Prediction Technology of Buried Water-Bearing Structures in Coal Mines Using Transient Electromagnetic Method

Buried water-conducting and water-bearing structures in front of the driving head may easily lead to water bursts in coal mines. Therefore,it is very important for the safety of production to make an accurate and timely forecast about water bursts. Based on the smoke ring effect of transient electromagnetic fields,the principle of transient electro-magnetic method used in detecting buried water-bearing structures in coal mines in advance,is discussed. Small multi-turn loop configurations used in coal mines are proposed and a field procedure of semicircular sector scanning is presented. The application of this method in one coal mine indicates that the technology has many advantages compared with others. The method is inexpensive,highly accurate and efficient. Suggestions are presented for future solutions to some remaining problems.

Emerging structures and dynamic mechanisms ofγ-secretase for Alzheimer’s disease

γ-Secretase,called“the proteasome of the membrane,”is a membrane-embedded protease complex that cleaves 150+peptide substrates with central roles in biology and medicine,including amyloid precursor protein and the Notch family of cell-surface receptors.Mutations inγ-secretase and amyloid precursor protein lead to early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease.γ-Secretase has thus served as a critical drug target for treating familial Alzheimer’s disease and the more common late-onset Alzheimer’s disease as well.However,critical gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms of processive proteolysis of substrates,the effects of familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations,and allosteric modulation of substrate cleavage byγ-secretase.In this review,we focus on recent studies of structural dynamic mechanisms ofγ-secretase.Different mechanisms,including the“Fit-Stay-Trim,”“Sliding-Unwinding,”and“Tilting-Unwinding,”have been proposed for substrate proteolysis of amyloid precursor protein byγ-secretase based on all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.While an incorrect registry of the Notch1 substrate was identified in the cryo-electron microscopy structure of Notch1-boundγ-secretase,molecular dynamics simulations on a resolved model of Notch1-boundγ-secretase that was reconstructed using the amyloid precursor protein-boundγ-secretase as a template successfully capturedγ-secretase activation for proper cleavages of both wildtype and mutant Notch,being consistent with biochemical experimental findings.The approach could be potentially applied to decipher the processing mechanisms of various substrates byγ-secretase.In addition,controversy over the effects of familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations,particularly the issue of whether they stabilize or destabilizeγ-secretase-substrate complexes,is discussed.Finally,an outlook is provided for future studies ofγ-secretase,including pathways of substrate binding and product release,effects of modulators on familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations of theγ-secretase-substrate complexes.Comprehensive understanding of the functional mechanisms ofγ-secretase will greatly facilitate the rational design of effective drug molecules for treating familial Alzheimer’s disease and perhaps Alzheimer’s disease in general.

Designing Electronic Structures of Multiscale Helical Converters for Tailored Ultrabroad Electromagnetic Absorption

Atomic-scale doping strategies and structure design play pivotal roles in tailoring the electronic structure and physicochemical property of electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)materials.However,the relationship between configuration and electromagnetic(EM)loss mechanism has remained elusive.Herein,drawing inspiration from the DNA transcription process,we report the successful synthesis of novel in situ Mn/N co-doped helical carbon nanotubes with ultrabroad EMWA capability.Theoretical calculation and EM simulation confirm that the orbital coupling and spin polarization of the Mn–N4–C configuration,along with cross polarization generated by the helical structure,endow the helical converters with enhanced EM loss.As a result,HMC-8 demonstrates outstanding EMWA performance,achieving a minimum reflection loss of−63.13 dB at an ultralow thickness of 1.29 mm.Through precise tuning of the graphite domain size,HMC-7 achieves an effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 6.08 GHz at 2.02 mm thickness.Furthermore,constructing macroscale gradient metamaterials enables an ultrabroadband EAB of 12.16 GHz at a thickness of only 5.00 mm,with the maximum radar cross section reduction value reaching 36.4 dB m2.This innovative approach not only advances the understanding of metal–nonmetal co-doping but also realizes broadband EMWA,thus contributing to the development of EMWA mechanisms and applications.

OptoGPT: A foundation model for inverse design in optical multilayer thin film structures

Optical multilayer thin film structures have been widely used in numerous photonic applications.However,existing inverse design methods have many drawbacks because they either fail to quickly adapt to different design targets,or are difficult to suit for different types of structures,e.g.,designing for different materials at each layer.These methods also cannot accommodate versatile design situations under different angles and polarizations.In addition,how to benefit practical fabrications and manufacturing has not been extensively considered yet.In this work,we introduce OptoGPT(Opto Generative Pretrained Transformer),a decoder-only transformer,to solve all these drawbacks and issues simultaneously.

Ultrafast dynamics of femtosecond laser-induced high spatial frequency periodic structures on silicon surfaces

Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures(LIPSS)have been extensively studied over the past few decades.In particular,the period and groove width of high-spatial-frequency LIPSS(HSFL)is much smaller than the diffraction limit,making it a useful method for efficient nanomanufacturing.However,compared with the low-spatial-frequency LIPSS(LSFL),the structure size of the HSFL is smaller,and it is more easily submerged.Therefore,the formation mechanism of HSFL is complex and has always been a research hotspot in this field.In this study,regular LSFL with a period of 760 nm was fabricated in advance on a silicon surface with two-beam interference using an 800 nm,50 fs femtosecond laser.The ultrafast dynamics of HSFL formation on the silicon surface of prefabricated LSFL under single femtosecond laser pulse irradiation were observed and analyzed for the first time using collinear pump-probe imaging method.In general,the evolution of the surface structure undergoes five sequential stages:the LSFL begins to split,becomes uniform HSFL,degenerates into an irregular LSFL,undergoes secondary splitting into a weakly uniform HSFL,and evolves into an irregular LSFL or is submerged.The results indicate that the local enhancement of the submerged nanocavity,or the nanoplasma,in the prefabricated LSFL ridge led to the splitting of the LSFL,and the thermodynamic effect drove the homogenization of the splitting LSFL,which evolved into HSFL.

Seabed structures and foundations related to deep-sea resource development:A review based on design and research

The deep‐sea ground contains a huge amount of energy and mineral resources,for example,oil,gas,and minerals.Various infrastructures such as floating structures,seabed structures,and foundations have been developed to exploit these resources.The seabed structures and foundations can be mainly classified into three types:subsea production structures,offshore pipelines,and anchors.This study reviewed the development,installation,and operation of these infrastructures,including their structures,design,installation,marine environment loads,and applications.On this basis,the research gaps and further research directions were explored through this literature review.First,different floating structures were briefly analyzed and reviewed to introduce the design requirements of the seabed structures and foundations.Second,the subsea production structures,including subsea manifolds and their foundations,were reviewed and discussed.Third,the basic characteristics and design methods of deep‐sea pipelines,including subsea pipelines and risers,were analyzed and reviewed.Finally,the installation and bearing capacity of deep‐sea subsea anchors and seabed trench influence on the anchor were reviewed.Through the review,it was found that marine environment conditions are the key inputs for any offshore structure design.The fabrication,installation,and operation of infrastructures should carefully consider the marine loads and geological conditions.Different structures have their own mechanical problems.The fatigue and stability of pipelines mainly depend on the soil‐structure interaction.Anchor selection should consider soil types and possible trench formation.These focuses and research gaps can provide a helpful guide on further research,installation,and operation of deep‐sea structures and foundations.

Web Layout Design of Large Cavity Structures Based on Topology Optimization

Large cavity structures are widely employed in aerospace engineering, such as thin-walled cylinders, blades andwings. Enhancing performance of aerial vehicles while reducing manufacturing costs and fuel consumptionhas become a focal point for contemporary researchers. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the topologyoptimization of large cavity structures as a means to enhance their performance, safety, and efficiency. By usingthe variable density method, lightweight design is achieved without compromising structural strength. Theoptimization model considers both concentrated and distributed loads, and utilizes techniques like sensitivityfiltering and projection to obtain a robust optimized configuration. The mechanical properties are checked bycomparing the stress distribution and displacement of the unoptimized and optimized structures under the sameload. The results confirm that the optimized structures exhibit improved mechanical properties, thus offering keyinsights for engineering lightweight, high-strength large cavity structures.

Design Strategies for Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries with High Zinc Utilization: From Metal Anodes to Anode-Free Structures

Aqueous zinc metal batteries(AZMBs)are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage due to the excellent safety, environmental friendliness, natural abundance, high theoretical specific capacity, and low redox potential of zinc(Zn) metal. However,several issues such as dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and passivation of Zn metal anodes cause irreversible loss of the active materials. To solve these issues, researchers often use large amounts of excess Zn to ensure a continuous supply of active materials for Zn anodes. This leads to the ultralow utilization of Zn anodes and squanders the high energy density of AZMBs. Herein, the design strategies for AZMBs with high Zn utilization are discussed in depth, from utilizing thinner Zn foils to constructing anode-free structures with theoretical Zn utilization of 100%, which provides comprehensive guidelines for further research. Representative methods for calculating the depth of discharge of Zn anodes with different structures are first summarized. The reasonable modification strategies of Zn foil anodes, current collectors with pre-deposited Zn, and anode-free aqueous Zn metal batteries(AF-AZMBs) to improve Zn utilization are then detailed. In particular, the working mechanism of AF-AZMBs is systematically introduced. Finally, the challenges and perspectives for constructing high-utilization Zn anodes are presented.

Multi-Material Topology Optimization for Spatial-Varying Porous Structures

This paper aims to propose a topology optimization method on generating porous structures comprising multiple materials.The mathematical optimization formulation is established under the constraints of individual volume fraction of constituent phase or total mass,as well as the local volume fraction of all phases.The original optimization problem with numerous constraints is converted into a box-constrained optimization problem by incorporating all constraints to the augmented Lagrangian function,avoiding the parameter dependence in the conventional aggregation process.Furthermore,the local volume percentage can be precisely satisfied.The effects including the globalmass bound,the influence radius and local volume percentage on final designs are exploited through numerical examples.The numerical results also reveal that porous structures keep a balance between the bulk design and periodic design in terms of the resulting compliance.All results,including those for irregular structures andmultiple volume fraction constraints,demonstrate that the proposedmethod can provide an efficient solution for multiple material infill structures.

A review on the multi-scaled structures and mechanical/thermal properties of tool steels fabricated by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

The laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) process can integrally form geometrically complex and high-performance metallic parts that have attracted much interest,especially in the molds industry.The appearance of the LPBF makes it possible to design and produce complex conformal cooling channel systems in molds.Thus,LPBF-processed tool steels have attracted more and more attention.The complex thermal history in the LPBF process makes the microstructural characteristics and properties different from those of conventional manufactured tool steels.This paper provides an overview of LPBF-processed tool steels by describing the physical phenomena,the microstructural characteristics,and the mechanical/thermal properties,including tensile properties,wear resistance,and thermal properties.The microstructural characteristics are presented through a multiscale perspective,ranging from densification,meso-structure,microstructure,substructure in grains,to nanoprecipitates.Finally,a summary of tool steels and their challenges and outlooks are introduced.

An origami shield with supporting frame structures optimized by a feature-driven topology optimization method

In this paper,the design,manufacture and testing of an origami protective shield with a supporting frame structure are presented.It consists of an origami shield surface and a deployable supporting frame structure that needs to be portable and sufficiently stiff.First,for the design of the shield surface,a threestage origami crease pattern is developed to reduce the shield size in the folded state.The shield surface consists of several stiff modular panels and layered with flexible fabric.The modular panels are made of a multi-layer composite where a ceramic layer is made of small pieces to improve durability as those small pieces enable restriction of crack propagation.Then,the supporting frame structure is designed as a chain-of-bars structure in order to fold into a highly compact state as a bundle of bars and deploy in sequence.Thus,a feature-driven topology structural optimization method preserving component sequence is developed where the inter-dependence of sub-structures is taken into account.A bar with semi-circular ends is used as a basic design feature.The positions of the bar’s end points are treated as design variables and the width of the bars is kept constant.Then,a constraint on the total length of the chain of bars is introduced.Finally,the modular panels made of multi-layer composite and the full-scale prototype of the origami shield are fabricated and tested to verify the bullet-proof performance.

Influence of topography on the fine structures of stratospheric gravity waves:An analysis using COSMIC-2 temperature data

We derive the potential energy of gravity waves(GWs)in the upper troposphere and stratosphere at 45°S-45°N from December 2019 to November 2022 by using temperature profiles retrieved from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology,Ionosphere,and Climate-2(COSMIC-2)satellite.Owing to the dense sampling of COSMIC-2,in addition to the strong peaks of gravity wave potential energy(GWPE)above the Andes and Tibetan Plateau,we found weak peaks above the Rocky,Atlas,Caucasus,and Tianshan Mountains.The land-sea contrast is responsible for the longitudinal variations of the GWPE in the lower and upper stratosphere.At 40°N/S,the peaks were mainly above the topographic regions during the winter.At 20°N/S,the peaks were a slight distance away from the topographic regions and might be the combined effect of nontopographic GWs and mountain waves.Near the Equator,the peaks were mainly above the regions with the lowest sea level altitude and may have resulted from convection.Our results indicate that even above the local regions with lower sea level altitudes compared with the Andes and Tibetan Plateau,the GWPE also exhibits fine structures in geographic distributions.We found that dissipation layers above the tropopause jet provide the body force to generate secondary waves in the upper stratosphere,especially during the winter months of each hemisphere and at latitudes of greater than 20°N/S.

Polar-coordinate line-projection light-curing continuous 3D printing for tubular structures

3D printing techniques offer an effective method in fabricating complex radially multi-material structures.However,it is challenging for complex and delicate radially multi-material model geometries without supporting structures,such as tissue vessels and tubular graft,among others.In this work,we tackle these challenges by developing a polar digital light processing technique which uses a rod as the printing platform.The 3D model fabrication is accomplished through line projection.The rotation and translation of the rod are synchronized to project and illuminate the photosensitive material volume.By controlling the distance between the rod and the printing window,we achieved the printing of tubular structures with a minimum wall thickness as thin as 50 micrometers.By controlling the width of fine slits at the printing window,we achieved the printing of structures with a minimum feature size of 10 micrometers.Our process accomplished the fabrication of thin-walled tubular graft structure with a thickness of only 100 micrometers and lengths of several centimeters within a timeframe of just 100 s.Additionally,it enables the printing of axial multi-material structures,thereby achieving adjustable mechanical strength.This method is conducive to rapid customization of tubular grafts and the manufacturing of tubular components in fields such as dentistry,aerospace,and more.

Mechanical responses of underground carriageway structures due to construction of metro tunnels beneath the existing structure:A case study

To understand the mechanical response pattern of the existing structure and ground due to the construction of metro tunnels underneath,the finite difference method is adopted to study the torsional deformation and stress variation of the existing structure and the effect of underground carriageway structures on the surface subsidence.The curves of the maximum differential subsidence,torsion angle,and distortion of the cross-section of the existing structure show two peaks in succession during traversing of two metro tunnels beneath it.The torsion angle of the existing structure changes when the two tunnels traverse beneath it in opposite directions.The first traversing of the shield tunnel mainly induces the magnitude variation in torsional deformation of the existing structure,but the second traversing of the subsurface tunnel may cause a dynamic change in the magnitude and form of torsional deformation in the existing structure.The shielding effect can reduce the surface subsidence caused by metro tunnel excavation to a certain extent,and the development trend of subsidence becomes slower as the excavation continues.

Electrical Resistivity Structures of the Beishan Block,NW China,and Tectonic Implications

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB)is a giant orogenic belt located between the Siberian Plate,the Tarim Plate,and the North China Plate,which records the longterm and complex geologic evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean from the Early Neoproterozoic(ca.1000 Ma)to the Late Paleoproterozoic(ca.250 Ma)process.The Beishan Block is located in the middle and southern edge of the Central Asian orogenic belt,at the intersection of the Tarim plate,the Siberian Plate and the Kazakhstan Plate.

The Evolution of Microphysical Structures and Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in a Deep Compact Thunderstorm over the Nanjing Area

In this study,we examine the dynamics and microphysical structures of a deep compact thunderstorm event driving cloud-to-ground(CG)lightning over the Nanjing area located within the Yangtze-Huai River Basin(YHRB)during the monsoon break period.The microphysical structures combined with the dynamics in the glaciated,mixed-phase,and warm-phase layers during the formative,intensifying,and mature stages of the thunderstorm were first investigated using C-band polarimetric radar and CG lightning observations.The results show that the mature phase of the thunderstorm produced a local cold pool,which collided with a southerly warm wind,resulting in a strong updraft.The strong updraft favored the lifting of raindrops to the mixed-phase region to form abundant supercooled liquid water and graupel.From the formative stage to the developing stage and further to the mature stage,increased ZH-and reduced ZDR-values within the mixed-phase region are found,especially within the strong updraft region(>5 m s^(-1)).This phenomenon suggests that supercooled raindrops evolved into large hydrometeors(graupel and hail),indicative of a strong riming process.The signatures within this region are consistent with a favorable environment for thunderstorm electrification and generate the most frequent lightning during the thunderstorm life cycle.

Emerging Trends in Damage Tolerance Assessment:A Review of Smart Materials and Self-Repairable Structures

The discipline of damage tolerance assessment has experienced significant advancements due to the emergence of smart materials and self-repairable structures.This review offers a comprehensive look into both traditional and innovative methodologies employed in damage tolerance assessment.After a detailed exploration of damage tolerance concepts and their historical progression,the review juxtaposes the proven techniques of damage assessment with the cutting-edge innovations brought about by smart materials and self-repairable structures.The subsequent sections delve into the synergistic integration of smart materials with self-repairable structures,marking a pivotal stride in damage tolerance by establishing an autonomous system for immediate damage identification and self-repair.This holistic approach broadens the applicability of these technologies across diverse sectors yet brings forth unique challenges demanding further innovation and research.Additionally,the review examines future prospects that combine advanced manufacturing processes with data-centric methodologies,amplifying the capabilities of these‘intelligent’structures.The review culminates by highlighting the transformative potential of this union between smart materials and self-repairable structures,promoting a sustainable and efficient engineering paradigm.

Synthesis of Reviews on Auscultation, Approaches, and Methods for Engineering Structures

Topometric auscultation is used to monitor the durability of structures, measure deformations linked to the structure of a structure or to the movement of the ground over a part of the globe, set up warning systems, etc. It first appeared as a visual method and rapidly evolved through the various techniques used. Some of these techniques using topography are used in several fields (civil engineering, geodesy, topography, mechanics, nuclear engineering, hydraulics, physics, etc.). These topometric techniques have undergone major changes as a result of technological advances, growing needs in the monitoring of movements or deformations, increased requirements and new challenges. The methodology adopted depends on the measuring instrument used, the parameters to be estimated and access to the area to be measured. There are two types of methods: destructive and non-destructive. In addition to the visual method, they can also be classified as mechanical, physico-chemical, dynamometric, electrophysical and geometric. The estimated parameter varies according to the methodology adopted. It can be defined by coordinates, distances, potential, electrical resistance, etc.

Valley transport in Kekulé structures of graphene

Valleytronics is an emergent discipline in condensed matter physics and offers a new way to encode and manipulate information based on the valley degree of freedom in materials. Among the various materials being studied, Kekulé distorted graphene has emerged as a promising material for valleytronics applications. Graphene can be artificially distorted to form the Kekulé structures rendering the valley-related interaction. In this work, we review the recent progress of research on Kekulé structures of graphene and focus on the modified electronic bands due to different Kekulé distortions as well as their effects on the transport properties of electrons. We systematically discuss how the valley-related interaction in the Kekulé structures was used to control and affect the valley transport including the valley generation, manipulation, and detection. This article summarizes the current challenges and prospects for further research on Kekulé distorted graphene and its potential applications in valleytronics.

Band structures of strained kagome lattices

Materials with kagome lattices have attracted significant research attention due to their nontrivial features in energy bands.We theoretically investigate the evolution of electronic band structures of kagome lattices in response to uniaxial strain using both a tight-binding model and an antidot model based on a periodic muffin-tin potential.It is found that the Dirac points move with applied strain.Furthermore,the flat band of unstrained kagome lattices is found to develop into a highly anisotropic shape under a stretching strain along y direction,forming a partially flat band with a region dispersionless along ky direction while dispersive along kx direction.Our results shed light on the possibility of engineering the electronic band structures of kagome materials by mechanical strain.