prove the speculation, we also obtain the middle-lower crustal gravity anomalies by removing the gravity anomalies induced by the sedimentary rocks and the mantle beneath the Moho, which shows the mid-lower crustal structure of the Sichuan basin can be divided into eastern and western parts. Combined with the geochronology and Aeromagnetic anomalies, we speculated the Yangtze block was amalgamated by the West Sichuan and East Sichuan blocks separated by the Huayin-Chongqing line. The frozen subduction zone subsequently shifted to a shear zone accommodated the lower crustal shortening when the decollement at the base of the Nanhua system functioned in the upper plate.

Shear strength of frozen clay under freezing-thawing cycles using triaxial tests

Using a new low-temperature dynamic triaxial apparatus, the influence law of freezing-thawing cycles on clay shear strength is studied. In this research, the concept of correction coefficients of freezing-thawing cycles on clay static strength, cohesion and internal friction angles is proposed, and the change patterns, correction curves and regressive formulae of clay static strength, cohesion and internal friction angles under freezing-thawing cycles are given. The test results indicate that with increasing numbers of freezing-thawing cycles, the clay static strength and cohesion decrease exponentially but the internal friction angle increases exponentially. The performance of static strength, cohesion and internal friction angles are different with increasing numbers of freezing-thawing cycles, i.e., the static strength decreases constantly until about 30% of the initial static strength prior to the freezing-thawing cycling and then stays basically stable. After 5-7 freezing-thawing cycles, the cohesion decreases gradually to about 70% of the initial cohesion. The internal friction angle increases about 20% after the first freezing-thawing cycle, then increases gradually close to a stable value which is an increase of about 40% of the internal friction angle. The freezing-thawing process can increase the variation of the density of the soil samples; therefore, strict density discreteness standards of frozen soil sample preparation should be established to ensure the reliability of the test results.

An experimental study on the relationship between acoustic parameters and mechanical properties of frozen silty clay

To study the influence of temperature and water content on ultrasonic wave velocity and to establish the relationship between ultrasonic wave velocity and frozen silty clay strength, ultrasonic tests were conducted to frozen silty clay by using RSM-SY5（T） nonmetal supersonic test meter, and the tensile strength and compressive strength of silty clay were measured under various negative temperatures. Test and analysis results indicate that, ultrasonic wave velocity rapidly changes in the temperature range of-1 ℃ to -5 ℃. Ultrasonic wave velocity increased with an increase of water content until the water content reached the critical water content, while decreased with an increase of water content after the water content exceeded the critical water content. This study showed that there was strong positive correlation between the ul- trasonic wave velocity and the frozen soil strength. As ultrasonic wave velocity increased, either tensile strength or com- pressive strength increased. Based on the experimental data, the relationship between ultrasonic wave velocity and frozen silty clay strength was obtained through regression analysis. It was found that the ultrasonic test technique can be used to test frozen soils and lay the foundation for the determination of frozen soil strength.